Digital FilmMaker I31 2016 PDF

ISSUE 31
4.99
YOUR NEW GUIDE TO INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING
KITOF THE
YEAR
2015
We take a look back at the

kit highlights of this year
Inner strength
A behind the scenes look at

new fantasy film Pandorica
Filmmaker
Sean J Vincent
tackles another
crop of your
questions on
kit and much
more...
Hanging in there
What its like to film a snow
covered short up north
Running wild
Filming a quirky canine doc

in the icy wilds of Finland
On location
Tackling the multi-camera

Red Bull Air Race event
Into the groove

The challenge of shooting
pro music video content
Fast and furious
31
We catch up with the latest

developments at Atomos
EOS C300 MARK II
URSA MINI 4K
9 772052 096003
LUMIX DMC-GH4R
STUDIO CAMERA 4K
SONY FDR-AXP33
OM-D E-M5 MARK II
PLUS: DIRECTOR INTERVIEWS / LOCATION SHOOTS / PRODUCTION ADVICE

NEWS & LATEST KIT / STUDENT PERSPECTIVE / FILMMAKING TIPS & TRICKS
001_Cover 31_new idea.indd 1
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UK
SUPPORT
SPARES,
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AND REPAIRS
Buy now from a UK authorised dealer.
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Ads 31.indd 1
23/11/2015 11:40
Welcome to
ISSUE 31
Well, this is the last issue of the magazine for 2015 and as
usual weve got a great selection of content that focuses on
the hard work being done by filmmakers, both here in the UK
and overseas too. Kicking things off is a catch-up with our very
own Sean J Vincent, who gives us the lowdown on how filming
for his web series went. Elsewhere, weve got all sorts of quirky
projects including a couple of chest-beating offerings shot in
the woods through to a documentary about a dog in Finland. If
thats not enough to whet your appetite then Sean also tackles
more of your filmmaking quandaries via his regular column
and theres a piece that takes you behind the scenes of the
Red Bull Air Race. Its also been a great year for new kit, which
is why weve turned our overview of the latest gear section
into something of a retrospective. We know that not everyone
manages to get each and every issue of Digital FilmMaker, so
if youve skipped one or two over the last twelve months then
our extensive kit guide is a reminder of what youve missed.
Wed also like to say thanks for all the support this past year
and, hopefully, well be back in the new year for another feast
of filmmaking fun. Issue 32 will hit the newsstands on the 14th
of January 2016 so keep an eye out for that. In the meantime,
have a wonderful festive break and see you next year!
Rob Clymo
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Digital FilmMaker
003_Welcome.indd 1
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Contents
ISSUE THIRTY ONE
10
Making a web series

6. Digital FilmMaker news
30. Into the groove
54. Ask the filmmaker
The lowdown on the latest developments

from the world of digital video filmmaking
Gruff Vaughan talks about the challenges of

making pro videos for the music industry
Professional filmmaker Sean J Vincent tackles

another round of your kit and career questions
10. Making a web series
36. Running wild
60. Hanging in there
Filmmaker Sean J Vincent is back to tell us

about his progress on making a web series
Director and producer Mark Jeffreys talks

about his unusual canine documentary film
Richard Heap talks about making his new

short called Twine that involved lots of snow
18. Inner strength
42. Edge of darkness
66. Cheap thrills
Tom Paton has been building a new business

and working hard on his latest film Pandorica
Chris Loizou talks about the challenges behind

putting together an independent feature film
Sean Dyer is a filmmaker who has completed

a sitcom pilot for a new show called Beats
25. Fast and furious
48. Fighting talk
72. Back in time
Tony Trent from Atomos gives us a quick

update on what the business is working on
Actor Brian Woodward on his appearance in

the fantasy action adventure film Whiteblade
Filmmaker Luke Jeffery talks about the trials

and tribulations of creating his new short film
18
Inner strength
4
25
Fast and furious
Digital FilmMaker
004-05_Contents.indd 1
23/11/2015 11:31
Subscribe and
save today!
Get Digital FilmMaker
the easy way
Turn to page
108
36
Running wild
48
30
Into the groove
Fighting talk
78. Red Bull Air Race
107. Next month
We take a look at whats involved in shooting

a multi-camera event in the great outdoors
Make sure you make a note of the date when

the next action-packed issue hits the stores
84. The business perspective
108. Subscriptions
Tom Standage and Hugo Ward talk about their

new documentary series for The Economist
Get Digital FilmMaker the easy way. Take out

a subscription and have it sent to your door
91. Hardware advice
111. Hot 40 indie films
We take a look at all of the latest kit that

youll need to get yourself up and running
We pick out 40 or so of the current most

talked about and anticipated new indie films
78
Red Bull Air Race
92. Kit of the year

We pick through a whole host of the latest
hardware from cameras through to gimbals
42
Edge of darkness
72
Back in time
Digital FilmMaker
004-05_Contents.indd 2
23/11/2015 11:31
Digital FilmMaker
DECEMBER 2015
News
The lowdown on latest developments from the world of digital video
SONYS SMALL WONDER

Sony has introduced the latest
addition to their acclaimed
Cyber-shot RX compact camera
line, the full-frame RX1R II.
Joining the original RX1 and RX1R
cameras in the family of the worlds
smallest full-frame cameras, the
new RX1R II delivers the highest
picture quality of any Sony compact
camera ever made. This can largely
be attributed to the new cameras
high resolution sensor paired with
its large aperture, fixed focal length
ZEISS Sonnar T 35mm F2 lens.
Additionally, the new model features
a 30 per cent improvement in AF
response speed compared to the
original award-winning RX1 models
and is equipped with the worlds
first optical variable low pass filter
that can be set to off, standard
or high based on user preference
with low pass filter bracketing
available. It also has a convenient
retractable XGA OLED viewfinder
for eye-level shooting, which has
been implemented with minimal
change in overall body size from its
predecessors. The RX1R II utilises
a back-illuminated 35mm fullframe Exmor R CMOS sensor with
approx. 42.4 effective megapixels
paired with a powerful BIONZ
X processing engine to achieve
superior levels of image resolution
and sensitivity (ISO
100-25600, expandable
to 50 102400) with
wide dynamic range.
The sensors
back-illuminated
structure, with
an expanded circuit scale and

copper wiring design, enables faster
transmission speed and outputs
data approximately 3.5 times
faster than the original RX1R.
Matched specifically for the image
sensor, the large aperture 35mm F2
ZEISS Sonnar T lens ensures that
all images captured by the camera
are impressively sharp from the
centre to the corners. The lens also
has a unique Macro shift ring for
focusing on subjects as close as
14cm in front of the lens and has
nine aperture blades that produce
smooth, even background defocus
or bokeh in the most commonly
used aperture ranges. Another
unique benefit of the new camera
is its fixed lens design, which
allows the positioning of its sensor
and lens to be precisely adjusted
to maximise all benefits of the
sensors extremely high resolution.
Also, unlike the focal plane shutter
common to interchangeable
lens cameras, RX1R II utilises an
in-lens shutter, allowing 1/2000
sec flash synch speed and a
significant reduction in overall body
size. The new RX1R II also offers
uncompressed 14-bit Raw image
capture to maximise the benefits of
the image sensors wide dynamic

range, while also still supporting
existing compressed format. This
is also the first in Sonys acclaimed
RX line of compact cameras to
feature Fast Hybrid AF capabilities.
Focusing improvements on the
new model include multiple AF area
settings including Wide, Centre and
Flexible Spot, as well as Eye AF
and lock-on AF. New for the RX1
series, the RX1R II has a built-in
retractable XGA OLED Tru-Finder
that pops up and down with simple
one-push operation. The viewfinder
features ZEISS T Coating and
four glass elements, including
two aspherical lenses, that work
together to deliver a magnification
of 0.74x. The new camera also
has a 3.0 type WhiteMagic 1.2
million dot LCD display that can
tilt upwards to 109-degrees and
downwards to 41-degrees, allowing
for a greater range of shooting
angles and positions. On the video
side, the cameras advanced sensor

and processor deliver exceptionally
detailed movies with low levels of
noise. It is able to support full HD
1920x1080 video recording at frame
rates of 60p, 30p or 24p through
use of the XAVC S movie recording
format. The new RX1R II camera
is also Wi-Fi and NFC compatible
and fully functional with Sonys
PlayMemories Mobile application
available for Android and iOS
platforms, as well as Sonys
growing range of PlayMemories
Camera Apps. A new version
of the popular Smart Remote
Control app from PlayMemories
Camera Apps is coming soon too.
It enables remote shooting from
your smartphone, and features
updated bulb and continuous
shooting functionality to match the
new camera. The Sony RX1R II is
available from December with UK
pricing at 2,600. Find out more
over at www.sony.co.uk
Digital FilmMaker
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NEWS : DECEMBER 2015
STORAGE SOLUTION
US-based technology company Leef
has unveiled its latest mobile phone
accessory in the shape of the Leef
iAccess. Its a device that allows
people to easily move any file from
a microSD card to an iPhone or
iPad for quick editing, viewing and
sharing. Its expected to be popular
with the growing drone and action
cam market, with users looking to
transfer their video file to an iOS
device for editing and uploading
without the hassle of Wi-Fi, cables,
or a laptop. The Leef iAccess plugs
directly into any compatible iOS
devices Lightning port and, using
the Leef app, iAccess can function
as a memory transfer hub, content
viewer, or even to add more storage
to the iOS device when needed.
One of the first tools on the market
to be compatible with both Apple
devices and microSD cards, Leef
iAccess facilitates speedy sharing
of documents, photographs, video
footage and even music files,
without Wi-Fi or a mobile data
connection. David Smurthwaite,
partner at Leef comments: We
know how frustrating it is to miss

out on capturing an experience
because you have to stop to
download content on your laptop
or, worse, your camera is out of
storage. It helps people move files
between a huge number of devices
in the simplest way and it eliminates
storage capacity problems. Leef
iAccess is a total game changer.
Leef iAccess is priced at 44.99 and
is available to purchase from the
company website and will also be
available soon from Amazon.co.uk.
For more information then head on
over to www.leefco.com
HAGUES COMPACT JIB

The new K11 Compact Camera
Jib is so small and compact it
can be taken almost anywhere
with ease reckons Hague.
The Camera Crane has been
specifically designed to be
lightweight and simple to set up,
allowing you to enhance your
video productions by getting
those beautifully professionallooking crane shots. The jib is
supplied in two parts, which are
only 800mm (31 -inches) long.
These slot together (no tools
required) to create a jib that has
a vertical crane movement that
will lift your camera from ground
level to a height of 2.6 metres (8ft
6-inches). It mounts directly to a
tripod in the same way as you

would mount your camera and it
can be held by both -inch and
3/8-inch camera screws. The jib
uses the tripods head for pan
movement, which allows the jib
to smoothly pan from side to
side and move round through
360-degrees. Locking the tilt on
the tripod video head ensures
the camera will remain level as
the jib is raised up and down. A
standard bar weight or a sandbag
can be used for counterbalance.
The telescopic counterbalance bar
can be adjusted to get the correct
balance to match your cameras
weight. The ideal camera weight
is between 0.5kg to 2kg, but the
jib will support up to 2.5kg when
mounted to a suitable tripod.
Alternatively, it could be mounted
to the stand, which Hague sells as
an optional extra. The unit costs
168.00 and is available now at
www.haguecamerasupports.com
STUDIO TIME
Atomos has unveiled its new

Shogun Studio. Continuing
to revolutionise the HD to
4K transition, the product
harnesses the power of the
latest 4K/HD recorder, monitor
and playback technology and
combines it with useability
and affordability. Atomos has
designed the unit with the rack
environment at the forefront
of their thinking. Shogun
Studio offers event, broadcast
and proAV professionals
a solution that saves time,
money and space, said
Jeromy Young, CEO and
co-founder of Atomos. For
the same footprint of your
existing waveform monitor
you get a monitor with a full
suite of setup tools along with
broadcast quality 4K and HD
recording, bi-directional HDMI/
SDI conversion, playback,
audio monitoring and more
See www.atomos.com
FAST MOVERS
Lexar has announced new
Professional 3600x and
3500x CFast 2.0 cards for
capturing high-quality 4K
video. More and more
cinematographers and
videographers are embracing
cutting-edge video cameras
for important shoots, said
Steffi Ho, product marketing
manager, Lexar. The goal in
developing these products
is to provide them with the
fastest options available.
The new Lexar Professional
3600x CFast 2.0 card will be
available in 256GB and 128GB
capacities, and is specifically
optimised for Arri cameras.
The Lexar Professional 3600x
CFast 2.0 card costs 739.99
(256GB) and 394.99 (128GB).
Meanwhile, the 3500x CFast
costs 739.99 (256GB),
394.99(128GB), 213.99
(64GB) and 129.99 (32GB).
PANNY CASHBACK
Panasonic is offering a range of
cashback promotions in time for
the festive season. If you purchase
an award-winning Lumix camera
or camcorder from a participating
retailer, between Wednesday 14th
October and Monday 25th January
2016, you will be eligible to claim
up to 150 cashback. To claim the
cashback on qualifying models,
participants must complete an online
registration form found over at
www.panasonic.co.uk/promotions
SONY UPDATE
Sony has released a firmware update that
adds uncompressed 14-Bit Raw image
capture to the a7R II. Version 2.0 will be
available for download via the Sony site
on the product page for model ILCE7RM2. In addition to uncompressed Raw
capture, which will become a selectable
feature within the menu system for
updated cameras, the release also adds
the ability for the a7R II to output video via
HDMI during use of the Remote Camera
Control software. The a7R II is compatible
with Sonys growing line-up of a-mount
lenses, which now totals 64
different models. In 2016,
Sony aims to
boost the native
FE lens line-up
to well over 20
different models.
AMATEUR HOUR
The North East Region of the
IAC (the film and Video Institute)
has announced that The British
International Amateur Film Festival
(BIAFF) 2016 will be held at the Cairn
Hotel, Ripon Road, Harrogate from
the 14th to 17th April 2016. This is
a residential event, but day tickets
are available for the Saturday and
Sunday Shows. The competition
entry forms are available at the
IAC website to download, and the
competition is open to anyone in
the world, provided the movie has
not been made for financial gain,
and the maker is of amateur status.
The closing date for entries is 31st
January 2016. BIAFF is the IACs
flagship event and more can be
found about it at www.theiac.org.uk
Digital FilmMaker
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LEICA DREAM
Leica Camera has announced the

new Leica SL marking, it says,
the beginning of a new era in
professional photography. The
cameras 24-megapixel full-frame
CMOS sensor and perfectly matched
components guarantee exceptional
imaging performance for professional
photographers. Developed specifically
for the Leica SL, the electronic
viewfinder is the first of its kind to
feature Leica EyeRes technology.
With an imperceptible latency time
and an impressive resolution of
4.4 million pixels, this electronic
viewfinder offers an entirely new visual
experience and is activated simply
by looking through it. In addition, the
Leica SL features a 2.95-inch back
panel display with a viewing angle
of up to 170-degrees. Combined
with the 2GB buffer memory, the
processor makes it possible to
capture consecutive exposures at
rates of up to 11 frames per second at
full 24-megapixel resolution, and 4K
video with a frame rate of 30 frames
per second. Furthermore, the Leica
SL is optimised for use with Leica
M-Lenses too. However, the Leica
SL is much more than a professional
CARD TEST
Lexar has also introduced a crop

of other media products, including
the Professional 2933x and 1400x
XQD 2.0 cards. The Professional
2933x XQD 2.0 is the fastest XQD
card on the market today, delivering
a dramatically enhanced workflow
with the quickest capture and
transfer performance available. The
Lexar Professional 2933x and 1400x
XQD 2.0 cards provide exceptional
resilience to environmental factors
such as water, vibration, shock, and
temperature, so theyre the ideal
tool for professional videographers
using XQD-based DSLRs, such as
the Nikon 4DS, looking to capture
the highest quality images or video
in any environment, said Wes
Brewer from Lexar. We are
happy to see Lexars XQD
2.0 memory card announcement,
as it signifies their commitment
still-picture camera with beefy video

recording capability too. Videos can
be recorded in UHD at 30 frames
per second or even in Cine4K at 24
frames per second. In full HD, the
camera records video at up to 120
frames per second and makes use of
the entire sensor area. As soon as the
camera is in video mode, the display
shows only the relevant information
for video, such as safe area, aspect
ratio, zebra function or the recording
level of the microphone. An optional
audio adapter allows the user to
connect an external microphone and
the audio recording level can be set
without accessing the menu. Videos
can be output in 4:2:2 10-bit format
in 4K resolution over HDMI 1.4. The
Leica SL body is available at a retail
price of 5,050. Full details can be
found at www.uk.leica-camera.com
to supporting the evolution of this

important technology, remarked
Hiroyuki Ikegami, department
manager of product planning, Nikon
Corporation. All Lexar Professional
Workflow products are backed by a
two-year limited warranty. For more
details on individual pricing head on
over to www.lexar.com
MORE MEMORY
DRIVE TIME
In another spell of Lexar activity,

the company has introduced the
128GB Professional 2000x SDXC
UHS-II card. Leveraging the Ultra
High Speed II, UHS Speed Class 3
(U3) specification, the Professional
2000x SDXC card quickly captures
and transfers extended lengths of
4K, 1080p full-HD and 3D video.
The new 128GB capacity model
offers read transfer speeds up
to 300MB per second and write
speeds up to 260MB per second.
By delivering the fastest SDXC
memory card with the highest
capacity available on the market,
Lexar is focused on providing
professional videographers with
the necessary tools to perform at
new levels, said Steffi Ho, product
marketing manager with Lexar.
Lexar has also added a pair

of JumpDrive units to its
range. The Lexar JumpDrive
M20c is designed for use with
next-generation USB Type-C
devices, and features two
connectors USB Type-C and
USB 3.0 to allow users to
easily share content between
smartphones, tablets, and
computers. The Lexar JumpDrive
M20i is designed for use with
iOS devices, enabling users to
easily offload and move photos
and videos between an iPhone,
iPad, and computers. The
long-awaited reality of Type-C
connectivity is here, and the
new Lexar JumpDrive M20c is
meeting the emerging demand
for a solution that allows users to
quickly and easily share content
across next-generation and
legacy devices, said Aaron Lee,
director of product marketing,
Lexar. Its easy to run out of
space on your smartphone or
tablet. Both units offer users
an easy way to transfer, share,
and offload content on the go.
The M20c USB Type-C drives
cost 16.99 (16GB), 21.99
(32GB) and 33.99 (64GB) while
the M20i models are priced at
39.99 (16GB), 54.99 (32GB)
and 77.99 (64GB). For more
information visit www.lexar.com
NIKON CASHBACK
Nikon has launched its Christmas
cashback promotion offering up to
70 on selected DSLR cameras and
Speedlights, as well as the Nikon 1
J5. Simon Iddon, Head of Product
Management says: Its the perfect
time to treat yourself or a loved one
to a Nikon DSLR or compact system
camera. With Nikons vast selection of
DSLR models on offer, this is the ideal
promotion for those looking to step
into the world of photography or give a
meaningful gift. For
more information
on the promotion,
and how to submit
your claim, visit:
www.nikon.co.uk
DJI BUNDLES
DJI is now offering a selection
of unbundled Osmo 4K camera
parts for sale. The Osmo retails for
549 and includes a handle with
smart controls, topped by a 4K,
12-megapixel camera with a 1/2.3inch sensor and 94-degree field of
view lens. The Osmo handle kit,
packaged with intelligent battery,
charger and phone holder retails for
215. The price for the Osmo handle
alone is 175. DJI has also made
the gimbal-mounted Osmo camera,
without the handle, available for
359. Other accessories for the
Osmo include a universal mount,
bicycle mount, car mount, tripod,
extension rod, straight extension
arm, spare batteries and charger.
Get more details at www.dji.com
LIGHTNING FLASH
JMR Electronics, Inc. has
launched their new Lightning
LTNG-XTD portable Thunderbolt
SSD Flash Drive. The unit is a
portable bus-powered drive
requiring no external power
source with 256GB storage
capacity, plus 512GB and
1.02TB models being added
in the future. The SSD drive is
a high performance alternative
to USB thumb drives, portable
SATA-based hard disks and
current SSD storage products
in the market. It connects to a
compatible Mac or Windows
computer with a Thunderbolt
port, or at the end of a
Thunderbolt device daisy chain,
via its attached Thunderbolt
cable. Visit www.jmr.com
Digital FilmMaker
006-08_News.indd 3
22/11/2015 19:12
Introducing Blackmagic URSA Mini, the lightweight Super 35

4.6K digital film camera with 15 stops of dynamic range!
Introducing URSA Mini, a handheld Super 35 digital film camera
with an incredible 4.6K image sensor, global shutter and a massive
15 stops of dynamic range! The super compact and lightweight
design is perfectly balanced, making it comfortable enough for
all day shooting. URSA Mini lets you shoot at up to 60fps, features
a 5" foldout viewfinder, dual RAW and ProRes recorders, and more!
Incredible 4.6K Sensor

URSA Mini can capture images at a resolution and dynamic range
that goes well beyond that of traditional motion picture film so you
can shoot your own epic, cinematic masterpiece! You can capture
images up to 4608 x 2592, which is larger than 4K DCI, with 15
stops of dynamic range so you get incredibly clean pictures with
amazing detail in everything from the darkest shadows to the
brightest highlights! URSA Mini can record 4.6K at up to 60fps,
or 1080 HD at up to 120fps.
Lightweight and Portable

URSA Minis perfectly balanced body is made out of space aged
magnesium alloys so its rugged, yet lightweight and comfortable
enough to be used all day. You get a super bright 5" fold out touch
screen for on-set monitoring, that can also display overlays for
timecode, histograms, audio meters, focus peaking and more!
URSA Mini features full size, professional connectors, even
12G-SDI, so you dont need custom cables, plus high quality stereo
microphones and a side grip mounted on a standard rosette.
www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk
Completely Customizable
Blackmagic URSA Mini is completely customizable so you
can create a rig thats built specifically for your production!
Add accessories like the Blackmagic URSA Viewfinder and
Blackmagic URSA Mini Shoulder Kit, or choose from hundreds
of third party accessories. URSA Mini has 9 standard " threaded
mounting points on the top and bottom of the camera so you
can mount it directly to a tripod as well as add accessories
such as rails, matte boxes and more.
Non-Stop Recording
You never have to stop recording because URSA Mini features
two CFast 2.0 recorders! When one card is full, recording
automatically continues onto the next. URSA Mini uses the latest,
incredibly fast CFast 2.0 technology for recording speeds up to
350 MB/s. Wide dynamic range images are saved as 12-bit RAW
files, which are perfect for high end grading and effects work,
or as broadcast quality ProRes, for easy post production
workflows with minimum storage requirements!
Blackmagic URSA Mini Models

Blackmagic URSA Mini 4K EF
Blackmagic URSA Mini 4K PL
Blackmagic URSA Mini 4.6K EF
Blackmagic URSA Mini 4.6K PL
2,025*
2,359*
3,355*
3,699*
All models include DaVinci Resolve 12 Studio
*SRP is Exclusive of VAT. Electronic Viewfinder, lens and accessories sold separately.
Ads 31.indd 1
23/11/2015 11:41
10
Digital FilmMaker
010-16_Sean J Vincent feature.indd 1
22/11/2015 19:38
Feature: Making a web series
Making a
web series
Our very own professional filmmaker
Sean J Vincent is back to tell us about
his progress on making a web series.
With pre-production out of the way this
is all about how the shoot went
A few months ago I talked

about the preparation for
shooting our web series called
Paradox. Back at the beginning
of September we shot it, and now
were in post-production. The
shoot went mostly to plan, but as
always there were challenges and
obstacles to overcome.
With two cars packed with all
our equipment, personal luggage
and ourselves, we headed to
the location up on the North
Norfolk coast. On the first day
we agreed that the cast (Emily
Wyatt and Alex Humes) should
meet us at the beach house we
were staying in at 1pm, but the
crew (Jon Atkinson, Luke Vincent,
Tony Creaney and myself) all
met there at midday. We knew
wed need some time to get the
bedrooms sorted and to go and
get some shopping from the local
supermarket. Directing a low-
art
Ptw
o
The shoot
budget series isnt all glamour

in fact, its no glamour
at all really you have
to get stuck in and do
whatever needs doing.
Back to basics
We did the food
shopping, allocated the
bedrooms and put the
kettle on. Id scheduled
things in such a way that
we didnt need to shoot anything
until just before dusk on the
first day to give us some time to
settle in and to get the equipment
unpacked and squared away. Id
scheduled for 8 hours shooting
for each full day, with 4 hours
on the first evening and a spare
morning on the last day in case
we were over-running or missed
something. The beach house was
not only going to be our home for
the next 5 days, it was also the
main location. This meant coming

up with a plan so that we didnt
see all of it, which would allow us
to store the gear, charge batteries
and so on, without having to
move things around all the time.
Basically, one side of the living
room and two of the bedrooms
were never shown in the story
so no issues there.
When Emily and Alex arrived,
we all had a drink and went
over what the plan was for the
week and also what we needed
to achieve that evening. I had a
small but able crew, which meant
that for the most part, we could
carry everything we needed to
shoot a scene with and get to a
lot of the locations within minutes
of the beach house on foot.
Wed already changed some of
the schedule at the last minute
after doing some day-for-night
tests and deciding that most of
the night scenes would be shot
Digital FilmMaker
11
22/11/2015 19:39
to forget to put them back when

youre back to regular shooting.
Id come up with a slightly
modified Fuji Film style LUT for
the Atomos Shogun that worked
for the day-for-night scenes, as
well as most of the daylight and
interior shots, so that wasnt
enough to remind me. When
youre directing and operating
the camera, its easy to get
distracted.
during the day. The first of these

was the very first scene of the first
episode, which was what we were
starting with that evening. This
was early September, so it stayed
light until about 8pm. Wed made
a note that the sun would go
down at 7.30pm and we had until
8pm before it was actually dark.
The day-for-night scenes worked
best when shot at dusk this
seemed to start around 7pm but,
on a cloudy day, we could get
away with shooting day for night
at almost any time of day.
Ready to shoot
We headed down to a section
of the breakwater about a mile
from the house at around 4pm
12
and began to get ready to shoot

the first scene of the series. My
son Luke was assigned the role
of production assistant (handy
for his filmmaking college course,
who kindly let him have the
time off). He kept track of the
script, always had the iPad with
ShotLister open and reminded
me for each shot to check my
white balance and ND filter. This
may sound like an odd thing to
do, but I had asked him to do it
and I even wrote a reminder for
him on the back of the slate. This
was because we were shooting
so much day-for-night that I was
using an ND filter and a colour
temp of 6000 degrees Kelvin for
a lot of the shots and its easy
Day-for-night
scenes worked best
when shot at dusk
this seemed to start
around 7pm
Tracking it
The first shot is a tracking shot
of the main character walking
towards a rock formation. I used
the GH4 mounted on the CameTV
Mini2 gimbal with the Atomos
Shogun mounted on top. This
rig was invaluable for this shoot.
With no lighting required, I got
the shot from various angles and
then we checked it back on the
Shogun. The next shot was the
first time the audience sees the
time travel sequence. In order
for the CGI elements to work,
which we were going to add in
post-production, I needed for
the camera to be completely
locked off on a tripod. Tony and
Luke helped get the tripod into
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 19:39
Feature:
Interview:
Making aBack
web in
series
time
position while Jon helped me rig

the GH4 into the cage rig. This
was then mounted on the tripod
and we began shooting some
tests. This was the first time we
had shot the time travel sequence
and it takes a few tests to know
how its going to work. We had a
small wind machine in the form
of a battery-powered leaf blower,
some smoke charges and the
time machine prop itself. The
plan was, get Alex into position
with the time machine, shoot
him about to time jump and then
shoot the empty space after hes
jumped, and then finally move the
camera and shoot him arriving at
the same place in the future.
Hot shoes
We had a heavy-duty water spray

on standby, just in case. Once
Alex was out of shot, the flames
dying away with the wind and
smoke made the perfect after
shot. We did this three times to
make sure we had it and then
we moved the camera to get the
other angle for the arrival in the
future shot. Being the first time we
had done this properly, we were
really pleased with the result.
There were issues The smoke
charges were a right pain to light
due to the wind coming off the
beach and we noticed later that
the best shot for the after bit
without Alex in the shot has his foot
in it. No worries, as the shot was
locked-off, we just used a section
of one of the other shots to fix it.
I really enjoyed
the freedom of
using the CameTV
Mini2 gimbal. Its
so light
Once this first scene was shot,
we moved immediately onto
the next scene, which was the
disorientation Alexs character
experiences when he arrives
in the future. This involved me
following him with the gimbal rig
and moving around him to get the
right angle for when he throws up.
At this point he falls to his knees,
which I also did to follow him with
the camera. The ability to use
the camera to sell an emotion

is so useful the gimbal meant
that completely unplanned, as he
began to sit up, I swung around
him to get a great shot of the sea
in front of him and then I followed
him as he walked off. We got an
alternative take of the same thing,
just to be safe. By the way, the
convincing vomit was the usual
tin of chunky vegetable soup.
Gross for the actor, but at least
they get to spit it out and its not
dangerous.
After hours
The rest of the evening was spent
getting some interior conversation
scenes in the beach house. I
shot most of these twice using
the gimbal and GH4 for one take
To sell the CGI work later, we

used the smoke and wind just out
of shot to blow into the shot and
then we poured a small amount
of lighter fluid around his feet
and lit it just as we started rolling.
Alex would sit there with his feet
looking like they were on fire and
then as soon as I was sure we
had the shot, he would jump out
of the way and we would make
sure he wasnt alight! Of course
he wasnt the lighter fluid looks
good, but its actually quite hard
to set your trainers on fire with it
and its further away than it looks.
Digital FilmMaker
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22/11/2015 19:40
and then using the FS100 with

a 50mm Zeiss lens for another
version. Having a combination
of flowing movement shots and
very shallow depth-of-field shots
gives me some nice options in
the edit. We tried at the end of
the evening, in the dark, to shoot
a scene on the beach, but even
with some subtle lighting, you
just couldnt tell we were on a
beach as it was pitch black... no
ambient light at all, so we decided
to re-shoot it day-for-night the
following day.
The next morning was spent
getting some day-for-night shots
on the beach in the scene where
Alex and Emily go for a night time
walk. This is the scene we had
tried the night before. Luckily
for us, it was an overcast day so
we didnt have any issues with
the sun giving us overly strong
shadows. Again, in this scene
I really enjoyed the freedom of
using the CameTV Mini2 gimbal.
14
Its so light that I tracked Emily

and Alex for the whole walk in
one take... although I got various
angles to make it more interesting
to watch (clever as long takes
are, Im not a huge fan if they
dont serve the story).
Tough call
The rest of the shoot gave us
some interesting challenges,
including shooting some car
scenes at night using the
Rotolight NEO lights to enable

us to get some really high-quality
light on the faces of the actors,
without any serious rigging. Just
by wedging the lights into the
dashboard and using a bit of
gaffa tape, we got some lovely
subtle lighting for the car shots.
We used the FS100 with the
Atomos Ninja Blade for the night
car shots as its such a low-light
beast of a camera. I know the
Sony A7S and A7R are the main
low-light contenders now, but the

