RED EPIC DRAGON M8 . . . "C h r o n i c l e s "

[Ketch Rossi]

Hey fellow REDUSER...

I have waited till now to post, because I wanted to have something to share and not just give words of thanks...

But NOW I do have some imagery to show, and I wish to take this opportunity to thank the "3" most important people that made DragonM8 a possible Dream...


This 3 very special people are:

JIM JANNARD, for the friendship and for believing in the impossible and creating "IT"!! (BTW: we miss you terribly in this Forum Jim).

JARRED LAND, for the friendship and for the support as I have never received by any other company before!!

STEVE GIBBY, for the friendship and for becoming my associate and allowing me to have M8, now my Dream Camera... DragonM8!!


Then there is the ENTIRE "RED TEAM " to thank for this incredible NEW camera known as the "DRAGON" as it has blown my mind away, and I am still trying to piece it back together... My Brain there is...



Let's begin...

First is a tribute to the camera itself...


"RED EPIC DragonM8 ENGRAVING"

Then the first two projects shot on DRAGON M8 that can be shown publicly... And their respective "Making Of" all of which can be viewed in full UHD4K on my Youtube Channel...

"VENETIAN NIGHT AT PALAZZO STERN"

An incredible experience in the most unique city of Venice Italy, were I met new friends and fellow Reduser Thorn, and experienced a level of collaboration like never before!!

VENETIAN NIGHT AT PALAZZO STERN "MAKING OF" By colleague and friend Thorn.

"THE LAST SNOW IN VALLE D'AOSTA"

An other incredible experience second to none in the Italian Alps of Valle D'Aosta, were again I met new friends and fellow Reduser Stefano Ceccon, and experienced also a level of collaboration second to none!!

THE LAST SNOW IN VALLE D'AOSTA "MAKING OF" By colleague and friend Stefano Ceccon.

Photo gallery links to follow in the next few days...

 

[Martin Stevens]

Awesome stuff Ketch.

Thanks for all your Reduser input.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Thanks Martin...

 

[Will Keir]

Good to see you out there in the world getting it done and by your own terms. Here is to health, good food, adventure and lots of sex! hahah

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Ha ha... Thanks Will... I hope all of the above...

 

[Nick Morrison]

Some of the Alps shots looked straight out of a Bond film, nicely done!

 

[Stefano Ceccon]

Ketch,
thank you for having been able to work at your side.
A lot to learn with you, and now I have a new friend!!

 

[Björn Benckert]

Just a few tips from things I learned when fiddling with sliders.... The high distance you got between the lens and the slider, created the adapter and the rather high ballhead will introduce quite a bit of vibrations. So the lower you get, between lens and slider, the more stable you will be. Best option is a low riding lambda head, and as you level all ready on the tripods you could mount such unit straight onto the sliders mounting screw and by doing so get minimal distance between lens and slider. Also a lambda head can be set in balance also with an even and extremely low resistance which makes pan, tilt while sliding far more easy and smooth then a regular head.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Some of the Alps shots looked straight out of a Bond film, nicely done!

Ha ha, thanks Nick, giving how much my buddy Stefano Ceccon and I suffered to get them, this is surely a very pleasant compliment!!

Ketch,
thank you for having been able to work at your side.
A lot to learn with you, and now I have a new friend!!

Stefano,
I am the one to THANK you for the incredible adventure and for the hospitality offered, it was simply great shooting with you, and look forward to do it again!!

Just a few tips from things I learned when fiddling with sliders.... The high distance you got between the lens and the slider, created the adapter and the rather high ballhead will introduce quite a bit of vibrations. So the lower you get, between lens and slider, the more stable you will be. Best option is a low riding lambda head, and as you level all ready on the tripods you could mount such unit straight onto the sliders mounting screw and by doing so get minimal distance between lens and slider. Also a lambda head can be set in balance also with an even and extremely low resistance which makes pan, tilt while sliding far more easy and smooth then a regular head.

Absolutely agree with there Björn, however I have worked before with the Lambda head, heavy ones too, and while I like it better for some shots, they don't offer the same flexibility of freedom as a fluid head does, of course been at a much higher stand point level wise to the Slider, one must simply be much more careful on the movements as to contains vibrations and keep the shot fluid and smooth.

With the Trost slider I have experienced a different filling then I have with others sliders, the Trost seems and it is much more solid, and the movement of the sliding platform much more solidly anchored on the base, and I like this a lot...

I however am shopping for a different mounting point to connect to the sliding platform of the slider, as well as looking for a different camera mount other then the Lambda head, unless I find a Lambda head that does not weight a ton and that is a huge burden to transport.

 

[Steve Gibby]

Thanks for the kind words Ketch! Epic M 00008 (Now Dragon M8) is a special camera with a solid production history. Its been a long and interesting time since February 4 2011 when we took delivery of the camera.

You're a great friend and business associate! Very cool the way you've taken our Epic M8 all over the world. Awesome visiting with you at NAB

Hugs from Pam...

 

[Will Keir]

So why use a slider when you can get the same shot with a MoVi in less time?

I heard you, Ketch, used the MoVi on your first short with Dragons and that in those shots the footsteps from piloting the rig could be seen in the online short. Even the freefly team was there to help, which makes me ask the question. Why go back to sliders? Does MoVi need more refinement, better operator skill. Was post work unsuccessful or not applied?

In theory, a gimbaled hand held rig seems like a filmmakers dream come true. What happened? In conversation with my working DP friends in L.A. they have suggested in someway, MoVi is "not there yet." I have valued your gear advice and reviews over the past years, Ketch. Hopefully you can share your uncandid thoughts sometime on MoVi.

