Documentary Features
Art of the Prank
Art of the Prank, director-producer Andrea Marini
What did you shoot with?
I shot with many different cameras and formats: Canon C300, Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 7D, Canon EOS M, GoPro, iPhone. In addition, I used archival footage which spans five decades. The reason why I decided to work with the Canon C300 was because of its versatility—in terms of video and audio, it’s a “one-man band” camera that allows you to always be ready to shoot. The other Canon cameras were mostly used as second cameras. I also used a GoPro when I had to hide a camera. Technology evolved significantly since we started, but we couldn’t change our visual standard.
What lights did you use?
For the interviews, I used mainly the Kino Flo, Arri HMI and tungsten. For most of the scenes I used available light and tried to move the scene, whenever was possible, to the best spot considering the lighting of the place or sunlight. Occasionally I used on-board LED light panels.
How long was the shoot?
Hard to say. Roughly two years and six months
Where did you shoot?
New York, Hawaii, Kentucky, Los Angeles, Connecticut, London, Tennessee.
Los Punks: We Are All We Have
Los Punks: We Are All We Have, director Angela Boatwright
What did you shoot with?
Our main camera was the Canon C300—we needed the low-light capability for night shoots of backyard shows because we didn’t want to disturb the bands and audience. I also shot footage using the Sony α7S and the Canon XA25 infrared camera. I shot stills on a Nikon FE2 and Contax 645 AF medium format cameras, using film. Main lenses were 24mm Canon, 16-35mm Canon, f/2.8 70-200mm, f/2.8 24-70 Canon to name a few.
What lights did you use?
For the most part we didn’t use lights, because it would have disturbed the party and we needed to stay unobtrusive.
How long was the shoot?
We shot on and off for three months.
Where did you shoot?
The shoot was in East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, South Central and Watts.
The Million Dollar Duck
The Million Dollar Duck, director Brian Davis
What did you shoot with?
The Canon C300 allowed me to shoot without a shoulder rig and it gave me the ability to run sound on my own. I hate all the accessories you need to use with [normal] DSLR rigs, and with the C300 you could shoot without a shoulder rig and have the ability to run sound on your own. The C300 also had a high demand in the rental market, so I was able to recover the cost of the camera through rentals alone.
What lights did you use?
Two Kino Flo Diva-Lites for interviews.
How long was the shoot?
Forty days.
Where did you shoot?
Washington DC, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Washington, South Dakota, Texas.
Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach, director Michael Fuller
What did you shoot with?
Panasonic AG-AF100 with a Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 lens.
What lights did you use?
Available light only.
How long was the shoot?
Over four years.
Where did you shoot?
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
1ha 43a
1ha 43a, director Monika Pirch
What did you shoot with?
Canon C300 with 24-70mm and 70-200mm zoom lenses.
What lights did you use?
For most of the footage, available light only, and a daylight Kino Flo.
How long was the shoot?
Twenty days over the course of one year.
Where did you shoot?
Beckrath, a little village in Germany and some offices in the region.
Peanut Gallery
Peanut Gallery, director Molly Gandour
What did you shoot with?
Canon GL2 on SD MiniDV tapes. For budget reasons!
What lights did you use?
Practicals.
How long was the shoot?
Principal photography was six weeks.
Where did you shoot?
Indiana, in my childhood home. MM
An abbreviated version of this article appears in MovieMaker‘s Winter 2016 issue.
Share:
