The ‘Look’ of Big Budget Conservation Documentaries Without the Big Budget
Let’s say this right from the start: A camera is only as good as its operator makes it.
There’s a lot more to storytelling and filmmaking excellence than pointing a lens and clicking record.
As a filmmaker who has made a living telling conservation stories for the past decade, I want to do even more. I want my clients to have that same ‘look’ as big budget films without the big budget invoice.
While working on filming a 90-minute conservation documentary in 2022 that will be released later this year, I started to see additional possibilities going forward. What if I expanded my offerings to also include even higher end filmmaking services, while still staying true to my uniqueness as a solo conservation cinematographer? So I’ve done just that. I’ve taken another leap by adding a Blackmagic Cinema Camera 4K to my filmmaking kit for 2023.
This isn’t just any camera. The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 4K is better than a simple video camera because it has professional features allowing me to create the same “look” as feature conservation films and documentaries. The combination of high dynamic range, great low light performance and Blackmagic RAW gives me feature film images with precise skin tones and beautiful organic colours.
It’s perfect for shooting independent conservation films and environmental documentaries, and more. The incredible image quality, advanced Blackmagic Design colour science and RAW recording features will enable me to shoot images that rival professional digital film cameras costing tens of thousands more. It also mean that WorkCabin Creative can be hired for freelance conservation work when footage is needed by other filmmakers who use other types of cameras on high end feature films and episodic television shows.
The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 4K is also perfect for the landscapes that I travel every year doing conservation filmmaking work. Its carbon fiber reinforced camera body is lightweight yet strong and capable of going with me into the harshest filming conditions.
I’ll still be using the trusty and legendary GH5 for filmmaking, but it will be nice to have an additional option when the need arises. That’s one of the exciting parts of any career journey: New pathways can emerge and the stories can grow even bigger.
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