Mini Musings: May 29, 2024

“I am not designed to come second or third. I am designed to win.”
- Ayrton Senna

Just a collection of topics I found interesting over the past few days and quick thoughts on them.

• Panasonic continues to embarrass themselves. After the abysmal announcement of the Panasonic S9, Panasonic’s been caught using stock photos in their S9 product images. Not only were the images not originals, but they were taken with a Nikon camera. Just fire the whole marketing department.

• Gerald Undone put out a video about reviews needing to change. As I mentioned in my Fall of Panasonic post, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of these camera companies are greasing the palms of influencers in order to secure a favorable review. I actually know that to be the case. This problem isn’t just affecting the camera industry. You see it in entertainment, gaming, beauty, fashion, and tech as well. While Gerald makes some great points in the video, he’s a fence sitter. He voices his opinions, but never strongly. It’s all “safe”, PG-13 fair. He’s not going to really say what needs to be said. That his peers lack integrity and have sold their soul to their corporate overlords in exchange for access, money, and trips to cool events. They’re just in it for clicks, views, likes, and commissions. They don’t care about the consumers they push products on that they’ve barely tested or would never purchase. They don’t care that they’re lying through their teeth about the functions of a product or that they’re omitting talking about notable flaws in the product. They just want the gravy train to keep rolling. I think it’s very disingenuous and very irresponsible. I expect more influencers to weigh in on the topic as a way of showing how much they care. Don’t fall for it. It will just be fake posturing to seem concerned as they go right back to doing the same thing they’ve always done. Shilling for companies.

The year of the “Flopbuster” continues.

• Furiosa flopped. Still haven’t seen it and I’m not really interested. Entertainment news outlets are all up in arms about Furiosa flopping over the Memorial Day Weekend. They seem to be genuinely surprised. I’m not. The film didn’t look interesting whenever I would see the trailer. Greenscreen everywhere, over-the-top action sequences for no reason. It comes off as very try hard and desperate to be edgy. And the billboards marketing the film have the tagline “By Mastermind George Miller”. Ugh. Not to mention Mad Max: Fury Road was 9 years ago, so it’s a little late to be doing a prequel to a film many people have never seen or have forgotten about. I’m sure it’s good, but you’re asking for an audience to care about yet another prequel/sequel/remake of something that’s already been done. And Mad Max’s not even in it. I think this year may be one of the worst for the box office. Expect a slew of movie theaters to close their doors, because the outlook for the rest of the year is abysmal.

Ayrton Senna exhibition in Italy? Hell yeah I’m there.

• Ayrton Senna exhibition in Turin. I mentioned previously I plan to travel more this year, but I didn’t have Italy on my list. Not because I don’t like Italy, I just didn’t have a reason that inspired me. Today, however, I discovered The Mauto is holding an exhibition for my favorite race car driver of all-time, Ayrton Senna. Here I was thinking I would have to go to Brazil to see some of the exhibits in his honor, but this looks amazing. They’ll have all of his cars, racing suits, helmets, along with rare photographs, memorabilia and more. I see Netflix is doing a live-action movie on him, which looks like…Netflix (not a compliment). The 2010 documentary is still one of the best features on, in my opinion, the greatest driver in F1 history. Can’t wait to see his McLaren MP4/4 in person.

Senna (2010). Full documentary.
Give it a watch. Still makes me tear up every time I see it. Senna Forever.

All for now.

The Fall of Panasonic: A Rant of Sorts

Oh I remember how me and Grandma-ma(who looks supsiciously like Frances McDormand) would hike across the old country back in the day. And we’d stop periodically due to her crippling back pain. I’d say, “Grandma-ma, why does thou back hurtheth so?” And she would reply to me, a young thing of 5-years old, “Tis because I use the Lumix and it weighteth a ton.”

Tick tock mf’er.

Just as I mentioned, literally 2 days ago in another post, Panasonic’s days are numbered. Japanaese outlet Asahi interviewed President Yuki Kusumi, who candidly revealed that “the situation is critial as we are not meeting expectations.” Kusumi also announced plans to take drastic measures to eliminate “challenging businesses” with poor growth potential by fiscal 2026.

While Kusumi cited home appliances, televisions, etc. as examples of “challenging” business, it’s obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes that the camera business is one such “challenging” business for them.

I’m calling it now, they will exit the camera market in a couple of years and will likely sell their technology to another brand. It could be like when Olympus exited the market and sold their camera division to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP), back in 2020, to become the brand now known as OM Digital.

If I were a competitor, I would buy up Panasonic’s tech immediately. Sony or Canon would be a great fit as Nikon recently acquired RED Camera last year. My pick would be Sony as they could benefit from Panasonic’s IBIS tech which is considered by many to be the best on the market. Heck, even Panasonic’s color science in a Sony body would be a dream come true. And unlike Panasonic, Sony already has a plethora of small, powerful cameras that Panasonic couldn’t be bothered to make (A7C II, FX3, ZV-E1).

C’mon Sony, get on it!

Man it sure would be nice if someone would make a full-frame version of the Panasonic GX8. Now that Panasonic is full-frame, surely they will right?!

Sony: “Hold my beer.”

Where did it all go wrong?

Photo © Richard Wong

Big ass cameras, big ass lenses. Last generation Autofocus.
Panasonic: “Why aren’t people buying our cameras?!”

Not gonna lie, the S1R and S PRO lenses are a sexy combination.

As someone who purchased both the S1 and S1R on their launch, a person super excited about the prospect that Panasonic was going full-frame, a person who invested $10K+ into their L-Mount system, and shot well over 100,000 images, I think I’m one of the most qualified to offer a breakdown on why Panasonic failed.

1. The launch. Panasonic announced their cameras in September 2018. They launched in March/April 2019. The cameras were loaded with features, but the three biggest caveats were size, weight, and autofocus. In a market of smaller, more portable mirrorless cameras, Panasonic essentially launched two DSLR’s in terms of size and weight. The autofocus while competent didn’t blow anyone away compared to the phase detect autofocus of its competition.

2. The initial lens lineup. Initially Panasonic had several lenses available on launch. Some run of the mill standard lenses and their top of the line S PRO lenses certified by Leica. All of the S PRO lenses are stellar. Some of the best optics in the industry. But the lenses were huge, heavy, and expensive. Sensing a trend here?

3. Lack of software support. I chronicled my tethering woes using Panasonic for years. There’s no native software that supports tethering of Lumix cameras. You have to use their pitiful Lumix tether program in combination with Capture One/Lightroom or whatever you use. This prevents you from easily applying adjustments to subsequent captures during long sessions. And if Lumix Tether crashes, you could be still shooting and not even realize that none of your images are even transferring to the computer. This should have been a day one priority for Panasonic if they wanted their cameras to appeal to professional photographers. Partner with Capture One and Adobe and have full tethering support for their L-Mount cameras. Even Leica would eventually do it in 2021 with their SL-2 which is essentially the same camera as the S1R. No reason for Panasonic to not do this.

4. Too slow to change. A common gripe Panasonic’s naysayers had was its contrast detect autofocus system not being up to snuff for professional work. While I disagree with that sentiment to a point, it’s understandable when Sony and Canon have phase detect autofocus that feels like futuristic sci-fi tech in its ability to track and hold on to a moving subject. So Panasonic decides to silence all the critics with the release of the Panasonic S5. A smaller, more practical full-frame L-Mount camera. Like a mini Panasonic S1! Everyone was excited for it. They would finally conquer the size and weight issue! Only to be let down by the fact Panasonic still was using contrast detect autofocus. The company were almost defiant about it! This turned a lot of people off and during a time which could have seen Panasonic take shares of the market, other companies were responding with stellar products. Sony released the FX3, Fuji released the XH2-S, Canon released the R6 Mark II, and Nikon released their Z9 as well as update for their previous camera models. Why would you buy the S5 unless you were already in the L-Mount? By the time they finally released the S5 II, it was too little too late. People had already moved on to other companies that were responding to customer demand, not turning their noses up at them. And fast forward to today, instead of an announcement for the S1HII, a camera people actually want, Panasonic says fuck you to all its customers and announces the S9. An insulting camera that is dead on arrival. I just can’t with this company. Ugh.

5. The name. Lumix is not an attractive name. Panasonic is. Lose the Lumix name and just go with Panasonic. The Panasonic S1R sounds better than the Panasonic Lumix S1R. What the heck is a Lumix anyway? It made sense in the early days of digital cameras with their point and shoot lineup. But I think Panasonic should have embraced its own name, its lineage and emblazon it boldly on their products. It should say Panasonic on the front of the camera, not Lumix. I would have people ask me all the time what is a Lumix? No one knows what a Lumix is outside of photographers, but people are familiar with the name Panasonic. Change it dammit.