FS100 really does an amazing job
for an HD Super35 Camera.
We did have a couple of scenes
that included issues that Im
regularly asked about in my Ask
The FilmMaker pages. One of
them was filming quite a long
scene in a public place with
no way to close the location.
This was a wind-shelter on the
cliff tops in the town we were
shooting in. It was the middle
of the afternoon on a sunny day
and there were lots and lots of
people about all of them talking
loudly and getting on with their
day. We waited until the shelter
was empty and then we set up
and got the actors into position.
We were using a tripod for most
of the scene and, with me behind
the tripod and Jon using a long
boom for the microphone, it was
obvious to everyone around that
we were filming. This appeared
to be enough to keep 99 per cent
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 19:40
of the people at a distance that

allowed us to just get on with it.
My way of working is to always
say hello to anyone who asks
whats happening and tell them
the truth. They usually nod and
say Thats interesting and then
leave you to it. We did have to
cut quite a few times when the
noise got too much and also
when a dustbin lorry decided to
stop right next to us and leave the
engine running while they all went
off somewhere. This is just what
happens deal with it and have
a cup of coffee and wait until its
clear to continue. This is all much
easier in the summer as you can
imagine it was such a nice day
that no one minded losing some

time on a sunny clifftop.
Thug element
Another challenging scene is a
where the two main characters
have to fight off three thugs who
attack them. Ive not done lots of
physical action before, but I knew
what I wanted and it was just a
matter of trying to explain that to
the actors and then trying to get
that effect, while keeping track
of where we were in the fight.
We decided to use the FS100
mounted on a regular handheld
rig with the Atomos Ninja Blade.
The GH4 has too much rolling
shutter for fast movements and
We used the
FS100 with the
Atomos Ninja Blade
for the night
car shots
the gimbal wouldnt look right for
a fight scene. It was hard work
and we didnt quite get it right,
but its not too bad and it works
in the context of the episode.
Ideally, we would have had a
longer scene with more moves,
but in the end, we shot what we
planned to shoot.
On the last morning we shot
one of the driving scenes again

as wed noticed a dark spot on
the camera sensor in some of the
shots from the previous day. This
is a complete nightmare when
it happens and theres nothing
you can do apart from re-shoot.
The offending spot was caused
by a spec of dust on the FS100
sensor. It would have got there
during a lens change outside.
We all know that exposing the
sensor is very dangerous and
Im sure I dont need to remind
anyone why this ruined a few
hours worth of shots. Why didnt
we notice? Well, a spot that is
only 2cm across on a 40inch
monitor is not even 5mm across
Digital FilmMaker
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22/11/2015 19:40

on a 7inch monitor, so its easily
missed if youre working fast... its
a dark spot after all. I generally
clean the sensor once a day
unless theres a problem, but this
spec of dust arrived at just the
wrong time. Anyway, we replaced
the shots with new ones and that
gave us a chance to improve on
them, which is no bad thing.
Learning lessons
What did we learn specifically
on this shoot? Lots as always
seaside towns are very windy and
that makes audio tough. Luckily,
Jon used a pretty serious fluffy
on the boom mic, which dealt
with most of it and we shielded
the whole mic quite often if it
was possible. The sun constantly
going in and out is annoying
it always is, but when youre
shooting day-for-night, its worse.
Finally, we learnt that you can
never have too many batteries
for your kit. Luckily, I have loads
16
and we never ran out, but we did

come close a couple of times. Im
definitely still learning to direct the
actors its great when things
are going to plan, but its a skill
to know how to deal with things
when something doesnt work
as planned. Everyone will have
opinions and its good to listen,
but you have to know the direction
that is going to work best thats
why they call it directing.
Well be shooting
new episodes in
the New Year. A
massive thanks to
the kit suppliers
Now its a couple of months
later and the edit is done and
were working on the music
and audio tracks. Were pretty
pleased with how its looking,
although as always, I can see
lots of room for improvement.

Thats the whole point really
to keep learning and to keep
trying new things. Ive been
blown away by the GH4 and
Shogun combination the 10bit
422 footage is fantastic. Its a
shame I didnt get the V-Log L
update before the shoot, but
even without it, the footage really
sings. Hopefully Paradox will be
out before Christmas and well

be shooting new episodes in the
New Year. A massive thanks to
the kit suppliers who helped us
get this done. Atomos for their
continued support. Rotolight
for the excellent NEO 3 Light
Kit, Shape for the invaluable
Shogun Cage and CameTV for
the fantastic Mini2 gimbal, which
really has impressed me. n
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 19:41
Ads 31.indd 1
23/11/2015 11:43
INNER
STRENGTH
Its been a while since weve seen him and
thats because Tom Paton has been busy
building a new business and also working
hard on his new film called Pandorica
18
Digital FilmMaker
018-23_Tom Paton Pandorica.indd 1
22/11/2015 20:09
Feature: Inner strength
Having showcased his work

here previously, filmmaker
Tom Paton is no stranger to
these pages, but weve not
seen much of him for quite
a while. And, as it turns out,
theres a very good reason
for that. Id been working on
another film called Endemic for
around two years, as is typical
within the industry, he explains.
It went through
several drafts
and then Mirror
Productions came
on board
The script was doing the
rounds drumming up investment.
Pandorica was born out of
frustration more than anything
else. I was irritated by how the
industry works in terms of sales
and distribution and decided to
do something about it. I formed
my own sales and distribution
company with Nick Sadler and
George Burt called The Film
Label. The goal is simple: to sell

independent movies in the same
way that independent music is
sold, with an even split of profits
between the artist and the label.
We needed a proof of concept
though and so I wrote Pandorica
in around three weeks from
start to scratch. It went through
several drafts and then Mirror
Productions came on board.
They were hugely supportive of
not just Pandorica, but what we
are trying to do at The Film Label
and so they funded the movie.
Coincidently, Endemic has now
found its money and goes into
production next year.
A big deal
Tom has always been up for
a challenge as weve seen
on previous occasions but
this time there was a lot more
at stake it seems Im the
writer/director of Pandorica,
which is a pretty daunting task,
he says. On all of the work Ive
done throughout my film career
there has been an ability to
not fully take responsibility
for the end product
because there have
been so many people
involved. But on
this it was all on
me. A lot of people,
most of them good
friends, really put
their necks out to
support me on the
project and so the
pressure to create
something worthy of
everyones time was
immense. Fortunately, I quite like

pressure, and it turned out to be
exactly what was needed to bring
the film to life.
I quite like pressure,

and it turned out
to be exactly what
was needed to bring
the film to life
So where does one start
explaining the concept behind
this offbeat film? Pandorica is
a real insight into how my head
works I think, reckons Tom. And
that is to say that its
completely mad.
But, hopefully,
in all the right
ways. The film
itself is all about
leadership and
what makes someone a worthy

leader. Its a subject Ive always
found interesting and every
character poses a different side to
the argument. Its lead character
is a girl named Eiren, who I feel
is much more representative of
strong women I know than the
kinds of female leads we are
used to being shown. She has
no love interest in the movie and
she doesnt start out meek in the
background only to do a Ripley
and stand up for herself in the end.
Instead, she starts the movie as
a pure bad ass and her journey is
similar to the type we are used to
seeing male characters go on; she
learns to let people in a little. But
just a little. I wanted Eiren to be
a Snake Plisken-type character,
shes bad ass just because she
is, not because shes forced to
be by a situation. The film is set
in a future that has been reset
and has elements of tribal culture
reintroduced. The story revolves
around the leadership trials of the
Varosha as the final three
candidates are taken
out to a sacred forest
to take part in a trial to
choose which of them
will lead their people
next. Its safe to say
things go down in a
big way and they
find themselves
wrapped up in
another tribes
problems. But
only one of
them will come
out of it all as a
leader.
Digital FilmMaker
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22/11/2015 20:10
Tough call
Presumably then with a pretty
bold film on his hands Tom had
to make sure he had the right
amount of support and a decent
crew behind him, right? The film
has been produced by Evangelo
Kioussis and Simon Baxter, he
says. As well as my business
partners Nick Sadler and
George Burt. George is a long
time collaborator of mine and
is also the best damn director
of photography I know. He shot
the film as he really understands
my style of directing. Im very
hands on with the technical side
of things as its a passion of
mine, which can be frustrating
for certain crews whod rather
I just stuck to my monitor and
the actors, but George really
gets it. Its very important to me
have my fingerprints on every
aspect of the film, right down
to choosing the materials for
the wardrobe. I had an amazing
Line Producer in Craig Hinde
and he assembled a fantastic
crew to help bring the rest of
the movie to life. The make-up
It was my decision
to shoot the movie
on the Sony a7s
with a Shogun for
the 4K recording
was designed by superstar trend
artist, Lisa Potter-Dixon, whos
top of her game really. We were
really lucky to have her design
such iconic, but simple looks
for the make-up. Ashley Paton
headed up the photography side
of things, which I have to say, is
so important. I think filmmakers
often forget that without photos
you have nothing to promote
with, so next time you shoot
something readers, remember to
sort a photographer out.
It was my decision to shoot the

movie on the Sony a7s with a
Shogun for the 4K recording,
furthers the filmmaker. The
reason for this is that the film is
mostly set at night and I wanted
to really challenge the look we
could achieve by shooting at
those crazy high ISOs. A lot of the
film is shot at around 20,000 ISO,
which I personally find so exciting.
Its amazing to be able to give the
film an aesthetic that would have
been totally unachievable just two
years ago. The film looks great
and I think people are going to
be blown away by what you can
achieve with that camera if you
Simple strategy
Tom also kept things streamlined
when it came to kit choices too
20
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 20:10
use it right. We also used a Ronin

M and Leica glass, provided by
the awesome Leigh Brookes at
Firebelly Films. On the lighting
front, we had one Arri 5K and two
1K LED panels pointed up at a
large white helium balloon meant
for weddings. This essentially gave
us fill from the 5K and a portable
moon with the balloon. You can
pull of amazingly expensive looks
with very little money and a bit
of intuition. Check out the film to
judge for yourself.
Swift progress
Now that hes got a few years
experience behind him does
that mean it all went swimmingly
then, or were there any hurdles
We shot in two
different locations,
The Lake District
and then a private
forest in Essex
along the way? I have never
worked on, or have met anyone
that has worked on a project,
that hasnt had its problems,
chuckles Tom. The key to being
captain of your ship is safely
navigating your way around
oncoming objects when you
see them rather than sailing
head on into them. We had
problems of every size and
shape, but we found our way

around them and carried on. If
youre the kind of person that
freezes up when problems occur
then filmmaking might not be
for you. You have to keep your
head and stay focused, because
there is always a solution. We
shot in two different locations,
The Lake District and then a
private forest in Essex. Finding
the right locations for a film like
this was an almost impossible
task, but through a combination
of luck and hard work we found
some incredible locations run
by some extremely helpful
people. The film is entirely shot
outdoors, which of course could
have been absolute nightmare
weather-wise. We prepared for

the worst, but then by some
miracle we were gifted with an
Indian summer in the UK this
September and the weather was
as good as we could have hoped
for. See, the UK isnt always the
miserable rainfest they make it
out to be.
Nevertheless, there was an

awful lot to do before they could
roll up at those choice locations
by the sound of it The first
thing about finding locations is
making sure you get the right
permission, reckons Tom. We
decided to go to all private land
in an effort to appeal to peoples
better nature. We knocked on
doors and begged and pleaded
with landowners as if we were
the film equivalent of Oliver, and
people were surprisingly happy
to oblige. The second major
Digital FilmMaker
21
22/11/2015 20:11
issue was power. We needed

generators to run the lighting and
miles of cable to run the lights
out into the middle of the forest.
Ill always be able to look back
at Pandorica as the film where
I learnt that if your generator
breaks down mid-shoot you
can repair it using just three raw
eggs. I kid you not, if anyone
knows how this actually works
then send your explanations to
me on a postcard please.
Im just super
proud of the crew
for putting up with
me for the duration
of the shoot
Acting time
We ended up with an amazing
cast for the film, furthers Tom.
Including Bentley Kalu from
Avenger: AoU in the main villain
role. We cast Marc Zammit as
Ares and we managed to lock
down Adam Bond from CBSs
Finding Jesus in the role of
Thade. Luke DSilva and Laura
Marie Howard were both natural
22
fits for their parts, but there was

a big gap when we were trying
to cast the lead character of
Eiren. In the initial mood boards
we had used a photo of a model
called Jade Fenix-Hobday. We
searched long and hard for an
actress with the same look until
eventually we just asked her if
shed like to audition. It turns
out shes an incredible actress
and she just blew us all away.
I feel confident in saying that
she is going to be huge going
forward. Budget-wise we were
very fortunate to have Mirror
Productions backing us, but as
we speak we have specifically
spent 77,400. We really wanted
to make the film for under 100K
and prove that you could make it
look like a million bucks. Thats
part of the fun in doing this
through The Film Label, its all
about ushering in a new era for
independent film that gives the
big boys a run for their money,
just by using new tech and a side
order of intuition. Pandorica is
post-production as we speak.
The first trailer is online, so go
seek it out and share as much
as possible. As filmmakers I
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 20:11
think its important we support each other and spread as

much awareness about each others projects as possible.
Im very pleased to say that the film is looking better than
I imagined. I love the look of the high ISO and feel very
proud that we had the metaphorical balls to go where other
films wouldnt dare.
Done and dusted

I think it would be completely remiss to pretend you
wouldnt change anything, adds Tom on the point of doing
anything differently if he could turn back time. As an artist
in any field you should always be trying to improve and push
yourself forward. Im just super proud of the crew for putting
up with me for the duration of the shoot, because I can be
very demanding when I get going. Pandorica is a bat shit
crazy action/horror that is hopefully going to kick you where
the sun doesnt shine and leave you wanting more. Who
doesnt want that?
Digital FilmMaker
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22/11/2015 20:11
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Ads 31.indd 1
23/11/2015 11:43
Feature: Fast and furious
fast and furious

Tony Trent from Atomos gives us a quick update on what
this fast-moving business is working on and how the future
currently looks very bright indeed for the Aussie outfit
Granted, its been a little while since
we had a chat with Tony Trent, Chief
Marketing Officer from Atomos,
and doubtless his voice is probably
in better shape than it was when
the interview happened at IBC in
September. Nevertheless, its always
good to have a quick catch-up with
someone from the Australian outfit,
simply because theyve always got
something new to talk about. Its been
a frenetic year for the Atomos team
and, from the indications were getting,
2016 looks like offering up more of the
same. Atomos is doing well because
its a lean, mean operation and can
react to a filmmaking marketplace that
is changing by the day. Development
times are short and the hunger for
new products seemingly insatiable but
Atomos is holding its own and growing
year on year. And, judging by the grin
on Tonys face, its an awful lot of fun
being along for the ride...
Digital FilmMaker
25-28_Tony Trent Atomos.indd 1
25
22/11/2015 21:04
We had four key

announcements at IBC, says
Tony. Probably the most exciting
for some is the price drop that we
did on our HD range. Basically,
the day before IBC, the Ninja and
Samurai Blade were a $1,000
and now theyre down to $495.
And the Ninja 2 is now $295 and
that was originally $695 and its
just really the result of having to
meet the needs of the market.
Weve also brought in the Ninja
Assassin 4K, which is $1,295, so
its something that we wanted to
do on the front foot to make sure
that we stayed in a good position
in that area. But, also, we wanted
to be sure that we were leaving no
excuses on the table for people to
not record direct to ProRes and to
have access to cheap media, all
of the benefits you get for using
an Atomos product basically. The
other good thing about all this is
that it might revitalise a lot of the
cameras that people see on eBay
and suchlike, itll allow people
with not much money to just use
the sensor, just use the lens, and
well do the rest. Thats the basic
premise behind the whole of the
Ninja range really.
Real benefits
So what sort of benefit are
people going to see if they spend
a little bit on Atomos gear what
are they going to get from their
shiny new kit? Well, the major
benefits are probably threefold,
reckons Tony. The major benefit
is that you bypass the internal
MPEG compression that is found
on a camera, itll normally record
to an MPEG-based 420 colour
compression, whereas what
well do is allow you to record to
ProRes, so youre going to see a
lot better level of quality during
post-production and colour
grading after youve ripped it
in and ripped it out. When you
start manipulating everything
you wont see any of your image
start to break up when youre
recording to the sort of codecs in
these units. So thats one thing...
The second thing is that by not
recording internally youre going
to bypass the 30-minute barrier
26
that exists on a lot of cameras,

so youve got long record times
and a lot more freedom. You buy
a 1 Terabyte spinning disk for like
60 bucks and youre getting ten
hours of ProRes. I also pointed to
the third one right there, because
youre getting access to cheap
media. With photography you
can get away with SD cards and
suchlike, but with video they
fill up really quick and theyre
expensive, particularly as they
get higher quality and larger
capacity. What we do is to use
the size of the computer industry
by using 2.5-inch spinning disks
or SSDs, which are basically the
cost of tape right now.
Youll get an hour

and a half off a
single battery and
thats including
working in 4K
Staying alive
Of course, the other potential worry
area for people who are not familiar
with the Atomos range is that
of battery life. Do they have any
cause to be concerned, especially
if theyre heading out on a location
job? Theres no problem there,
reckons Tony. With the higherend range youll get an hour and a
half off a single battery and thats
including working in 4K, which
of course gets longer if youre
using HD. Plus, the HD range we
were just talking about will deliver
battery life up to about three or
four hours.
And, naturally, Tony is going
to waste no time in telling us
how easy these units are to use,
right? Of course, he grins.
Simple! Everything is one touch
away thanks to the OS. I think
the operating system causes
most arguments inside Atomos
because its one of those things
that were always thinking about.
You can put all these features
inside, but if its not easy to find
then its a waste of time. We want
that surprise and delight from
people who will use it for the first
time and discover things for the
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 21:04

first time themselves. Well sort
of measure that process based
on how many touches it takes to
get to the features that people
want and so, in that respect,
everythings within a click.
Move on up
Naturally, theres also the Atomos
Assassin now, that Tony hinted at
earlier, which is a higher-end bit of
kit but one that should stand most
filmmakers in good stead, right?
Yeah, he chuckles. Thats just
$1,295 and that gets you a step
up in every way. You can step up
to 4K recording, move on up to a
7-inch monitor, and with that you
get all of the benefits of a higher
resolution screen plus a pile of
other features added in such as
3D luts that you can add yourself,
weve added in anamorphic
de-squeeze, you can do video
timelapse, pre-roll recording,
theres stuff thats great for things
like wildlife recording and action
sports, so youll never miss a beat
there, so theres just lots these new
features that weve added in.
So is all this rapid product
development in response to what
other competitors are doing in the
marketplace, or is it driven by the
Atomos philosophy of pushing
the envelope as much, and as
quickly, as possible? Well, we
obviously have to keep an eye
on what others are doing, says
Tony. But we tend to keep doing
what we want to do. I think when
the Shogun came out as our first
monitor for 4K, its effectively been
the default for recording in the
industry if youre using cameras
like the Sony a7S or a DSLR,
and so we really look at what it
is we can do to improve things
generally. But what we found was
that there were all kinds of camera
users making use of our products
and we really just wanted to try
and separate it out a bit, and we
wanted to give people the wider
set of options and not make them
pay for features that they might
not necessarily use. Ultimately, we
wanted to create something more
accessible, so if they were buying
a DSLR then we didnt want
buying one of these monitors to
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27
22/11/2015 21:05

be an additional barrier to cross.
Weve always wanted to provide
people with an affordable option
that would allow them to get into
this market.
Obvious choice
Which is obviously great for
us, the consumers, and it also
provides the relatively no brainer
angle of why would you not have
an external monitor/recording
device right? Absolutely, agrees
Tony. We wanted to make it like
its not something you have to
save for as such. In a way, its
almost like... for the same price
as a high-end monitor youre also
What were seeing

at the shows is that
its cameras that
are largely shaping
the way forward
getting recording, editing and
playback for free. Thats the sort
of way we look at it. Of course, if
we sell more products then thats
good but we try to do all that
without the need for cannibalising
products in the range while really
just giving more exposure to the
people out there who might buy
them. So youve got people like
those folks who are converting
from photography over to
videography, a lot of wedding
photographers for example, will
now want to add video to the
package and in that respect this
is the kind of product that we
want to show them and entice
them with. We think we can do
it with this kind of workflow that
weve created and expose more
people to this way of working. We
still think this will sell really well
and, interestingly enough, when
we brought in the Shogun the HD
range was hardly affected. You
would think that it might have
caused it to be annihilated, but its
not really been the case at all.
New users
I think another thing that is
definitely helping us, furthers
Tony, is that more and more
28
people coming to visit us on

stands at events are new users.
So it can be a combination of
new users, but then there are
also the people who are getting
multiple units because they want
them for different tasks during
their workflow. I think the thing
is also that its like when you
demonstrate these products to
people for the first time, its also
like showing them fire for the first
time. People are like Where has
this product been all my life! So I
think its a combination of factors
that are making these units so
popular, theres the obvious
ease of use and you definitely
dont need a manual or a degree
to figure it out. Were in such a
creative space, but in a lot of
ways people just want to get
things out of the way, get them
done, and people also want to be
thinking about creative decisions
rather than having to worry about
technological decisions. So if
you can give them a product

that works and they dont have
to spend too much time thinking
about it, either through ease of
use or reliability or both, then its
a product that is going to get put
in the kit bag every time because
you can be concentrating on
whats happening next with your
job, rather than if something is
going to breakdown or whatever.
High fliers
Of course, having a few wellknown users who are aficionados
of Atomos kit doesnt hurt either,
does it? However, what of the
future, whats the plan? Well
weve got an exciting road
map ahead of us, adds Tony
in closing. The update of 4K
has been faster than HD, so
things are going to continue to
be healthy in that direction, but
what were seeing at the shows
is that its the cameras that are
largely shaping the way forward,
with a model like the Sony FS5

for example and the a7S II, those
sort of second-generation 4K
cameras that are coming through
are the real exciting pieces I think
and certainly making it easier for
people to get into that whole 4K
workflow. The good thing for us is
that companies that we speak to,
who build cameras and suchlike,
they see us as a true partner,
and we can both work out these
bundle deals and in that respect
it means that weve looked after
ProRes for them, so thats one
less tickbox they have to worry
about checking. So for them, its
actually enhancing what they do,
rather than conflicting. I really think
thats why weve been successful
right around the world and, now
that Ninja has come down to $295,
thats being bundled with an awful
lot of cameras around the world.
And its not hard to see why
either. Find out more over at
www.atomos.com n
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 21:05
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23/11/2015 11:44
INTOTHE
GROOVE
Gruff Vaughan from production
company Storm+Shelter based in
Cardiff talks about the challenges
of making professional videos for
the music industry
We make a lot of music videos, and we

like to think weve built up a pretty good
reputation in Wales for being the cinematic
music video guys. We made a decision to
invest in a Sony FS700 when we started the
company. Its a fantastic camera with a beautiful
image and its been the backbone of our entire
company. Its safe to say that we survive on a
staple diet of 200 fps HD footage... Weve been
working closely with the artist Novo Amor since
the beginning of his musical career, collaborating
with him to create a really strong brand identity
for his music as well as his talent for sound
design. We were given a Vimeo Staff Pick for
our short documentary that we made with him
called Portrait Of A Sound Design Artist. It went
30
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22/11/2015 20:28
Feature: Into the groove

on to be licensed by Bose, and
is now on show in their stores
around the world. This was the
fifth music video that weve
produced for him and it was
definitely the most ambitious
one to date
Latest project
Ali (Novo Amor) came to us
with his latest single, Anchor
and the chorus line I hear
your ship is coming in stood
out immediately. We already
had an unused idea written for
a previous Novo Amor video
involving a fisherman that
accidentally catches a mermaid,
so we jumped on that. Im
not sure if youre aware, but a
prosthetic mermaid tail costs
a bloody fortune, so we had
to adapt the idea a tad. From
a bit of research, we came
across some really interesting
Gaelic folklore about Selkies
- mythological creatures that
take the form of a seal when at
sea and a human when on land.
If a man steals a Selkies skin
continuously at 100 frames

per second at 2K resolution,
straight to ProRes 422 HQ for a
more manageable workflow in
post. To create the ideal look for
the video, we hired some Lomo
anamorphic prime lenses from
the 70s (rehoused by Hawk APL)
to provide a superior cinematic
feel and (if were being honest)
so we could coax out some
cheeky anamorphic lens flares.
The Odyssey 7Q de-squeezed
the anamorphic image on-thefly, and it looked beautiful!
More budget
Having done a few practicallyzero-budget music videos for
Novo Amor in the past, he was
ready to take a step forward in
We made a
decision to invest
in a Sony FS700
when we started
the company
terms of production with this
one. Tell me what you need,
and Ill cover it was a really
refreshing approach from a
client, but we still wanted to
keep costs down as much as
possible. Our biggest single
expense was dropping a grand

on the hire of the anamorphic
lenses. We also had to increase
our hired-in insurance for the
duration of the shoot; the
lenses were worth around
40k, so we werent taking any
chances! Excluding the actors,
we had a crew of 4 on this one.
At Storm+Shelter, weve all
amassed a smorgasbord of skills
across the production spectrum,
which means anyone can pretty
much take up any role when
required. Having that flexibility
has been crucial to growing our
business, as weve always been
able to say yes to jobs, even
if some of us arent available.
Josh directed and operated the
camera on this one. He tends to
she is to live in his power and

become his wife, but because
her true home will always be the
sea, she will always be longing
for the ocean and often caught
gazing at the horizon. The
underlying meaning of Alis song
is about wanting and waiting
for something or someone to
return, so this concept was a
perfect fit. Sorted!
At the core of our shooting
kit was our trusty Sony FS700
paired with the Odyssey 7Q,
which allowed us to shoot
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22/11/2015 20:28
take hold of the directing reins

on most of the music videos
that we do. He worked closely
with Ali on the storyboard,
and hes in his element when
hes got that camera rig on his
shoulder.
As managing director, I
tend to take charge of the
producing. Josh is allergic
to spreadsheets, whereas I
swear by them. Hell sort out
the creative vision, then Ill get
to work to make sure hes got
everything he needs on the
day of the shoot. Weve been
trying to nail down our preproduction processes recently,
and whilst mixing up job roles
has been really beneficial
for us in initially growing the
company, were now having
to play to our strengths as
Another big
challenge was
filming on a very
small fishing boat
with five people
indoor scenes. His superior knowledge of the

inner workings of a camera brings a fresh new
approach to our shoots. An adult male should
not get as excited as he was about anamorphic
lenses, however. He was truly upset to have to
send them back once wed wrapped. Poor guy.
Ali also came along for the ride. He loves to get
involved with the creation of his music videos
and, in fact, this was the first video wed done
for him where he didnt have a role in front of the
camera. Instead, he happily slipped into the role
of production assistant, and was always on hand
to help out in any way he could. His most crucial
role however, was that of spraying the smokein-a-can, giving all our indoor shots that lovely
cinematic haze.
shoots get more complicated

and time-sensitive. Having said
that, once pre-production was
nailed and it came to the shoot,
I tagged along with our 5D MK
III to take photos and shoot the
behind-the-scenes video.
Extra help
Our new guy, Lewis, was a
DOP for this shoot, and he did
a great job helping Josh out
and nailing the lighting in the
32
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 20:28

