Cinedeck LLC (www.cinedeck.com) teamed up with Evolve IMG Films on the production this past February to shoot a short documentary TV feature for ESPN's E:60 (www.e60.com) on location in Brazil. Apart from the challenges of international shooting, this particular project presented a host of technical and logistical concerns for the team.
E:60's short documentary story is focused on Bruno Fernandes de Souza, a Brazilian Soccer Star, imprisoned and accused of murdering the mother of his child. The particular production creative called for shooting in very dangerous, military occupied favela's, re-creating and fully staging the crime re-enactment scenes, helicopter scenics, and extensive interviews with the involved parties in Brazilian cities; Rio de Janiero, Belo Horizonte & Campo Grande.
"Cinedeck was a consistent game changer for us in Brazil,” said Joel Edwards, DP / Technical Director Evolve IMG Films. “We had a lot going on, and in every different scenario the Cinedeck EXTREME helped us do our job quicker and better. In one case, we had several interviews that were 2+ hours long. We're using an ARRI ALEXA as our A camera, which uses 32 GB SxS cards to record. We didn't want to cut clips in and out of the interview session because it was all being translated back and forth, plus they were talking about very sensitive subjects; we didn't want to cut record. The easy solution was to record the primary into the Cinedeck EXTREME at the same codec as the ALEXA; ProRes HQ, on a 256 GB SSD drive. With Cinedeck, we just quadrupled our record space. In the same setting, we also rigged a Canon 5D up high for one of several alternative angles - cabled into the Cinedeck's HDMI input - we easily were able to block and focus the 5D. We also used the Cinedeck's built in waveform scope to check and match exposure levels of the ALEXA, P2 Varicam & 5D."
"10 days, 3 different locations in Brazil, 4 different camera formats, 7+ hour long interviews being translated to and from Portuguese / English, a nighttime murder re-enactment and hours of B-Roll. I'm thinking to myself, "Ok. We're really going to need to get after this one and get it right," added Bill Roach, director / DP, Evolve IMG Films. "Shooting internationally is whole different deal and our goal is come home with the best visual storytelling possible, so it's delicate mix of what can we pull off in field in the most time efficient manner."
"It was the most aggressive international production we've ever been a part of. When you take on a story like this, you have to do it right. You have to have the right equipment, period," continued Joel Edwards. "We used the Cinedeck EXTREME this year at the Super Bowl, and really fell in love with what it can do."
"In Rio de Janeiro, we shot helicopter scenics on an older 1080i Heli HD Camera system. They had several on board recorders (Nanoflash to CF cards and an HDCAM deck) but it was an easy, no brainer to use Cinedeck EXTREME. We took an HDSDI feed off the router, I sat in the co-pilot seat, monitored the shots and recorded everything realtime to our preferred codec. I was able to playback helicopter footage instantly, while still in the air, to ensure we nailed the moves. Once we landed, no file copying or tape ingesting was needed - it's all there - ready for edit. Perfect."
"Every situation we were in, Cinedeck EXTREME provided us workflow improving options. Master record, dual secondary record, monitor, every I/O connection and computer & edit ready. We loved that we could name and number project / clip names right off the screen - it's made dailies and post production so much quicker, having everything organized, in the proper file folder structure, instantly available in our editing codecs - as soon as it's dumped."
"When didn't we use the Cinedeck?! It's a one of a kind product, I don't know of anything else on the market that can do what Cinedeck does. The codec support and record master quality is top of the line. The more we use it - the more we can't live without it. Hands down, it is the most versatile tool in the box.”
“Brazilian Murder Tale” premiered on E:60 on May 10, 2011 and will continue to air on ESPN’s E:60 program through the month of May, 2011. For more information, please visit http://espn.go.com/espn/e60/index. You can see behind the scenes footage of the production on the Cinedeck website: www.cinedeck.com
Cinedeck EXTREME starts at $8495 and features unparalleled flexibility with the widest range of edit-ready formats available on a single device. The following formats come standard and are supported natively on Cinedeck EXTREME:
- Avid DNxHD (MXF wrapped)
- Apple ProRes (including 4444)
- CineForm Digital Intermediate
- Uncompressed 422 (.mov)
- Uncompressed 444 (.mov)
For more information on Cinedeck EXTREME v2.0, please visit www.cinedeck.com.
About Cinedeck LLC
Founded by cinematographers in the heart of New York City, Cinedeck is redefining mobile, digital cinematography by delivering the industry’s first extremely portable, affordable camera-mountable cinema-grade recording and monitoring device, Cinedeck EXTREME. Cinedeck has been honored with the “2010 TV Technology STAR Award”, the “2010 Vidy Award,” and DV Magazine’s “Award of Excellence.” For more information, please visit www.cinedeck.com.