6. No ambition. I understand Panasonic isn’t a behemoth like Sony or Canon, but even Fujifilm, a smaller company, understands the importance of disruptive products. Panasonic came into the full-frame market red hot then just fizzled out. Where is a full-frame version of the Panasonic GX8? A rangefinder style, full-frame camera with flippy screen? Oh yeah, Sony makes that (A7CII and A7CR). Where is Panasonic’s top end video camera that’s small and shoots 4K 120fps? Oh yeah, Sony makes that(FX3, ZV-E1) along with Fujifilm(XH2-S). Additionally, they released no new S PRO lenses, no on-camera flash system, no improved software support with third-party companies, zilch. Just updated video centric features. They haven’t even attempted to make a set of small, portable prime lenses. They released a set of primes that catered well to the video market, but they’re all relatively big. No tiny lenses like Sony’s 50mm f/2.5G. Where are those compact lenses? Sigma makes some but for the most part many of them are long so they don’t quite fit the bill.

7. Fanboys and Shills. Like many industries today, photography has been infected by fanboys and shills. The fanboys are a bunch of weasels, all men, who sit around 24/7 jacking off over camera brands. They pop up in comment sections just to chat shit about why another company’s camera sucks when compared to another. How “insert camera brand” is bad and that “insert camera brand” is way better. They’re not photographers. Not filmmakers. No real portfolio to speak of. Shitty photos they post on their insignificant Instagram pages. Dregs of society. No different that the weasels that simp for women on the internet in a vain attempt to get attention and acknowlegement. The woman on the internet isn’t going to fuck you. And the camera companies don’t give a shit about you. So while you have a damn aneurysm arguing with people about why this brand is better than that one, the camera companies are doing whatever is in their best interest. Fanboys of said brands are not just trolls in comment sections mind you. They’re YouTubers, reviewers, etc. as well. These types fall into the shill category. You can see their bias whenever they review a brand they personally don’t like. I’ve seen Panasonic get unfairly criticized for its shortcomings, but Leica has the same faults and they ignore it. The industry never wanted Panasonic to be a main player. They were always met with disdain and skepticism. Whereas Canon, Sony, Nikon, and Fujifilm all get constant praise for their releases even with obvious flaws (ex. Canon R5 overheating). I wouldn’t be surprised they’re greasing the palms of many of these reviewers to skew the results in their favor. But whatever, Panasonic didn’t do itself any favors by being so damn stubborn to adjust and not promoting their brand consistently and well enough.

It’s frustrating to report on Panasonic’s demise like this, but I share this as a word of warning to anyone thinking of investing in the system. Don’t. Full stop.

I spent 5 years giving them a chance, but they just never got it together. They never seemed responsive to the wants of their customers and continued to shoot themselves in the foot. Defiantly so. We shouldn’t support companies like that.

Who knows, maybe they’ll throw a hail mary right at the end and turn things around? A camera that will sell out in droves and everyone will be clamoring for one. And sending me emails saying how I ain’t shit, I was wrong, and I was foolish to think Panasonic would fall off. And I smell like cheese.

I hate to tell you, but this ain’t the movies kid. There will be no come back.

For nostalgia sake, I may buy a pristine S1R and a couple of S lenses at rock bottom prices to put in my personal museum. A reminder of what could have been.

Panasonic, I bid you adieu.

Musings: May 17, 2024

A collection of musings for the week. Today I’ll be talking about Fuji’s announcement of the GFX 100S II, buying another 50S II, the 50S sensor versus the 100S sensor for people, and some upcoming travel plans.

It’s funny how things can happen at the weirdest times. Yesterday, Fuji announced the successor to the Fuji GFX 100S, the GFX 100S II. This comes about 8 months after the release of the GFX 100 II. And almost a month after I bought another GFX 100 II after I sold the original one I bought last year. As any curious, obsessed photographer would do, I skimmed the spec sheet and product description of the new release. “Faster, best image quality, improved, etc.” You know all the usual marketing buzz surrounding a camera.

The announcement came literally as I was on the phone with B&H customer service getting a return authorization for the GFX 100 II. Not because I’m going to ditch medium format again, but because I just don’t like the files from the camera. I’ll pause for the collective gasp from the audience before continuing. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, the sensor from the 50S makes better images than the newer phase detect autofocus sensors of the GFX 100 series cameras.