We used castingcallpro.com
to find our actors; its a great
tool to find talent quickly. We
uploaded the character profiles,
after the first day of production

whilst we were flapping about
backing up footage and getting
batteries on charge ready for
the next day. An absolute joy to
work with!
Location appeal
a film synopsis and the dates

of the production. Almost
a hundred people applied!
Ingvild (The Selkie) had recently
worked on The Avengers: Age
of Ultron, so we were really
chuffed to have her along. Her
unique Nordic appearance
was ideal for the character.
Eduardo (The Fisherman)
perfectly looked the part, so he
was easy to cast! Hed recently
moved to the UK from Brazil,
so the Cornish weather would
be a test of character They
both ended up being bloody
wonderful. They were hardworking, they didnt utter a
single word of complaint for the
two days, and they bashed out
some great performances. They
even ended up cooking for us
We shot down in Cornwall,

which boasts some pretty
spectacular coastlines. The
harbour and all the shots at
sea were filmed in Boscastle,
a beautiful little seaside town
on the west coast. A quick bit
of Googling led us to Andy
Walton, a local fisherman who
arranges sightseeing trips
from the harbour in his fishing
boat. He was kind enough
to take us out to sea, and
even let us borrow some of
his fishing attire to give our
character the authentic look.
The beach scenes were shot
at Constantine Bay, just North
of Torquay (chosen specifically
Our main concern throughout the whole project was the weather,
as wed had to decide on a shooting date three weeks in advance.
In the week leading up to the shoot, the forecast was gale-force
winds and torrential rain for the entire time we were planning to
be shooting. Hardly ideal. We were constantly checking weather
updates with sweaty brows, hoping against all hope that some good
luck would come our way. The day before the shoot, we got a call
from Andy who gave us the news that the storm had calmed down
and that the forecast was fairly clear until the afternoon the next day.
Phew. Low and behold, we got to the harbour at around 6am and
were greeted with an absolutely stunning sunrise and perfect filming
conditions. Had the bad weather continued we would have to call
off the shoot and reschedule, which would have been very costly!
Another big challenge was filming on a very small fishing boat with
five people. We had to dance around to keep the boat stable as the
sea was pretty choppy. Josh had to change lenses at one point. A
terrifying ordeal thanks to the weight and value of the anamorphic
lenses. We managed it due to some impressive balancing skills those years of skateboarding always tend to come in handy.
Knowledge of the
inner workings of
a camera brings a
fresh new approach
to our shoots
as it was facing West, meaning
beautiful sunset shots!), while
the interior shots were filmed
at our accommodation - a
converted mill in St Austell that
youll find on AirBnB. We totally
recommend it!
Digital FilmMaker
33
22/11/2015 20:28
Work smart
With numerous locations,
several scenes and a tight
schedule, we had to be nimble
yet confident with our shooting.
Our FS700 rig is pretty heavy at
the best of times, but add one of
those anamorphic lenses on the
front and youre experiencing the
weight of a small child resting on
your shoulder for an entire day.
Josh finished the shoot with arms
like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
When it came to shooting the
final scene of the narrative on
the beach at the Golden Hour,
we narrowly avoided utter panic
as we realised we werent going
to get the final shots that had
been storyboarded. The script
wed written called for the
Fisherman to walk the Selkie
down to the shore, giving her
back to the ocean as she swims
out to sea and looks back one
last time before disappearing
into the depths. What we hadnt
considered was the bitterly
cold temperature of the water.
Continuous risk assessment is
crucial on any shoot, and after a
quick couple of shots in anklehigh waves, we realised that the
actress might not survive the
unforgiving cold of the Cornish
sea. The word freezing doesnt
really do justice to how cold it
actually was! We probably had
about 15 minutes of usable
sunlight left, so in the space
of 30 seconds, we came up
with a new ending that could
Were looking to
take on more staff
and move to a bigger
office. Its exciting
times for us
be shot before we were thrown
into darkness. We decided on a
more ambiguous climax, thereby
leaving the audience wondering
So did he save her? Did he
give her back? In hindsight,
we think it actually makes for a
better ending, so it was blessing
in disguise, really. A frenzied
moment of blinding stress
gave way to a beautiful ending
that really packs an emotional
punch.
Critical reviews
The video was recently
premiered on Consequence Of
Sound - one of the worlds most
popular music blogs. Its racked
up 20,000 views since its release
and weve had some great
feedback. YouTube comments
like Sweet baby Jesus, this is
absurdly beautiful makes it all
worth the effort. Weve got a load
more music videos in the pipeline
as well as all the corporate and
34
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 20:29
commercial work that we do as a company. Our

most exciting upcoming project however is our
second feature film! Weve just polished off the
fourth draft of the script, and were about to dive
headfirst into pre-production, but were keeping that
one under wraps for the time being. Perhaps well
return for another article...
How it all began

Josh, our Creative Director, started young - very
young. His grandad put a camera in his hands and
told him to Just go and make something, so he
spent every spare moment of his youth running
around with a camera and making films with his
friends. They covered pretty much every genre you
could think of. Yes, they were cheesy, and yes,
the visual effects were questionable, but the ideas
were really ambitious. I think thats something weve
always since held on to; that wide-eyed ability
and belief to say Yeah, we can do this!. Initially,
we were all freelancing having graduated from
university, working on no-budget music videos,
no-budget corporate jobs and weddings. Yknow,
the usual suspects. We came together as a trio for
the first time for a 200-mile celebrity charity walk
where we would be filming from 6am until 8pm,
editing until 2am, and putting a 5-minute highlights
package out the very next morning. We did this for 8
days straight. To pull off that type of project takes a
certain mentality; one that we all just so happened to
share. Storm+Shelter emerged from the fiery embers
of that projects success, and we havent looked
back since. We started as a trio, but weve just hired
our first full-time member of staff and, going into our
third year, were looking to take on more staff and
move to a bigger office. Its exciting times for us.
Digital FilmMaker
35
22/11/2015 20:30
RUNNING
WILD
Director and producer Mark Jeffreys talks
about his unusual documentary film called
Four Men and a Dog The Finnish Line
36
Weve seen more than a

few unusual film projects
since this magazine has
been up and running but
theres always something
new that comes along and
takes you by surprise all
over again. Four Men and
a Dog The Finnish Line is
just such a project. Its also
something of a first for Mark
Jeffreys, the director and
producer of the film. By day
hes a professional journalist
but, by the sound of it, has
long harboured a desire to
make his own film The
three young English lads from
Capture-That Films have

been involved in several short
films before I enticed them
to this wacky project, which
was my first, he says. I am
an Australian sports writer
who has worked on national
newspapers in Britain for 25
years and had always fancied
a shot at the big screen.
Last January, after taking
voluntary redundancy on
the Daily Express I thought
it was the time to finally get
around to doing something.
I love animal documentaries
and some 20 years ago I had
this overly ambitious plan to
Digital FilmMaker
036-41_Mark Jeffreys The Finnish Line.indd 1
22/11/2015 20:39
Feature: Running wild
I have researched,
directed and
produced it
and did most of
the driving
wire up nine cats up for sound
and video and do a reality TV/
documentary living the families
lives through the cats eyes (it
was going to be called Nine
Lives). The technology wasnt
quite there then, but in recent
times the BBC did something
similar in Surrey and it worked
brilliantly dragging in the
viewers. I missed the boat, not
for a lack of trying, and it only
made me more determined
not to get left behind this time
around.
Make the move

I wanted to stretch myself
creatively and filming is so much
more accessible these days,
furthers the filmmaker on how
hes been cultivating his interest
over time, even though it hasnt
blossomed into a full-time

occupation thus far. Ive already
got another project in mind once
this is done and dusted. So Im
hoping this opens some doors
and allows me to be even more
adventurous going forward. The
crew from Capture-That Films
have big plans for several short
films in the New Year. However,
Four Men and a Dog The
Finnish Line was my baby from
the outset. I have researched,
directed and produced it and did
most of the driving. There are so
many shows now with people
re-tracing their family trees, so
I thought why not do it with a
dog? And, of all the places in
the world, the dog-loving UK
fitted the bill perfectly. Animals
have a sure-fire magnetism
and, in an age in which people
are taking themselves far too
seriously, I was convinced
that a fact-finding mission
about a dog could work even
more entertainingly. I had a
ready made star in Osa, my
13-year-old Finnish Lapphund,
who Ive had since 2001. The
Digital FilmMaker
37
22/11/2015 20:39
worst-case scenario amounted

to spending a quality few weeks
with him and ending up with a film
to cherish down the years. His
breeder was somewhat bemused
when I phoned to say: I want
to take Osa home to Finland.
All the relevant information was
gathered, I booked a crazy-looking
campervan and off we went.
Man and dog

So, this is a film that will doubtless
strike a chord with the British
public although the appeal could
potentially be even more universal.
Whats the basic storyline? A

man who loves his dog, reckons
Matt. The journey of Osa (dont
worry, he breezed through an A1
medical) on a 3,000-mile round
road trip from Rochester, in Kent,
to Finland to unravel his family tree
and try and have some fun doing
it. Before the European leg, we
went back to meet his UK breeder
for the first time since 2001 and
then to see his sister, Ellie, the
only other surviving member from
his litter of five. While Osa has not
changed that much over the years,
the transformation of the people
around him rammed home just
how life whizzes by. There were
some pleasant surprises, too.
Osas father was in the first litter of
any breed to be born under the UK
pet passport scheme that allowed
dogs to be taken abroad to be
mated. His grandmother travelled
to Finland to be mated with Norrie,
the champion Finnish Lapphund of
his time. We went back to Karjaa,
a small Finnish town in the south,
and were shown the exact spot
where Echo was conceived on a

cold, bleak snowy winters day (a
little bizarre but true as someone
was looking out the window as
it happened). Unfortunately,
Norrie, along with several other
dogs, died in a fire in 2006 and
the charcoaled remains of the
wooden lodge are still there as
his owner/breeders have not
had the heart to rebuild it yet. As
well as some hilarious moments,
there was plenty of emotion
as well. The very eventful trip
ended in Turku at the big Finnish
Lapphund show where Osa
was presented with the spirit of
Finland rosette for upholding the
characteristics of the breed.
Unusual angle
Well youve got to give Matt and
his cohorts ten out of ten for
coming up with a project that
really stands out from the crowd.
I wrote and planned it all and
it took just under two weeks on
the road to shoot and four or
five other days around London
38
As well as
some hilarious
moments, there
was plenty of
emotion as well
tracking down various breeders
and Osas relatives, he says
on how it all fell into place. We
hooked Osa up with a camera
for the reunion with his longlost sister. However, the film
had more than its fair share of
unplanned incidents along the
way Where do you want to
start? asks the filmmaker. The
plan was to camp outdoors for
the entire trip but that all went
belly-up because it was still early
spring and some of the Finns
were still hibernating. When we
did finally use the camper it was
minus 5 and the only one who
got a sound nights sleep was
our canine companion. His breed
can stay outdoors in minus 15
and you could hardly hear him
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 20:40
breathe he was so content on the

lower deck of the van. For three
crew members huddled for dear
life in a tent on the roof, it was
another story altogether. A mix up
in times meant we got to the ferry
for the Stockholm-Turku leg just
minutes before the gates closed
(we had to brave the prospect of
a two-pronged fine for speeding
down a bus lane, and being in a
bus lane, to make it and bemused
staff put us among the lorries
for the overnight journey. There
were unwanted incidents coming
back, too. Osa had an adverse
effect to a worming tablet that
was required for him to re-enter
the UK. Lets just say one of the
hotels was happy to see the back
of us, especially Osas backside.
Travelling light
Needless to say, with lots of
filming in the great outdoors and
much of it taking place in below
zero temperatures the kit choices
sound logical enough. For our
main A Camera we shot with
a Canon 5D MK III, says Matt.

With a Canon 550D as our B
Camera, which we used for
second angles in interviews.
We had two GoPro HD Hero
3+ Black Edition cameras and
kitted them out with a range
of GoPro accessories, the two
most important being the GoPro
dog harness (Fetch) and the car
mount (Suction Cup). We used
a wide range of economical and
expensive lenses, including the
Canon 24-105mm L Series f/4,
Canon EF 50mm f1.8, Canon EF
75-300mm f/4:5.6 and Canon
EF-S 18-55mm f/4:5.6 lens. Our
video equipment included a
FilmCity Shoulder Rig, Velborn
Fluid-Head Tripod, GlideGear
Slider, Camtree G51 Car Mount
and GlideGear DNA 5050
Glidecam. Our sound consisted
of a Rode NTG2 Mic into a Zoom
H4N Recorder, with a Rode Blimp
and Boom Pole and we had two
Rode Video Mic Pros for the A
and B cameras. The end result
proved that you can shoot a
half-decent film without spending

a fortune on equipment. All up,
ours was worth around 7,000,
so a snip in the ocean, really.
Compact crew
Similarly, things were kept
compact and bijou when it came
to crew for the project too, which
was by and large, shot entirely
on location. I had a small crew
of three twentysomethings,
which meant that everybody
had to multi-task at times,
says Matt. They were from

Capture-That Films based in
Kent. Michael Mowbray is the
cinematographer, co-editor,
data handler and blogger; Isaac
Allen is the editor, technical
operator and sound man, while
James David Gore was jack-ofall-trades, assisting on sound,
second camera and social media.
All very keen young men with
hopes of making a career out of
film. We drove through seven
countries and travelled on two
ferries to get there. Some of
the scenery was breathtaking,
especially in Finland. Its a truly
a beautiful, unscarred country
and the Finns showed a lot of
interest in what we were doing.
Initially, I think they thought we
were barking mad but, in the end,
we made many friends and the
documentary will definitely go
down well there.
So did the whole grandiose
escapade present them with
any particular challenges? Only
that it was cold, chuckles the
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22/11/2015 20:40
filmmaker. There were days

when I could barely talk because
my teeth were clattering so hard.
Aussies and cold dont mix like
gin and tonic. Even the English
lads, who should have been
better acclimatised, found it
tough. The van was pretty thirsty,
too, a few hundred euros a day
in unleaded petrol ate into a tight
budget. Driving on the left did not
pose too many obstacles, though
we did have a near miss with an
old-aged pensioner on a crossing.
Less said about that the better.
40
Pet project
Of course, the other bonus with
working the way Matt and his
collaborators did on this film
project is that they had little in
the way of cast to worry about,
which was just as well seeing
as they had little in the way of
budget. There were no tantrums,
unruly demands or high salaries
to fork out, he laughs. Just
a few treats at the end of the
day. If only the crew were as
easily pleased. As soon as the
cameras rolled Osa just pepped
We shot with a
Canon 5D MK
III. With a Canon
550D as our B
Camera
himself up and strutted his stuff,
seemingly oblivious to the fact
he was no spring chicken any
more. He was very photogenic,
too, which helped immensely.
They say you shouldnt work
with animals or children, but he
blew that one out of the water.

I envisaged 5,000 would see
us through but its exceeded
that already. By the time we are
finished it will be nearer 10,000.
Fortunately, we have been able
to get our hands on all original
music - for free. Thats got to be
a bonus these days. Next time we
may seeking funding first. At the
time of writing we are two weeks
away from a final cut and hope to
be in studio to do the voiceover
in early December. BBC radio
broadcaster Jo Good is narrating
and it will be around 45 minutes
long. We have twice appeared
on her show and she has taken
a great interest in our venture.
The goal is to have it ready in
March, 12 months after we set
off, and launch it at the Sheffield
Doc/Fest in June. This is our first
documentary and, while we are
delighted with the progress, its
a steep learning curve, too. Mike
(Mowbray) did an excellent job
shooting it and the proof is in
the editing, which is sharp and
concise and moves with pace to
maintain interest. The exciting
thing is its originality. Once the
voiceover and music are added,
I think we will have something to
be proud of and a very marketable
product that will have global
appeal. We also have some
talented musicians on board,
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 20:40
including singer/songwriter Lee

Rahn and Morgan&Knapp, and a
couple of the songs have already
been very well received. While we
wanted the documentary to have
a rustic feel to it, we were also
conscious of making it fast-paced
and as entertaining as possible,
which we think has been achieved.
Osa is obviously the focal point,
we are just bit-part players.
Fun vibe
Theres a quirky charm
surrounding this project and it
sounds light-hearted, fun and
above all, interesting. Full marks
to Matt and his crew for taking the
time to do something different.
However, what has he learnt from
the experience that he will do
differently next time? Leave it
a bit later to travel as it was still

pretty damn cold in mid-March,
says the filmmaker. I think
more attention to detail, too. For
example, if you are on the road,
check beforehand that the van
doesnt guzzle enough petrol for
both India and China and, if you
do hire a camper, double check
that the gas cylinder for cooking
is full. Cold canned spaghetti on a
freezing night is no joke. Seriously.
And Scandinavian camping
grounds take a while to get going
take it from us. I think next time
I will be more relaxed about it and
be a little more daring behind the
camera. We had fun and I think
that is important on a demanding
shoot of this nature, especially
when you are holed up in a van for
two weeks. In a Big Brother-type
scenario, you can learn a lot about

yourself in a short space of time.
Thankfully the experience hasnt
been enough to dampen his
enthusiasm for filmmaking and
Matt, plus his collaborators, have
plenty more coming the in near
future. The boys from CaptureThat Films have an ambitious
year ahead, he says. Theyre
currently in the process of writing
and producing a number of
films, adverts and music videos.
As a company they intend to
try and shake up the stigmas
and stereotypes in the industry.
Whilst their larger projects are in
production they are creating a
motivational, thought-provoking
YouTube series/passion project:
Climb. They are also planning a
couple of short films that they
hope to shoot early next year. For
me, I want to branch from animals
We have been able

to get our hands on
original music - for
free. Thats got
to be a bonus
to music. I am a mad drummer

and want to go and spend time
with the UKs 10 best stickmen,
the unsung heroes of bands, and
get to know what makes them
tick and how they became great.
Effectively, I want to get drum
lessons off each of them, take
the tips away, practice like mad,
and then play at a festival. Come
on Ginger Baker, I know you are
itching to be part of it!
Parting shot
And how would he best sum
up this latest project of his? A
documentary that dog lovers
worldwide will be able to relate
to, reckons Matt. It was a trip.
This trip was certainly no picnic,
but it was one we wont forget in
a hurry for all the right reasons.
It feels surreal that we actually
pulled it off. To take a UK-born
Finnish Lapphund back to his
native country and put a smile on
peoples faces along the way was
special. But then again, so, too, is
Osa, and I didnt really need to take
him back to his roots to realise
that. We met some great people on
the way and now we cant wait to
share our experience.
Digital FilmMaker
41
22/11/2015 20:41
edge of
darkness
Chris Loizou is the writer, director and producer
of Untitled (a film) who talks here about the
trials and tribulations of putting together an
independent feature
42
It can be difficult to stand out from the crowd,

especially in an arena that is so packed with
hopeful filmmakers all wanting to get their
latest project out there into the spotlight.
Chris Loizou is a London-based writer, director
and producer who is in the same situation as
many others with his new Untitled (film) in the
bag and ready to go. I thought the film, and the
way it came about, may be of some interest to
you as it is a low-budget independent digitally
shot feature, he says on getting in touch. But
it also stands up as a modern day film noir
thriller with a difference, and is like
nothing else out there, with lots of
hidden film references
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22/11/2015 20:46
Feature: Edge of darkness

Anyone in this business would
love to say its full-time if only!
grins the filmmaker. But yes, its
what I do. Ive been writing for
some years after realising shortform just wasnt enough and I was
itching to get into features in a
creative capacity. I started writing
some ten years ago, fought to get
an agent and have been doing
re-writes, spec scripts and an
adaptation for novelist Jon Stocks
book The Riot Act for Anthony
Lepaglias production company in
LA, along with lots of horrible little
writing jobs and bits and pieces.
Youll do anything starting out.
Hard going
Untitled, says Chris, is also the
first feature shot on the arguably
controversial Arri XT Black &
White, the only professional black
and white digital film camera out
there. I think there are only three
in the world, he says before
adding that the film was also
shot by DP Federico Alfonzo. It
is the only feature as far as Chris
knows that has been filmed using
video chat exchanges shot live
over Wi-Fi, which reckons the
filmmaker brought its own rather
special problems. Nevertheless,
Chris thinks the result is
something quite extraordinary.
We really feel we have done
something quite different here,
says the man of many talents.
In fact, after years of trying to
get a feature off the ground, it
only came about because I went
against everything I was ever told,
advised or taught, and it worked!
this is what I wanted to do. Thatll

mess any kids mind up! And I
managed to finally get on set
for Richard Stanleys Hardware
in 1989. After that I started
producing commercials and pop
promos for bands like Echo & The
Bunnymen and The Spice Girls.
I starting directing commercials
and pop promos for myself soon
It only came about

because I went
against everything
I was ever told,
advised or taught
after that, along with something
for the Paramount Comedy
Channel, directing a little skit with
Michael Palin.
Little wonder then that it has
evolved into a career over time
Despite his contacts and

experience, this particular
project has been a challenge
however Well, its a lowbudget independent, sighs
the filmmaker. So I am writer,
director and producer of the
film, which I produced with my
business partner Mike Capon for
our company Truk Films Ltd. Oh,
and I also shot second unit.
So how had the project come
about in the first place then? I
had another feature project called
Seeing Iris, Chris elaborates. A
rom-com, which was optioned
some five times before the film
was financed in 2010 by a US
financier. We were in pre-prod
and camped at 3 Mills Studios in
London and were about to start
a set build. We were cast and
crewed up but, unfortunately, the
rest of the money fell through at
the last minute, so I was forced
Early origins
Its all a far cry from where
Chris first got into the world
of filmmaking I started in
the wardrobe department, he
chuckles. My father owned
a costumiers and through the
company worked on films like
Aliens, The Living Daylights and
The Fourth Protocol, mainly
Hollywood films shot in the UK
nearly 28 years ago. But Ive
been around it forever, as a kid
I watched Irvin Kershner direct
The Empire Strikes Back, which
freaked me out enough to know
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22/11/2015 20:46
but was juxtaposed with the

networking and communication
technology we live our lives by
today with lots of hidden film and
screenwriting references.
Fat moving
Surprisingly, the quirky concept
didnt take that long to fall into
place either It took about
four months to get to a shooting
draft, reckons the filmmaker.
Im used to working quickly
now as you learn to start hitting
a deadline when youre waiting
for the final cheque! I wanted
back to my tiny office in Kings

Cross to lick my wounds. All I can
remember was what I was told as
a writer, which is write what you
know but at that point all I knew
was a writer sitting in an office
alone after his dream had fallen
to bits. That cant be a story, then
I thought, maybe it could. So I
decided to write a low-budget film
about just that, which mirrored
the struggle of the writer and
filmmaker but that was dressed
up as a noir-thriller, something like
Adaptation, or Barton Fink, both
44
favourites of mine. So Untitled is a

genre busting neo-noir thriller that
follows Kurt Lovell, a suddenly
successful British film producer
on the verge of his biggest deal
yet, running parallel to struggling
screenwriter, Timothy Bartels
screenplay named Untitled. Its
basically a one man in a room
concept. There are ten other
characters but we only see and
hear of them by way of videocalls, emails, texts and networking
sites. I wanted something that
looked like a Hitchcock thriller,
I wanted something
that looked like a
Hitchcock thriller...
juxtaposed with the
networking
to be in production quickly too,

I suppose in fear of it all falling
apart again. The challenge Id set
myself was that the protagonist
wasnt allowed out of his office
but I still had to write an engaging
and suspenseful thriller with
a good story and lots of other
interesting and bizarre characters.
I think its good to set yourself
parameters, and it always helps
in the creative process and really
forces you to think and think
differently. I made a short back
in 2010 called Lost Night about
a transvestite and a cab drivers
journey through London at night. I
shot it over three nights and loved
the experience, but it was all over
a little too quickly. Although I love
shorts, I thought this time that I
should make something that at
least could have a chance at a
larger audience and even, dare I
say, make its money back. I now
firmly believe, why make a short if
you can make a feature?
Chris was ably assisted by
some skilful collaborators on the
project too Mike Capon, a
producer of commercials, became
my partner and producer on the
film, he explains. It was shot
by award winning DP Federico
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22/11/2015 20:46
Alfonzo, who is a brilliant DP with

a totally filmic and photographic
mind, which helped me get my
noir-ish look. He managed to
get a seriously experienced
camera crew to join him. Sets
and costumes were designed by
Myles Grimsdale who had lots of
fashion design experience before
working on films like Tim Burtons
Planet of the Apes and Finchers
Panic Room, so he did a great
job in creating my 40s inspired
producers office. My sound
man was BAFTA award-winning

recordist and mixer Paul Paragon,
who saved our lives many times
as we had to have the actors use
ear pieces (actually designed
and donated by Oscar winner
Simon Hayes that he used on Les
Miserables) as I was shooting on
two sets simultaneously as we
shot live over a network. The rest
of the crew were a mix of little
experience to very experienced
and all did me proud. I think their
professionalism, passion and hard
I wanted to create
an authentic
40s/50s noir
aesthetic. So it had
to be black & white
work got the film out of the gate.
And, Dom Beken the composer
has written an incredible score
that has really lifted the film to
another place.
white digital film camera out there.

