Pictorvision Plays a Big Role in A-Team 2010 Feature
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For one particular sequence shot in British Columbia around the Vancouver Port, Blandford found shutting off the larger lighting fixtures first unit cinematographer Mauro Fiore ASC and gaffer Dave Tickell had made would make it easier, safer and the action would be much more visual. “I decided to shoot ‘au natural’ with the Genesis, along with Panavision’s f2.8 11-1 zoom,” he says. “Historically, most aerial systems tend to struggle with stability with that large a lens. The weight and length seem to always be an issue. Not with the Eclipse.
At the core of the Eclipse’s superior stability is the patented XR Motion Management technology
“This was one of those ‘energy’ shots so important to an action picture,” he explains. “One thing we had working against us was that pilot Fred North had very little room to maneuver. With so many ships in port, the large space got small very quickly. So, to cover the action, Fred needed to make tight turns with the helicopter having to bank extremely steep.” Not a problem for the Eclipse even though Blanford was shooting anywhere from 100mm to 275mm in the banking shots.
“At one point we did a shot where we rose up from the water to literally drop away as fast as Fred could, while I pulled back on the lens,” he adds. “Fred was able to almost dump the helicopter on its side and the Eclipse stayed level. We had the images being transmitted to the ground. Quite a few people commented that they could see what the helicopter was doing and then would look at the monitor and were stunned that the images they were seeing were coming from the same helicopter. These shots were fun!”
At the core of the Eclipse’s superior stability is the patented XR Motion Management technology, enabling the most advanced steering, stability and pointing capabilities available on the market. The Eclipse will not topple, provides an absolute level horizon and also features faster start-ups and resets.
“After using the Eclipse, Blanford says, I was so glad I decided to do this aerial work myself. The system really showed me what the possibility for aerial cinematography is for future films.”
For more information, contact Pictorvision, 16238 Raymer St., Van Nuys, CA 91406, Phone: 818-785-9282, Fax: 818-785-9787, Email: inquiries@pictorvision.com