No matter what I try, I can’t replicate the same tonality, contrast, and look of the 50S image which looks more akin to film. The GFX 100S and 100 II images look more digital. Of course it has higher resolution, is sharper, subjectively better color (14bit vs 16bit), but the image itself? The 50S sensor beats it. Maybe it’s the increased sharpeness and lesser contrast that does it? I’m not an engineer, but I’ve read there are image quality differences between sensors that feature contrast detect autofocus versus sensors with phase detect autofocus. And to my eye, especially when I tweak the images, the files of the 50S are more malleable and respond to changes better. Even skin tones have a noticeably more supple look to them than the ultra sharp look of the 100 megapixel image. Keep in mind, I’m only referring to pictures of people. If you shoot landscapes, your results may differ.

And I’m not the only one with similar findings:

Skip to the "Indoor File Comparison" section and this is exactly what I'm talking about.

I noticed a similar image quality difference when comparing images of the Panasonic S1 (contrast detect autofocus) to the S5II (phase detect autofocus) and the S1 was better. There is a trade off for phase detect autofocus which Panasonic has openly stated for years, but market pressure made them switch to phase detect.

So with that in mind, I set up a return for the GFX 100 II. With all the new bells and whistles of the 100S II, and lower price point, I considered it for a brief moment. I even told the customer service rep I would be doing an exchange of the GFX 100 II to make a pre-order of the GFX 100S II. But as I rode the subway to B&H, I listened to breakdowns of the new camera and you know what? None of the features really appealled to me, at least not enough to spend $5,000.

• Video? I’m not shooting video on these cameras. It’s not practical, nor fun. These aren’t production cameras. The GF lenses are terrible for video, rolling shutter is an issue so good luck handholding, it’s heavy so you’ll likely want a tripod. And those restricted frame rate options. IMAX this is not. Sorry, you won’t be shooting Oppenheimer on this thing.

  
  Seriously, if you want to shoot a film, there are better, more practical options like the Blackmagic Pyxis 6K(side LCD be damned). It’s an actual production camera with 6K video and only $3,000. You want autofocus? Sony or Canon have you covered with actual production level cameras. Prefer a DSLR/mirrorless camera style body and IBIS? Try the Sony FX3, S5II, or Fuji’s X-H2S. All more affordable and much more practical for filmmaking. You’ll also have a lot of money left over for other filmmaking necessities like lenses, external monitor, ND filters, etc.
  
  Specs shouldn’t be the only factor you consider when selecting a camera for your artistic needs. A drill is great for screws, but a hammer would be better for nails. An obvious distinction for tools, but cameras are similar. There’s this fallacy in thinking one camera is appropriate for everything. One camera could do everything with a certain degree of effort and difficulty, but that doesn’t mean it’s the most appropriate for the task.

Blackmagic Pyxis 6K. A production camera. No need for ridiculous rigging, it has multiple lens mount options, better exposure tools, RAW recording. It’s cheaper.
When I make another movie, I’m shooting it on something like this.

• AI Autofocus? It has this listed in the features, but it doesn’t go into detail on how much better it is for focusing on human subjects. Especially when compared to the flagship GFX 100 II. It just says it can identify other subjects like planes, animals, etc. I don’t need that. If it focuses on and tracks people like the Sony A7RV, now we’re talking but I assume not since they’re being so vague about it. And who the heck uses “Plane” autofocus anyway? It there a big market for plane photography that I don’t know about?

• The improved EVF would be welcome, but I’m fine with the lower resolution EVF of the 50S II and original 100S. And in some ways, I think the lesser magnification of the viewfinder helps me compose better. I know that sounds odd, but I found I composed much better with the wider view of the 50S II EVF versus the closer view of the GFX 100 II.

• Reala ACE? Who freakin cares. It’s one of the most “meh” film simulations. It feels lackluster and like one they just added to tick a box.

• The new styling? It does look sexy, but not $5,000 sexy.

So by the time I reached customer service at the store, I made up my mind and decided to go with the GFX 50S II again. Yes it’s slower and doesn’t have nearly all the bells and whistles of its newer siblings. But you know what, for my purposes, it’s the best option in the GFX lineup. I don’t need to pay the premium for video features I’ll never use. The 100 Megapixels files are already a burden as they eat up hard drive space, take longer to export, and slow down retouching. And they don’t even give me the look I want! Why deal with all the shortcomings and quirks if you’re not even getting the image you seek? It’s just resolution without purpose. The cameras are technically faster, but honestly they don’t feel faster. And none of them are in the same league as my A7RV for speed. For portrait work on the street or in the studio, the GFX 50S II more than suffices. When I need speed and/or video I have my Sony cameras which are my workhorses. And I saved $5,000.