I think there are only three in the
world and this is the first feature
film shot on this camera, which
pleased the guys at Arri.
With the added edge to
proceedings shooting began
in earnest Any film, of any
budget, faces its problems daily
as making a film is about putting
out fires, reflects the filmmaker
on how it all went. I was shooting
on a main set and five smaller
sets, which were the locations of
Quality kit
Luckily for Chris, the kit used
helped raise the bar too I
decided very early on that I
wanted to create an authentic
40s/50s noir aesthetic, he
reasons. So it had to be black &
white. What I didnt want was to
shoot in colour and then rip the
colour out as was done with The
Artist. I didnt want to be in an edit
visited by investors who could
even suggest we leave it in colour.
If I shot in black & white, that was
it, there was no turning back! Then
Federico who mainly shoots with
the Arri Alexa told me about the
Arri Alexa XT Black & White (2.5k),
the only professional black and
the other characters as they are

seen on Kurts computer screen.
So, directing simultaneously on
separate sets became a challenge
and I often had to make a decision
as to what set I would stand
on and often had to run from
one to the other. There is also a
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45
22/11/2015 20:46
scene where we needed a good

prosthetic head that had come
from Dapper Cadaver in LA (the
folks who supply gory body parts
for the show The Walking Dead)
of which I gleefully walked into
a meeting one day knowing had
arrived, to what I observed to be
a room of slightly worried faces.
I thought, Doesnt it look real?
Did it not look like the actor it
was meant to portray? How bad
could it be? I joked, Is it black?
It was shakily extracted from its
box by our co-ordinator Romy-Jo,
who almost had a tear in her eye,
because it was indeed, black! That
was a problem, but one solved by
a good bit of re-scheduling by my
1st AD Andrew McEwan.
site some 500 yards away. So it

was the best of a studio set build
as we could get. The set was on
a company car park and work
rooms, so we had our fair share
of sound issues that slowed us
down. Our sound man is a stickler
for clear sound (as they all are) so
we had to soundproof the building
from the outside, double-glaze the
windows and also soundproof the
roof as we were afraid if it rained,
Fortunately, people
really liked the script
but we werent
ever completely
financed
(we were shooting lots of dialogue)

we would hear the rain on the substandard finish something that
wasnt budgeted for. My sound
man and his incredible ear could
hear a drip, drip coming from
somewhere so during the shoot
he clamped all the toilet cisterns
off because somewhere in the
building and adjoining buildings
his acute lug-holes could hear a
drip. Well, he fixed that. Okay, we
couldnt flush, but we had great
sound! The powers that be at
Themetraders were not happy!
And then there was the
challenge of getting the right
actors of course Casting agent
Carolyn McLeod did an amazing
job, says Chris. I cast throughout
our four-week prep and saw some
wonderful actors. Mark Dymond

plays Kurt and is perfect. Hes
an experienced actor who had
already been a lead in numerous
TV projects and films including
Dungeons & Dragons - Wrath Of
The Dragon God and The Living
Daylights. I wanted someone
that looked like and felt like your
traditional 40s Hollywood leading
man and who had a smooth
silky voice, as we heard so much
of him in this one room. Silvia
Busuioc, a well-known actress
in Italy, played Kitten and other
wonderful actors to play the other
parts include Brett Fancy, Rne
Zagger who I had worked with
before, Dan Wright our struggling
screenwriter, Kate Malyon and,
one to watch, Leanne Joyce who
played our somewhat troubled
actress. Sharon Maughan was
cast to play Lucy, our drug-dealing
investor. Sharon was a regular on
UK TV screens and attained some
notoriety as Sharon, one-half
of the Gold Blend serial adverts
with Anthony Head in the 80s.
The whole series of ads became
a running drama and they were
seldom out of the tabloids as the
British public were gripped as
to whether they would actually
get together or not over a cup of
coffee. She was great.
Make it work
I started with an investment of
my own of 50k, adds Chris on
how he financed the project. But
the production grew and we knew
Out there
We built our set in a large
disused storage space at a
prop house in Cricklewood
called Themetraders, furthers
the filmmaker on how shooting
progressed. The rest of the sets
were built in another space on the
46
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 20:47
Prestigious festivals
are sewn up with the
larger films... but Im
very confident this
film will have a life
if we were to make this work, look

like a proper film-noir and have
an acceptable level of production
value, then we were going to
need more. So I basically went to
everyone I knew and had worked
with. Fortunately, people really
liked the script but we werent
ever completely financed as I
shot in the day and raised money
at night. I didnt sleep much! I
was accepting anything as we
continued to shoot. The last bit of
help came from Christopher Ward

UK, whose watches we feature
shamelessly in the film (with
wry and funny comment in the
film about product placement).
The budget now stands at just
under 200k. As of now, we are
effectively still in post, grading,
finishing VFX and cleaning-up
the final sound mix. Were hoping
to complete by the first week of
December. Im very proud of the
film. Its exactly what I thought
up and is certainly unique in its

look and concept. We are in
consideration at a number of
festivals. We didnt get into the
London Film Festival, but we
knew that was always a long
shot the more prestigious
festivals are sewn up with the
larger films with known cast and
known directors, but Im very
confident this film will have a life.
Its now a matter of getting it out
there and getting it seen. Nobody
has really seen it yet. Were

looking at traditional routes and
self-distribution is looking very
interesting these days. We had
a very experienced crew and a
tight but doable schedule, so we
ran a very tight ship as we had
to complete shooting in 18 days
with only 4 weeks prep. If Id like
anything different then it would be
more money please!
And what else does the intrepid
filmmaker have planned aside
from Untitled? The romantic
comedy that brought this all on
seems to have reared its ugly
head again, laughs Chris. I
recently had a meeting about that,
so it may come off but through
our company Truk Films Ltd we
have a slate of films from 250k to
2million that we are developing.
So, whichever comes off first. As
for this project then its a dark and
audacious, genre-busting modern
film noir thriller that clashes
against modern day technology
and smashes against the art of
screenwriting and filmmaking,
twisting it inside out, upturning
every storytelling faux pas to
create a risky, sexy and stylish
feature like none seen before.
Digital FilmMaker
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22/11/2015 20:47
FIGHTING
TALK
Actor Brian Woodward talks about
his appearance in the period
fantasy action adventure called
Whiteblade that is set for release in
the not too distant future
48
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048-53_Stuart Gilmartin Whiteblade.indd 1
22/11/2015 21:50
Feature: Fighting talk

Its always good to see the
people behind a new film really
working on the promotional
side of things. After all, if youre
not in the enviable position of
having a publicist or marketing
department to do it then its going
to be down to you to make sure
that people know your film exists.
Say the right things and you
might get the press behind it and,
more importantly, you could even
end up persuading the public to
go and see it. And, when actor
Brian Woodward sent over the
blurb for Whiteblade we were
left in no doubt that this was a
project that really meant business.
Whiteblade is a period fantasy
action adventure set in seventh
Century Britain, focusing on the
rise to power of Oswald Idling,
heir to the throne of Northumbria,
said the overview. Oswald, a
Northumbrian Anglo-Saxon, was
exiled to Dal Riata (Scotland) as
a young prince when his father,
Aethelfrith, king of Northumbria,
was slaughtered by Edwine,
who then became king
and was subsequently
toppled by Cadwallon
of Gwynedd, High
King of the Britons.
life characters. Similarities to

Tolkiens work are deliberate, as
it is well known that JRR Tolkien
based his character, Aragorn
(Strider) on the legend of King
(later a Saint) Oswald Idling
himself!
Whiteblade is
a period fantasy
action adventure
set in seventh
Century Britain
Cadwallons harrying of
Northumbria is the catalyst
that sends Oswald back to
defeat the Briton and claim
back his throne with singleminded determination. Oswald
is helped and hindered by a
plethora of characters and by
the reforging and blessing of
his fathers sword.
Tough talk
Chest-beating stuff no
doubt, but the synopsis
didnt stop there as it went
on Having been raised
by monks on the island of
Iona, Oswald learns more
and more about leadership

on his journey to confront
his enemy: starting as a
naive idealist, he struggles
with the conflict between
his Christian upbringing
and Pagan roots, trust,
delegation, difficult decisions
and ultimately becomes a
strong and inspiring leader of
men in order to confront the
opposing, larger army of the
British. In the background, he
is also dealing with intrigue,
treachery and plots against
his ascension to the throne
from other parts of Britain,
mainly the Pagan King, Penda
of Mercia, who is helping
Cadwallon and subduing
other British and AngloSaxon kingdoms in order
to become High King
himself. So, as you can
see, this is a grandiose
project that demands
your attention. Brians
information also states
that the film reflects the
real happenings of this
fascinating, but much
neglected period of history
with the fantasy and
action elements of
films such as Lord
of the Rings and
the Vikings and
Game of Thrones
series. The world
of Oswald is
dark, violent
and gritty whilst
shrouded in
mystery, legend
and larger than
Different world
That said, Brian himself got into
acting after pursuing an entirely
different career previously.
I first got into acting when I
retired from competitive martial
arts and cage fighting, he
says. I enjoyed the process
of filmmaking and attended
a local school to train as an
actor. After graduating in 2012
from the Northern Film and
Drama school based in North
Yorkshire I started the usual
route of student films and small
independent films, leading to TV
work. I am currently, like most
professional actors, trying to
juggle finding work and working
part time to pay the bills. I was
first approached by my friend
and fellow actor/writer Mark
Hindman-Smith to see if I would
take the role of Brother Horsa
as he had specifically written
Digital FilmMaker
49
22/11/2015 21:50
one or two good quality DSLRs

with syncd sound and edited
using Final Cut. It was to be a
high-end but low-budget promo,
filmed over a weekend of camping,
fighting and fun. But then it started
to grow...
the part for me. I accepted without hesitation as I knew how

passionate Mark was about this period of history. After reading
the script I knew instantly this just had to be made with so many
historical characters that have not been covered in any other
production before.
Back in time
The Whiteblade story began in the winter of 2014 when, in order
to promote his stage and screen combat schools, writer Mark
Hindman Smith decided to make a promotional video, furthers
Brian. This was originally intended to be around five minutes of
costumed, choreographed fight scenes to act as a showreel for
Ravenwolf Cinematic Combat and its members in order to gain
work as a combat crew in the film industry. RCC had already
worked as a crew on Scottish film, The Fairy Flag and some
members, including Mark himself had worked as actors and
stuntmen on various projects, both large and small. The ethos of
RCC is to provide trained and battle ready crews for film projects
of all budgets. The idea of the promotional video was to film on
50
Weekend warriors
Bringing on fight coordinator
David Macey as a co-producer,
a weekend was set for the end
of September 2015, says Brian
on how they managed to finally
firm up some dates to shoot.
Finding a weekend when enough
members were all free was the
first challenge. Around this time,

Mark read The King in the North by
Max Adams, a book about the life
and times of seventh century king,
Oswald. The legend of Oswald is
so spectacular that Mark could
not believe it hadnt made its way
onto film yet and set about writing
a short script to tell the story of
his ascension to the Northumbrian
throne. The original seven scenes
made Mark and David think that
they could turn their promotional
video into a proper short film
and still film it over the weekend
camper. A Facebook page and
group were created so people
could register their interest in being
involved. The response from actors
and potential battle crew was
unprecedented. Due to the quality
of actors wanting to be involved,
scenes were written to tell some
more of the story, as well as the
original fight scenes and the script
expanded. Specialist fight crew
wanting to be involved, but unable
to make the September shoot, got
in touch about a waterfall stunt.
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 21:50
The script was expanded yet

again, a short weekend shoot
organised for late June 2015 and
Stuart Gilmartin brought on board
as director as well as Rotunda
Films offering their RED One
along with Gary Rogers as DOP
and Kev McDonagh as 1st AD.
This small shoot became the third
unit, as only two of this original
small fight crew and none of the
technical crew were available for
the main shoot.
The real thing

More actors started to get in
touch when it became apparent
that this was actually going to
happen, laughs Brian. And the
June shoot went well. Modern
day scenes in the Yorkshire

Museum were scripted and
shot, as well as the Whiteblade
itself being found in 1976 plus
the seventh century waterfall
scene and an extra scripted fight
scene. The script grew again
and it was obvious that just one

more weekend was not going
to cover the amount of filming
required. Mark and David had
been searching for locations.
The first to be locked down was
the Murton Danelaw Village at
York Museum of Farming a fully
reconstructed Dark Age village
and perfect film set. Murton were
exceptionally supportive from
the start and extremely helpful.
This gave the growing production
team the encouragement they
needed and the belief that they
could be capable of creating
something special. Talk of taking
the short to Cannes and other
festivals started and the script

became the seventh draft, with
a feature script being written
around it. It was around this time
that Whiteblade took over Marks
life. The short was now to be
used to gain a budget to make
the full feature. More filming
would be needed on top of the
three days at Murton already
arranged. Enter the Eleven
Arches Project!
Actors started to
get in touch when
it became apparent
that this was actually
going to happen
Bold as brass
Based in Bishop Auckland,
Eleven Arches aims to put on
30 spectacular historic night
shows, featuring fighting,
pyrotechnics, horse riding and
more, says Brian, taking things
in another direction entirely.
They employed Mark as their
chief combat trainer with David
as assistant. Their site was to
be an abandoned golf course
next to the Bishops Palace and
having seen this, Mark and David
decided it would be ideal for a
large scale battle scene. With
the combat crew for Whiteblade
growing rapidly, a large, unspoilt
location was necessary and
negotiations with Eleven Arches
secured their site for filming.
The September shoot was now
to be three days battle filming
Digital FilmMaker
51
22/11/2015 21:51
in Bishop Auckland followed

by town scenes at Murton for a
further three days. Actress Kiah
Reeves, having secured a part as
Kyneburga, had already taken on
the role as production assistant
and digital media manager. She
liaised with Charlie Scott-King,
an Eleven Arches volunteer in
order to publicise the filming in
the North East. Charlie secured
radio and local newspaper
coverage and volunteers for
battle crew grew even more.
We will be
submitting
Whiteblade to the
Cannes film festival
for its world debut
Lucky strike
Whiteblade still needed a crew
for the main shoot and this gift
from the gods came in the guise
of Si Sturgeon and John Sullivan
of Medusa productions, adds
Brian. Providing DOP, 1st AC
and Blackmagic 4k and URSA
cameras for the production.
Music production student,
52
Kaan Kurt, who had also been

sound recordist for the June
shoot completed the tech
crew. Whiteblade still needed
a director. With a week to go
before the main shoot, Mark
decided to take on the role
himself. The first time he had
ever directed a film! Alex De
Luca and Brian Woodward, both
actors in the film, stepped up
to the mark as 1st and 2nd AD
respectively. 2,000 had been
raised through a last minute
crowdfunder (this was not meant
to get this big!) and the cameras
rolled on the 25th of September
2015, only stopping for a few
hours of precious sleep until
the 30th September. Another
last minute godsend was Aerial
Exposure, who provided drone
shots for the battle scenes. For
a total of eight days filming, an
unbelievable amount of footage
has been filmed so far. So much
so, that another day or two of
pickup shots and scenes is
now planned in order to get
enough to edit an hour-long
movie in order to now enter the
festivals as a short feature film.
The intention is still to convince
investors to fund finishing the

feature script and use this as a
pilot for a series or trilogy.
Team effort
The main ethos of filming
Whiteblade has been to muck in,
reckons Brian on what really made
it happen. It became unbelievably
ambitious for a first time project
and grew from its humble roots
out of all proportion. Despite this,
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 21:51

Whiteblade is looking like an extremely
high-quality project with some spectacular
acting, stunts and cinematography. With
projects like Beowulf, Last Kingdom,
Vikings and Game of Thrones becoming
so popular, there is definitely a market
for Whiteblade. The difference between
Whiteblade and all of these? Its hero was
a real person! We are currently in postproduction with a few days of pickups to
do and with the aim of full completion by
the end of the year. We will be submitting
Whiteblade to the Cannes film festival for
its world debut. The rushes look fantastic
and the drone filming also adds that extra
dimension to the film, which puts it up there
with any major movie productions. The
production company have several other
films in pre-production including Gladiator
Wars, which is a fantasy story about
warriors taken out of their time periods to
fight each other for the satisfaction of a
Warlock. We have a great group of writers
also who are also writing scripts that we
hope will also get made into features next
year. Summing up this project though, we
have discovered that working as a team,

or actually more like a family, means that
you can achieve anything. We have all
learnt new skills, as I also took on the
role of 2nd AD, which was also rewarding
and challenging at the same time. Also,
everyone from principle characters to
support artists and stunt crew all worked as
one to make sure this film was the best we
could possibly make it. n
Digital FilmMaker
53
22/11/2015 21:51
ASK THE
FILMMAKER
Code words
Words worth
Sean J Vincent is
a professional who
faces filmmaking
challenges every day
of his career. Here he
takes some time out
to answer a few of
your questions
Im keen to up my game
when it comes to writing
scripts as I feel I have
a natural aptitude for it
but am struggling with
the basic structuring of
how it all goes together. I
can write a decent story
but could do with some
advice on how best to
adapt all that content for a
Im more than a little bemused by codecs

and would like to know just what theyre
for and why I should be concerned about
them. I bought a new MacBook Pro recently
and have been wrestling with iMovie, which
actually seems alright, but as someone who
has moved across from a PC Im concerned
about the differences in file formats and so
forth. A couple of friends have been talking
endlessly about codecs and how I need to get
acquainted with them, so could you give me a
crash course in this black art?
Ian Worth, Chelmsford
SJV: Dont panic Ian Codecs are nothing to worry about. Its
not a black art at all. Codec is just short for Encode and Decode,
and thats exactly what it means. A codec is a piece of software
or hardware (mostly software these days) that compresses a video
file to make it more manageable than an uncompressed one. For
example; if you have a video camera that records files to AVCHD
files, that means it has compressed the video file to an AVCHD
file and you will need something that supports AVCHD to view it
or edit it. Most editing software supports a wide range of codecs,
so its less of an issue than it used to be. Final Cut Pro X and
Premiere Pro (and probably others) support multiple codecs on
the same timeline now too, so thats even more flexible. For the
most efficient edit, its best to transcode everything to one codec.
I prefer Apple Pro Res HQ. Its quite big in file sizes, but its 10bit
and visually lossless, which is great.
real production scenario.

As someone who does
this stuff all the time do
you have some basic
tips and tricks for how to
get the job done. Also, is
there any software that
you tend to use to make
the process easier or do
you just do it all in a word
processing program?
Natasha Alves, Bromsgrove
SJV: You should track down
issue 28 of this magazine
Natasha. I did a whole piece
54
on putting together a web

series where I discussed
exactly this. I tend to use a
package called Scrivener to
put basic ideas together. It lets
you use a virtual corkboard
to pin ideas to. Then I move
to using real Post-it notes
when Ive got more solid ideas
for scenes and then I keep
re-shuffling, combining and
adding new ones until Ive got
a structure that Im happy with.
Then I use a package called
MovieDraft to write the actual
script. I like it because I can
Digital FilmMaker
054-59_Ask the Filmmaker.indd 1
22/11/2015 21:34
Ask the filmmaker
In a state
Whats your opinion

of portable solid state
drives? Weve been
shooting a film in 4K and
the footage is eating up
just about everything
we have in terms of disk
space. What we need
is a relatively cheap but
capacious solution and
we hear good things
being said about SSDs.
So do they make good
sense and are there
things to watch out for
when buying one? More
importantly, how durable
are they when working
in the great outdoors on
location? Presumably,
the more we spend the
better and more reliable
the product is going to
be, right?
Stuart Anderson, Havant
SJV: SSDs are pretty much

vital for 4K acquisition. They are
lightning fast and very reliable.
You need to make sure you get
one that is supported by your
camera or recorder though, as
not all of them are. I use Kingston
HyperX SSDs in my Atomos
Shogun, but I use regular spinning
drives in my Atomos Ninja Blade
most of the time different
beasts. But, I would never use
SSDs for storage uses. Way too
expensive at the moment. I would
recommend getting some big
3 Terrabyte USB 3 drives and
getting someone to back-up all
your footage to those theyre
nice and cheap and easy to
find. Make three copies on three
different drives, and then re-use
your SSDs in your camera easy!
add a new scene right in the

middle of the script at any time
and it just moves everything else
and re-numbers the scenes and
takes accordingly.
I would recommend getting

some big 3 Terrabyte USB 3
drives and getting someone
to back-up all your footage
Mystery machine
Were a couple of keen filmmakers who have been
shooting footage out and about with a view to
turning it into a decent short. However, one thing
has come up as weve been capturing the footage
and thats the issue of car numberplates. Weve
been out on the open road, filming from laybys,
motorway services and suchlike, but on viewing the
footage back were wondering what the situation is
with displaying registration details. Weve obviously
seen TV programmes when plates have been
pixelated out, so are we obliged to do the same or
is this something of a grey area? Were concerned
that if we have to do this the overall edge of realism
will be compromised.
Aiden Murphy, Belfast
SJV: This is a common issue for filmmakers and photographers and
when you see pixelated number plates on TV, its usually to avoid any
legal issues later, but its not the law. Number plates are in the public
domain and, for a small fee, anyone can get the details of the driver
from the DVLA. TV companies like to minimise the risk of someone
objecting, but in reality, theres not a court in the land that would know
what to do about it. If you have footage of someone doing something
dodgy, thats different as it is if you have footage of someone that
accidently implies someone is doing something they shouldnt be...
(a bank job getaway maybe?) But, in general, if people are just driving
past the camera, youre fine.
Digital FilmMaker
55
22/11/2015 21:34
Sound advice
Nicola Atkins, Jersey

SJV: You can absolutely use pre-recorded audio files, and
sometimes it saves a lot of time, but one word of warning... when
I watch TV or films, I can almost always spot audio clips from
my sound libraries. The sounds that come with Final Cut Pro X
are everywhere! Try and record your own if you can. Handheld
digital audio recorders are cheap, so get out there and record
some real sounds that no one else has and use them instead.
Its much more fun and youll impress people by not having any
recognisable samples in your productions. Obviously, websites
like Freesound offer lots of audio clips recorded all over the world
and they are much less recognisable and its often really handy if
you need something obscure, but try and record as much as you
can yourself.
If making a documentary or
something narrative, you will
need to factor in audio and some
talent to present or add voiceover
Born free
Were going on a safari

in Africa in the next
few months and wed
love to document the
experience, and possibly
use the footage, not
just as a memory, but
also as a commercial
proposition. Weve got a
GH4, which shoots great
video, and therefore
wonder what else we
might need to get a
professional edge. Well
be in a vehicle for much
of the time but Ive seen
kit like the Polecam
for example that looks
like it might allow us to
get right up close and
personal with the animals
but without putting
them, or us, at risk. Do
you think a drone might
be another angle? We
56
Im relatively new to filmmaking but am keen

to work on the Foley side of things as it
sounds like a lot of fun and also something of
a challenge. While I understand that the basic
premise of this job is to emulate the sounds that
should be happening on screen, Im not sure if
what needs to be done has to be created from
scratch or if you can utilise the many and varied
sounds and special effects audio tracks that are
out there on the internet. Whats the best way
forward with this? Im due to start a filmmaking
course next year, which should hopefully boost
my knowledge.
dont mind spending a

few quid if were going
to get the desired result.
Thanks in advance.
Mike Richards, Anfield
SJV: Thats tough to answer

without knowing your level of
experience. A drone would be a
great asset, as would a gimbal
for getting smooth footage from
a moving vehicle. A Polecam is
also a great tool for this kind of
work. If its for stock footage,
lots of impressive sweeping
shots will probably go down very
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 21:35
Ask the filmmaker
well, but if you plan on making

a documentary or something
narrative, you will need to
factor in audio and possibly
some talent to present or add
a voiceover. Lastly, check with
the tour operators about the
regulations and get advice from
the gamekeepers about filming
equipment. It might not be
allowed without getting some
sort of permit and remember that
if you take a substantial amount
of filming equipment abroad you
will need to get a carnet to prove
you are not taking it overseas
to sell it. Oh, and dont forget
insurance!
I like it
Ive clapped eyes on the

new Leica SL, which
shoots 4K video and
really does look the part
but judging from what

Ive heard about the
price it sounds like it is
firmly out of my reach.
So, as an alternative,
what would you say is
the current cream of the
crop when it comes to
decent cameras? Im not
looking for a high-end
professional camera and
would like something
thats fairly compact but
the main thing is that it
delivers decent footage.
Some say the GH4 is the
one to go for, but isnt
that getting a little bit
long in the tooth? Others
I talk to suggest anything
Sony, but Im sure you
can pin that down to a
specific model.
Andy Suthers, Dover
Round trip
Have you seen the latest camera setups that

allow you to shoot an all-round video? Im
intrigued by the concept but cant seem to find
out much about how you capture the effect and
what sort of kit you need to do it. Im wondering
if theres a sort of cheap and cheerful way to
achieve the same effect as presumably if there
is any equipment or cameras that shoot this
style of effect then it isnt going to come cheap.
Erik Smitz, London
SJV: I think you mean 360-degree video? Philip Bloom has put
some great little 360-degree clips online. Theres a few cameras
that will do it, such s the Ricoh Theta, The Kodak SP360 and
the 360Fly. They achieve slightly different looks and quality, but
the idea is the same a crazy super-fisheye lens that can see
360-degrees at the same time. Its a weird thing
to watch and I can see why they are getting
more popular. They arent that expensive
actually starting around the 200
mark, but the quality isnt amazing
and at this stage, its probably more
of a novelty. Saying that, someone is
bound to do something truly amazing
with this technology soon if they
havent already.
SJV: Its a tough call, but it can
be narrowed down by knowing
more about what you want to
shoot. I use the GH4 combined
with the Atomos Shogun and
the 4K images are amazing
I love it. It has its drawbacks
though. The Micro Four Thirds
sensor isnt great in low-light

and I prefer the look of a
Super35mm sensor. But, for a
gimbal-based camera (which
is where mine spends most
of its time), the wider depthof-field makes it ideal. If you
need to be shooting in low-
Digital FilmMaker
57
22/11/2015 21:35
sensors. However, the full frame

sensors give you some pretty
nasty rolling shutter issues if
youre not careful and the first
A7S didnt capture 4K without
an external recorder. I wouldnt
Smoke free
Im making a film soon and have most of the

pre-production work completed, but have
something of a quandary to sort out. The thing
is that the script of my film calls for the lead to
be a chain smoker, which in this day and age
means a bit of an uphill struggle. I have an actor
in mind for the role but they dont smoke. So,
what I need to know is if there are something like
special effects cigarettes that deliver the effect
of smoking, but without the associated health
risks. An unusual request, but if anyone knows
the answer then its going to be you!
Anita Rogers, Faversham
SJV: Thats a great question Anita and one that will probably come
up more often in the future as less and less people smoke and
more regulations come into play. In the past, non-smoking actors
who agreed to smoke in films and suchlike, used to smoke herbal
cigarettes with no nicotine, very little tar and so on. They taste
and smell pretty bad, but they look the same. You might find that
these days, non-smokers wont want to do that either. Electronic
e-cigarettes can look pretty real from a distance and might get you
through a lot of the shoot and then maybe find a real smoker for
extreme close-ups of real smoking to help sell the overall effect?
Be very careful where you film any real smoke scenes though, as
you will be aware that smoke indoors in the workplace is illegal
now. There are exceptions for theatre and filming, but you should
look into this if you ware working with non smokers and you dont
want to get sued later!
58
light conditions, the Sony A7S,

