Cinematographer

New York Times Shoots "Screen Tests"
By Staff
Mar 13, 2008, 07:43

For a video feature on the New York Times Style Magazine Web site, www.tmagazine.com, a series of "Screen Tests" were shot using Panasonic's AJ-HPX3000 native 1080p one-piece master-quality camcorder. Titled as a reference to Andy Warhol's iconic 1960s celebrity interviews of the same name, the "Screen Tests" feature video profiles of actors including Natalie Portman and Marion Cotillard.

@NewsBody:Prior to the "Screen Tests" shoot, Cinematographer Manfred Reiff had shot extensively with Panasonic's AG-HVX200 P2 HD camcorder and had considered P2 "an extremely robust format." Reiff recalls, "I was eager to work with the HPX3000. I wanted to take a painterly approach that would be transparent to the viewer. The HPX3000 delivered a very compelling image right out of the box."

Portman and Cotillard were shot on a deliberately scaled-down set, illuminated by just one Briese light, emulating the umbrella-type strobe light quality used in fashion photography. Reiff shot 1080p DVCPRO HD; the HPX3000 was fully loaded with five 16GB P2 cards, allowing up to 80 minutes of record time. The HPX3000 was equipped with a Fujinon E Series HAe12x9.5 (9.5-114) Super Cine Style telephoto zoom lens.

"The 1080p resolution is wonderful," Reiff adds. "At some point, these 'Screen Tests' may be compiled as a film, so the camera's higher vertical line resolution was a real consideration. Every project has its own needs, but I would say that the HPX3000 is an excellent choice when you want to shoot 1080p with an extremely effective, convenient workflow."




© Copyright 2003 by United Entertainment Media, Inc.