Fuji’s GFX Fragmentation Problem

Fuji currently has three 100 megapixel cameras on the market. The GFX 100 II, the GFX 100S II, and the GFX 100S. I know the 100S will probably be phased out, but there’s really not a lot to differentiate these three cameras. The 100 II has more video functionality, a modular design, and better EVF. The 100S II has less video features, a static design, and modestly lower EVF resolution. The original 100S is a minor step down from the 100S II. And the freakin’ names are making my headspin just typing them out.

The cameras are so similar in terms of feature set, it’s confusing for the customer. And they all produce the same exact image!

And look at the pricing:

• GFX 100 II - $7499

• GFX 100S II - $4999

• GFX 100S - $4399

The 100S II seems like the smarter buy if you really want 100 Megapixels. I don’t even see the value proposition of the 100 II over the 100S II unless you really want the GFX for video. The 100S II is just as fast, lighter weight (the 100 II feels like such a brick), smaller, and creates the same image. And there’s really no point for the GFX 100S if you’re buying new. Just spend the extra $600 and get the updated features.

Pictured: The GFX 50S (left), GFX 100 (middle), and GFX 50R (right). All unique designs, suited for different purposes.

Years ago, Fuji had the GFX 100, the 50S, and 50R. All cameras with different designs, suited for different purposes. Now they have three 100 megapixels cameras that essentially do the same thing. They do something similar with their APS-C cameras as well. They take one sensor and throw it into as many cameras as possible. But in my opinion, it just creates a jumbled, fragmented lineup.

I expect sales of the 100S II to completely eat up sales of the 100 II. Unless some sort of firmware update comes out that widens the gap between the two, I don’t see a point in buying the 100 II over the 100S II. They’re starting to cause confusion in the lineup and that’s never a good sign. It’s like the company is throwing things at the wall to see what sticks.

But most people don’t want nor need 100 Megapixel cameras. That’s the domain of specialists. Landscape photographers, still-life photographers. People who archive documents or artifacts for museums. It’s like a 400mm lens. Sure it looks cool having this massive lens on your camera, but it’s a specialist lens more appropriate for wildlife than photos of your kids.

50-60 megapixels is the sweet spot for high-end megapixel cameras that are practical for everyday use. I’m telling you, sorting through dozens of 100 megapixel files of mundane day-to-day stuff is not the way. If they went with a 50-60 Megapixel camera, they could make it faster, smaller, and cheaper. And they would sell like hotcakes. Plus it would actually create a different option in their lineup.

Apparently they’re coming out with a fixed lens GFX camera next year to piggyback off the success of the X100VI. Curious how many megapixels that one will be. Taking bets that it’s 100.

You’re An Engineer, Not An Artist

Your average forum engineer. Prepared to smugly tell you all about noise performance of the GFX sensor. “Well you know the photons on the sensor show….”
Oh fuck off!

Nothing against engineers, I could never do what they do or think the way they do. In the photographic community, especially in the medium format sector, there are certain people who wax lyrical about the inner workings of sensors, noise performance, sharpness, etc. They post charts and countless sample images of mundane things like brick walls, trees, far away buildings, and expect your average person to be able to interpret their findings. Said findings are meant to give us clarity on the capabilities of the camera. How it performs and why it’s sooo much better than previous and/or comparative models.

I say this: You’re an engineer. Not an artist. Art is not science, it’s magic.

There is a reason kids are drawn to old vintage video cameras over the new cameras with all the bells and whistles. Why zoomers are buying old point and shoots versus the new cameras with better optics and dozens of features. They prefer the “look” of those cameras. Here in NY, I still see countless people walking around with DSLR’s versus mirrorless cameras. At first I thought it was odd, like why wouldn’t you just get a mirrorless these days? But then I understood the preference for a certain look, a certain feel of camera. New isn’t necessarily better.

Filmmakers often clamor for lenses that are inherently flawed. Soft in the corners, vignetting, chromatic aberrations, prone to flaring, etc. That character is important. Character affects the actual image. The art you’re creating. Who cares what the chart says?

People with recency bias will never understand. “But it doesn’t have IBIS or 4K! However could one even create with such a device?”