A7S II and the A7R II are where
you should be looking. More
expensive, but with amazing
see-in-the-dark low-light
capabilities and lovely full frame
I wouldnt say the GH4 was

getting old the new V-Log L
update has made it very much
a contender again
say the GH4 was getting old

the new V-Log L update has
made it very much a contender
again. As always, try them out
if you can reviews and specs
are only half the story.
Do it all
As someone who
spends a lot of time
making professional
films Im wondering if
you have any advice
on a good all-round kit
setup. Im a wedding
photographer who
wants to make the move
across into video but am
concerned that I might
end up buying the wrong
camera for my needs.
As you can imagine,
a lot of my work will
be done outside but
the kit also has to

be as unobtrusive as
possible. Im therefore
looking for a potent
and bang-up-to-date
model that is going to be
lightweight but also has
the specification to let
me shoot professional
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 21:35
Ask the filmmaker
videos. In addition, what

else do I need in terms
of kit setup and what are
we looking at moneywise?
Martin Williams, Stourbridge
SJV: Its always such a hard
question to answer when
someone is getting into filming
for the first time, and with a
background in photography,
some might think I should steer
you towards a DSLR But, I
think you should look at the
new Panasonic DVX200. Its a
camcorder, which means its

got everything you need in one
package and its ready to shoot
stunning 4K images. Shooting
4K might not be necessary right
now, but it does mean you can
grab some pretty decent still
images from the video too
ideal for your line of work. Add a
tripod and possibly a slider and
youll have a pretty great rig to
get you on your way.
Keep up with Sean and his work at
www.seanjvincent.com
Audio heaven
Ive been following your work with interest and

you seem to speak quite highly of the CameTV
products. Can you give me a bit of background
on their kit options and why I might be better
off with one of these units over the many
alternatives that are out there? I also see you
endorse Atomos on regular occasions although
Im aware that their range seems to be growing
by the day, so Id like some advice on that stuff
too. Im a keen filmmaker that is making the
move from more basic kit into the professional
environment and realise the need to up my game
when it comes to things like monitors and so on.
Steven Andrews, Exeter
SJV: Hi Steven. CameTV have been around since 2003 in China
and make some very solid products that cover a whole range of
things that both photographers and filmmakers need. Ive used their
LED lights and camera cages before and recently I started using
their Mini2 gimbal for my GH4. Having tried a number of the rival
products, I really liked the CameTV model the most as it was just
lighter and easier to use. Ive been using it almost non-stop for 2
months now and its been fantastic. They make solid gear and I trust
it. Atomos and me go way back. I shot a feature on the first Ninja
when it had just come out and I loved working with it. From there, I
moved up to the Ninja2, the Samurai Blade, Ninja Blade and now the
Shogun. I love how quickly Atomos react to the market. They listen to
their customers and constantly put out really well featured filmmaking
tools. The Atomos monitor recorders are excellent in my opinion.
They are the perfect balance between performance and affordability
and the Pro Res workflow from shoot to edit makes my life so much
easier than it was before with countless codecs to deal with. I know
some people dont like working with external recorders, but I find
the trade-off is more than worth it. Better quality 10bit 422 footage,
captured in glorious Pro Res HQ on a drive that just connects directly
to my edit system.
Digital FilmMaker
59
22/11/2015 21:36
hanging
in there
Richard Heap talks about making his new short
called Twine, which involved lots of snow and the
ever-dependable Canon C300
60
Id been wanting to do a
fiction project for years, but
got sidetracked in to doing
documentaries, says filmmaker
Richard Heap on how hes only
now got around to making his
short by the name of Twine.
Four of those documentaries were
for BBC4 but doing Twine was a
complete eye-opener. There was a
bigger team, but not quite as much
control as I expected, plus two
great actors including one about to
hit the big time with the Hollywood
blockbuster Spectral along with
lots of unpredictable snow.
Digital FilmMaker
060-65_Richard Heap Twine.indd 1
23/11/2015 11:01
Feature: Hanging in there
Its actually quite an interesting

story how Richard has got to this
point in his filmmaking career,
having soldiered on over the years
while doing other things. In the
mid 90s I was a full-time climber
living on the dole and hanging
out with mates, he goes on. I
was part of a hardcore scene
in Sheffield and started filming
some first ascents of dangerous
climbs on the local crags with a
borrowed camera. With a friend,
we edited a film together and

put it out on VHS, much like a
skateboarding video. It was called
Hard Grit and went ballistic. It
was an eye in to a mythical world,
people got to see something
that was only previously written
about. We sold 1,000 copies in
two weeks and it went on from
there. We made a half dozen
other films, got commissions from
outdoor companies and slowly,
as connections formed, I ended
up doing an hour long film for

Channel 4 and have since moved
on to doing those four docs for
BBC4 on motorsport; Grand
Prix The Killer Years got BAFTA
long-listed.
Set on the high

wintry moors it
traces the fallout of
a disturbed fatherson relationship
Career move
Im a full-time filmmaker
but Sheffield is really on the
outer fringes of the industry,
adds Richard. So I do a lot of
corporate editing and film second
division rugby at the moment. My
CV is really good, lots of festival
wins, brilliant national press
reviews, but Ive been on the
inside of trying to get broadcast
commissions and it is incredibly
demoralising. Ive good friends
here and as long as I have a few

personal projects bubbling in
the background I survive. Fiction
though thats a hobby!!
And so to Twine, a project that
sees Richard taking on the roles
of writer, director, co-producer
and, phew, editor At least ten
years ago I did a scriptwriting
course and had a script picked up
and made, he says. For a brief
period I was writing prolifically
and churned out a half dozen
scripts. Twine was one of them.
Always being out climbing in the
Peak District, this image of a man
racing across the snowy moors
came to mind. It felt visually
cinematic and acted as a starting
point. A Leeds-based director
was keen and we developed it a
bit more, but couldnt get funding.
Its been in the drawer a long
time, but I knew it was good, it
had an unsettling wildness about
it. I got in a funk about stuff
I was doing this January and
thought bugger it, Im going to
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dialogue that came with an ease

to it. The man is on one track of
thought, then switches so quick
and I sometimes wonder if it is a
consequence of writing without
thinking too much. I was writing
something new the other day and,
as I put down one little exchange,
I thought thats very Twine.
do Twine. Once Mario Roberto

(co-producer) was keen, I had
company and we were off. Four
weeks from saying were doing it,
we were turning over.
Seize the day

Biting the bullet, Richard and
Mario got firmly stuck into the
project, but whats it all about?
Set on the high wintry moors it
traces the fallout of a disturbed
father-son relationship, explains
the filmmaker. Isolated from
society, the father has a rather
macabre sense of humour and
it is the sons attempt to rebel
62
against the various games he

plays. In the finale we find the
son cant escape his history, the
abused becomes the abuser.
Its a pretty twisted tale. I dont
want to call it a horror because
we didnt play to any of those
conventions, I prefer to think of it
as a dark drama. Weve tried to
make it visually expansive and,
despite it being just a two hander,
the twenty minutes plays pretty
quick.
Richard already mentioned
that he penned it some time
ago, but does the actual writing
process come quite quickly to
him then? Its so long ago I
can barely remember writing it,
he chuckles. But how these
things generally work for me is I
write quick. Ill have the idea, itll
percolate in the back of mind for
a while, and then Ill sit down and
itll come out in a big splurge,
which Ill subsequently refine.
The best compliment I got at the
auditions was that the script felt
naturally unhinged and had great
I dont want to
call it a horror
because we didnt
play to any of those
conventions
Short but sweet?
It was always going to be a
short, furthers Richard on
how the running time ended
up being around 20 minutes or
so. Money, and the need to
generate a new team, are big
stumbling blocks. Producing I felt
sure would be okay but I wasnt
confident about directing on set
either. In the end I loved working

with the actors. The three hours I
spent in London with Dylan going
through the script was a real
highlight, but knowing how a film
set works I definitely fell short on.
I felt I was a bit shambolic and
it was tough. I was off having
to go and pay the Forestry
Commission on the first morning
of the shoot and arrived in the
middle of the a snowy moors
flustered and late, with everyone
waiting and weather conditions
the polar opposite of what Id
had in mind. Producing took up
so much time on the last two
days I didnt even have a shot
list, I was completely winging it.
At the crew, family and friends
screening someone said we
should make it in to a feature,
but I cant see it myself.
Fair play to Richard for
soldiering on against the odds,
although hes quick to add that
his crew were pivotal in getting
the project completed.
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perfectly. For post, the edit was
done on Adobe Premiere, it was
mixed on ProTools and it was
graded on DaVinci Resolve by
Rob Beck.
Great outdoors
Mario Roberto helped coproduce, he says. Hes only

21, but Id heard good things
on the grapevine, that he was
conscientious, methodical and
organised. Hed been 1st AD on
a few shorts and 3rd AD on a
feature. Ive worked with the DOP
Ben Pritchard on lots of docs
and he has credits including Jack
Osbourne; Adrenaline Junkie. A
big coup was getting Bethan King
to do production design. Incredibly
hard working and real talent. She
had a lot of film/broadcast credits.
Then it was a gang from Sheffield.
There was a lot of experience
on set from gaffer, to sound,
to location, to post with Brian
Gray on sound mix and Andrew
Swarbrick doing music.
Trusty friend
And, what better camera to call
up for the project than a familiar
model used by many in the
trade The film was shot on a
Canon C300 and we shot C-Log,
adds Richard. We had a mixture
of lenses including some primes
and some zooms. My discussions
with the DOP were extremely
At the crew,
family and friends
screening someone
said we should make
it in to a feature
Shooting on location was

by far the most challenging
aspect of the shoot, but also
the most memorable, says
Richard looking back on how
they got through it all. We had
a remarkable day in Scotland,
just me and Ben, the DOP. Me
doubling for Charlie for the wides.
The house exteriors are of a bothy
in the Cairngorms. It was an hour
from anywhere and so beautiful
it was actually emotional. Then
the peak stuff was cold, but
again we lucked out that there
was no wind. Charlie did get cold
the first day, but second day he
turned up wearing five pairs of
thermals! The prosthetics were
hard because they kept peeling
off in the cold. Dylan is actually
Canadian and he didnt know
the peak at all, so everyday was
a discovery for him. He loved
the scenery. The interiors for the

house were a wild location. On
the edge of Abney Moor, deep in
the peak. Due to a planning and
land dispute it was abandoned,
but was watertight. The farmer
let us have it for 80 and lent us
his 4x4 so we could get in to it.
Most people were having to walk
through the snow on the shoot
days. The gaffer thought it was
a ridiculous place to shoot, but
we couldnt find anywhere that
fitted the bill in quite the same
way. There was also so much
rusty junk, furniture and building
debris around that half the set
was there too. There was even a
Port-a-loo and generator hidden
limited to the point where we

were making a decision on the
very first day of the shoot whether
we were going to go handheld
or steady on sticks. Because we
are both from a doc background
we knew wed get a bit more
immediacy from handheld and
wed be quicker. We knew
wide-angle lenses would also
make it more immediate too.
In a way it sounds crazy to be
discussing this, stood in the
snow with the actors in front of
you, but I have made so much
stuff now I trust my instincts.
One of my favourite little bits in
the film is the boy rustling round
trying to find the screwdriver near
the end. Everything about that
scene, other than its motivations,
was made up on the spot.
Utter instinctive out-of-control
filmmaking that worked out
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there. Everything was great, until

I left the keys in the 4x4 ignition
and the battery went flat. We were
all walking out with the shoot kit
for next day at 9pm at night in the
snow. Even that felt special as I
got to have a social chat with the
crew because while on set I was
barely stopping.
Producing took
up so much time
on the last two days
I didnt even
have a shot list
Right crowd
Someone local recommended
Nicci Topping to do the casting,
says Richard on the point of
securing the actors. Because
turnaround was going to be
tight she said to put out a call,
rather than approach agents of
actors we imagined might be
good for the role. We organised
auditions in Sheffield and had
about a dozen actors for each
role, pairing them up on the day
to run through a couple of scenes.
Charlie Gallagher (the boy) didnt
really do that great an audition,
but stood out purely for one tiny
64
line he said that really made him

seem very weak and vulnerable. It
was one of the best moments of
the day. Also, he was a bit more
fragile than most of the others we
saw. There were a lot of strapping
16/17-year-olds and they looked
too athletic. There was a lot more
debate in the team about the man,
but we went for Dylan Smith (he
saw an ad for it in the back pages
of Stage magazine), because
his playing of the character was
harder to define. He felt more
loose, the violence coming from
an unhinged fun place, rather
than an angry place if that makes
sense. We lucked out with him
as, unbeknown to us, he had just
completed a major Hollywood
blockbuster (Spectral, which is out
summer 2016). He loved the script
and really was very generous with
helping Charlie through.
What next?
The budget was what I stumped
up from money Id earned doing
other stuff, adds Richard on
how he financed the project.
7,000-8,000. I have worked a
long time on the fringes and have
asked so many favours over the
years and its tiring. The actors
and about 50 per cent of the crew
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were paid minimum wage. And

money went on locations and
production design, with a bit for
costumes and petrol and food.
It sounds a lot of money, but I
couldnt believe how quickly it
went once you pay people for five
days work. As of now, Mario, the
co-producer, has entered the film
on the festival circuit and weve
five screenings coming up Leeds,
Montemario, Texas, Manchester
and a local one here in Sheffield.
Ill probably put it out online
around Christmas time.
So how does it look? For
me, doing a fiction short was an
itch I had to scratch, reckons
Richard. With any film Ive made
it needs at least two years before

I can distance myself enough to
appreciate it. All I can see are the
decisions and the mechanics of it
all. The cogs whirring.
fantastic. Im not sure the whole

process has imbued me with
the confidence Id hoped! I
was recently filming EPK and
there were so many people
just stood round waiting for
their next five-minute burst of
activity. Twine was the polar
opposite; a small crew, intense,
slightly on the edge. I know its
not for everyone, but I wouldnt
change that. Ive already learnt
set protocols the hard way now,
that would be a move forward,
and Id have a bit more time
with the DOP in advance on
future projects. Also securing
locations early would be good
as the land dispute we found
ourselves involved in was very

stressful. For my next film, Id
like to shoot in a more refined
way with a little more focus on
framing, but I know what kind
of filmmaker I am and I like
drive, energy and dialogue in my
stuff, so it wont go full-on art
house! On the fiction front Ive
put an application in to Creative
England for iShorts. Ive also
finished writing a feature script,
which Ive had positive feedback
on from friends and which Ill try
and find a producer for soon. In
the meantime, Ill keep filming
that second division rugby and
possibly do a running film in
Scotland this winter. n
Bright future
Hopefully Ill like it one day,
adds the filmmaker with a
grin. My wife was at the crew
screening where it was well
received and she said she
could feel the tension in the
room. I certainly appreciate the
performances Dylan fondly
punching Charlies chin as he
happily recounts teaching him
to swim is split-second genius.
Also Bethans set design is
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Cheap
thrills
Sean Dyer is a filmmaker who has recently

completed a sitcom pilot episode for a
show called Beats using a tiny budget of
just a couple of hundred quid
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Interview: Cheap thrills
It was a huge collaborative

project with everyone involved
and I had input and guidance
from the rest of the team all the
way through the process. A lot
of the shows jokes are visual
or its in the sound editing, so it
was important to shoot for the
edit every little thing had to be
planned well in advance.
A comedy was
something I had
never thought
about making as it
kind of scared me
Brave move
Everyday video production is
one thing but turning your hand
to a sitcom, albeit just the pilot
at this stage in the game, is
a bold step. So how did it all
come about? Writers Joseph
Cheeseman and journalism
graduate Craig Humpage had
seen a documentary that myself
and Jo had made, says Sean.
They decided to get in contact

with us and pitch their idea
for a sitcom. If Im honest, a
comedy was something I had
never thought about making
as it kind of scared me. Youre
making quite a statement just
by making a comedy - that you
can make someone laugh - so
if it doesnt pay off, its rather
obvious. Personally, I just loved
the concept too much to turn
it down. I hadnt seen anything
with this premise and Im a
huge lover of surreal comedy
and this had bags of that. The
show is based around smalltime music producer Rufus and
his friends, hanging about in his
dimly lit studio, getting high and
dreaming even higher. D-dot is
a terrible wannabe rapper and
Madness is a self-employed
hustler who is in charge of his
Making anything with just a few quid is never going to be

easy, but with 200 in the kitty Sean Dyer and his business
and life partner Joanne Foster have recently been putting
the finishing touches to Beats, a sitcom about small-time
music producer Rufless Rufus and his mates. The characters
in the show spend most of their time hanging out in his dimly lit
studio making music and getting high, going nowhere and finding
themselves in surreal situations. Although the filmmaking combo
of Sean and Jo studied the subject at university and have been
running a video production company for the past 3 years, it was
still a tall order to see the project through on such a miniscule
budget. I directed, shot and edited the show, Sean explains.
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younger, squarer brother Dave.

Its also how they all interact with
the different characters that come
and go through the studio. A lot
of the comedy is based on social
commentary, visual gags and with
a hint of surrealism thrown in too.
Craig Humpage came up with
the original idea and took it to his
lifelong friend Joseph who is an
actual music producer, so some of
the situations that take place in the
show are based on real situations
that happened in that very
studio, albeit slightly dramatised.
The whole process took them
Hot project
With all of the work completed on
the script the team were ready
to turn their dream into reality
and a pilot concept seemed like
the most logical route to take.
We saw producing a sitcom
pilot as a good middle ground
between a short and a feature,
reckons Sean. The pilot would
test the waters and have the
potential to be expanded upon
to create an entire series. I used
this project as a stepping stone
towards directing my first feature
developing my directing skills
and also management of crew

and talent. Jo and I were the
only people on set who had
any experience of making a
narrative film, but there were
plenty of people there who were
so passionate about the project,
which helped in all sorts of ways
when the shoot crept in to the
early hours. I was director, and
also in charge of lighting and the
camera op. Jo was slating and
generally managing all of the
actors and logistics, making sure
we were on track and handling
what was coming next. Joseph,
being a music producer, was in

charge of sound. We had Claire
Morgan doing the make-up and
Stephen Forrester doing the
running and behind the scenes
footage and stills.
And for shooting the project
itself, what else to use on a
sitcom but a certain low-budget
We saw producing
a sitcom pilot as
a good middle
ground between a
short and a feature
several months. When they first
approached us with the concept
they had a basic outline of each
of the characters and scenes. We
then encouraged them to bulk it
out into an actual script format and
think about the conversations and
dialogue. Several drafts later we
had a workable script to rehearse
with actors. All of the actors were
given free reign to improvise in
rehearsal, which slowly built up the
dialogue of the show.
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booth segment. We just used
a domestic light and the 50mm
lens with a wide aperture. Other
than that, it was just all down to
timing. We shot the majority in a
three day run and had all of the
scenes planned for each day.
Wed start rolling at 9am and not
finish until the shooting schedule
We used a
Canon 5D MK III
with the Canon
24-70mm F/4L
USM lens
filmmaking favourite We
used a Canon 5D MK III with the
Canon 24-70mm F/4L USM lens,
enthuses Sean. Occasionally
switching to 50mm F/1.4 lens
with a Tiffen ND Filter for some
of the outside shots as I wanted
a shallow depth-of-field to focus
on the characters. For lighting
the set we used two diffused
Red Heads and brought in some
domestic lamps for backing lights.
We mainly kept the camera on
legs to convey the monotonous
vibe of the studio and only used
a shoulder rig to express stressful
and scary situations or candidtype shots. For the tracking into
the studio shots we used the
Glidecam 2000.
was complete. Each day we

wrapped past 1am, so it was
hard going but a compromise
you have to take when shooting
on such a low budget. We also
shot most of the show in one
location, which was Josephs
music studio and back rooms. It
was an old warehouse so we had
loads of room to occupy. There
was one flashback scene, which
took place in a chicken shop,
challenge with the chicken shop

scene was to get it all shot within
a two-hour time frame before
they opened up for evening
trade. Towards the end we were
actually having to shoot around
customers.
Slim pickings
Needless to say, the other area
where budgetary constraints
hampered their
progress somewhat
was lining up
the cast. As it
turned out, the
best route to
take was to
enlist people they already knew

and who they could trust to
get the job done. The majority
of the cast was actually made
up of friends, laughs Sean.
D-dot was played by writer
Craig, which was never the plan
but that character proved very
tricky to cast. We went through
about five castings before we
realised he was the best person
for the role. Smash, who plays
Madness, is a known local
comedian and wed previously
worked with him on another
project. Dave was played by
Dave Smith, as Craig wrote the
part especially for him. Reese,
who played Rufus, was the first
person we cast and as soon as
we met him and went through
some lines we knew he was
perfect. Porsche was played by
Joes friend Amber
Lauren. The extras
were all friends,
apart from the
nun played
by Cristina
Nears, the
Swift progress
As is the case with any project
thats watching the pennies
the team had to work smart to
get the job done and this often
involved working in less than
ideal situations. We did have
an insane amount of bulbs
blow on us as we were using
an old Red Heads, chuckles
the filmmaker. At one stage we
ended up with no bulbs and no
easy way to get hold of any at
short notice either. So we had
to think on our feet and decided
to shoot any shots that didnt
require lighting, like the recording
and our local chippy was kind

enough to let us take over during
their closed hours one evening.
The studio was very small, so
manoeuvrability was a bit of an
issue. It can comfortably fit five
people in there and throughout
the shoot we would have eight
plus people (actors and crew)
along with the camera and lights,
so it got quite tight and hot. To
make the room appear a bit
bigger we had to literally squeeze
into the corner with the camera
to get a wide shot. The main
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chicken shop manager who was

played by Glen Hannah and
chicken chop colleague played
by Charlotte Locke.
Limited funds certainly dont
seem to have stopped the cast
and crew from giving it their
best shot either Not at all,
agrees Sean. Weve estimated
the spend on the show came in
at about 200. That was mainly
spent on food/beverages, bulbs
and props. We used our own
equipment and all of the actors
were happy to take this on as
a passion project, which was
The majority of the

delays on set were
down to the lights.
Other than that I
couldnt be happier
amazing and we cant thank them
enough. So as of now the show
is finished! We held a preview
screening at the Mockingbird
cinema in Digbeth over the
summer and were overwhelmed
with the response we received.
Its now available to watch on
YouTube by searching Beats
uk sitcom Its looking good too!
Were getting some traction
online and, again, theres been
a great response. This was only
ever meant to be a pilot to help
us get some real funding to
produce a series, so the next
step is to find a following and
then pitch the show to networks
or production houses.
Small tweaks
Sean and his collaborators sound
pretty happy with Beats and its a
testament to their imagination and
capacity to work around technical
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issues that has seen it completed

without incident. That said, Sean
would have liked to have been
able to do one or two things a
little differently. Id have invested
in LED lights earlier to save the
drama of using Red Heads in a
small space, he adds. And lots
of people! The majority of the
delays on set were down to the

lights. Other than that I couldnt
be happier with how it went and
the overall outcome. Im currently
writing my first feature film and
plan to make a few more short
films before I start production on
that. Working on Beats was an
amazing experience certainly
the biggest project Ive taken

on and definitely the most fun
Ive had on set. Its taught me
to follow my instincts and that
hard work pays off. Its so
important to find people who are
as passionate about a project
as yourself it makes the tough
times a bit easier.
This was only ever

meant to be a pilot
to help us get some
real funding to
produce a series
The filmmaker sounds suitable
fired up to keep honing his
craft, something Sean has
been working on since he was
a youngster. For me, its that
age old filmmaker story, he
says. As far back as I can
remember Ive known I wanted
to make films. It wasnt until I
was 16 and leaving school that
I realised I had a chance to turn
that dream into a reality. I heard
about a filmmaking course at

my local college and jumped at
the chance. Straightaway it was
apparent that I had a natural
intuition into how the mechanics
of film worked and I had finally
found something I was good at.
From there I went to university,
which I found to be a great place
to make lots of mistakes where
the stakes arent high. Today, I
run a video production company
called Lumina Studios along
with Jo. When I left university I
had two choices if I wanted to
pursue a career in filmmaking
and that was either move to
Manchester/London and try my
luck as a runner, or establish
my own business in Birmingham
and create my own job. Weve
been very lucky that its paid off
and weve been able to make
some really creative projects
with businesses and marketing
agencies. It means Im working
on my craft everyday and
enabling us to do these little
passion projects like producing
music videos and this sitcom.
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BACK IN TIME
Filmmaker Luke Jeffery talks about the trials
and tribulations of creating his new short film
called Seeing Red set in the 1960s
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Interview: Back in time

Making a film set in another
period of time other than the
present day always adds an
extra level of difficulty to any
production. Luke Jeffery knows
this all too well having finished
up his short, called Seeing Red,
which is all about life nearly
fifty years ago. If youre on a
tight budget this is a big ask
Since the story is set in 1967
the main difficulty was finding
locations that would fit the era,
agrees the filmmaker. Locations
without double yellow lines or
modern cars. I discovered the
dark room location by mistake
when I went to look at my
neighbours Triumph Vitesse,
which we were planning to use
in the film. I was looking for a
scruffy studio, something a bit
like the flat in Blow Up, only
shabbier, and her basement
garage was an ideal space. We
moved the car outside, boarded
up the windows and added in
some furniture to make it look
as though someone might live
there. Then we wired in some
red lightbulbs and pegged up
black and white photographs on
washing lines to complete the
effect. We also shot scenes in a
local graveyard, a nearby forest,
a park in Exeter, and on a farm
where one of the cast lives.
Real places
Considering all that Luke
seems to have come up trumps
with his location work, as he
elaborates We spent a lot
of time looking for a location
for a party scene, says the
filmmaker. And, ultimately,

decided to use my own garden.
Shooting on location means
youre often unable to make
any significant changes to a
space, but when its your own
house you dont have to worry
Since the story

is set in 1967 the
main difficulty was
finding locations that
would fit the era
about moving things around and
making alterations. We ended up
painting the house and planting
extra flowers in the garden to
make it even more colourful. We
also emptied out my garage and
turned it into a dressing room
for the vintage costumes and
accessories.
The film was shot last year
and is set entirely during the
1960s, so was quite a challenge
for the low-budget they were
working with according to Luke.
However, the filmmaker was
in no doubt that this was what
he wanted to do, having been
into making his own projects for
many years. As an eleven-yearold I was given a camcorder for
my birthday, he recalls. And so
I started out by filming anything
and everything around me before
realising there was more fun to
be had in inventing stories with
the footage. For years Id spend
all my free time shooting short
films with friends, and watching
them back together at the end
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of the day. We tried everything from stop motion to horror, and

went to great lengths to come up with interesting storylines and
fun effects. I started my production company, Wandering Tiger,
back in 2006 when I was just thirteen, and launched a website
where Id post my videos for people to watch. I went on to study
film at Falmouth University, and after graduating I spent a year or
so working on other peoples films before finally getting started
on Seeing Red.
Stepping stones
Those early years seems to have stood him in good stead and
gave Luke the confidence to launch his own business. When I
was making Seeing Red I also had an office job, he points out.
So all of the pre-production was done during evenings and at
weekends. Then I took a couple of weeks off for the shoot and
went straight back to work afterwards. The nine-to-five job meant
that my time for filmmaking was quite limited, so earlier this year
I made the decision to leave my desk behind and set out on my
Genuine props,
costumes and music
from the 60s also
creates a level of
authenticity
was the first film that Id made

since graduating, and the biggest
budget Id worked with so far. A
lot of people told me I was mad for
shooting a period piece, but I really
enjoyed the experience. Setting
something in the past forces you
to think about everything that
appears on screen, and I had a lot
of fun sourcing all the props and
costumes.
And the way the film came about
in the first place has something of
an unusual edge too it seems
Im colour blind myself, says
Luke. And following an eye-test
with a quirky, rather eccentric
optician I started making notes
over a couple of days, which
became the bare bones of the
plot. I submitted the idea for
own. Since then Ive been involved

with a number of different film
and theatre projects, and recently
produced a family show called
Granny Eyeball. Ive also been
taking part in Creative England and
the BFI NET.WORKs South West
talent module - a scheme designed
to help emerging filmmakers to get
their first feature off the ground.
I wrote, directed, produced and
edited Seeing Red, so it was
quite an intense few months! This
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Exeter Phoenixs digital shorts

scheme and was lucky enough
to be selected. I realised early on
that setting a film in the 60s was
going to be big challenge in terms
of props and costumes, so we
ran a Kickstarter in order to raise
some additional funding. After
that things fell into place quite
quickly. We shot for six days at
the beginning of July, and I spent
a few months working on the edit
in my evenings before the first
screening in December.
Unusual world
So whats the general theme and
storyline of the film? A wedding
photographer is prescribed LSD
by his optician in a misguided
attempt to cure his colour
blindness, says Luke. I did some
research into possible cures for
colour blindness and there are
some people who claim that it
works, although Ive never tried it
myself! I thought a photographer
making the transition from black
I spent a year or
so working on other
peoples films before
finally getting started
on Seeing Red
and white to colour film in 1967

was an interesting concept, with
plenty of scope for visual tricks.
Ive always loved the slightly
surreal, psychedelic films from
that era, and this was a great
excuse to make one of my own.
It took me several months to
write the script, and I was still
making changes up until we
started shooting. Im used to
writing longer scripts, so it was
quite a challenge working on a
short. I tried to cram in as much
as possible so there are various
different characters and locations.
After the wedding photographer
takes LSD the film follows a sort
of dream logic, which was fun to
write. Making a feature film has
always been my ambition, but I
wanted to do a short first in order
to show what I could achieve on a
small budget. Ive previously written
and directed several plays, which
are longer stories, so Im really
eager to tackle a feature film next.
So, armed with little in the way
of budget, but the need to come
up with a convincing overall look,
Luke and his cohorts got to get
really creative with Seeing Red.
Ross Gill was our DOP, he
explains. And we spent a lot of
time together talking through the
look we wanted to achieve. He
was also responsible for grading

the film and the psychedelic, pink
tree effect that we used. Other
crew members included my
long-time collaborator and friend,
Jon Rigby, who was 1st AD, and
Jamie Romp, a friend I met at
university who did our sound. My
parents, Debbie and Phil Jeffery,
provided all of the catering and
helped with transport, finding
props and dressing the locations.
Shev Al-Kazraji was our costume

designer and together we sourced
all the clothes from local vintage
shops and theatres. Our make-up
artist, Hannah Kate Marshall, also
spent time perfecting the 1960s
look, and hair stylist Beverley
Atkin was a dab hand at creating
beehives. Photographer Benjamin
Borley took the wedding photos
that are featured in the short, and
filmmaker Christopher Williams
documented behind the scenes
on an 8mm cine camera, as
well as shooting the end credits
sequence. For the soundtrack,
a local musician, David Leach
(The Dalwood Rocket) wrote and
recorded several original tracks
for us.
Look and feel

