Into the Badlands

[Kenneth C Merrill]

I just started watching Into the Badlands, which Shane Hurlbut shot on the Red Epic Dragon and Weapon, and I am seeing clipped highlights all over the place. As I consider investing in a Raven, it definitely makes me reconsider. Any thoughts?

 

[Jake Wilganowski]

It's just their grading choice, I am not a fan of the way it's colored, but it's supposed to be hyper real I suppose. But yeah, don't sweat highlights on dragon

 

[Nick Morrison]

I just started watching Into the Badlands, which Shane Hurlbut shot on the Red Epic Dragon and Weapon, and I am seeing clipped highlights all over the place. As I consider investing in a Raven, it definitely makes me reconsider. Any thoughts?

I suggest watching "Jessica Jones", "Straight Out of Compton" or "The Martian" for great/recent examples of Dragon footage!

Also - to follow up on what Jake said - not every choice has todo with the camera. The way show is graded/shot also has a major influence on end result.

I wouldn't worry about what Raven looks like. It's going to be a FANTASTIC camera.

 

[Kemalettin Sert]

I just started watching Into the Badlands, which Shane Hurlbut shot on the Red Epic Dragon and Weapon, and I am seeing clipped highlights all over the place. As I consider investing in a Raven, it definitely makes me reconsider. Any thoughts?

Hey here is copy & paste from Shane Inner Circle Facebook group.

Hi Shane Hurlbut Asc, great job on 'Into the Badlands.' I love what you did with lighting the interiors.
A question: I noticed some video looking 'clipping' which seems strange for the Dragon. Is that due to the grade process/ final output/ web compression/ something else?
or is it my computer screen? lol...

Answer:

No it is the grade. I wanted this scene to be harsh not inviting.

I noticed a lot of sky differences (white to blue and vice Versa) and I feels like part of the look, although a bit strange for the first few min as you adjust.

Very interesting to hear about what was done in the grade for other scenes as well . At first the grade was a bit over the top but I acclimated quickly . Looks great especially at night

Answer:

Welcome to New Orleans. You cannot balance what doesn't exist. One minute the skies would be blue the next they would be bald white then they would be a stark grey and then the rain would fall for 3 hours. I took what GOD gave me and turned it into a unique look. I did not want to deliver what has been on TV for awhile which is desaturated tones for everything that is post apocalyptic. This is 500 years after the bombs went off so I wanted a re birth look. Fresh, vibrant and alive

 

[Matt Ryan]

I just started watching Into the Badlands, which Shane Hurlbut shot on the Red Epic Dragon and Weapon, and I am seeing clipped highlights all over the place. As I consider investing in a Raven, it definitely makes me reconsider. Any thoughts?

It's all about how you expose and then grade your footage. Like others have mentioned, it's a creative choice and natural circumstances for this specific show. I shoot straight into the sun A LOT and have no issues with the Dragon sensor. It's all about how you expose. Some people like clipped highlights, but the camera is definitely NOT your limiting factor. Trust me and pick up the Raven. You will love the images you get.

 

[Kenneth C Merrill]

Thanks for the insights, guys!

 

[Tom Gleeson]

It is interesting that the super high contrast look with crushed blacks and clipped whites that was evident in the early episodes of "Into The Badlands" has been toned down in recent episodes for a much more pleasing grade. Maybe Shane found out where the Colorist lives (joke)

 

[Terry VerHaar]

I also started watching it the other night. The very first thing I noticed is that it looked like shit! LOL Seriously, I am pretty certain it must be the compression in the streaming but there was shimmering/moire in the red flowers and lots of the bright areas. I didn't go back and analyze carefully but I was pretty surprised at the look.

And, to be sure, I don't think it was related to any inabilities of the camera (or the DP). I just thought it looked pretty horrible.

And, who really likes watching an hour long drama with 47 minutes of martial arts fighting?? Definitely not my favorite entertainment out there right now. :-(

 

[Samir Patel]

It's all about how you expose and then grade your footage. Like others have mentioned, it's a creative choice and natural circumstances for this specific show. I shoot straight into the sun A LOT and have no issues with the Dragon sensor. It's all about how you expose. Some people like clipped highlights, but the camera is definitely NOT your limiting factor. Trust me and pick up the Raven. You will love the images you get.

Amazing frames Matt!

 

[Akin A]

You will love the images you get.

Matt, you can't post images like those last two and not tell us the setup/settings. :smiley:
I think I might've seen those first two before in another thread, but I can't remember you posting those of the girl. Looks great!

BTW, Shane shot it all on the same OLPF, STH.

 

[Darius Lyles]

Matt those stills are gorgeous

 

[Matt Ryan]

Amazing frames Matt!

Thanks Samir!

Matt, you can't post images like those last two and not tell us the setup/settings. :smiley:
I think I might've seen those first two before in another thread, but I can't remember you posting those of the girl. Looks great!

BTW, Shane shot it all on the same OLPF, STH.

Thanks Akin!

The first two shots are from a volunteer gig for a summer children's cancer camp. I was a one man band with a shoulder rig setup. I believe it was 6KHD, Skintone Highlight OLPF, Around 8:1 compression, 320ISO, DC/REDGAMMA3, and straight out of camera. I shot those with the Tokina 11-16 and 60fps or something like that. All natural light and no augmentation.

The shots of the girl are from a clothing line company I shot video for. Those were shot 6K 6:5 2x Anamorphic with Nick Fury's Kowa Anamorphics (Mainly the 40mm). DC2,RG4, 250ISO, Low Light OLPF, 9:1 compression at 82fps. Grabs were straight from camera with no post work (yet). Again, one man band with a shoulder rig pulling my own focus. Everything shot in natural light, no augmentation. More stills here: http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?132383-KOWA-ANAMORPHIC-SET-FOR-RENT&highlight=
(These are tiny H264 files recompressed by Youtube so don't judge them too hard)
250ISO:

800ISO:

800ISO:

I also forgot about this first ever shoot with Dragon and the original OLPF. I believe most of this was 800ISO, 6KFF, 8:1 compression, 23.98fps, 5600k no tweaking, DC,RG3 and Super Speeds wide open at t1.3 straight from camera. I was blown away with how beautiful Dragon handles colors and dynamic range and have that incredible sharpness. All were shot in natural light.

All shots are pulled from handheld footage with movement. On a tripod this would be even more precise.

with a +3 Diopter:

I know I have tons more into the sun stuff but I'll have to go through harddrives to find them.

Another slightly off topic observation. I love how Dragon renders skin. Not too harsh considering all the resolution. The image samples above give a great view of that as well as this grab, again straight from camera:

Matt those stills are gorgeous

Thanks Darius! The Dragon sensor is incredible. What I love is how great the images are straight from camera. Then if you get a talented colorist, the sky is the limit.

 

[Matt Ryan]

Shane now says he will shoot everything with the Standard OLPF. I need to find where he posted it but it was somewhere on social media, I think Facebook.