I’m not saying using old tech is somehow better or more noble. I’m not in that camp. I much prefer digital over film for example. But I am saying, gear, the tools we use, has unique characteristics that affect the art we make. If we judged them on a chart, they wouldn’t rank higher than competing options, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Nor does it make them any less valuable to the artist than the higher priced, newer item.

Lastly, I’ll add that most of the people that sit in these discussions having bitter arguments about this stuff are men. 99% of them. Women just buy a camera off a recommendation or how it looks and get on with it. They go out and shoot pictures of their friends, do shoots, etc and you’d never even know what they use. The guys sit around getting into arguments over cameras, lenses, charts, what brand is selling better. It’s dumb and immature.

Less charts, more art.

I’m Going to Paris

In keeping with my travel plans for the year, I’m headed to Paris for a 7-10 day trip in June. It’s been a while, but it will be good to visit again. I’ll be attending a workshop, doing some shoots, and of course sightseeing as much as I can. I’ll try to get there twice this year if the old budget allows, but there are other places I plan on visiting.

I don’t pull any punches on my dislike for what New York has become so I’m making a concerted effort to get out of the city as much as possible this summer. Crime and insanity has gotten so ridiculous here that just a couple of weeks ago, I returned from a fun R&R trip, and the very next day, a 16-year old kid got shot and killed right down the street from me. Literally 20 minutes after I ran past the area on my jog. It’s awful. As I’m writing this, they just caught one of the men involved.

Anyway, Paris in June. Then Prague, England, Tokyo, Thailand, and hmmm…maybe Korea if I can swing it. One down, five more to go. Anywhere but New York this summer.

All for now.

Musings: April 26, 2024

It’s been a very busy week, so I’ve decided to drop some musings to hit my weekly quota. How lazy, I know. And I’m also spending time playing Stellar Blade all weekend so being productive is the least of my concerns. Ya gotta kick back sometime ya know? But here are some thoughts:

Photography Life

• Great clients make the job feel fulfilling. I’ve very fortunate to have had an almost month long sequence of fantastic clients. Not so much the money I’ve earned, but more so how nice and appreciative they’ve been. Must be something in the water, but I’m loving this moment. I had a corporate client the other day that was so nice, I was taken aback. It made me emotional for a second. They were so accomodating, friendly, and just downright pleasant throughout the day it was refreshing. And one of the ladies comes back into the room I was shooting in and goes, “ I just wanted to tell you, these are the best pictures I’ve ever had of myself. Thank you.” I’m not crying, you’re crying.
  
  It’s great when you work with people who appreciate what you do, are thankful for your effort, and also have the decency to be kind and patient throughout the process. As glamorous as shooting models can be, it’s often thankless work. They don’t really care as much; with an almost jaded attitude towards the outcome. Give me a nice old person who is happy they took a great picture over a young model who can’t be bothered to stop staring at her phone while in hair and makeup anyday. Thank you to my clients this week. You all have given me new life.

• With all the research I’ve been doing on the current state of Hollywood and filmmaking, I admit I’m a bit undecided on which direction I’ll go in. Writing has been so enjoyable as of late, that I’m not as excited about making a film as I am about writing interesting stories. Sure I’ll make a film or two, but maybe my path is writing books versus making movies? Sometimes when I get in a flow while writing, I feel like it matches my personality and way of working better than being on set. Sitting quietly while I listen to music and write dialogue is so relaxing, almost therapeutic in a way. Who knows what the future holds?

• Allow yourself time for R&R. Or a vacation. Whenever I have an abnormally busy week or month, I make sure I take the time for R&R. I remember I used to stay up till the wee hours of the morning retouching, tinkering with camera stuff, or just doing anything random thing related to photography. Now, I force myself to take a break. I don’t count things like gym as a break. But sitting back playing videogames, listening to music, going somewhere new, or just sitting outside people watching helps me recenter myself and keeps me inspired. You can get way to wound up working all the time. Disconnect and just do nothing for a bit. You’ll find that passion and excitement again.

Hollywood

The Raimi Suit is still the best Spiderman suit. Fight me.

• They say that a hero will save us. Hollywood is really in trouble. It’s so bad that the number 2 film last weekend was Spider-Man 2! Yes, the 2004 Sam Raimi film starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. We could blame the strikes last year for the delay in big Hollywood releases, but I’d say this is also indicative of the desperation movies theaters have in order to get customers. This weekend, Alien(1979) and The Mummy (1999) are being re-released. While I love all three of the aforementioned films, it’s sad that things have declined so much where they have to roll out old classics to get people to even show up. Calling it now, but I expect a round of theater closures within the next year. The demand and customer interest just isn’t what it once was.

