Last September, Tom Shanahan, actor, tv host, and producer for Chinese television, asked me to direct a pilot for a Travel show / comedy called "Show me China" and shot in the Yunnan province. This incredible journey forced me to travel with a light and versatile equipment. I had to do everything by myself : frame / sound / light and running after Tom all day long. I was also my first real life field experience with the new Blackmagic Cinema Camera. So I feel right now like sharing my thoughts ( and a trailer ) on a week and a half shoot ( very different from a simple test with no stress ). Remember this statement is real in February 2013, some of my thoughts won't be accurate tomorrow...( maybe ).
- Even with a ProRes codec, you end up with tons of Giga bytes. It was a minimum 150 Gb / Day ( just for the blackmagic ). I also had a GoPro and a 5D as B-rolls. If you want to shoot raw, I guess it is time to win the lottery cause this will cost you a lot lot of money. Aside from that, Tom wanted to see the dailies everyday, and Raw is not famous for being playable everywhere. We ended up with 4Tb of footage including backups. We all love 2.5k Raw image but let's face it, it is not for Documentary shoot.
- I experienced a major glitch with my SSD cards. It just stopped working after a while. I blamed Crucial first but I eventually find out it was my fault. You need to format the cards, and not just erasing them. Once formatted, it will work perfectly. Otherwise, well... Face risks of loosing files.
- I bought an HD-SDI EVF from Cineroid ( the retina one ) just before the shoot. I sensed like it was the right move. And it turned out to be vital ! The Blackmagic tactile screen is simply IMPOSSIBLE to use in broad daylight ( framing and menu selection ). EVF is a must have ! You can buy the brand you like ( Alphatron, Zacuto etc... ) But don't be cheap on this one ! Otherwise you are totally blind.
- I am a big fan of prime lenses, but Zoom are more pratical on a Documentary. Due to it's smaller sensor. You do not have many choices. Either you buy or rent an expensive on like the Canon 15-47, Angenieux 16-42 ( 20 000$) or use a Tokina 11-16mm. This lens is ok, but lacks a wide range of length. ( it is approximately the equivalent of a 23-34 mm on a 5D ). The Blackmagic Camera handles the aperture control but the way you have to push the buttons make it impossible to use when you hold your camera on you shoulder ( a remote control would be awesome ). GL cinemod and Duclos make cine declicked version of the Tokina for 3000$. That's the best way to go until someone comes up with a decent solution.
- I used a Manfrotto remote control to Record without having to push the camera button. The main issue was I could not see if the camera was actually recording. Nothing showed up on my EVF and when it was too bright I could not see the record info on the main screen. I was told firmware 1.2 solved the issue and sends information on an external monitor. ( haven't tested it yet though ).
- The BMCC is heavy. I mean not as heavy as a red or an Alexa, but considering you have to "see" the screen ( at least for the menu ), the camera is set in front of you (or front/side). Problem is : weight is unbalanced. And your wrists feel painful after a day worth of shoot. Fortunately External batteries ( a Switronix Pro-X) and extra weights helped me push the balance back to the rear.
- Sound : This was another challenge. I had no sound recorder, nor Boom operator. I opted for a dual microphone cocktail. One Rode NTG 2 over my BMCC ( with an XLR/Jack adapter ) and a Tie Clip Microphone from Sony in dual Mono mode. This way I was never out of range. Tom always had is Clipped mic on him, and I could always get some extra sounds with the NTG. This worked seamlessly though sometimes sound just cut off without any reason and I had to reboot the camera.
- The famous "black hole" issue appeared once or twice while filming directly to the sun. I think this is an unacceptable glitch for a 3000$ camera. I hope Blackmagic can fix it. For the moment I just avoid the "magic hour" shoot. I guess This is not a Terrence Malik compliant camera... ;-)
My rig ! Not as heavy as it seems...
Voilà ! I hope all those experience sharing helped you with your own projects. Feel free to comment... ( politely ; ) )
Emmanuel
Emmanuel
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