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Part Three With Lawrence Daufenbach

Recently, Daufenbach Camera received really good news about sponsorship. Tell us a little about what you will be doing for the “Midwest Film Festival.”

Twilight Frequencies

You own a production equipment company. Can you give us an idea of what that entails, and how you incorporate that in your work on the set of a film?

Lawrence Daufenbach

I started up Daufenbach Camera, LLC in June of 2009. After finishing college and working for a year in the industry, I quickly began to grasp the inner and outer workings of how the business works.  Aspiring to be a narrative DP, I looked into camera equipment that could potentially bring in both jobs and a side income.  I had been following the Red One (made by Red Digital Cinema, founded by Jim Jannard of Oakley sunglasses) camera in its production stages, and when it was released in 2007, I realized filmmaking would forever be changed in the years ahead.  The Red One was the answer as an affordable, yet top of the line camera for filmmakers alike.  It has not only helped me start a business, but has given me a professional tool to create art, tell stories, and move lives.

Having a camera rental business also allows me to stay connected and network within the film industry, as I work amongst people day in and day out.

Twilight Frequencies

Recently, Daufenbach Camera received really good news about sponsorship. Tell us a little about what you will be doing for the “Midwest Film Festival.”

Lawrence Daufenbach

The Midwest Film Festival is a non-for-profit organization and is the only film festival in the country solely dedicated to the Chicago and Midwest filmmaker.  It’s a year long festival that takes place on the first Tuesday of every month, showcasing independent film. We (Daufenbach Camera) will be helping sponsor this event; promoting the independent filmmaker as well as our affordable equipment options for filmmakers alike.

Twilight Frequencies

Since the whole world is enamored with James Cameron’s Avatar, what was your impression of the film?

Lawrence Daufenbach

It is a huge achievement on many levels, but most particularly, in technology.  A film of this caliber would have cost many hundreds of millions of dollars more if this was attempted ten years prior.  3D technology has come along way since its birth, and Avatar does justice revealing this feat.

James Cameron was able to look through a camera, which on set consisted of actors in front of a green screen. He was able see the entire environment that surrounded them, all in a live feed. To me, that just sounds insanely complicated, and absolutely incredible.  Your seeing actors in real life and on the monitor they’re Na’vi and in the Pandora environment.

The Simulcam, a process that takes two different cameras both at different viewpoints, allowed the film to replicate what the human eye views in 3 dimension.  It allows us to feel like we are there, and a part of the film, it becomes a reality.

From a story element, I found it very creative and engaging.  The world the Na’vi live in is extraordinary, and as noted in the news, it seems only natural that many Americans are depressed after seeing it.  Who wants to leave such a captivating world?  I also enjoyed the very Starship Trooper esque militant force.  There were a few one-liners I didn’t exactly care for; however, I think generally speaking, it was balanced to appeal to a diverse grouping of audiences.

to be continued…

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