Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, using a variety of HD motion picture production techniques for his new feature "Sin City"--set for release April 1--relied heavily on green-screen techniques. The Bruce Willis film is based on a series of graphic novels by writer-artist Frank Miller, who also wrote several of the "Batman" comics, two "RoboCop" sequels and created the character Electra.
For the movie, Rodriguez used a Fujinon 6-30mm and 10-100mm "E Series" HD Cine Style zoom lenses on his Sony F950 HD cameras. In an earlier venture in digital cinematography, he used the Fujinon 7.5-150mm and 5.2-52mm ENG-style zoom lenses for "Once Upon a Time in Mexico." A growing list of directors often prefers employing HD production techniques because it enables them to produce films much faster - and less expensively - than traditional Hollywood film features.
Rodriguez's previous works were all highly stylized productions. Fujinon says its E Series provides Rodriguez with a shorter zoom ratio (6mm and 10mm) that tends to make the lenses faster and easier to control, with the sharp imaging necessary for special effects. A constant T1.8 aperture allows cinematographers the flexibility to either compose shots with a shallow depth of field - closer to 35mm film production - or to stop-down the lens to a higher aperture, achieving greater depth of field.