Teamwork seems to have been
key to how the project panned
out, but the 1960s feel meant
that they needed to pay careful
attention to detail. We wanted
to get as close to a film look as
possible to fit in with the 1960s
setting, reckons Luke. We
used a Canon C100 shooting in
C-log, which gives a very organic
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look, with noise that is closer

to film grain than some other
digital cinema cameras. We used
Samyang cine primes, which are
nice and soft, with Tiffen Black
Pro Mist filters, whilst keeping the
lighting as diffused as possible
throughout. Then we used
Filmconvert to emulate various
film stocks, mainly a Kodak
mixed with a Polaroid stock for a
nostalgic 60s feel.
Most of the props

were borrowed
or hired from
local businesses
and theatres
it on a skateboard and wheel it

through the grounds at Exeter
Cathedral in the pouring rain. I
was also keen that the wedding
photographer should have a dead
goldfish in a bowl, and visited
various pet shops asking if they
had any which was probably
something I should have thought
through more carefully, as the
reaction was mixed, to say the
least! In the end we bought a live
fish on the morning of the shoot,
which ended up becoming the
film mascot and a personal pet.
People power
That aside, Seeing Red seems
to have developed quite nicely,
helped along by the acting
performances The part of
the photographer was written
specifically for my friend, Charlie
Coldfield, says Luke of his cast.
And the rest of the them were
found through auditions. Charlie
was cast in a play I wrote back
in 2011, and weve been in touch
ever since. He was involved with
the film from the very beginning,
even before Id written the script,
so I couldnt imagine anyone else

in the part. Matthew Lawrenson
took on the role of the optician,
and Sarah White and Richard
Pulman played the newlywed
couple. All of the actors were
friends, and had worked together
before, so there was a nice
relaxed atmosphere during the
shoot. We also had some nonspeaking roles and extras who
were mainly from the local area,
and I roped in friends and family
to bulk out the crowd for the party
scene.
Did they come unstuck at all

due to the challenges presented
by making a period piece?
We managed to get hold of an
opticians chair for the shoot,
but didnt realise quite how
heavy it would be, chuckles
the filmmaker, citing one event
that caused a few headaches.
There was no access for cars at
the location we were using, so
we ended up having to balance
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sequence, and I really think it

brings the film to life. Having
genuine props, costumes and
music from the 60s also creates
a level of authenticity. People
instantly know when the film is
supposed to be set without the
need for a title card.
Success story
Everything is all the more

impressive when you hear how
little money was behind this
adventurous production. We
received a 500 bursary as part
of the Exeter Phoenixs Devon
Shorts scheme, says Luke.
And raised an additional 1,500
through the Kickstarter campaign.
The majority of the budget went
on the basics like catering,
transport and insurance. Most
of the props were borrowed or
hired from local businesses and
theatres, including an eye chart,
which was gathering dust in a
back room at a local opticians.
The film premiered at the Two
Short Nights film festival last year
and went on to win the Audience
Choice award, which was great.
Weve had a few other screenings
The nine-to-five
job meant that
my time for
filmmaking was
quite limited
The good vibes surrounding

the release of Seeing Red have
already fired up Luke enough to
get him in the right frame of mind
for another project. For the next
film Id like to find a producer to
work with, he states. Trying
to write, direct and produce
something yourself is possible,
but its much better if you can
share the responsibility with
another person. Im currently
working on the script for a

feature film, which Im planning
to shoot next - a psychological
thriller about Morris dancing.
Ive also written a road movie
about two stand-up comedians
and the end of the world, which
Id like to film at some point. In
the meantime, Seeing Red was
great fun to make, and Ive met
some fantastic people during the
process. Shooting something
surreal and stylised is really
liberating, and allows you to make
some unusual creative decisions
with shots and editing. Im hoping
to get everyone back together
again for the next project. There
are some brilliant locations and
some really talented people in the
local area, so it would be nice to
build on that in the future. n
during the year, and recently

released the film online. It was
also one of the top three voted
films for Shooting Peoples film
of the month competition, which
was judged by filmmaker Sean
McAllister - who gave some really
positive feedback. Im really
pleased with the finished film,
and as a learning experience its
been invaluable. We were lucky
enough to secure permission to
use a song by Manfred Mann,
called Cubist Town, for the party
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ON LOCATION:
RED BULL
AIR RACE
Red Bull has a formidable reputation when it comes to
covering its many and varied sporting events around the
globe as Digital FilmMaker found out on a location visit
to the 2015 Red Bull Air Race final in Las Vegas
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On location: Red Bull Air Race

If youve ever seen any of the
Red Bull events on TV or the
web then youll know just
how good they are at doing
extreme sports. With such
a diverse portfolio of events
to cover, including everything
from F1 through to cliff diving,
all of which is crammed into a
packed calendar throughout the
year, Red Bull has to be good at
what it does, simply to get the
job done. Keeping the Red Bull
brand awareness right up there
is a lot to do with imagery, both
stills photography and, of course,
video. As such, the company
has become extremely adept at
producing stunning work that sits
both on its own website and is
also used by media outlets around
the globe. Central to all this is
having the right people working on
the content in the first place and
then making it available as soon
as possible, either during or very
soon after an event has happened.
One perfect example of where
this well-oiled machine works to
great effect is the Red Bull Air
Race series, a thrilling sport that
sees incredible racing from some
of the best pilots in the world, who
hurtle in and out of extreme turns
in tiny little planes and often just
a few metres from the ground.
Capturing footage of this sort of

thing is not easy and therefore
requires the skills of a dedicated
team of individuals while, in the
case of the Red Bull Air Race
calendar, necessitates working
all over the world. The people on
board tackle a series of dates that
We usually get
them [the cameras]
locally or from
a national rental
company
includes our very own Ascot plus
Chiba in Japan, Abu Dhabi, Rovinj
in Croatia, Budapest, Spielberg
in Austria, Fort Worth, Texas and
culminates in Las Vegas for the
final. Just moving everything from
A to B is a logistical challenge but,
once the team gets to the next
destination, a period of frenetic
manual labour, a lot of careful
thinking and some high-tech kit is
subsequently required to ensure
the job gets done to Red Bull
standards.
Perfect planning
Walter Prettenthaler, on-site
production coordinator from
Red Bull explains... Ive been
with the company now for two

years and the season started at
the beginning of the year back
in Abu Dhabi. Up until this point
there have been eight races,
so its great to have the final
in somewhere like Las Vegas.
We are on-site at each race for
a total of about fifteen days...
anything between fifteen and
eighteen days actually and that all
depends on if there are training
camps and stuff like that before
the actual event takes place.
For example, back in Abu Dhabi
we had a training camp there,
which added an extra week onto
everything before the event had
started. Weve got a team of ten
people along with one electrician
and we are responsible for the
hangar setup, which means that
when we come on site there has
to be a flat area, so once we have
this large asphalt area then we
can start setting up the hangar
constructions.
Presumably many of these
venues are very different too,
particularly seeing as you change
geographical locations so much
along the course of a season? Of
course, agrees Walter. In fact,
there are a wide variety of different
things to consider, including the
terrain that we have to set up on
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and also the different cultures that we find going

from country to country. We usually have to request
some helping hands to get the various jobs done on
site and, as you can imagine, that can sometimes
be a bit of a problem. Its not always possible to
get these helping hands who all speak English... we
might have to have a crew chief translating for us,
but to be honest most of them can speak English
because many of them come from the staging
business, which is used to this kind of situation.
shape that we need for the racing season.

So how do they get from A to B, with trucks or
air freight or what? It depends, reckons Walter.
Its different each time. Some of the stuff needs
to go via air freight, such as the hangar engine
hoists, different things like that, and the rest of it
goes by sea freight containers, although in Europe
for example we are trucking everything from one
place to another. This sort of setup is great for us
because the distances are not so long and we dont
have to go across the sea for long periods of time,
so that is ideal. Of course, there is a big logistical
challenge behind the whole thing and a lot of cost
too, so we always have to think about what is going
to be most cost effective.
Heavy handed
Its a lot of stuff to move around too, grins Walter.
We have three different tents for the hangar setup,
which are essentially the same but they are kept
in different geographical locations. So there is one
in Asia, one in Europe and the other is in the US,
so that makes things a lot easier for us in logistical
terms. But we have about 120 tons of stuff that we
have to set up in any one place, so theres always
plenty to do. The thing is that we know the process
really well now, so its an easy thing for us because
we all work really well together, but for sure,
theres a lot of hard work involved and probably
the hardest part of the whole thing is doing the
scaffolding. Its an aluminium construction thats
normally used in stage building, so its relatively
light but still a lot of work to put up and take down
again. Its been specially made for us in this unique
Planning time
So what happens when the season ends? Well, Im
an employee of the company so I go back to Austria
and start with planning the next series of events,
says Walter. But a lot of the team are freelance.
Nevertheless, the series of events is amazing to
work on, with Japan being very interesting for me.
Of course, coming to the US is always great too, but
we also found that the UK event held at Ascot was
really excellent too.
Where the weather was apparently
not too bad, which is always a bonus if
youre trying to hold an outdoor event,
right? What is their worst

enemy in terms of causing
them headaches? Of course,
the weather can cause a lot
of problems, reckons Walter.
When we were in Malaysia last
year it was about 46-degrees
during the day, it was just raining
all the time, so that was hugely
challenging. And in Japan this
year, we were there when the big
storm warning was on, and we
had already set up everything,
so then we had to dismantle the
whole setup before this storm
struck. Luckily for us it wasnt as
strong as people were expecting,
but all the electrical stuff had to
be stored away and then set up
again afterwards. So that was a
really big challenge for us.
So what about something
There have been

eight races, so its
great to have the
final in somewhere
like Las Vegas
like your power requirements,
how much of a challenge is it
getting that sorted from venue
to venue and from country to
country? Well, we have our own
standardised setup in the different
hangars, reckons Walter. Which
can be changed depending on
how we build it. But, of course,

we also work with different power
companies wherever we go,
who are supplying the power
generators. Theres always a lot
to consider and every venue is
different. For example, after the
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final today it will all depend on

whether or not the planes are
going to be dismantled and if they
are going to be flown out or not,
to another airport. It all depends
and its always a little bit different.
But well basically have about
three and a half days here after
the finish, then at the end of the
event well need to get everything
packed and loaded and ready to
go. Its a great job, but also quite
unusual and it can be very difficult
being so far away from family and
friends when youre doing it. I have
a good understanding with my
girlfriend and I was with touring
bands before this, so its not much
different to that really.
Cameras and kit

Florian Polder, from the Euro-TV
outside broadcast production
company, offers his side of the
story... Over the whole course
there is a fibre backbone, about

60 different fibres, so we have
a telecast system set up, which
allows us to produce a network
up to about 10 kilometres or
something like that. Also using
that system are the other people
involved, such as other cameras
and theres also the radios,
then all of these things go via

our master control room, which
is used to make sure everything
works as it should. Weve been
here for about six days in advance
of the event, so it takes us like the
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
to properly build up the whole
thing and then we are ready to go.
We have mostly the same crew on

all of the dates because we have
no cameras in this system, we
just have this container system,
about seven in all, so theres the
main controls in there, such as
the switchers, all that stuff. Then,
for the cameras, we usually get
them locally or from a national
rental company. Theyll also do
the camera cable pulling too. At
this event in Las Vegas we have
around 21 cameras, and that stays
roughly the same wherever we go.
Ive been here in the US for about
a month now as we had the date
in Texas before this, and obviously
its a long flight back home, so it
makes sense just to stay over here
between the two dates.
Pack and go
So how long does it take you
to pack everything away again
then ready for the move to the
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next event? Well, we should be done here by tomorrow morning,

reckons Florian. Were normally done by the next day. Obviously
with the rental equipment you want to return that stuff as soon
as possibly, but in the case of this event and because its the
last in the series, we need to sort out the containers for our own
equipment because everything is being sent back home now. So
everything has to be correct, for the paperwork and all that stuff,
and the equipment will then be flown back to Austria. However,
some of the cabling gets taken back over by shipping container,
thats usually the stuff that cant be damaged going by sea,
because a lot of the high-tech kit cant go via that route as the salty
sea air can damage the equipment. We had a big problem with
the kit in Malaysia and a lot of the monitors were completely dead
because they had been sent via shipping routes. Six weeks on the
water meant that a lot of the stuff had rusted and was completely
useless by the time it arrived.
Mind you, most of the problems we face are with the language,
chuckles Florian. In Malaysia for example, we faced a kind of
difficult challenge because its a whole different way to work
compared to being in Europe. Its all good, but you do have to tend
to adapt to those places in order to be able to get the job done. Its
definitely been easier this time

around because we did all this last
year too, and so its been more
straightforward this year because
both sides know how they are
going to work. It definitely gets
easier the more times you do it
and we have quite a good system
in place right now.
We try to do all of
our stuff with the
bigger cameras. For
other stuff we use
Bradley cameras
Diverse catalogue
We cover other events for Red
Bull too, furthers Florian. So
well do the Red Bull X-Fighters
for example. Probably the
toughest event of the lot for
us to cover is the motocross
series, because therell be falling
22
rocks and stuff, so you need to

be careful with that and then
well also be pulling about 30
kilometres of cables there too.
The biggest distance between
cameras can be something
like 20 kilometres, so its really
ridiculous. This is a really physical
job and especially when we do
the Red Bull Hare Scramble
motocross date in the Erzberg
iron mine in Eisenerz, Austria.
That is really, really hard and
you certainly need a few days
holiday off after working on that
event... its a really physical job
to work on.
How much has the technology
changed what they do and how
they do it? Is the smaller kit out
there making your job easier?
Not really, because on our side
of things were not really using
the small cameras, reckons
Florian. Thats basically because
youre not getting the same
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22/11/2015 21:57

quality as you do with the bigger
ones. So we try to do all of our
stuff with the bigger cameras.
For the other stuff we mainly use
Bradley cameras... the Bradley
HD15 is a remote head that
we use, these are the only mini
cameras that we work with. In
terms of getting the job done,
then there are always things that
can go wrong, such as power
outages, but we also had an
incident a while ago when there
was someone cutting trees and
in those trees were our cables.
We didnt see the person cutting
the trees, but in the directors
room there were suddenly
five cameras that had gone
completely blank. So we had
to find the problem and replace
everything really fast to be back
up and running again as soon
as possible. Obviously most
of our work is live too, so for
sure, that makes it very exciting
and its the kind of thing we
do best. Were always working
on new innovations too... well,

thats what we try to do, but its
not always possible. After this
event well head back home and
then start working through our
equipment and add some new
stuff to it for next time. As for the
Obviously, most
of our work is live
too, so for sure,
that makes it very
exciting
people, we tend to use the same
ones because everybody knows
their job... they all know what
goes where and why. Those guys
know what everybody needs
and wants, how to build up the
systems and all of that stuff, so
that makes it really difficult to
use someone else who might not
know how we tick. Its very much
a team effort when you do this
kind of work.
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The business
perspective
Tom Standage and Hugo Ward from The
Economist talk about their move into the realms of
documentaries having just taken the wraps of the
first series called Global Compass
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The business perspective

As has been the case with
many other areas of the media,
The Economist has seen the
huge potential of video and, in
particular, documentaries for
capturing the essence of what
this publication does so well.
Following the announcement
of the launch of The Economist
Films back in June, a new
initiative that expresses The
Economists globally curious
outlook in the form of short,
mind-stretching documentaries,
the first collection of work from
the new division is now being
launched. Global Compass is
the first series and is a set of
five films that capture the voice
and identity of the publication,

providing rigorous analysis of
current affairs with a global
perspective. The five films cover
topics such as prison reform,
the right to die, health-care
provision, drugs policy and
alternative energy, and examine
how different countries around
the world are responding to these
difficult policy challenges. The
first film in the series, Prison:
Breaking the Cycle was recently
unveiled and has been well
received so far.
Changing times
So what inspired The Economist
to move into this area? Our
aim with Economist Films is

to establish The Economist as
a distinctive and authoritative
voice in video, not just in the
written word, says Deputy
Editor Tom Standage. The
main challenge we face as a
publisher is that many potential
readers have either not heard of
us at all, or have heard of us but
Weve made
eleven 15-minute
mini-documentaries,
and were working
on more
think we only cover finance and

economics, when we actually
cover everything that matters in
global affairs, including politics,
business, culture and science. So
we believe video will be one of
the ways we can transform how
people perceive The Economist,
while illustrating that our editorial
approach is not restricted to a
particular medium.
How long has the series taken
to come to fruition? We started
work on Economist Films in
January, furthers Tom. We
made a pilot for Global Compass
in February and March; then we
made four more Global Compass
films over the summer. We also
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the platform. Thats something

we, along with everyone else, are
still learning about.
Did you have much finance
behind the project or was it a case
of needing to work smart?
We dont have a huge
budget, Tom admits. And we
Digital
distribution has
really changed the
rules for video and
filmmaking
made five films in another series
called Future Works, and another
film about malaria. So, ten months
in weve made eleven 15-minute
mini-documentaries, and were
working on more.
Right direction
So was there a clear idea of what
was wanted from the outset,
or has the project evolved over
time? We have to be prepared to
change our model, because this
whole area is very fluid, reckons
Tom. Digital distribution has
86
really changed the rules for video

and filmmaking, which is why this
is such a great time to enter the
field. We decided that 15 minutes
was the right length for films that
let us dig into a topic properly,
while still being short enough to
work on YouTube, smartphones
and so on. In future we want to
make longer films, too. At the
moment were working on our first
30-minute film, on our predictions
for 2016. So theres no single
answer. Its all about matching the
right format to the audience and
have quite ambitious plans for

what we want to achieve in our
first year within that budget. So
were operating in a quite lean
manner. Were also lucky that
we can draw on the resources of
The Economist Group for some
things, which an independent
production house would not be
able to.
Who decided on what topics
would be featured? The films
were chosen by Economist
journalists in conjunction with the
Economist Films team, furthers
the Deputy Editor. Our aim with
Economist Films is to translate
The Economists unique editorial
voice - global, authoritative,
comparative, witty, data-driven to video. Its a classic Economist
approach, when examining
a difficult policy question, to
consider which countries around
the world do best, and ask
what other countries can learn
from them. Weve done this
in print for years, highlighting
Portugals pioneering experiment
in decriminalising drugs, for
example, or Indias radical
approach to low-cost health
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22/11/2015 22:08
care. And with Global Compass

were now doing the same in
video. Each of the five films
in the series, which are being
released online over the next
few weeks, examines a different
policy area and highlights the
countries, regions and people
around the world who are
pioneering new approaches.
Developing concept
And how do you think that has
panned out now the series has
become a reality? Were very
pleased with these films and
feel that they have succeeded in
translating The Economists unique
editorial voice, reckons Tom.
Global, authoritative, comparative,
witty, data-driven to video.
So can you take us through the

sort of people who have been
involved in the project and where
they came from? We produced
these films using our own internal
team, he adds. In conjunction
with others within The Economist
Were reaching
new audiences
through video
and changing
perception
Group. We have a really good mix
of people on the team, with lots
of experience and real dedication.
Some come from traditional TV
backgrounds at the BBC and
Channel 4; one member of the
team joined us from VICE. Video
as a medium is changing, and we
need both of those perspectives.
Whats the expectation for this
series? This series is really a
statement of intent; these are five

very Economist topics, says
Tom. And our main aim was to
show that we can make films that
capture The Economists tone of
voice. Were making other series,
too, but weve started with this
one for that reason.
More importantly, where will
people be able to see the shows?
As we release them theyll all be
available free at films.economist.
com, on YouTube and via our
social channels.
Overall has the series been
shaping up as a success at this
stage of the game? Its early days,
but were very pleased with the
response so far, reckons Tom.
Were reaching new audiences
through video and changing the
perception of The Economist
brand. And that was the plan!
Solid kit
Hugo Ward, producer on the
series, joins the conversation at
Digital FilmMaker
87
22/11/2015 22:09
this point in order to add some

meat to the bones on the technical
side of things. Documentaries can
be unpredictable beasts to work
on, so what about the kit that has
been used? We chose the Sony
PMW-F5 as our main camera for
all of the films, he explains. Its
Super 35mm-sized sensor gave us
a lovely cinematic depth-of-field,
whilst the 10-bit XAVC codec and

the cameras 14-stops of latitude
means that there is a terrific
amount of information captured
from the depths of the shadows to
the peaks of highlights. We used a
Canon CN7 17-120mm PL mount
The Nexto
NSB25 was a
lifesaver for super
fast bullet-proof
back up
ENG-style lens, which was critical
for giving us the agility needed to
capture unfolding actuality without
compromising on optical quality.
And, working tapelessly, the Nexto
NSB25 was a lifesaver for super
fast bullet-proof back up of media
on location without the need to sit
88
up all night with a laptop!

What, then, have been the core
challenges with producing this
sort of project? Each series,
Global Compass and Future
Works, required a huge number
of international filming locations,
reckons Hugo. In order to keep
costs down without limiting
scope we decided to combine
the majority of filming into a bulk
four-week schedule - essentially
filming four films concurrently.
One day we would be in Texas,
filming Prison: Breaking the Cycle,
the next would be in Haiti filming
for Solar Frontiers, then two
days later wed be in Bangalore
for Health without Wealth. This
doesnt just pose logistical
problems, its mentally challenging
to switch between films and
stories from one day to the next.
As documentary makers, we want
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 22:09

we arrived, we had no idea if any
of the prisoners would agree to
appear on camera. Even more
challenging was gaining access
to a 24-year-old woman who was
preparing for euthanasia on the
grounds of mental suffering. This
kind of access takes time and a
huge amount of trust - allowing us
into intensely personal moments
of their life. It helps, of course,
being from such an internationally
renowned and trusted publication
as The Economist.
to connect with our characters

and create personal narratives also a huge challenge when we
scheduled just three filming days
per documentary short.
Trouble afoot
Presumably then this had the
potential to turn the schedule
and resulting film projects into a
nightmare. How did they fare?
Apart from some near death
experiences on the roads in
Haiti and some stolen money in
India things have run surprisingly
smoothly, says the producer.
On a rare day off in Haiti our
crew decided to get some much
needed R&R on the beach. A
wedding was taking place nearby
and, being the only Westerners
around, we were kindly invited to
join the celebrations and share in
their vast reserves of local rum.
The only problem was that we

were expected to clink glasses and
drink with each of the other guests
individually - all 250 of them!
Aside from the logistical issues,
the topics covered are challenging
too - what are the difficulties
of, for example, shooting a
documentary in a prison? Gaining

access to Huntsville Prison in
Texas (notorious for executing
more inmates than any other
Penitentiary in the US) was not
easy, says Hugo unsurprisingly.
We were filming with potentially
vulnerable contributors and, until
We utilise tools
like Google
Streetview to get
a feel for a
location
So did any of the locations
require a rethink once you got
there or did it all go surprisingly
well? We have a small team of
highly experienced journalists/
producers who carry out thorough
research ahead of filming, adds
Hugo in closing. We dont have
a budget to recce locations and
rarely will we get the chance
to meet contributors in person
before filming. We will tend to
Skype contributors before filming
and utilise tools like Google
Streetview to get a feel for a
location and how it may work on
the day. So far, this has worked
well. Why not see for yourself
over at films.economist.com n
Digital FilmMaker
89
22/11/2015 22:09
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23/11/2015 11:45
KITOF THE
YEAR
2015
We take a look back at the

tech highlights of 2015
092-105_Kit of the Year.indd 1
22/11/2015 18:23
2015
CANON EOS C300

MARK II
Canon has unleashed a second edition of the

C300 and its got loads to offer the filmmaker
PANASONIC
LUMIX DMC-GH4R
With updated V-Log L compatibility the GH4

continues to push the boundaries of videography
Panasonic has enjoyed huge
success with this fine camera
and quite rightly so too, but
now the Japanese giant has
unveiled this, the LUMIX DMCGH4R. On face value it appears
little has changed between the
two models, but the R on the
end is significant, particularly
for filmmakers who have been
waiting for Panasonic to squeeze
a little more performance from
this compact powerhouse. The
GH4R is essentially an advanced
edition of the original and as
such now allows unlimited 4K
recording along with V-Log
L video capability. While the
former immediately promises
plenty of creative freedom
though youll need to stock up
on storage accordingly the
latter feature means that postproduction duties will become
easier and more efficient.
The photo/video hybrid now
offers unlimited Cinema 4K:
4096x2160 / 24 fps and QFHD
4K: 3840x2160 / up to 30 fps in
MOV/MP4. Another point to note
is that V-Log L is also available
to existing LUMIX DMC-GH4
users, via a paid software
92
upgrade. By purchasing the

DMW-SFU1 Upgrade Software
Key and updating the cameras
firmware to version 2.3, users of
the original LUMIX DMC-GH4
can also enjoy the benefits of
V-Log L functionality for a one
off cost of 79, says Panasonic.
Whats more, the clean HDMI
output from the GH4R provides
a higher quality 4:2:2 10bit
output with over 984 million
more colour graduation, so its
mighty impressive on all fronts.
While the original

incarnation of Canons
EOS C300 had some
idiosyncrasies to contend
with it was generally seen
as a success story and has
been used on countless
projects by many different
film and documentary
makers. Now its back, with
a revised Mark II edition
that sees the compact and
modular design getting a
makeover and lots of new
features and functions
squeezed inside that good-onthe-eyes body. Specificationwise theres plenty going on,
with a Super 35mm CMOS
sensor that boasts a 4096
x 2160 resolution that can
deliver Cine 4K images, as
well as supporting Ultra
HD (3840 x 2160), and Full
HD (1920 x 1080). This is
augmented by a dual Canon
DIGIC DV 5 image processor
arrangement that means its
a speedy performer while
XF AVC Codec and Canon
Log Gamma support means
that its got a lot to offer the
professional who will expect a

decent return on the sizeable
outlay to buy the C300. Canon
has clearly spent a lot of time
with filmmakers, working out
those practical considerations
too, so as a result, the layout
of the buttons and dials makes
using the camera surprisingly
straightforward.
VERDICT
This is a professional camera
that comes fully-loaded with
everything you need to get the
job done. The feature list is a
mile long, but cool additions
such as the ultra0high
resolution EVF, power-packed
audio controls and twin CFast
card slots simply add to the
appeal of this device. Granted,
youll need deep pockets to
buy one, but this will also
be a regular feature at rental
houses, so if you get the
chance to get acquainted with
the C300 MK II then be sure to
snap it up.
Price 13,500
Web www.canon.co.uk
VERDICT
A nice update this, which
means the much-loved Panny
gets an additional lease of
life by giving filmmakers
and videographers
more flexibility and
accuracy during their
workflow. Combine that
with all of the features
that made it great in the first
place, including top-notch
build quality and a dazzling
feature set and the GH4 will
continue to sell like hot cakes.
Price 1,199
Web www.panasonic.co.uk
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 18:26
2015
BLACKMAGIC
URSA MINI 4K
The new version of the Ursa is smaller but no

less powerful than its bigger Blackmagic brother
ARRI ALEXA 65
The Arri Alexa 65 is a giant among cameras

and one that will be out of reach for most of us
Arri is a name thats

synonymous with quality in
the filmmaking industry and
its cameras are what many
of us would love to get to use
in an ideal world of working
in the business full time.
This 6K 65mm digital cinema
camera made an appearance
a while ago now and its an
awesome piece of kit. Inside
the gorgeous though practical
design lies an A3X sensor and
nothing comes close to it in
terms of performance at this
point in time. It even surpasses
Arris very own 765 65mm film
camera, which is no mean feat
in itself. The Alexa 65 boasts a
maximum recordable resolution
of 6560 x 3102 and sports a
dynamic range of more than
14 stops. Whats more, Arri
has made sure the production
teams can seamlessly mix and
match with other members of
the Alexa family of cameras,

including the 35mm format
Alexa XT.
VERDICT
While the Alexa 65 shares
many design characteristics
with the 35mm Alexa, this is an
entirely different kettle of fish
and is aimed firmly at high-end
moviemakers. Whats more,
theres no price tag attached to
the camera at the time of writing,
but you can rest assured that
its not going to be cheap to
rent and hideously expensive if
youre lucky enough to be in a
position to buy one. While its
therefore an aspirational camera
for most of us, the 35mm Alexa
is still a fantastic bet if youre
looking to use a camera from
this legendary manufacturer.
Not everyone was overtly

enamoured with the
Blackmagic Ursa that came
out a while back but it was a
good camera that, it seems,
people wanted to use for
purposes that were nt really
suited to its design. Its weight
and chunky design certainly
didnt lend itself to being used
on out and about shoots So,
what to do? Well, Blackmagic
listened to the feedback and
as a result have come up with
the Ursa Mini 4K, which is a
diamond of a camera. There
are highlights aplenty, with the
overall design emulating its
full-size predecessor. However,
the slimmed down construction
still packs the same punch as
the bigger edition, thanks to
an impressive specification
and a feature set that will meet
the needs of most filmmakers
working in any kind of field. The
super 35mm CMOS sensor,
4000 x 2160 video up to 60p
capacity, compressed and
uncompressed Raw recording
and ready-to-edit Pro Res
444 and 422 recording means
that this is a formidable little

package. Add on a 1080p flipout screen with a touchscreen
interface and dual CFast 2.0
memory card slots and its a
rock-solid proposition.
VERDICT
Blackmagic Design deserves a
pat on the back for working hard
and fast in order to come back
with an Ursa that will appeal to a
wider market and still offer the
same performance and features
that were found on the original.
The quality of the design makes
it stand out from the crowd and
the build quality is excellent too,
with a magnesium alloy body
thats much lighter to use over
any length of time. Whats more,
the diminutive stature of the
Ursa Mini 4K means that its got
much more practical appeal,
particularly if youre someone
who will be out in the field or on
geographically awkward
location shoots.
Price 2,298 EF / 2,670 PL
Web www.blackmagicdesign.com
Price POA
Web www.arri.com
Digital FilmMaker
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22/11/2015 18:26
2015
SONY 4K HANDYCAM
FDR-AXP33
Sony scores another direct hit with its impressive
new edition of the ever-popular Handycam
BLACKMAGIC MICRO
STUDIO CAMERA 4K
Blackmagic Design reckons youll be able to get
this little camera into the tightest of locations
This is just one of many new
Blackmagic releases and its
by far the smallest camera
they make. And, as youd
expect from this manufacturer,
its been designed and
engineered after listening closely
to the needs of its customers. In
much the same way as Arri has
responded to market pressure,
Blackmagic has brought out
a downsized model to meet
the desires of filmmakers to
get into tight spaces and also
shoot from on high, via drones
and suchlike. Amazingly, the
camera can sit in the palm of
your hand, but its no slouch in
the performance department,
offering up a swathe of features
and functions, including a
built-in colour corrector and
can deliver 3840 x 2160p video
up to 30 fps and 1080p video
up to 60 fps. In fact, this little
camera does much that its
standard-sized counterparts
deliver, but its all squashed
inside this compact and bijou

design. Indeed, Blackmagic has
included everything that you
need inside this classy chassis
and we cant wait to see what
imaginative uses the filmmaking
community puts it to.
VERDICT
The Blackmagic Micro Studio
Camera 4K weighs just over
300grams and is, as weve said,
very dinky indeed, while the
magnesium alloy construction
means that it is pretty solid and
should prove very durable over
time. The unit is also compatible
with Micro Four Thirds lenses
too, which means that its going
to work with a variety of optics
that you might already own or
can pick up cheaply. So, in that
respect, the Blackmagic Micro
Studio Camera 4K looks to be
a very exciting proposition.
When Sony promises 4K

performance in your palm
then theyre not kidding
because the latest in a long
line of the HandyCam model
is more nicely designed
than ever. Whats more,
the FDR-AXP33 offers a
professional-level specification
while making it easy for novice
videographers to score some
decent footage, thanks to
features llke Balanced Optical
SteadyShot, which bags you
stable footage from wide-angle
through to telephoto, and a
built-in29.8mm Zeiss lens.
However, at the same time the
new model is more than 30 per
cent smaller than the outgoing
model it replaces. Then, of
course, there is the quality on
offer from the 4K capacity of
this device, with Sony using
its XAVC S format to allow
for extended 4K high-bitrate
recording of up to 100Mbps.
Inside the tasty exterior,
which carries some very nicely
features and functionality,

theres a beefy Exmor R CMOS
sensor, which is great for
low-light scenarios and the
BIONZ image processor backs
that up by delivering pacey
performance.
VERDICT
While there are plenty of
other highlights surrounding
the FDR-AXP33, including a
built-in projector no less, we
just love the way Sony has
engineered this great little piece
of kit. Best of all for fledgling
filmmakers is the fact that
its very easy to use, but the
quality is right up there with
the best of them. Add on to
that the price tag of a smidgen
under the 1,000 mark and
youre getting a lot of shooting
potential for not much outlay.
Price 999
Web www.sony.co.uk
Price 1,115
Web www.blackmagicdesign.com
94
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 18:26
2015
AJA CION
The long-awaited CION production camera has

started shipping so will it be greeted with open
arms by the filmmaking community?
CANON VIXIA HF R68

Will Canon keep filmmakers interested with the
latest incarnation of their camcorder range?
This issue is turning into
something of a camcorderfest but having kicked
things off with a look at the
Sony, is Canon going to be
able to persuade us to look
to them for something to
shoot our next project on?
Well, to be honest, the three
new camcorder updates from
them, which were unveiled
at CES in Las Vegas back
in January, are essentially
refreshed editions of their
predecessors. So, in the case
of this model, the R68, that
replaces an earlier model with
many of the same features.
Nevertheless, for a meat and
potatoes camcorder this
does do the trick considering
that it comes decently prized
and armed with a sizeable
feature set, plus this model
includes a Wide Attachment
lens that can be swiftly
fitted to shorten the focal
length to 26.9mm. Indeed,
performance-wise then the
R68 offers speedy filming
thanks to its DIGIC DV 4

image processor, theres a
three-inch touch panel LCD
screen, SuperRange Optical
Image stabilisation and a
Canon 3.28-megapixel Full
HD CMOS image sensor.
In addition, this model
comes with Wi-Fi and NFC
capabilities. Not bad at all.
VERDICT
People are starting to wonder
when and, perhaps, if Canon
is going to either bring out a
brand new range or do away
with their camcorder products
altogether. However, as weve
already seen with the Sony
HandyCam, theres life in this
gadget yet and if you can
pack in enough powerful
features for a decent price
then people will probably buy
it. In the case of the R68
though, theres not an awful
lot here to grab your attention.
AJA finally started making the

CION available in December
and, even though weve
looked at it before, its worth
taking another gander at
the high-end production
camera because it features a
formidable specification. For
starters, the look and feel of
the design is clearly the result
of plenty of R&D time while
the camera itself is capable
of shooting 4K, Ultra HD and
2K/HD resolutions, all direct
to Apple ProRes or AJA Raw.
Meanwhile, AJA likes to remind
us that it pioneered ProRes
support with the Io HD, the first
non-Apple device to encode
ProRes, introduced in 2007,
and then the Ki Pro recorder,
introduced in 2009. As a result,
the CION is offering in-camera
recording directly to proven
AJA Pak SSD media in the
Apple ProRes family of codecs
- including 12-bit ProRes
444 - at up to 4K/60p. CION
also outputs AJA Raw at up to
4K/120p with support, claims
the company, being already
announced by industry leading
companies such as Adobe
and Colorfront. So then, its all
looking good for them but will
there be plenty of takers?
VERDICT
AJA has, by all accounts,
been getting plenty of
enquiries for the CION, which
was why they began taking
preorders for it a while back.
That certainly bodes well for
its future. Whats more, the
camera seems to tick all of
the boxes, packing high-end
image quality, lots of powerful
functionality and, hopefully,
durability into a design that
looks the part. However,
the camera has plenty of
competition and from brands
that have a higher profi le than
that of AJA, so were keen to
see how it fares and hear from
people whove had the chance
to live with it for a while.
Price 8,350
Web www.aja.com
Price 349.99
Web www.canon.co.uk
Digital FilmMaker
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22/11/2015 18:27
2015
OLYMPUS OM-D
E-M5 MARK II
Can this accidental hero come to the aid of
cash-strapped filmmakers out there?
DJI S900
Another addition to the growing DJI range

sees the drone becoming more sophisticated
and versatile than ever
Lots of filmmakers are dipping

into the drones marketplace
to give their work an added
dimension and DJI has been
quick to tap into that potential.
The new S900 ramps things up
once again with a lightweight,
strong but stable design that
packs in carbon fibre arms
and landing gear, all of which
means that you can stay filming
in the air for longer. However,
the new styling also means that
the S900 can be stowed away
easily, which is especially handy
compared to some models
that can be a pain to transport
between shoots. Better still, the
drone can be up and running
in as little as five minutes,
thanks to those folding arms.
Meanwhile, a removable upper
centre board lies at the cores
of the unit, allowing simple but
effective power distribution
and with the drone weighing
just 3.3Kg the maximum takeoff weight sits at 8.2Kg. DJI
96
reckons that if you add in a 6S

12000mAh battery then with a
camera and gimbal on board the
unit should be good for around
18 minutes of flying time.
VERDICT
DJI really has got this market
nailed down tight and the
new S900 takes the concept
of filming in the air to a new
level. We love the simplicity of
using this machine, but at the
same tie, its sufficiently well
put together to make you feel
like this is an investment that
will last the test of time. With a
very decent carrying capacity,
clever design and well-made
construction the S900 is sure
to be a hit with professionals
and, for the money, also
represent good value for the
fledgling filmmaker. Whatever
will they come up with next?
You get the impression that

Olympus thinks it might be
able to hook in quite a few
filmmakers with its revised
OM-D E-M5, thanks in
the main to its impressive
5-axis stabilisation that
allows someone who is
familiar with the camera to
get great results. However,
the new incarnation is also up
against stiff competition, with
the Panasonic GH4 being an
obvious example. If youre
looking for a do-it-all camera
then the Panny has endless
appeal, whereas the Olympus
has a few chinks in its
armour. Sure, this is a great
camera for stills photography
and its well made and that
design is gorgeous. Whats
more, the OM-D Movie Mode
offers multiple video frame
rates and Full HD content up
to 77 Mbps and can deliver a
wide variety of 1080 Full HD
formats to match your frame
rate of choice - 60p, 50p,
30p, 25p or the classic 24p
preferred by many narrative
filmmakers. Theres also
a 3-inch touch-sensitive
vari-angle LCD screen and
large electronic viewfinder
and a selection of more than

40 ZUIKO interchangeable
lenses to choose from.
However, until you get used
to it the camera has controls
that can take a while to
fathom while getting optimum
results from that stabilisation
system will take even longer.
VERDICT
Theres no doubt that the
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
is a huge improvement over
earlier models but filmmakers
will need a lot of coaxing in
order to persuade them to
buy it instead of something
like the GH4. The 5-axis
stabilisation and movie mode
option makes the camera
sound like a dream come true
for filmmakers on a budget,
but, while the results can
be impressive, youll need
to work hard to squeeze the
best from it.
Price 899 body only
Web www.olympus.co.uk
Price 991
Web www.dji.com
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 18:27
2015
CANON ME20F-SH
Canon downsizes with a new model aimed firmly

at shooters who need to get into some tight spots
LIVESTREAM
BROADCASTER MINI
The all-new Broadcaster mini is the latest in a
line of live streaming professional encoders
Livestream is an outfit based
across the pond in Brooklyn
and regularly streams
thousands of live events
to an estimated 40 million
viewers a month. Therefore,
the company is well placed to
release this, the Livestream
Broadcaster mini. This is just
one of several products the
company has put out over
the last few years but in a
new twist this offering is small
enough to fit in a pocket,
which makes it around a third
of the size of the original
Broadcaster model. However,
despite its diminutive size, the
Broadcaster mini is packed
with both power and features.
It comes fully loaded with
5Ghz Wi-Fi, offers streaming
up to 1080p and promises
plenty of uptime thanks to an
internal rechargeable Li-ion
battery. Better still, it makes
optimum use of modern
technology by being operable

using a free Livestream
app that works on iOS and
Android. The unit is clearly
well put together and should
deliver good service if this
is the sort of thing youre
currently on the lookout for.
VERDICT
This is a neat and durable bit
of kit with a well-proven
pedigree. The original
Broadcaster hit the streets
some three years ago and,
alongside this new small
edition, the company also
reckons that it has a
Broadcaster Pro edition, which
will be available any time now.
Its said to continue the
practical appeal of the original
but packs an improved
specification. Nice.
Canon has slipped from

being something of a leader
to a little bit of a follower
in recent years and thats
certainly so in the case of the
new ME20F-SH, a pint-sized
full-frame camera thats
an attempt to muscle in on
the growing small shooter
market already occupied by
the likes of Arri, Blackmagic
design and numerous action
cam manufacturers. However,
Canons time hasnt been
wasted as this is an area
where increasingly ambitious
and inventive productions
are crying out for kit that
will let them get what would
have once been unthinkable.
Nowadays, these cameras can
be squeezed into all sorts of
awkward spaces to add extra
production value. The ME20FSH is also sufficiently high-end
to make it into the hands of
the professionals as it boasts
that super-sensitive Full-HD
35mm full frame CMOS sensor
and a capacity for shooting in
near darkness. In fact, its ISO
capability peaks at 4,000,000,

which is likely to see it being
called up for wildlife filming
and suchlike alongside movie
making duties. On the outside,
that box-shaped design means
its basically able to stand up
on its own two feet and the
hardy exterior will ensure that it
lasts the test of time.
VERDICT
While some might argue the
market for a camera is limited
there are numerous areas of the
filmmaking industry where the
Canon ME20F-SH will doubtless
find a home. Although theres
no concrete pricing announced
as yet the cost is likely to be
high, so chances are us lowbudget folk might just have to
make do with eyeing it down at
the local rental centre. Its a nice
bit of kit though and Canons
EF mount means its going to
work with their EF line and that
includes CN-E optics.
Price TBC
Web www.canon.co.uk
Price $295
Web www.livestream.com
Digital FilmMaker
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22/11/2015 18:27
2015
NIKON NIKKOR DX
16-80MM
Nikon has unveiled this very impressive new

DX-format zoom lens that delivers the goods
Nikon bulks out its expansive

range of optics still further
with this, the Nikkor DX 16
80mm f/2.84, which is a very
compact new offering aimed
at people on the go. With that
in mind Nikon has managed
to keep the weight right down
to a minimum, and this latest
optic is just 480 grams. Its
also nicely balanced, so makes
a good choice for anyone
wanting to shoot sweeping
landscapes or, alternatively,
capture portraits. Nikon
reckons that its bright f/2.84
aperture offers a distinctive
low-light advantage, and
impressive four-stop Vibration
Reduction functionality keeps
images sharp even at slow
shutter speeds. Whats more,
this is the first DX lens to
boast some of Nikons most
recent pro-grade technology,
including an electromagnetic
diaphragm and a protective
fluorine coating. Not only that;
its the first DX lens to include
Nikons acclaimed Nano Crystal
Coat. The optic will also be of
great interest to filmmakers
98
and videographers because

the compact Silent Wave
Motor (SWM) enables fast,
quiet and accurate autofocus
across the zoom range, which
is a particular advantage when
shooting movies. For critical
focus moments, the M/A focus
mode switch allows seamless
manual focus override.
VERDICT
Nikon has done another sterling
job of producing this lens,
which manages to combine a
high-end level of sophistication
with a practical design that
can be used on the go without
worry of fatigue setting in. At
480 grams the lens is certainly
pretty lightweight, while those
impressive design features,
not least of which is the Silent
Wave Motor, makes it an ideal
optic for anyone looking to
boost their filmmaking kitbag.
Weighing it up that price seems
pretty keen too so its likely to
find quite a few takers we think.
MILLER AIR
TRIPOD SYSTEM
Miller hits the jackpot with its latest threelegged kit offering thanks to an innovative
design and high-quality construction
Plenty of people swear by
anything from the Miller
range and the company has
been around so long theres
certainly not much they
dont know about putting
together decent products.
The Miller Air Tripod offering
is targeted at videographers
who dont mind paying top
dollar for a bit of kit that will
last them for ages. This new
system collection is therefore
a great combination of air
fluid head, a carbon fibre
tripod and a fixed length
panhandle. Add it all together
and youve got something
that should prove to be really
durable. The tripod boasts
75mm ball levelling, a height
range from 9 to 64 inches,
3 position leg angle locking
and a 2-stage ring lock leg
extensions. Spike or wind
down rubber feet make
it suitable for positioning
anywhere too. The fluid head
can handle payloads of up to
5Kg and boasts a lifespan of

ten years while the aluminium
panhandle is similarly durable
and comes with an anodised
black finish.
VERDICT
This is one of those accessory
collections that will get you
through all manner of shoots
and, at the same time, you
can rest assured that the
kit will last for a good many
years. There are also plenty
of accessories that work
in tandom with it, such as
variations on the panhandle
so that you can personalise
the unit to suit your needs
along with a softcase to
protect your investment. Sure,
there are cheaper options
out there, but Miller has a
proven track record that many
will fee justifies the outlay.
Price 764
Web www.millertripods.com
Price 869.99
Web www.nikon.co.uk
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 18:43
2015
RED RAVEN
Can this very cool newcomer to the RED range

persuade more of us to move on up to 4K?
ARRI ALEXA MINI 4K

Arri unveils its new carbon fibre video camera
built for those challenging shoots
Arri seems to have pulled off

a masterstroke by coming
up with the Alexa Mini, a
4K UHD carbon fibre video
camera that is complete
with an Alev III CMOS sensor
and a solid titanium PL lens
mount. This is a camera thats
made for use with brushless
gimbals, multicopters and
other rigs where normal sized
kit simply isnt much use. As
a result, it can be operated by
wireless remote control but
also as a normal camera by
attaching an Arri viewfinder.
With filmmakers looking to get
new angles all the time then the
Alexa Mini therefore looks like it
will prove very popular indeed,
especially for folks heading
out on locations that are less
hospitable to more regular
sized kit. However, its compact
size, near silent operation and
powerful specification means
that its also going to find a
home on set and is ideal for
letting filmmakers use even the

tiniest of spaces as a means to
get a new angle on their project.
VERDICT
With a weight of just 2.3Kg and
dinky dimensions of 185 x 124
x 140mm this little Arri is small
but perfectly formed. Theres
the quality we all expect from
Arri, plus the camera can
record in HD, 2K, 4K, UHD
as well as ArriRaw 2.8K and
ProRes 3.2K. Its going to be
ideal for filmmakers who want
to get quality without the bulk
and its use for aerial projects
is clear to see. While itll likely
be out of range for most of us
to buy, this could become a
rental hit once its in circulation.
Billed by some as the most

affordable 4K camera you can
buy from the RED camp, this
new model is indeed a beauty,
but its still out of reach of
many of the folks who buy this
magazine. However, its still not
easy to look at its delicious lines
without wanting one really badly,
because it packs 4,096x2,160
4K Raw video at up to 120fps
and also 2,048x1,080 ProRes
at 60fps, although youll need
to add on a few grand to the
$5,950 (just under 4,000) asking
price if you want to bolt on other
essentials to the body-only unit.
Nevertheless, theres a lot going
on inside this power bundle
including a sensor thats similar
to the one found in the near 30
grand RED Epic home, although
its been suitably slimmed down
in this case, so think of a cross
between APS-C and Micro Four
Thirds. The other bonus here
thanks to all this downsizing is a
weight reduction, so the Raven

is just under 1.6 kilograms, so
its going to be ideal for aerial
work via drones and will also
prove popular with camera folk
who tire of lugging leadweight
larger models around.
VERDICT
Its good to see RED expanding
its range in all directions and
this new model comes at a time
when many other manufacturers
are creating leaner though
no less meaner cameras to
tempt us with. You can be sure
that the Raven will have solid
credentials when it becomes
available although for many
Digital FilmMaker readers the
only chance to use one might
be via the rental outlets. No
matter, its still a very cool
looking piece of kit.
Price $5,950
Web www.red.com
Price TBC
Web www.arri.com
Digital FilmMaker
99
22/11/2015 18:29
2015
CANON EOS 5DS
Canon looks to have another hit on its hands

but is there much appeal for filmmakers?
Talk to many videographers

and filmmakers and some
will say they think Canon
is lagging behind when it
comes to the competition
out there who have been
building 4K functionality into
their consumer models for
some time now. True, there
are plenty of rivals out there
these days that can shoot top
video, but many of us also
have an affinity to this brand
and particularly the 5D MK
III. The EOS 5DS certainly
sounds like an appealing
proposition, with a super-high
50.6-megapixel full-frame
sensor, a beautifully made
magnesium alloy body thats
sealed against the elements
and, thankfully, controls that
will seem instantly familiar
if youre already a fan of the
5D MK III. The dual DIGIC 6
processors will ensure lively

performance, theres a fixed
3.2-inch screen round the
back and itll deliver 1080/30p
video recording. However,
theres no 4K available, either
on this or the even pricier
and higher specification EOS
5DS R. Now, if youre a stills
photographer then thats
probably no big deal, but for
anyone shooting video these
days then not having the
option on board, especially
when youre spending a
smidgen under three grand,
seems a little odd.
VERDICT
Canon presumably thinks it
can shift a good few of these
to photographers who will like
the sound of the specification
here, but for fans of video then
the EOS 5DS is likely to be
given a wide berth. Sure,
theres the reassuring features
and functionality that you
might already be used to from
Canon, but if youre looking to
move on from the 5D MK III
then this camera isnt the ideal
next step.
Price 2,999
Web www.canon.co.uk
100
SONY PXW-FS5
Sony looks like its onto another winner with the

recently announced PXW-FS5 camera
Sony cant seem to put a

foot wrong when it comes
to current product output
and the PXW-FS5 is no
exception. This fantastic
new camera straddles
the middle ground found
somewhere between the
FS7 and the FS700, which
makes it hugely appealing
to professionals who want
the power and precision of
those models but are also
after something a little smaller
and lighter. The PXW-FS5
is certainly that, with a form
factor that suggests it will
be a joy to use even during
protracted shoots. Its also
been designed with flexibility
in mind, so features such
as the detachable LCD and
the highly innovative smart
grip assembly allows you to
use it in a variety of different
ways. In fact, the modular
design as a whole is one that

offers convenience, while
the specification inside is
just as impressive as youd
expect. A high-sensitivity
4K Super35 Exmor CMOS
sensor that offers all the
benefits of a large format
sensor in combination with
the exceptional image readout
speeds required for 4K
motion-picture shooting and
Super Slow Motion, reckons
Sony. So, go and take a look
at it as soon as you can.
VERDICT
The PXW-FS5 weighs in at
just 0.8kg, which combined
with its small body means
that it will be a revelation
for people who have spent
far too long lugging heavy
kit around. At the same time
though this is a Sony that
is up there with the best of
them in terms of specification.
Its keenly priced too, which
could mean that it might push
some of Sonys other leading
lights out of the equation by
professionals who are looking
to trade up.
Price 4,954 body only
Web www.pro.sony.eu
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 18:32
2015
CANON EOS M3
The natty little Canon EOS M3 delivers simple

but effective video capture for run and gun types
If you like to get out there
in the thick of things
and dont want the bulk
of a more traditional
camera then something
like the new EOS M3
from Canon might be
worth investigating. Keen
moviemakers can make
use of its Full HD quality
specification, with a choice
of 24p, 25p and 30p frame
rates along with MP4, which
means that its quick and
easy to both shoot and share
your footage. Theres also an
advanced Hybrid CMOS AF
III providing continuous AF,
which makes it even easier
to use. However, if youve
mastered the basics and
feel confident, the added
appeal of the EOS M3 is that
it features Touch AF, and
this allows you to select AF
including moving objects.

