SAN FRANCISCO — Blackmagic Design's (www.blackmagicdesign.com) Pocket Cinema Cameras are being used in the production of the popular Discovery Channel show, Mythbusters. DP Scott Sorensen is using ten Pocket Cinema Cameras to capture secondary footage, as well as to shoot cold openings and the new opening title sequence for the show, which is currently airing it's 14th season. Sorensen is also using a Blackmagic MultiView 16, SmartView monitor and numerous Mini Converters Analog to SDI to remotely and wirelessly monitor and control the Pocket Cinema Cameras.
MythBusters seeks to answer questions and debunk myths and urban legends by putting them to the test. While some myths can be shot and solved right in the show's San Francisco production studio, others require massive explosions, trips to the shooting range, speeding automobiles and other on-location tests.
“Going into every shoot, we are as prepared as possible, but we can never exactly predict what is going to happen during an experiment,” says Sorensen. “It's why the secondary cameras are so important. We use the Pocket Cinema Cameras to capture every possible angle so we don't miss any of the action.”
Originally chosen to improve the image quality of the secondary footage, the team quickly found the Pocket Cinema Camera's codecs, size, flexibility and versatility beneficial as well. “We wanted the secondary footage and openings looking as good as possible, and the Pocket Cinema Camera has a real cinematic image with greater depth of field,” says Sorensen. “Also, both production and post love the open file formats because they expedite the overall workflow. So much time can be wasted dealing with tape or foreign file formats.”
Sorensen uses Bower 7.5mm MFT and Panasonic Lumix G 14-140mm lenses, along with MetaBones Speed Boosters and their existing Nikon F mount glass. The Pocket Cinema Cameras are often wirelessly monitored and controlled via the MultiVew 16, SmartView monitor, Mini Converters and a LANC based wireless control system, especially when dealing with big explosions.
“We spent many years rolling cameras and then running for safety, but now with the wireless command center for the second cameras, we can operate from the safety of a blast bunker,” he notes.
“When we arrive on location, we immediately break out the cameras and put them in timelapse mode on a C-stand with a Kessler CineDrive, and it's been huge for us to easily get nice timelapse footage while everything is being built for an experiment.
“Once the experiment is set up, the Pocket Cinema Camera's form factor is perfect because it fits wherever we need it to. It only takes a minute to throw them on a dashboard or windshield, or I can grab some gaff tape and glue and place them in a tight spot. The flexibility is great because the experiments vary so greatly.”
For the show's 'Shark Week' episode, the team outfitted three Pocket Cinema Cameras with Ikelite's Underwater Housing.
“Everything worked beautifully,” says Sorensen. “We had access to every function and setting while underwater, and we didn't lose a single camera to sharks or sea water.”