This is the second of a two-part discussion I had with Richard Muller. He is a DIT based in Germany now, but like me started out in South Africa. He has a wealth of experience from working on shows like: Chappie, Avengers, Dark, Tribes of Europa, 1899, and more recently The Phoenician Scheme, where he was a virtual production supervisor.
We continue to discuss the testing and calibration of various film stocks for use on virtual studios. Also metadata and maintaining consistency and the challenges to doing good work when the D.I.T. role is not acknowledged. He has lots of great advice for people wanting to become D.I.T.s.

Richard’s Imdb:   https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3415527/

We discuss:

• (00:00 ) - Intro.
  


• (00:53 ) - Richard intro.
  


• (01:35 ) - Interview starts.
  


• (01:45 ) - Chappie.
  


• (06:29 ) - Avengers.
  


• (07:16 ) - Tribes of Europa.
  


• (08:48 ) - Daylight reference library.
  


• (10:51 ) - Metadata capture.
  


• (11:34 ) - Shooting data analytics.
  


• (12:58 ) - Scene-lapse continuity check.
  


• (13:46 ) - Summary of a D.I.T’s role.
  


• (14:21 ) - Watching everyone’s back.
  


• (15:43 ) - Crew having their own equipment.
  


• (18:49 ) - Cost of D.I.T equipment setup.
  


• (20:13 ) - D.I.T and virtual production.
  


• (23:10 ) - Understanding the signal chain.
  


• (25:14 ) - Color managing textures in Unreal.
  


• (27:52 ) - Characterizing lenses for virtual production.
  


• (28:29 ) - La Comandante.
  


• (31:46 ) - Big virtual studios vs small custom builds.
  


• (35:54 ) - Developing the role of the D.I.T.
  


• (38:59 ) - Learning paperwork structures.
  


• (39:33 ) - Space for trainees.
  


• (40:28 ) - Recce's and tests.
  


• (41:29 ) - Perceived temporary nature of D.I.T’s.
  


• (42:46 ) - Segmentation of roles and unions.
  


• (44:33 ) - The need for flat dailies scans.
  


• (47:11 ) - Spectral sensitivity and Ektachrome.
  


• (50:45 ) - Profiling film stocks.
  


• (51:30 ) - Initial Ektachrome tests.
  


• (53:45 ) - Processing and scanning Ektachrome.
  


• (55:57 ) - Shooting bracketed test charts.
  


• (56:53 ) - IDT maker.
  


• (59:03 ) - Comparing film scanners.
  


• (01:00:44 ) - Open VPcal.
  


• (01:01:55 ) - Choosing test steps.
  


• (01:02:50 ) - Repeatability and who’s responsibility?
  


• (01:05:59 ) - Creative play on top of wall calibration.
  


• (01:08:54 ) - Moiré artifacts of film vs digital.
  


• (01:11:14 ) - Spill light.
  


• (01:13:59 ) - Automation and need for tests.
  


• (01:17:36 ) - Expanding the role of the D.I.T.
  


• (01:19:52 ) - Advice on how to become a D.I.T.
  


• (01:29:08 ) - D.I.T and Cinematographers relationship.
  


• (01:31:51 ) - Outro.
  


• (01:32:19 ) - End.
  

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