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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Shot on Gemini, just released on CMT - All handheld music video

Jonathan Pears

Jonathan Pears

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Tasked with a week to scout, shoot, edit, color, and deliver this video to meet the network pickup cycle for CMT broadcast and web, it was an interesting project. Variable weather, permits casncelled last minute, and much more besides. i wanted to share as this was my first time shooting on the Gemini (or any Red for that matter) after 3yrs with a trusty Alexa that i owned. I love this camera, and paired with the Atlas Anamoirphic lenses, we had to shoot all handheld from simply from the time restrictions we had. IPP2 was a dream to work with in post, and the form factor and exposure tools that Red have developed i am now addicted to. So, considitions and restrictions taken into consideration, take a look if you're interested, feel free to criticize :)

http://www.cmt.com/video-clips/prmlzk/music-videos-chelsea-williams-dreamcatcher
 
Jonathan,


the video looks great! I couldn't really tell that much that a stabilizer wasn't used.
 
Nice shooting! Funy, the story line how she doesn't want to be a photo model but then busts into full music video starlet mode ;-)
 
Really nice. Great frames, especially on the railroad tracks. The Gemini looks so good with great DR, rich and deep color with lots of character. I thought skin tones looked so good in the daylight corner busker scene. Those lenses are out of this world. Good going!
 
Nice DR on the railroad track.
 
"the video looks great! I couldn't really tell that much that a stabilizer wasn't used" - Thanks, i acrtually used an easyrig here and there. i guess i still consider that handheld

"Really nice. Great frames, especially on the railroad tracks. The Gemini looks so good with great DR, rich and deep color with lots of character. I thought skin tones looked so good in the daylight corner busker scene. Those lenses are out of this world. Good going!" - Thanks again. So the railway set up was a 4x4 silver bounce for the 100mm shots, and i think i had mayve a .9 Firecrest ND in the camera, maybe a PL too, can't remember if i used it on those shots. Pretty much kept it to F4 or F5.6, my preffered stop for these lenses at the moment. For the wider shots, i also had a 6x6 silver set up that we bounced into her - its more obvious in the final 15seconds of the video when she isn't moving as much.

"Nice job... did you use the HDR setting on the RR tracks or just everything came together..?" - All the silver bounce. Depends on what your preference is, but i switch between ultrabounce and silver's depending on what ratio i am looking for. So whilst it might have an HDR feel to it in some ways, it just all bounce and mother nature giving us clouds AND a clean sunset, we were lucky. I am leaning more and more towards harder bounces like the silver over my previously preffered Ultrabounce. Also using smaller and more localized bounces to highlight specific parts of the talent i want to draw attention to was used here. Didn't feel the need to also expose the guitar in the same was as her face, so we feathered the bounce. Having a stellar AC and Grip helps with this, as they need to keep up with the talents movement.


Overall, the DR on the Gemini is inline with what the Alexa can do to my eye. I owned an XT for 3yrs, and i love it very much. But the Gemini, if handled correctly, is another amazing camera just like all the other amazing cameras out there. The exposure tools built into the camera are great too, i think its a case of where you want your whites and blacks in the image just like any other camera, and thats just the choices you make from what the camera can see. The Gemini is super easy to work with from this point of view. So i was less surprised by the Gemini's peformance, and just appreciated how easy it is to work with and light and agile it is.

I also have to give some heavy credit to the Atlas lenses. I think they are delivering something that we all wanted, but didn't think was in reach or possible anytime soon. All the things we love about characterful anamorphics, but with the ease of use of a brand new modern lens. Atlas have stepped through their process with such intentionality and a grounding in not making compremises, that i think can be felt in the shooting experience. Everyone needs to try them or rent them to have that experience, and i think it will allow you to gain some perspective on lens choices period, and what we can expect (or should expect) from different price points of glass.

Thanks for all the kind words, i have another project with the Gemini in post now that i can't wait to share images from, some of my fave ever!
 
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