Alan Maxwell
Active member
https://vimeo.com/98238216
This is my first footage shot on the RED Dragon.
Only a few days before leaving for the AIE Top Alumni shoot in Tuscany (topaiealumni.com) I managed to shoot my first test footage on the Dragon sensor. I shot from pre-dawn on two different days, in order to find out the RED's real exposure latitude. I was keen to see the sensors handling of broad changes in lighting contrast.
My mission was also to get as comfortable as possible shooting on the Dragon in the least amount of time in advance of a punishing three day shoot in Tuscany.
Like many, I had read rave reviews in the forums about the Dragon being a real step up from the Epic MX. I was resolutely open minded. Until I had personally experienced the new sensor first hand it was all heresay. As we all know what appeals to one Cinematographer can offend and annoy another. The real test when working with Cameras is when you apply your own exposures, shooting styles and approach and in turn form an understanding based on the filmic results.
I was stunned by the Dragon's response to natural light. In some of the shots I made it seems like you can reach right out and touch the birds feathers. Very textural. Peak whites don't come quickly or rudely to the image. It's fair to say, I haven't been this excited about the arrival of a new motion picture Camera since the Arri 435 back in the day. Viva the arrival of digital film with the RED Dragon sensor!
The camera certainly flipped out Customs in Italy and Dubai both on the way there and back. "Never seen anything like that before, are you sure that's a camera!" was the general response. I must admit It did look a bit scary-military in it's pelican flight case.
Huge thanks must go out to Jarred Land, Madeline, Brent and Tommy Gibney at RED for delivering our new Carbon fibre Dragon in a super-timely fashion. Thanks also to Scott Backhouse and Mattias (Camera Tech) at LEMAC Sydney who helped me assemble the rig and get the much needed support gear such as lenses, cases, tripods, field recorder, lights, matte box all sorted, just in the nick of time.
Now post the Top AIE Alumni event in Italy, we are looking forward to many more exciting shoots back on Australian soil with our Red Dragon #0181 (Named Volodya or "Vlad" in English.)
Apologies ...I didn't notice the third to last shot was soft until after posting. The hazards of editing on a 13" Mac laptop!
This is my first footage shot on the RED Dragon.
Only a few days before leaving for the AIE Top Alumni shoot in Tuscany (topaiealumni.com) I managed to shoot my first test footage on the Dragon sensor. I shot from pre-dawn on two different days, in order to find out the RED's real exposure latitude. I was keen to see the sensors handling of broad changes in lighting contrast.
My mission was also to get as comfortable as possible shooting on the Dragon in the least amount of time in advance of a punishing three day shoot in Tuscany.
Like many, I had read rave reviews in the forums about the Dragon being a real step up from the Epic MX. I was resolutely open minded. Until I had personally experienced the new sensor first hand it was all heresay. As we all know what appeals to one Cinematographer can offend and annoy another. The real test when working with Cameras is when you apply your own exposures, shooting styles and approach and in turn form an understanding based on the filmic results.
I was stunned by the Dragon's response to natural light. In some of the shots I made it seems like you can reach right out and touch the birds feathers. Very textural. Peak whites don't come quickly or rudely to the image. It's fair to say, I haven't been this excited about the arrival of a new motion picture Camera since the Arri 435 back in the day. Viva the arrival of digital film with the RED Dragon sensor!
The camera certainly flipped out Customs in Italy and Dubai both on the way there and back. "Never seen anything like that before, are you sure that's a camera!" was the general response. I must admit It did look a bit scary-military in it's pelican flight case.
Huge thanks must go out to Jarred Land, Madeline, Brent and Tommy Gibney at RED for delivering our new Carbon fibre Dragon in a super-timely fashion. Thanks also to Scott Backhouse and Mattias (Camera Tech) at LEMAC Sydney who helped me assemble the rig and get the much needed support gear such as lenses, cases, tripods, field recorder, lights, matte box all sorted, just in the nick of time.
Now post the Top AIE Alumni event in Italy, we are looking forward to many more exciting shoots back on Australian soil with our Red Dragon #0181 (Named Volodya or "Vlad" in English.)
Apologies ...I didn't notice the third to last shot was soft until after posting. The hazards of editing on a 13" Mac laptop!
Last edited:
