Waiting 2B Scene

Tag: BMD

  • Article: “Camera Choices for Avengers: Age of Ultron”

    Continuing my series of resource links, today I want to link out to a great little article that gives a concise breakdown of the camera choices that were made for the latest Marvel Universe blockbuster – Avengers: Age of Ultron – with insights by the DP himself, Ben Davis. You can read the full piece here.

    The fun fact for me was seeing that the diverse little beastie – the BlackMagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera – gets a shout out as a one of the tools used to make the film. Yeah that’s right – portions of the epic Avengers was shot on a BMDPCC! Very cool. So check out the article, and let me know what you think.

  • News: Blackmagic Design Show Off at NAB (13-mins)

    Continuing with my new series of resource links – from video essays, to cinematographer interviews, how-to tips and the like – I needed to get this additional post out today as it was too good not to share immediately. Anyone involved – and/or interested – in video production will have already heard the news out of NAB (come one, why wouldn’t you keep abreast of the NAB happenings?) that once again Blackmagic Design has shifted the world of camera production with the announcement of their new 4.6K and 15-stop URSA Mini which is due for release later this year.

    If, like me, you are kind of itching to get a look under the hood of this new toy – then you will be pleased to check out this interview with the BMD Director of Sales Simon Westland as he takes us through some of the new camera’s functionality. Enjoy!

  • Short Film: “Hiding Place” – Phillip Bloom

    Continuing with my new series of resource links – from video essays, to cinematographer interviews, how-to tips and the like – today I want to share with you a short film that was quite secretly recorded by DP, director, film-maker, and all-round cinematographer – Philip Bloom.

    This video grabbed my attention as Bloom was able to create quite a beautiful short piece on the London Eye by using the comparatively discreet BMD Pocket Cinema Camera. He says of the endeavour, “The London Eye is ridiculously strict about what you use camera wise in the capsules. Multiple lenses, tripods, video camera are a big fat no…”

    So why did that strike me as being note-worthy? Well, it reminded me of correspondence that I had with an Australian ABC News camera operator a few years back while I was media manager and producer at NSCC. He wrote, “Practice, practice, practice! The main difference between professionals and amateurs in this field is no longer good or bad equipment, but the skill level of the team… [We] were never satisfied with our level of skill. We were always looking for continual improvement. And this simple principal applies to every area of video production: editing, camera, sound, lighting, scripting, presenting…”

    For me, this clip reinforced that point. Even though Bloom was only able to use a BMDPCC (compared to his standard film-making fare), the final result is still stunning. His skill-set was able to take some humble equipment, and massage a create a wonderful video. As such – my hope is that it encourages you as mush as it has encouraged me. Let us keep going, let us keep practising, and let us keep getting better – regardless of the equipment we can get our hands on!