New Insights on Sony’s Camera System for F1: The Movie in FDTimes Interview

Earlier this summer season, we lined how director Joseph Kosinski and DP Claudio Miranda ASC pushed the boundaries of high-speed cinematography for F1: The Film, utilizing compact, customized Sony cameras to seize actual Components 1 racing with immersive realism. Now, due to a current in-depth interview in Movie and Digital Occasions, we have now a clearer view of how this bespoke digital camera system got here collectively to deal with 200 mph racing whereas delivering cinematic high quality.Editor‘s observe: For this text, we reached out to F1 AC Dan Ming, who fortunately checked this text for accuracy and gave us permission to reuse his photographs from behind the scenes of F1: The Film. Take a look at his Instagram the place he frequently shares wonderful BTS photographs from the tasks he works on. For F1: The Film, the aim was to put viewers contained in the cockpit with Brad Pitt and Damson Idris – who had been really driving at velocity, not crawling for security photographs. That meant constructing a digital camera system sufficiently small to suit beneath the F1 automotive’s halo whereas sustaining picture high quality appropriate for IMAX screens. Off-the-shelf compact cinema cameras, together with the Sony FX3, had been too massive and heavy. Even the VENICE Rialto Mini, nonetheless in growth on the time, was too thick to clear the halo construction.Simon Marsh, Nobu Takahashi-san, Claudio Miranda, ASC, Dan Ming at Sony LA. Photograph: Sony, through FDTimesA customized digital camera smaller than a Rialto MiniSony’s engineering staff, led by Nobu Takahashi-san (who we interviewed a number of instances earlier than), developed a completely customized prototype identified on set as “Carmen.” It mixed the picture pipeline of the FX6/FX3 with distant operation structure derived from the FR7, utilizing copper wiring to attach a minimal digital camera head to a recording physique. The system featured an inner drop-in ND filter slot between the lens mount and sensor, providing eight levels of ND with out growing the digital camera’s footprint. The E-mount system allowed the usage of compact Voigtländer and Zeiss Loxia primes, guaranteeing shallow depth of area whereas sustaining a slim profile beneath the halo so drivers may see the monitor clearly.“Carmen” on the customized Panavision panning head, operated by Preston motors. Picture credit score: Sony, through FDTimesCustom panning, distant management, and a trackside networkWhat really set the Carmen system aside was its skill to ship remotely operated pan and focus management inside vehicles touring at 200 mph. Working with Panavision and RFFilm, the staff developed a customized panning head operated by Preston Cinema Techniques controllers tailored for IP-based management. Every automotive turned its personal mesh community node, transmitting video and management indicators again to “mission management,” the place Miranda and Kosinski monitored and adjusted framing, publicity, and focus in actual time throughout a number of vehicles on monitor concurrently.This strategy allowed the manufacturing staff to roll as much as 16 cameras without delay throughout 5 automobiles whereas managing bandwidth in RF-congested monitor environments. It meant they might fine-tune the shot whereas drivers had been pushing the bounds of velocity, as an alternative of relying solely on fastened rigs or post-stabilization.Digicam positions on one of many F2 vehicles used for filming. Picture credit score: Dan Ming, with permission (through FDTimes)Constructed to outlive the elementsCapturing genuine in-car footage meant these cameras needed to endure the realities of F1 racing: rocks and particles at 200 mph, high-frequency vibrations distinctive to every monitor, and speedy climate adjustments from daylight to rain. Vibration administration was achieved utilizing Sorbothane dampening layers tuned per monitor whereas guaranteeing direct mechanical coupling to take care of stability with out utilizing IBIS, which might battle with the car’s motion.Selfie by Dan Ming (far left)with director Joseph Kosinksi, his DP Claudio Miranda ASC (each within the center) and different crew on the set of “F1: The Film”. Picture credit score: Dan Ming, with permission (through FDTimes)Recording was finished in XAVC Intra 4K onto CFexpress Sort A playing cards within the recording physique, sustaining the light-weight head design whereas guaranteeing high-bitrate seize prepared for cinematic shade grading.Dwell feed from all of the cameras on the image F2 automotive. Picture credit score: Dan Ming, with permission (through FDTimes)A check mattress for future cinema techSony at the moment has no plans to commercialize the Carmen system, however the improvements examined right here straight influenced the event of the VENICE Rialto Mini and should form future cinema cameras for high-risk, high-speed environments. Miranda emphasised that the choice to shoot actual racing, somewhat than resorting to simulated environments, was important to the immersive realism F1: The Film aimed to ship.One “Carmen” aimed straight on the driver in one of many F2 vehicles used for filming. Picture credit score: Dan Ming, with permission (through FDTimes)The challenge showcases how large-scale productions are driving digital camera know-how towards smaller, lighter, remotely operable techniques able to sustaining excessive cinematic requirements whereas working beneath excessive circumstances.For a deep dive on the digital camera tech on F1: The Film, I can actually suggest testing the FDTimes article right here. Would you think about using a system like this for high-speed car shoots if it had been obtainable, or do you like present rigging workflows with present compact cinema cameras? Tell us within the feedback under.