“The Octa 7 is a powerful tool. It replaces an 8x8 diffusion frame, and creates a large controlled soft source, that mounts on a single stand along with the light fixture.”

Förderer Considers DoPchoice ‘Essential Tools’

Markus Förderer, ASC, BVK is not new to DoPchoice. A long-time colleague of DoPchoice founder, Stefan Karle, his fast rising cinematography career has paralleled the growth of the Munich-based lighting accessory-maker. Förderer’s feedback, as well as that of other hands-on users, has been fundamental to the rising popularity of the brand.

A recent inductee into the prestigious American Society of Cinematographers, Förderer works on a diverse range of film and television work from the megahit Independence Day: Resurgence, and the soon to be released and Haven: Above Sky, to numerous television and documentary projects.

DoPchoice is always in his kit: “I have used DoPchoice SNAPGRIDS® and SNAPBAGS® ever since I shot my first feature film in the US. It became an essential tool in conceptualizing my lighting setups. He’s a practical artist explaining that, “Being able to control soft light without the need for multiple flags and stands, allows for more natural looking lighting, even in tight spaces.” He most recently used SNAPGRIDS® and SNAPBAGS® on the features Haven: Above Sky, and Bliss, which are both in post-production.

What DoPchoice products does he use the most? On his two recent features, Förderer paired the DoPchoice SNAPBAG® Octa 7 and SNAPGRID® with the Skypanel S60. “The Octa 7 is a powerful tool”, he explains, “It replaces an 8×8 diffusion frame, and creates a large controlled soft source, that mounts on a single stand along with the light fixture.” That makes a cleaner set which he is partial to. “The footprint is fairly small, plus it is fast to set up, and ready to adjust. I use it for most close-ups because it creates beautiful, natural-looking soft light on the actors’ faces.”

The DMG Mini Mix combined with a SNAPGRID® turned out to be a great solution for the film, Bliss. “We had several scenes that were supposed to look like they were predominantly lit by a TV screen. The Mini Mix with a SNAPGRID® proved to be the perfect tools to create this effect. The low profile allowed us to place the light right in front or beneath the flat screen monitor. This way the light came from the same angle as the TV, yet it was easy to hide due to its shallow footprint.”

On the same film, he used 6×6 SNAPBAGS® with Skypanel S360s on a large scale for the first time. “We rigged them on a Condor frequently. Two units side by side with a 6×6 SNAPGAG each gives you a 6×12 foot soft source, which we controlled with SNAPGRIDS®. It was fast to set up and flexible, he explains “because you can pan them individually on the Condor without being restricted as you would, if rigging a similar sized diffusion frame.”

What DoPchoice products does he use the most? On his two recent features, Förderer paired the DoPchoice SNAPBAG® Octa 7 and SNAPGRID® with the Skypanel S60. “The Octa 7 is a powerful tool”, he explains, “It replaces an 8×8 diffusion frame, and creates a large controlled soft source, that mounts on a single stand along with the light fixture.” That makes a cleaner set which he is partial to. “The footprint is fairly small, plus it is fast to set up, and ready to adjust. I use it for most close-ups because it creates beautiful, natural-looking soft light on the actors’ faces.”

The DMG Mini Mix combined with a SNAPGRID® turned out to be a great solution for the film, Bliss. “We had several scenes that were supposed to look like they were predominantly lit by a TV screen. The Mini Mix with a SNAPGRID® proved to be the perfect tools to create this effect. The low profile allowed us to place the light right in front or beneath the flat screen monitor. This way the light came from the same angle as the TV, yet it was easy to hide due to its shallow footprint.”

On the same film, he used 6×6 SNAPBAGS® with Skypanel S360s on a large scale for the first time. “We rigged them on a Condor frequently. Two units side by side with a 6×6 SNAPGAG each gives you a 6×12 foot soft source, which we controlled with SNAPGRIDS®. It was fast to set up and flexible, he explains “because you can pan them individually on the Condor without being restricted as you would, if rigging a similar sized diffusion frame.”

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