Anton/Bauer Goes Safari with Elephants in Kenia

The Deeble and Stone Productions’ project follows a herd of elephants as they struggle to survive in the face of climate change.  To date, the Distant Thunder 3D pilot has screened at BAFTA in London, followed by screenings in Cannes, Paris, Seoul, Amsterdam, the Jackson Hole Symposium in Denver and WILDSCREEN.

Shot over the course of two weeks on location in Kenya, the promo for Distant Thunder was directed and produced by Deeble and Stone with stereography and technical consultancy provided by Inition. Campbell Goodwille from Inition commented, “filming in the wilds of Africa is tough, it’s very hot and there is a lot of dust blowing around. This shoot really put our equipment to the test. The Anton/Bauer batteries performed perfectly during the entire production and the battery life remained strong throughout each workday”.

Anton/Bauer designs its products to deliver consistently reliable performance even in the most challenging shooting environments. On the set of Distant Thunder, Inition employed four HyTRON 140 batteries and six CINE systems, chosen for their durability, excellent quality and overall ability to withstand extreme environments. “We used the CINE VCLX battery the majority of the time. It powered our entire system from morning until evening, which is impressive given the additional power requirements when shooting in 3D. You need another camera, rig motorization and additional lens control systems. It’s not your ordinary shoot,” explains Goodwille.

The CINE power system, however, was designed with remote shoots in mind. Its batteries are powerful enough to run an ARRI Alexa for over four hours. The safe and high power draw performance of the Nickel Metal Hydride cell technology can also power microwaves, recorders and lighting, including HMI’s and the Litepanels 1x1 LED panels. The CINE VCLX includes (2) 4-pin XLR for 14.4V and (1) 3-pin XLR for 28V, and provides dual simultaneous outputs (20 amps at 14.4V; 12 amps at 28V).

To capture the perfect camera angles for the Distant Thunder pilot, Inition arranged a mix of camera rigs—some vehicle-based and some portable. “The HyTRONS worked flawlessly with our mobile rigs. They allowed us to run for long periods without changes, and the digital displays enabled us to time those changes accurately. This was really helpful on a shoot like Distant Thunder, where wild animals don’t hang around for you to swap out your camera battery,” quipped Goodwille. Anton/Bauer’s high-power HyTRON 140 weighs only 5.5 pounds and is ideal for high current draw. It can be used with portable HMI lights, and it features a 14.4v 140Wh NiMH battery and offers a RealTime® display that continually updates the operator on how much run-time remains and the battery capacity.

So impressed with the performance of Anton/Bauer’s products, Inition purchased two CINE systems for use on their productions. “Anton/Bauer makes great products, and the company’s customer support has been excellent, too,” he adds. “We explained exactly what we needed for Distant Thunder, and they gave us a combination of suggestions based on our requirements. Once we’d chosen the perfect mix, Anton/Bauer delivered the equipment to us in record time.”

Inition is a pioneering creative 3D technology and production company. Underpinned by an in-depth understanding of 3D, garnered from over ten years experience, Inition provides creative 3D production, 3D technology, 3D printing and scanning and 3D creative services.