Very Short Curriculum Vitae - Resume
Kommer Kleijn SBC -
Director of Photography
Director of Photography
VFX Cinematographer
Stereographer
Consultant
Kommer Kleijn SBC (1959) studied cinematography in Brussels with a/o. Ghislain Cloquet ASC and Charlie Van Damme AFC. He worked as a camera assistant and second unit D.O.P. on Belgian, Dutch and French feature films and subsequently D.O.P.'ed large numbers of short films, corporate movies and commercials. He then gradually specialized in visual effects work, beginning with blue screen and composite photography, then adding stop motion, motion control, followed by stereography and large format. Thanks to his electronics and technology background he also got involved with development of new camera systems, while continuing his VFX and D.O.P. work. Results of this are a Very High Resolution Digital stop motion capture camera (one of the first Digital Cinema capture devices in practical operation) and also a stereoscopic video production camera. He is a teacher in 3 film schools, is an SBC and EDCF board member, chairs the SMPTE 21DC Additional Frame Rates Ad Hoc group and participated in SMPTE DC28.40 stereoscopic and is a member of the AES and the BKSTS. He is a regular speaker on international image technology conferences and was recently awarded the "Bert Easey Technical Achievement Award" by the BSC for his achievement in implementing the 60 frame rate proposal as an addition to the International Standard for digital projection.. His web page is at http://www.kommer.com. Email:
Born in Utrecht - The Netherlands May 30 1959. Languages: Dutch, English, French and German. Brussels film school INSAS (Institut National des Arts de Spectacle et Techniques de Diffusion) 1978 - 1981. Studied with a/o. Ghislain Cloquet ASC and Oscar winner for Roman Polanski's "Tess", Charlie Van Damme AFC, André Delvaux, Edmond Bernard, Michel Baudour, Jean-Claude Neckelbrouck, Roger Beeckmans, Antoine Bonfanti, Henri Morelle, Pierre Drouot, Jean-Claude Batz, Henri Colpi, Jean Brismee. Scholarships with Theo van de Sande ASC, Robby Müller NSC, Henri Alekan, Johan van der Keuken.Worked on the following full length feature films as an assistant cameraman, (plus numerous shorts and commercials) among which are the following titles: "Een Vlucht Regenwulpen" by Ate de Jong, Amsterdam, The Netherlands "Menuet" by Lilli Rademakers, Belgium - Netherlands "Benvenuta" by André Delvaux, Belgium - Italy - France "Wildschut" by Bobby Eerhardt, Belgium - The Netherlands "The Secrets of Love" by Harry Kümel, Belgium "Springen" by Jean-Pierre de Decker, Belgium "Les Roses de Mathmata" by José Pineiro, Belgium On which occasion I worked with a/o. Walter van den Ende, Maurice Fellous, Ricardo Aronovitch, Charlie Vandamme, Paul van den Bos, Marc Felperlaan, Eduard van den Einde.
Director of Photography on over 30 short feature productions shot in 35 mm or 16 mm, in both Black and White and Color, of which several were distributed in the commercial box-office circuits, nearly all seen on television and several acquired different trophies in national and international film festivals.
Best Photography Trophy, Brussels Young Filmmakers festival, 1982
Best Photography Trophy, Brussels Young Filmmakers festival, 1983Research for the special techniques of combined life action and animation in the film "Taxandria" by Raoul Servais, including filmed tests and shooting technique preparations.
Direction of Photography on very numerous commercials and corporate films
Television productions for a/o. RTBF, TF1, FR3, VTM
Second Unit Director of Photography on the following full length feature films: "Mascara" by Patrick Conrad, Belgium, 1987 "Baxter" by Jérome Boivin, Belgium - France, 1988 "Koko Flanel" by Stijn Coninx en Urbanus, Belgium, 1989 "Eline Vere" by Harry Kümel, France - The Netherlands - Belgium, 1990
Direction of Photography, VFX supervision and technical post production coordination on the Belgian "PERRIER" campaign for cinema and television 1990, "Experrierence". (3 commercials, 35 mm optical)
Responsible for the 35 mm film shootings for Jean-Michel Jarre on his concert in Paris on the 14th of july 1990, "Paris la Défence".