Great song. I don’t care, I liked Nickelback.

• A few articles on the Hollywood downward spiral. Check out this one by Harpers. This one by Bill Mesce. And this one by NPR. While each goes into great detail about the demise of the business from different angles, I think they miss a crucial point on why movies are so bad and customers have tuned out: politics and social agenda over story. It’s like the dismissiveness and ignorance Democrats have when they speak about people who voted for Trump. It could only be racists, sexists, homophobic people, etc. Instead of being objective and saying, okay, maybe there are some legitimate reasons people would vote for him. We should look at those things and see if we could implement that into our platform. But no, they stubbornly ignore those things and moan when voters don’t show up or go the other way.
  
  The “experts” are weighing in on the demise of Hollywood and but it’s all “streaming services”, “rising costs”, “greedy Hollywood executives”. Nary a mention of the political and social agendas that have been placed at the forefront of most Hollywood productions. Race swaps, gender swaps, completely ruining characters, feminism everywhere, preachy messages. Audiences don’t want THAT. And they have TOLD you they don’t want it. They want to be entertained you idiots. And you refuse to listen. So they tune out. And it’s unlikely you’ll ever get them back. Looking at you Disney.

Gear Talk

• I bought another GFX 100 II. Yeah, yeah, I know I said I may be done with medium format, but I couldn’t stay away. I’ll keep it this time as I have a specific use case for it.

• The Sony FX3 gets shutter angle. Sony is finally stepping up and giving the FX3 Cinema camera shutter angle capability. No more relying on the ol’ shutter speed being double the frame rate. Just set your shutter angle and choose whatever frame rate you want. You’d think this would be on all their cameras. Panasonic has had it for years, but better late than never I guess. But oddly, it won’t drop until September via a firmware update. It’s not so impressive that the FX3 is getting it, but the fact this feature may start becoming standard in most of Sony’s cameras going forward. I sure hope so.

• Batteries with USB-C Charging built-in. After I bought my GFX 100 II, I was in the market for a set of extra batteries. The Fujifilm branded batteries are usually my choice, but I’m not above third-party options. B&H has the Watson line I love but they’re currently closed for Passover, so I went to Amazon and found these amazing batteries from SmallRig with a USB-C Port built-in! No more having to carry obnoxious chargers. Just plug your USB cable right into the battery and go. They have these available for Fuji, Sony, and Canon so find the model you need. If I weren’t already invested heavy in Sony batteries I’d snap these up for Sony as well. I think the original idea was from the company Nitecore as I saw them with them a couple of years ago, but Smallrig is a brand I trust so I went with them.

Videogames & Bombshells

• Stellar Blade is out and I’m playing it all weekend. As mentioned above, the controversial South Korean action game, Stellar Blade has finally released and that will be taking up a bit of my time over the weekend. The game sparked controversy and heated debates for its sexy female protagonist which caused quite the online uproar by the usual suspects who don’t want anyone to have any fun anymore. To think a sexy drawn woman is cause for debate. Jessica Rabbit is somewhere laughing to herself. So what the character’s sexy and the costume’s are ridiculous? That’s the whole point. Either lean in to whatever makes your project unique and create something that stands out or hold back because you’re afraid of offending someone and make something average. The former usually fairs better for the creative type. And Stellar Blade is just one game in an ocean of thousands. Don’t like it, play something else. Of course the game could be terrible, but after I played the demo last month, I pre-ordered immediately. Don’t like the slick and sexy veneer fool you, this game is great.
  
  Personally, I want to support companies that go against the grain and are willing to push back against all the ridiculous social and political nonsense that has seeped into every facet of American entertainment. From school curriculums and sports to films and videogames, certain groups have tried to position themselves as the authorities of what people should and should not like. From body types to ethnicities, they want to police what you find attractive and/or beautiful. I’m sick of it and it’s great to see companies throw up a middle finger and make what they want. It also helps when the game comes from another country where entitled America “puritans” can’t push their values and beauty standards onto them. South Korea is not beholden to the thoughts and whims of some liberal college grad in New York.
  