Just a few tips from things I learned when fiddling with sliders.... The high distance you got between the lens and the slider, created the adapter and the rather high ballhead will introduce quite a bit of vibrations. So the lower you get, between lens and slider, the more stable you will be. Best option is a low riding lambda head, and as you level all ready on the tripods you could mount such unit straight onto the sliders mounting screw and by doing so get minimal distance between lens and slider. Also a lambda head can be set in balance also with an even and extremely low resistance which makes pan, tilt while sliding far more easy and smooth then a regular head.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Thanks for the kind words Ketch! Epic M 00008 (Now Dragon M8) is a special camera with a solid production history. Its been a long and interesting time since February 4 2011 when we took delivery of the camera.

You're a great friend and business associate! Very cool the way you've taken our Epic M8 all over the world. Awesome visiting with you at NAB

Hugs from Pam...

Absolutely buddy... Without you there will be NO "M8" history...

M8 has travel the world indeed, but DragonM8 will run it upside down...


Great seeing you at NAB as well Steve... Please return that Hug to Pam!!

 

[Ketch Rossi]

So why use a slider when you can get the same shot with a MoVi in less time?

I heard you, Ketch, used the MoVi on your first short with Dragons and that in those shots the footsteps from piloting the rig could be seen in the online short. Even the freefly team was there to help, which makes me ask the question. Why go back to sliders? Does MoVi need more refinement, better operator skill. Was post work unsuccessful or not applied?

In theory, a gimbaled hand held rig seems like a filmmakers dream come true. What happened? In conversation with my working DP friends in L.A. they have suggested in someway, MoVi is "not there yet." I have valued your gear advice and reviews over the past years, Ketch. Hopefully you can share your uncandid thoughts sometime on MoVi.

Hey Will,

the Movi is a great Gimbal, BUT in it's M10 model is absolutely NOT ready for Epic unless used with small light compact lenses, and when we tried to use it with the Leica Summilux C. Primes we had serious balancing issues... Sam thing is true with the Schneider Xenon lenses, the Movi M10 simply HATES any lens that is not light and short.

Now with different Gimbals supporting more weight, and with longer balancing plates/rods it is possible to balance the Epic with longer heavier lenses, even up to 16/18LB!!

So you'll see me soon sporting one of the every best out there as I am about to close a Sponsorship agreement with one of them...

But even with the perfect Gimbal, a Slider is always a Slider, and NOT, at list IMSO, not to be replaced by a Gimbal, Steady Cam or any other tool...

The slider, as does a Dolly shot, affords a specific stabilized smooth horizontal lateral or strait forward or backwards, or even oblique & vertical shot that is unique in it's look and fill form any other piece of gear.


I believe actually that I'll have lot's of fun using both a Gimbal and the Slider in combination... Just need to finalize a deal and get my hands on that perfect Gimbal for Dragon M8 fully loaded as it should be for a Cine Production with Cine lens, MB and filters.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

And our DragonM8 is now back form RED after a super fast OLPF swap... THANKS GUYS!!

Ready again to go shoot some action... Next in line a Fashion Shoot and a fun Girl American Football Action game on the Beach... And some COLOR POWDER coming too... Slow MO time...

 

[Martin Stevens]

And our Dragon M8 is now back form RED after a super fast OLPF swap... THANKS GUYS!!

Ready again to go shoot some action... Next in line a Fashion Shoot and a fun Girl American Football Action game on the Beach... And some COLOR POWDER coming too... Slow MO time...

Sweet!

 

[Shane Kelly]

just a heads up on your color powder.
http://petapixel.com/2013/05/08/photographing-a-color-run-will-destroy-your-camera-gear-dont-do-it/

 

[Ketch Rossi]

just a heads up on your color powder.
http://petapixel.com/2013/05/08/photographing-a-color-run-will-destroy-your-camera-gear-dont-do-it/

Thanks for carrying and for the heads up Shane...

Fortunately I have done this few times already and shot many times in the desert, so I am well aware of the danger the gear faces, and for this particular dries of projects that will be including Color Powder the Red Epic Dragon will be incases in a Splash Bag, fully isolated, one that allows to also shoot under heavy rain and in shallow waters...


So no worries at this end, but your a dives will serve well for all others that don't know how TEDIOUS color powder can be!!

 

[Florian Stadler]

Ketch, consider using tungsten light at night. Give it a thought

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Ketch, consider using tungsten light at night. Give it a thought

I did many times Florian... I simply didn't like what I see... And I am fortunate enough were I don't have to follow the norm and can do what I want based on what I like, and for the is 5600K Daylight only for me... Day or Night, Indoor or Outdoor... I just like working better with it, like better how talent is seen by the camera, and like much better the final results, I intact like much better capturing in 5600k and finishing in 3200k writer then starting and finishing in 3200k for those times when i prefer that finished look...

What I do need and working on it NOW in LA, is to finalize my Post workflow Station to handle the Dragon, one that I can take with me Globally so not to enter in the same issues over and over as not every one is ready for Dragon yet.

But the fact that now both Premiere and DaVinci (my new Post workflow processing SW choice) will handle Dragon is also going to be great... Just need a powerful enough Super Station to handle it...

This two last shorts give lots of Headaches to Color and Export in UHD4k...


But a GOOD solution is on the way...

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Safe US made Cornstarch Color Powder has arrived... Our next series of shoots should be lots of FUN...

Thanks again for the prompt reply from Shane for the given WARNING... But again... Don't worry... Not the first Color Powder Rodeo... We'll be safe and make sure we'll take care of DragonM8 as well...

Of course we'll have BTS Video and Pics too...