Special interest for large film formats, IMAX, OMNIMAX, SHOWSCAN, 870 etc. Participant EUROMAX conference, NMPFT Bradford UK, october 1991 Participant IMAX Filmmakers symposium, NMPFT Bradford UK, october 1993 Participant European Large Format Filmmakers symposium, Brussels, February 1996 and 1998, Poitiers march 2000. Large format animation conference NMPFT, Bradford UK, 1999. Attended TiLE 1992, 1994, 1999
Direction of Photography and design of Motion Control Movements on numerous productions in Object, Model and Clay animation, with a/o. "La Traviata" by Guionne Leroy, a 3 minute clay animation short nominated for the "Cartoon d'Or" 1994.
Extensive experience in working with and conceiving the movements for Motion Control Rigs. (In particular with Mark Roberts Motion Control "Flair" software)
Other recent work includes numerous introduction sequences for weekly live Television shows (BRT: "Morgen-Maandag", "Onvoorziene Omstandigheden", "Vlaanderen Vakantieland" (1996), VTM: "Vakantiekriebels", Zomerstyling 1995, VT4: "Rad van Tong", "Meer man met Ivan") and all images for the complete styling of a new Belgian TV network: VT4.
Cinematography and Motion Control Movement Design for a series of 150 films of 1 minute about the history of cinema. ("Les Immortels", 35 mm film, 1995/96, All shot from the MC rig).
Participated in the development of a new type of digital High Definition Animation Camera based on a very high def. CCD chip (3k pixels wide), directly putting out digital files. Follow-up for color correction and transfer of these images to 35 mm and 70 mm negative stock. (1996)
January 1997: Director of Photography for a 2 minute stop motion miniature sequence for the 70 mm 15 perf (IMAX) production "Thrill Ride, the Science of Fun", using the newly developed Digital frame-by-frame camera.
Particular interest and experience in special effects and modern imaging techniques, which gave me occasions to work with a palette of different imaging techniques, as well mechanic as electronic, as combinations of both, computer animation, opticals, in-camera special effects, motion control movement design, image manipulation (Henry/Flame), Telecine, 2D/3D animation, Scanning/Shooting, and combinations of these techniques in the same film and/or within the same image.
Since 1996, teaching animation imaging, VFX and lighting techniques on the Brussels film school RITS.
4.5 minute clay animation short "ARTHUR" by Guionne Leroy. Cinematography, Motion Control, Digital Camera, 1996/1997 using an experimental new camera system. This may well have been the first movie shot digitally on a single large sensor.
Continuing DP, VFX and animation DP work on numerous commercials and television styling.
Attended 1996 and 1998 BKSTS SFX symposium, London/Pinewood.
Participation in the development of a new stereoscopic 6 CCD video camera, dual digi-beta. D.O.P. and Stereographer on several corporate productions and ride films in 3D stereo, all intensively combining CGI and life action compositing in stereoscopic 3D for full color stereo video projection. (1998)
Shooting of live elements (actors, extras, animal) for integration in CGI Toyota 3D ride "Road Masters" on stereoscopic 35 mm film (over/under), prod: PH studio, Japan, real: Pascal Roulin, CGI and compositing: MacGuff ligne (1999)
Speaker at the BKSTS 'Digital Weekend' conference, Pinewood, 26-27 nov 1999 on High resolution Single-sensor Digital Capture
Shooting of life elements (actors) for "Haunted Castle", a 70 mm 15 perf (IMAX 3D) stereoscopic feature by Ben Stassen, nWave productions. 1999-2000
Attended Large Format Animation Conference NMPFT Bradford 1999
Post production Supervisor, (grading- and quality control) for "The Straw that broke the Camels Back?", a 15 minute 70mm 15perf IMAX DOME - (OMNIMAX) production by IRAS Films Amsterdam of a documentary about climate change for the COP6 6th International Climate conference in The Hague, The Netherlands, 2000
Speaker at the BKSTS VFX2000 conference on "Very High Definition Digital Capture for Visual Effects in Film", featuring slides, 35 mm and 70mm 15perf material shot with our very high resolution frame by frame digital capture system.
Speaker at the BKSTS VFX2001 conference on "Composite shots in stereoscopic films" featuring stereoscopic 70mm 15perf material.
Attended BKSTS VFX2002 conference, London November 2002
Attended Euromax Large Format Filmmakers Symposium, Berlin febr 2002
Attended Euromax Large Format Filmmakers Symposium, Berlin febr 2004
Participating in EDCF-T , (European Digital Cinema Forum, Technical Module) by representing IMAGO, the European Federation of Cinematographers within EDCF-T. EDCF-T participates in providing input to SMPTE DC28 in order to define specifications for the future Digital Cinema distribution and projection standard. In this context I developed a proposal for more frame rate flexibility in cinemas, which now has been voted and supported by both IMAGO and EDCF. I presented it to the SMPTE DC-28 Technology Committee and as a rusult I was offered to chair a Study Group under DC28.10 on Additional Frame Rates. Our Study Group finished its report summer 2007 and an Ad Hoc Group was started in september 2007 for the creation of standards documents describing Additional Frma Rates for Digital Cinema. The first standard, S428-11, defines the additional speeds of 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps and was published in april 2009.
Since november 2005 professor teaching audiovisual technology and digital cinema at INSAS film school Brussels
Since October 2006 Assistant teacher lighting and camera animation film section of the visual art school "La Cambre", Brussels
Speaker at the Oslo IMAGO-FNF Digital Cinematography conference on "flexibility in frame rates" and "High definition TV medium and the digital film/digital cinema medium", may 2006
July 2007 I was hired by ARRI muchen for consultancy on sterescopic 3D capture and shooting of tests using the D20 digital cinematography camera and ARRI sterescopic lenses.
In 2006 I designed a concept for a low cost light wight Motion control rig for stop frame animation only. It was ordered by the "La Cambre" animation school in Brussels and build by Marc Roberts Motion control in the U.K. It was presented in Brussels on december 11 2008 and was called the ANIMOKO.
Speaker at dimension3-expo conference on 3D film making Chalon-sur-saune june 2007 on "VFX for 3D"
Speaker at IDIFF Paris 30 jan 2008 on "Additional Frame Rates for Digital Cinema".
Speaker an moderator at dimension3-expo conference on 3D film making Chalon-sur-saune june 2008 on "DC and 3D standardization"
Speaker at IBC conference Amsterdam sept 2008 on "Capturing and creating stereoscopic 3D content" and on "Digital Cinema Frame Rates" at the EDCF open meeting
December 2008: Teatching in a 3D training course by HDDC and Skillset,Pinewood studios theatre 7, London.
Speaking at the IMAGO/FNF/NFI/EDCF Oslo Digital Cinematography conference May 14,15,16 2009 on 3D acquisition and Additional Frmae Rates for D-cinema.
Speaker at dimension3-expo conference on 3D film making, Pantin, Paris, june 2nd 2009 on "3D cameras"
Presenting 3D session on ECS, (European Cinema Summit) june 19, 2009
Presentation "Metadata and SuperDPX", eDIT Filmmaker's Festival in Frankfurt am Main, 5 oct 2009
Speaker "3D invasion" conference lissabon, november 2009
Supervising stereography for first belgian 3D student film, Tranche d'Immeuble, march 2010
Supervising large screen super HD projection system European Comission pavillion Shanghai universal expo, opening mai 2010
S3D Stereography on several football (soccer) games in Belgium followed by supervising the European Champions League Finale in Madrid, Mai 2010
Instructor for 3D-Campus, one week 3D intensive course in Paris organised by Dimension3 with help of the Media ECC programme, may 2010
Mainly working as a stereographer now since 3D demand is high.
Active member of SBC, IMAGO, BKSTS, EDCF, SMPTE, UP3D
Member of the board, SBC Member of the board, EDCF Chair of IMAGO Technology Committee, Member of the board, UP3D
Participant SMPTE Digital Cinema Technology Committee 21DC (Digital Cinema Projection and Distribution) (formerly DC28)
Chair of SMPTE Technology Committee Ad Hoc Group DC28-10-AFR (Digital Cinema, Additional Frame Rates)