With practice, your pull focus
effects could produce some
pretty decent video content
while the impressive Manual
Movie feature offers real
potential thanks to complete
control over aperture shutter
and ISO.
VERDICT
This is a keenly priced
offering from Canon that
boasts some neat control
options and, thanks to
the dependable DIGIC 6
processor and a beefy
24.2-megapixel APS-C
CMOS sensor, promises
to perform well in most
conditions. Also impressive
is the super-fast AF and the
49-point options found inside
the camera means that EOS
M3 is ideal for filming in a
variety of situations. Better
still, its small, compact and
lightweight, which combined
with the respectable price
tag makes it an affordable
piece of kit.
Price 599
Web www.canon.co.uk
points on the LCD screen,
NIKON 1 J5
The Nikon 1 J5 boasts traditional looks but packs

a surprisingly potent punch for video work
Nikon seems to be making
a concerted effort to catch
up with everyone else in the
videomaking environment
and its newer models have
plenty to attract the fledgling
filmmaker. The Nikon 1 J5
looks decidedly old school
with its traditional styling
and quirky, almost quaint
design flourishes. However,
inside that body which
does feel very nice in your
hands lies a camera that
has some solid features thatll
appeal to anyone shooting
video. Theres a sizeable
20.8-megapixel CMOS
sensor and ISO of 160-12800
that features both manual
and auto controls. It should
therefore be pretty good in
low light environments plus
the advanced noise reduction
should help get better footage
in all conditions. Elsewhere,
sprightly performance seems
assured thanks to an EXPEED
5A processor that will drive the
camera to deliver ultra-sharp
4K/15p or Full HD movies at
1080/60p. Another highlight
here is the capacity for viewing
HD movies recorded at 120fps
in slow motion, as is the
ability to capture high-res
stills while youre filming
too, which could be handy
for those behind the scenes

shots so beloved of this very
magazine. We also like the
neat Full HD time-lapse clips
you can create using up to 300
photos at a time.
VERDICT
There are oodles of highlights
about this camera and the
video specification makes it a
viable option if youre looking
for something like a second
camera or just want a unit
that doesnt weight too much
if youre out on the run and
gun route. Theres Wi-Fi, NFC,
plenty of manual controls and
a tiltable touchscreen monitor.
It also comes in a variety of
colour/design options, so not
only does it deliver the goods,
the Nikon 1 J5 looks pretty
cool too.
Price 349 (body only)
Web www.nikon.co.uk
Digital FilmMaker
101
22/11/2015 18:32
2015
CANON
POWERSHOT G3 X
Canons latest compact might be pricey but it

offers a raft of great features for the filmmaker
SAMSUNG NX500
Samsung is aiming high with its deceptively

powerful compact system camera
Youre never far from a
Samsung product, be it
smartphone, TV or tablet.
However, the Korean company
has never really captured the
imagination of filmmakers with
its patchy camera product range
this far. Now though, with the
NX500, it could be about to
change all that. The NX1 was
a good camera, with features
aplenty and the NX500 is an
extension of that, but smaller
and lighter. The NX500 is also
easy to use and packs in more
than enough features to keep
any fan of filmmaking happy.
Plus, theres the 4K at 24p
and UHD video at 30p options
in there too, while the 3-inch
AMOLED screen around the
back is very easy on the eyes,
flips out and comes touchenabled into the bargain. In
fact, look in any corner of the
NX500 and youll find everything
you could possibly want from
a camera but in a compact
format. Theres the added bonus

of having a wealth of lenses
available for the NX mount, but
its also missing a microphone
and headphone port. So on the
one hand, the NX500 makes a
great way to get a cheap and
cheerful 4K camera thatll work
with a variety of lenses, but you
might also soon be frustrated at
its lack of core features needed
to complete a filmmakers
checklist.
VERDICT
Samsung bashes out products
in quick succession and whether
or not the NX500 will have any
staying power relies on it selling
a few units. Its comparatively
cheap, has oodles of features
and theres just about enough
to win over someone who
wants to shoot a bit of video
alongside taking stills. However,
the NX500 isnt really going
to be a bargain if it doesnt
do exactly what you want it
to, unlike something like the
Sony A7S or a Panasonic GH4.
Canon continues to release

some decent new models
but, for filmmakers at least,
it is now often overlooked
in favour of rival models
from the likes of Panasonic,
Blackmagic and Sony,
Indeed, with Sony releasing
something like the RX10 II at
pretty much the same time
its safe to say that the G3
X is going to find it tough
going in a hugely competitive
marketplace. There are some
distinct similarities between the
models too with both sporting
20.2-megapixel sensors and
beefy ISO that tops out at
25,600. However, the G3 X
comes touting a mighty 25x
optical zoom with a 24-600mm
field of view and adding to the
appeal is its five-axis image
stabilisation. As for video, the
G3 X delivers 1080p/60 frames
per second footage and live
HDMI output for hooking up
a monitor, but against that it
lacks to capability of the Sony
and there are other niggles
such as the tilting rather than
vari-angle rear screen and
theres no built-in viewfinder
either. On the plus side, you do
get decent manual control and
mic and headphone sockets

are on board while NFC and
Wi-Fi connectivity mean that
its bang up to date in terms of
functionality.
VERDICT
The PowerShot G3 X is
nicely designed and features
weather and dust proofing,
which makes it an appealing
proposition for run and gun
types who need that extra
rugged edge for the great
outdoors. However, theyll
also need to be reasonably
well-heeled as the price is
a high one for what you get
and that doesnt include 4K
capability either. So, we think
it might be prudent to keep on
saving for that Sony after all.
Price 799.99
Web www.canon.co.uk
Price TBC
Web www.samsung.co.uk
102
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 18:32
2015
PANASONIC DMC G7
Can this budget alternative to the GH4 provide
filmmakers with the 4K hit theyre after?
SONY A7R II
Sony appears to have a mighty 4K hit on its hands

with the hugely impressive new Sony a7R II
The original incarnation of
the Sony a7R was a pretty
popular choice for many
photographers who were
wowed by its full-frame
capabilities but, with the
unveiling of this mark two
version, filmmakers are
going to be bitten by the
bug too. Youll need to part
with a lot of cash to become
part of the club however,
but this mirrorless marvel is
already gaining praise from all
and sundry for its awesome
specification. Indeed, the
delicious looks of the a7R
II are just the beginning of
an experience that will allow
you to explore the power and
potential of its 42.4-megapixels
and enjoy the benefit of a
back-illuminated full-frame
sensor, that Sony claims
is a world first. And, more
importantly, there is glorious
4K video to be had, which is
also boosted by the 5-axis
stabilisation system that the
original model used to such
great effect. Filmmakers will
also revel in the capacity for
recording XAVC S codec 4K
video in multiple formats too,
which includes Super 35, and
the Sony also delivers 120
frames per second in 720p
HD for anyone who wants
high-frame-rate shooting. The

XGA OLED Tru-Finder is a real
bonus too, but really there
are so many highlights that
youll need to head down to
your nearest store and enjoy a
hands-on. Its a gem.
VERDICT
Panasonic has enjoyed

huge success with the GH4
and it is indeed a fine little
box of tricks. However, not
all of us are blessed with
sufficient funds to buy one,
so this body-only G7 is now
on the market that delivers
4K capture but at around half
the price. Granted, once you
pick it up and explore the
interface you can soon tell
that corners have been cut
in order to keep the asking
price down. Nevertheless, its
got pretty much everything
on board that youre going
to need to get the job done,
from the dedicated mode dial,
separate drive mode dial, a
pair of thumbwheels and also
five function buttons that allow
you to exploit many of the
manually controlled features
and functions with ease.
Theres an OLED viewfinder
and touchscreen on offer too
but its going to be that 4K
option that youll most likely
be heading towards, which is
available only in MP4 mode
while theres AVCHD available

for 1080p. As youd expect,
the 4K option does do the
job but this is a camera that
lacks the tools to really exploit
its benefits, so its good but
certainly not great.
VERDICT
This isnt really going to be the
saviour for a filmmaker who
wants to get started. Sure, its
got the 4K headline feature,
but the rest of the camera is
noticeably lower-end than the
GH4. While it might be about
half the price, that doesnt
always represent a saving if
youre looking to earn a crust
from your videography work.
The G7 is fine for
photographers who want to
dip their toes into video, but if
youre a serious filmmaker
then itll be best to save up
and go for the GH4. Or bag a
secondhand unit, if you can
find one.
Price 599
Web www.panasonic.co.uk
While you might think that well

over 2K is way too much to
pay for a camera then you
really need to take some time
to pick through the features
and functions of this camera.
The 4K capacity is top notch
based on what weve seen so
far and this is apparently down
to its ability to avoid pixelbinning. Meanwhile, the internal
4K recording feature sounds
impressive, but youll still need
to stream that via HDMI to an
external recorder to get the best
from it. Nevertheless, all things
considered, you get an awful
lot of camera for the money.
Price 2,599
Web www.sony.co.uk
Digital FilmMaker
103
22/11/2015 18:32
2015
CANON XC10
Will this newest shooter from the Canon stable

persuade more of us to pick up a camcorder?
NIKON D5500
Does this new touchscreen DSLR have much

to offer the filmmaker on a budget?
Nikon makes a nice enough
range of cameras, which are
invariably easy to use thanks
to their relatively simplistic
menu systems. In that respect,
theyre often a good bet for
the fledgling photographer, but
theyve fallen way behind when
it comes to delivering options
for the budding videographer.
The D5500 is the successor to
the popular D5300 model and
betters that technically while
still being small, light and easy
to use just as its predecessor
was. The kit lens option makes
a good bet, with a collapsible
18-55mm option included,
which will set you back around
720.
Theres a 24.2-megapixel
APS-C sensor and 39-point AF,
while a fully-articulated 3.2inch LCD 1,037K dot screen
is a practical feature that will
appeal to filmmakers as will
the touch functionality. Indeed,
the video option on the D5500
delivers 1280x720 HD or Full
HD at 1920x1080 using H.264/
104
MPEG-4 AVC compression.

Theres also a built-in stereo
microphone although a 3.5mm
jack and a selection of other
connectivity ports including
HDMI, which means that its
also able to work in tandem
with other kit.
VERDICT
The good thing with going for a
Nikon is that youll have access
to plenty of lenses. Meanwhile,
this is a nice little camera that
is all the better for the tweaks
it has had compared to the
outgoing D5300. However,
if youre keen to get into
filmmaking and can stretch
the finances a little bit more
then youre better off going for
a Panasonic GH4. Sure, the
D5500 shoots solid footage,
but it lacks the on board power
tools that youll be crying out
for once youve been bitten by
the filmmaking bug.
There are camcorders and

there are camcorders and one
thing is for sure, the Canon
AC10 takes the concept of a
dodgy and tired video device
thats used for capturing
holiday videos and turns it
right on its head. Indeed, the
Canon XC10 is a grown-up
camcorder in every sense of
the word. This is a professionallevel UltraHD 4K recording
powerhouse that comes armed
with a 10x f/2.8 to 5.6 SLR-style
manual zoom lens, a DIGIC DV 5
image processor and it can also
capture video at up to 3840 x
2160. So, who then would buy
one of these things? Well, take a
look at the design and you can
see that its going to be ideal
if youre a videographer of the
run and gun persuasion. Theres
even a 3-inch LCD display and
CFast ad SD card slots, so
youve got everything on board
and ready to go if you want to
travel light and keep filming
even in the most challenging
of conditions. As its a Canon,

the build quality on offer here is
largely excellent and, much like
the C300 MK II that weve also
been looking at recently, this is
a model that will soon earn its
keep and its also top value with
a price tag like this.
VERDICT
While some people laugh out
loud at the thought of picking up
a camcorder the Canon XC10
will be a pleasant surprise to
anyone who fires it up for a trial
run. The design is tailor-made
for people who want to shoot on
the go and dont have the time,
money or inclination for carrying
lots of additional kit with them on
a location shoot or documentary
foray. And, for the money, this
will doubtless find a home
with many professionals as a
second camera. Very impressive.
Price 1,530
Web www.canon.co.uk
Price 720
Web www.nikon.co.uk
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 18:33
2015
SONY RX10 II
The hits keep coming from Sony and this time

its in the shape of the rather good RX10 II
What is it with Sony at the
moment? The Japanese
camera manufacturer has
always had a touch of class
and its to be commended for
some of the tweaks and finetuning its been doing to some
of its models. The RX10 II is
a case in point, with a whole
raft of new features that will
make this camera of interest
to the filmmaking community.
Being part of the Cyber-shot
range, as is the RX100 IV that
appears in our kit overviews
next, its easy to expect plenty
of functionality but at the same
time theres a real ease of use
with these models that makes
them an ideal starting point
for the novice videographer.
And, this time out, the new
edition of the RX10 boasts 4K
capture, XAVC S codec and
can do it at up to 29 minutes,
which is more than enough
for professional needs. Added
to that, there is also the likes
of Picture Profile, S-Log2/SGamut and dual video
recording functionality that
enables you to capture beefy
16.8-megapixel still images
while youre in 4K video mode.
In fact, there are a whole
bundle of goodies hiding inside
the relatively humble looking

exterior, including 40x super
slow motion video capture at
up to 1000fps, so this could
be the alternative if you cant
stretch to the mighty a7R II
above.
VERDICT
At just under 1,200 this is
definitely a more affordable
alternative to the a7R II, while
at the same time this model
boasts quite a few similar
features of its more expensive
relative. Theres certainly
more than enough packed
inside that eye-catching
body thatll make it useful to
professionals, and the fact
that its a great stills camera
will also make it appealing
to photographers who are
gradually migrating across to
the enduring, and potentially
lucrative appeal of video.
Price 1,199
Web www.sony.co.uk
FUJIFILM X-T10
The new Fujifilm X-T10 is impressive but is there

anything here for the videographer?
Fujifilm tends to make very
good stills cameras but
when it comes to video then
theyve been left way behind
by the likes of Panasonic,
Sony and even Samsung in
the mirrorless marketplace.
Last year we got the excellent
X-T1, which was like a bulkier
version of the new X-T10 and
boasted a mountain of features
for photographers. However,
that and this new camera are
again dogged by a lack of
oomph in the video features
department. Sure, the Fuji
delivers 1080p but it feels like
an afterthought in the way it
captures the footage and the
end result leaves a lot to be
desired too. If youre a stills
person who wants to try your
hand at a bit of video from
time to time then that may be
okay, but if youve got any kind
of filmmaking bent then the
X-T10 will leave you wanting
more. And that is a shame
because aside from that the
Fuji packs an awesome punch
with plenty of controls for the
keen enthusiast along with
a full auto mode for the lazy
or uninitiated. Similarly, the
design is way more compact
than the X-T1 and still images
are gorgeous but a lack of
video quality and features to

back it up means this is one
to avoid if youre any kind of
serious videographer.
VERDICT
If youre into mirrorless
cameras and have more
of a leaning towards stills
photography then the Fujifilm
X-T10 will doubtless get you
excited thanks to its eyecatching design and beefy
arsenal of manual controls.
That said, the absence of
weatherproofing makes it
susceptible to the elements
we think. More importantly,
with lacklustre video appeal
this is a model that will be of
little interest to the filmmaking
community. If Fujifilm can beef
up its video feature set on
successive models then we
might start taking more of an
interest.
Price 749
Web www.fujifilm.co.uk
Digital FilmMaker
105
22/11/2015 18:33
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23/11/2015 11:57
WHATS
HOT?
Room
The team singles out current

and forthcoming indie movies
plus documentaries that are
creating a buzz!
Crimson Peak
Homemakers
Ma, a tormented mother, and her 5-year-old

son, Jack, nally escape the tiny one-room
shack they have been held captive in for the past
ve years after a tense
confrontation with her
captor. Jack makes a
magical new discovery the outside world.
Set in New York in 1901, Crimson Peak tells the

story of a girl who is torn between the love of a
close friend and the advances of a mysterious
English businessman.
She is soon swept away
to a mansion that yields
ghostly spectres above,
and a dark secret below.
The wayward lead singer of a punk band

inherits her grandfathers run-down home. After
failing to sell it, she is forced to renovate it, face
responsibility and grow
up in the process, but the
arrival of a long-lost family
member presents its own
set of challenges.
Director Lenny Abrahamson

UK Release January 2016
Language
English
Duration
118 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Director Guillermo del Toro

UK Release October 2015
Language
English
Duration
119 minutes
UK Certification
15
Directors
Colin Healey
UK Release
2016
Language
English
Duration
85 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
The Martian
After undertaking a dangerous mission to Mars,
an Astronaut is presumed dead after a meteor
storm. Although left for dead by the remaining
crew, he has survived,
and nds himself alone
on the red planet,
attempting to make
contact with Earth.
Director
Ridley Scott
UK Release
Sept 2015
Language
English
Duration
141 minutes
UK Certification
12
Beasts of No Nation This Changes Everything

Agu is a happy African boy, wreaking innocent
havoc across his village with his friends, and
spending his nights bonding with his older
brother. But his world is
soon to be obliterated
when militant soldiers
ravage the village and
kidnap Agu.
Director Cary J. Fukunaga
Language
English
Duration
137 minutes
UK Certification
15
This documentary, shot over four years,

examines seven very different neighbourhoods
in nine countries across ve continents, and
asks if the key to a
better economic system
and quality of life can be
achieved by tackling the
crisis of climate change.
Director
Avi Lewis
UK Release
2016
Language
English
Duration
89 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Jason and Shirley
Where to Invade Next Microbe & Gasoline
A retrospective behind-the scenes look at an

earlier lm by Shirley Clarke about hustler, Jason
Holiday. In 1966 Clarke invited Holiday to her
New York home, where
he told his life story for 12
hours, resulting in Portrait
of Jason, an award
winning lm of the time.
Gathering interviews with government leaders,

public service workers, and ordinary citizens
from war-stricken nations, documentary maker,
Michael Moore sets out
discover the reasons
the USA invade other
nations, and asks, is it
simply for their own gain?
After two young misfits become bored of

their strict parents, school, and the bullies
that come with it, they set out to build a
house on wheels and
embark on the trip of a
lifetime across France
in this coming-of-age
tale.
Director
Stephen Winter
UK Release
2016
Language
English
Duration
79 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Director
Michael Moore
UK Release
2015
Language
English
Duration
110 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Director
Michel Gondry
UK Release
2015
Language
English
Duration
103 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Digital FilmMaker
111-114_Hot List.indd 1
111
22/11/2015 21:23
Stonewall
Freeheld
The true story of New Jersey police lieutenant,
Laurel Hester, and her registered domestic
partner, who, after years of concealing their
relationship, are forced
to battle in court to
secure Hesters pension
benefits when she is
diagnosed with cancer.
Director
Peter Sollett
UK Release February 2016
Language
English
Duration
103 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Cub
After running away from an unforgiving and

prejudiced home life in Indiana, leaving behind
his beloved sister, a young man has a sexual
and political awakening
during the weeks
leading up to the 1968
Stonewall Riots in New
Yorks gay district.
Sam is a young man with an over-active

imagination. During scout camp he heads off
alone into the dark woods with his backpack
and provisions at the
ready, and with the
strong belief that he will
eventually encounter a
real monster.
Directors Roland Emmerich

UK Release
2016
Language
English
Duration
129 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Director Jonas Govaerts

UK Release
July 2015
Language Belgian Dutch
Duration
84 minutes
UK Certification
15
Parallax
L.A. Slasher
Set in the 1980s, this is the fictional story of

a man and his life ambition to create Z-TV, an
early incarnation of social media, accessed
through analogue
television. But ironically,
his obsession with the
project isolates him from
the world.
Driven by his hatred of reality television and

the increasing number of Z-list celebrities it
spews out, a crazed loner kidnaps a group of
very famous nobodies
- but his plan backfires
and generates even
more media attention to
his victims.
Director
Graham Nolte
UK Release
2016
Language
English
Duration
80 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Director
Martin Owen
UK Release
2015
Language
English
Duration
86 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Nasty Baby
A young woman and her two gay friends
attempt to create a life through sperm
donation, but tension mounts in their New
York neighbourhood
when they are faced
with an objecting,
aggressively
homophobic neighbour.
Director
Sebastin Silva
UK Release
2016
Language
English
Duration
100 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Wild Tales
10,000 Saints
Final Girl
A brave and refreshing anthology of six thrilling

tales about greed, deception and revenge. Not
linked in any way, the unusual, and sometimes
absurd stories never
suffer a dull moment
in Argentinas most
celebrated film for
decades.
Set in the 80s, this is the story of a teenager

from Vermont who is forced to move to New
York with his drug dealing father. Once there, he
gets involved in a drugfuelled music scene and
finds himself reevaluating
his past, his present, and
his future.
New girl Veronica finds herself hunted by a

group of local male students trying to fulfil a sick
initiation. They soon discover that she is a trained
killer, turning the hunters
into hunted, with a level
of ferocity far beyond
anything they could have
imagined.
Director S.S.Berman, R. Pulcini

UK Release
TBC
Language
English
Duration
113 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Directors
Tyler Shields
Language
English
Duration
90 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Director
Damin Szifrn
UK Release March 2015
Language
Spanish
Duration
122 minutes
UK Certification
15
7 Chinese Brothers
Phoenix
In post-World War II Berlin, a woman who has
been facially disfigured during her time in a
concentration camp, travels across the city in
search of her husband
who mysteriously
vanished, and who she
suspects gave her up to
Nazi Germany.
Larry, an unemployed drifter, spends his days

having one-sided conversations with his lovable
bulldog, Arrow. His life was going nowhere, but
is forced to seek a more
meaningful existence
when he gets fired from
his new job for stealing
booze.
Director Christian Petzold

UK Release
May 2015
Language German, English
Duration
98 minutes
UK Certification
12
Director
Bob Byington
UK Release
TBC
Language
English
Duration
76 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
112
Too Late
Filmed on 35mm and left in its grittiest state
with minimal grading, this homage to 70s
crime flicks tells the story of the complicated
relationship between
a troubled private
investigator and the
missing woman hes
hired to track down.
Director
Dennis Hauck
UK Release
2015
Language
English
Duration
107 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 21:23
Porch Stories
Addicted to Fresno
The Second Mother
Emmas life is on the up and up. She has

grand plans for her future - but when a former
boyfriend and fellow band member shows up on
her porch, all of her plans
are thrown into confusion,
as she struggles to deny
that her feelings for him
are still strong.
A desperate sex addict, working as a hotel

maid in California, has to call on the help of her
sister and co-worker when she finds herself
faced with unenviable
task of disposing of
a dead body after a
drunken one-night-stand
goes awry.
This Brazilian tale centres around a middle-aged

housekeeper who works for a wealthy family in So
Paulo. When her estranged daughter suddenly
appears after many years,
the close relationships
and class divisions that
exist within the employers
home are questioned.
Directors Sarah Goodman

UK Release
2015
Language
English
Duration
73 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Director
Jamie Babbit
Language
English
Duration
85 minutes
UK Certification
15
Directors
Anna Muylaert
UK Release
TBC
Language
Portuguese
Duration
112 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Dope
In this throwback 90s hip-hop comedy, we
meet Malcolm, a studious teen growing up in
Inglewood, California. His dreams of attending
Harvard University are
tainted after an invitation
to an underground party
leads Malcolm and his
friends down a dark path.
I Dream Too Much
Instead of indulging in the usual adolescent antics,

a college grad finds herself caring for her old aunt
in upstate New York. When the curious young
woman discovers her
aunts mysterious hidden
past, she dreams that the
discovery will change both
their lives forever.
The story of NWA, the most well known and

controversial gangster rappers of all time, is told
here in great detail, from the groups emergence
in the mid 1980s, to the
eventual break-up and
untimely death of one
of its key members a
decade later.
Director
Katie Cokinos
UK Release
2015
Language
English
Duration
91 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Directors
F. Gary Gray
UK Release August 2015
Language
English
Duration
147 minutes
UK Certification
15
Directors Rick Famuyiwa

UK Release
2015
Language
English
Duration
115 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Queen of Earth
A troubled woman takes a vacation with a

close friend after suffering the loss of her father
and the breakdown of her relationship. But as
memories of happier
times surface, she
descends slowly into
madness whilst her friend
helplessly looks on.
Director Alex Ross Perry
UK Release
Nov 2015
Language
English
Duration
90 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Fort Tilden
Two spoilt, overprivileged twenty-something
girls leave New York City for one day for a
double-date at the beach. The clueless pair
soon find that even a
simple day trip out of the
city is difficult to navigate
without the help of their
rich parents.
Director S.Bliss, C.Rogers
UK Release
2015
Language
English
Duration
98 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Straight Outta Compton
6 Years
The Wolfpack
A young couples apparently ideal new

relationship begins to break down as unusual
opportunities present themselves, leading
them down a dark and
volatile path, which
threatens the perfect
future they had so
clearly planned.
A lonely man suspects that people around him

are turning into evil creatures, and questions
whether to protect his only friend from an
impending war, or from
himself in this intense
and unsettling British
horror film.
Directors
Hannah Fidell
UK Release
Sept 2015
Language
English
Duration
85 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Digging for Fire
After the curious discovery of a bone and

a gun in the soil of a clients backyard, a
Los Angeles teacher invites all of his pals
to investigate further
over the course of
a weekend, despite
the warnings of his
disapproving wife.
Director
Joe Swanberg
UK Release
2015
Language
English
Duration
85 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Director Crystal Moselle

UK Release
2015
Language
English
Duration
80 minutes
UK Certification
TBC
Dawg Fight
An in-depth and brutal documentary about
a Miami-based bare knuckle fighting ring
that gained notoriety through YouTube. The
unprivileged community
that support it, the
pugilists who take part,
and their families tell
their stories.
Director
Billy Corben
UK Release
May 2015
Language
English
Duration
105 minutes
UK Certification
NA
Digital FilmMaker
113
22/11/2015 21:23
BEST OF
THE REST...
House of the Devil
This 2009 nod to the horror movies of the

70s and 80s tells the story of Samantha, a
nancially hard up student who takes a babysitting job, only to nd that
her clients hide a dark secret
within the walls of their home.
Red Hook Summer

A well-to-do boy relocates from Atlanta to
spend the summer with his God-fearing
grandfather in Brooklyn, New York. Over time,
his life priorities and view
of the world are changed
forever.
Ti West
2009
English
95 minutes
18
Director
Year
Language
Duration
UK Certification
For Those in Peril
A young outcast living in a Scottish town is

blamed for a freak shing accident that claimed
the lives of ve local men. In an attempt to prove
his innocents, he sets out to
sea to try and save the men,
who he believes are still alive.
Director
Year
Language
Duration
Certification
The Ledge
A police ofcer has one hour to talk a young
man out of suicide after his affair with a
married woman is revealed, and the threats
of her deceived husband
force him to make a deadly
decision.
An desperate mother tries to keep her son out

of prison after hes charged with manslaughter.
In turn, her son wants to leave his overpowering
mothers side when the truth
behind their relationship is
revealed.
Director
Calin Peter Netzer
Year
2013
Language
Romanian
Duration
122 minutes
UK Certification
15
Blue Caprice
A boy is abandoned by his family and lured to
America to obey the orders of a dangerous
father-gure who trains him to be a deadly sniper.
Together they set off on a
killing spree across America.
Inspired by real events.
Director
Matthew Chapman
Year
2011
Language
English
Duration
101 minutes
UK Certification
15
Sun Dont Shine
Spike Lee
2012
English
121 minutes
R (Region 1 only)
Childs Pose
Paul Wright
2013
English
92 minutes
18
Director
Year
Language
Duration
UK Certification
Releases by inspirational
filmmakers that may have
passed you by
Director
Alexandre Moors
Year
2014
Language
English
Duration
93 minutes
UK Certification
15
Buried
An increasingly desperate and argumentative

couple take a mysterious road trip through
the desolate roads of central Florida. As the
story unfolds, the sinister
truth behind their excursion is
revealed.
A civilian truck driver in Iraq is kidnapped

and buried alive by terrorists. With dwindling
oxygen levels and only a mobile phone to
hand, its a race against time
to contact the US Embassy
for help.
Amy Seimetz
2012
English
90 minutes
NA
Director
Rodrigo Corts
Year
2010
Language
English
Duration
95 minutes
UK Certification
15
Director
Year
Language
Duration
UK Certification
114
Baghead
Four lmmakers set out to make a horror movie

about a killer who wears a bag on his head. But
as their project gains momentum, the bizarre
plot becomes a reality, and
nishing the lm becomes the
least of their worries.
Director Jay and Mark Duplass
Year
2008
Language
English
Duration
84 minutes
UK Certification
15
Ginger and Rosa
Set in London in the early 1960s, and as

the Cuban Missile Crisis looms, a life-long
friendship between two teenage girls is put
to the test, and ultimately
redened, after a lifechanging event.
Director
Year
Language
Duration
UK Certification
Sally Potter
2012
English
90 minutes
12A
Holy Motors
Monsieur Oscar, a mysterious actor, spends
one night being driven around Paris by
his loyal chauffeur, playing twelve different
characters, speaking from
pre-written scripts, and
dressing in many guises.
Director
Leos Carax
Year
2012
Language
French, English
Duration
115 minutes
UK Certification
18
The Wrestler
Aging wrestler Randy Robinson, once popular
during the sports heyday some 20 years
before, struggles to survive, and contemplates
coming out of retirement after
his long lost daughter gives
him new-found inspiration.
Directors
Darren Aronofsky
Year
2008
Language
English
Duration
109 minutes
UK Certification
15
Digital FilmMaker
22/11/2015 21:23
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ISSUE 31

YOUR NEW GUIDE TO INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING

We take a look back at the

A behind the scenes look at

Filming a quirky canine doc

Tackling the multi-camera

Into the groove

Fast and furious

We catch up with the latest

EOS C300 MARK II

OM-D E-M5 MARK II

PLUS: DIRECTOR INTERVIEWS / LOCATION SHOOTS / PRODUCTION ADVICE

Buy now from a UK authorised dealer.

Photo credit to Forrest_Pano_Color and Herisau_Pano_NEW.

www.HEDCAMz.com | Telephone: +44(0)1978 633013 | E-mail: info@HEDCAMz.com

SELECT PUBLISHER SERVICES LTD

Making a web series

30. Into the groove

54. Ask the filmmaker

The lowdown on the latest developments

Gruff Vaughan talks about the challenges of

Professional filmmaker Sean J Vincent tackles

10. Making a web series

36. Running wild

60. Hanging in there

Filmmaker Sean J Vincent is back to tell us

Director and producer Mark Jeffreys talks

Richard Heap talks about making his new

18. Inner strength

42. Edge of darkness

66. Cheap thrills

Tom Paton has been building a new business

Chris Loizou talks about the challenges behind

Sean Dyer is a filmmaker who has completed

25. Fast and furious

48. Fighting talk

72. Back in time

Tony Trent from Atomos gives us a quick

Actor Brian Woodward on his appearance in

Filmmaker Luke Jeffery talks about the trials

Fast and furious

Into the groove

78. Red Bull Air Race

107. Next month

We take a look at whats involved in shooting

Make sure you make a note of the date when

84. The business perspective

Tom Standage and Hugo Ward talk about their

Get Digital FilmMaker the easy way. Take out

91. Hardware advice

111. Hot 40 indie films

We take a look at all of the latest kit that

We pick out 40 or so of the current most

Red Bull Air Race

92. Kit of the year

The lowdown on latest developments from the world of digital video

SONYS SMALL WONDER

an expanded circuit scale and

the image sensors wide dynamic

side, the cameras advanced sensor

NEWS : DECEMBER 2015

know how frustrating it is to miss