  I could write a thesis on why sexy characters like Eve from Stellar Blade as well as real-life bombshells like Sydney Sweeney are important, but who has the time. Modern America hates beauty. At least in the mainstream. It makes insecure types feel uncomfortable and threatened. While Western game developers focus their time deliberately making characters ugly, outside of the American bubble, sanity still reigns. South Korea and Japan have no problem making characters that look cool, beautiful, sexy, roguishly handsome, etc. How far we’ve fallen in the name of progressivism.

It’s okay to be hot Sydney. Make the uggies seethe.

• This song from Dragon Quest XI. After replaying and completing the game a second time, it’s officially my favorite of game all-time. The story, the themes, the characters, all the amazing, emotional moments, and the soundtrack. Chef’s kiss. I’ll leave you with this gem, With Sadness In Heart by Koichi Sugiyama.

With Sadness in Heart by Koichi Sugiyama

Till next time…

Art and Entitlement II: Hollywood Writers

As Hollywood slowly crashes and burns, I read an article via the Hollywood Reporter highlighting the troubles writers are facing in light of all the downward changes occurring in the industry at the moment. The article mainly focuses on how writers are struggling to find work and are dealing with layoffs and lack of opportunities. Some are turning to jobs such as bartending or teaching. It was very enlightening on the mindset of some of these wonderful people. Two notable quotes stood out to me:

“Nobody ever starts their career thinking that it will last forever. I never thought I’d be a writer for as long as I have, but I didn’t expect to run into a brick wall. I thought it’d be a slow tapering, but this feels like a cataclysm. It was a very emotional thing I did when I applied for teaching jobs. I don’t know if I’m ever going to forgive Hollywood for this. To go from the pandemic to the strikes to this? It feels like one war of attrition after another.”

And another:

“For writers who are trying to pay their bills, it’s really scary because we only make money if things sell. As a showrunner who is a queer woman of color and I can’t get work? That’s saying a lot. It’s very frustrating.”

The sense of entitlement exhibited by these two is amazing. I’m in awe of it.

The first quote, “I don’t know if I’m ever going to forgive Hollywood for this.” So dramatic. Hollywood doesn’t owe you anything. They don’t owe you a job. Maybe what you’re writing isn’t good enough. Maybe you’re difficult to deal with. Maybe there just isn’t any openings for you to fill at the moment. You lost your job, and that sucks, but they didn’t commit some heinous act against you. Being unemployed sucks, I know. Not knowing how you’re going to cover your bills, rents, etc. is frightening and my heart goes out to people struggling financially. I’m not being insensitive here. But the industry doesn’t owe you anything. Stop looking for someone to blame and focus on finding another job. Use your energy productively. Go pen your next masterpiece. Maybe this will be the best thing that happened to you! But feeling entitled to it? That’s not going to help you right now.

The second quote, “As a showrunner who is a queer woman of color and I can’t get work?” Wow. So do those two qualities entitle you to a job? More so than other people? I like how she didn’t describe how brilliant of a writer she is, but instead focused on her identity. Apparently, her identity alone is the reason she deserves the job.

Identity politics is one of the big reasons Hollywood is dying. The industry has been infiltrated by some of the most whiny, entitled, cowardly people in our society who only see things through the lens of their identity. Who are now in positions to determine the creative direction of popular entertainment. It’s no wonder so much of it is terrible. When your identity is your primary character trait, I don’t have much faith in your creative abilities. You’re too focused inward(on self) versus outward(on the world around you) as the best artists seem to be. You can’t write compelling stories because you “need to see yourself in them” or these stories need to be fixing all the ills of society. Get over yourself and write to entertain. To make people laugh, cry, or get excited to go on a grand adventure of their own. Your identity doesn’t matter more than producing great stories. And you are not entitled to a job because of it.

It’s okay to feel like you deserve, say, a certain salary due to your knowledge and years of experience. Or to be paid appropriately for your services because you do great work. But a company does not owe you a job. Regardless of your talent, they have the right to choose whoever they want. If you’re not picked you have to keep searching. Actors deal with this all the time. When you find another job, guess what? You denied someone else that position. How do you think they feel? Not so good huh?

Entitlement does nothing to help you grow. It doesn’t hold you accountable for your own failings as an artist. And it will cause you not to work as hard as you should. You just expect a positive outcome. You don’t expect to work hard for it.

I hope these writers are able to find work, but I also hope they see how entitled they come across from this article. It definitely doesn’t endear them to the people in a position to hire them. A little change in perspective, a positive attitude, and far less entitlement will go a long way.