Diplo shoots his new video clip, 'So Long', with Ursa Mini Pro and Blackmagic RAW

By shooting with multiple cameras, cinematographer Wojciech Kielar was able to compare them with the Ursa Mini Pro model and compare the Blackmagic RAW format with others.

So Long, the latest video clip of Diplo in collaboration with country music singer Cam, has been filmed in Blackmagic RAW with the model Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K of Blackmagic Design.

The video clip was produced during festival Stagecoach, which took place in Indio (California), and with this song Diplo moves away from his roots in electronic dance music (EDM), entering the country genre. This change provided an enjoyable challenge for the director Brandon Dermer.

Known for his desire to do things by himself, Diplo discovered a video clip that Dermer had made in 2012 for the group Nekrogoblikon and since then became one of his fans. The two have worked together on several projects, including the television series What Would Diplo Do, issued by Hulu.

In the case of So Long, Diplo contacted Dermer and asked him if he was interested in making the new video clip. In this sense, Dermer comments that “filming a DJ playing at a country music festival was one of the most extravagant experiences of my life.”

During the Stagecoach festival, the team had free access to the different events. “We knew that no one had had that degree of freedom before, except maybe Beyoncé, at Coachella.”

The goal was to try to capture the entire experience, including Cam's performance, as well as stunning images documenting the event. “No one knew what the audience's reaction would be to Diplo's performance at Stagecoach, and we wanted to record everything on camera.”

Comparing cameras

When recording with multiple cameras, the director of photography Wojciech Kielar I was eager to compare the Ursa Mini Pro model and compare the Blackmagic RAW format with the others used. Kielar filmed with one of the units, and his operator, Justin Cameron, with the Ursa Mini Pro. At first, Kielar followed Diplo and Cam backstage, while Cameron recorded supporting shots and the audience. During the concert, both cameras captured Diplo and Cam's performance.

“We shot in Arri ProRes 444 and Blackmagic RAW,” Kielar said. “Both cameras have a wide dynamic range and allowed us to obtain stunning images.”

Dermer and Kielar used several references to country music as a source of inspiration and chose a look that reflected the spirit of the Stagecoach festival, while retaining the rich saturation characteristic of the electronic genre. “We brought together the best of both styles,” explained Kielar, “and we wanted to convey a raw feeling while maintaining the chromatic intensity in reference to electronic rhythms.” For the final version, they turned to colorist Ryan McNeal, who used DaVinci Resolve Studio to achieve this goal.

McNeal had previously worked with Dermer and Kielar, so he fully understood what their intentions were regarding the music video. Therefore, he sought a unique combination of country music with a cinematic style. “We used a lot of grain and warm lights to enhance that look,” said McNeal, “and I kept the overall exposure of midtones and shadows low to achieve a negative-like look.”

It was easy to combine Blackmagic RAW with other formats in DaVinci Resolve. The wide dynamic range made this task easier for McNeal, and in his opinion, the viewer will not notice the difference. “It's always a pleasure to work with the beautiful images captured by Brandon and Wojciech,” said McNeal. "And Diplo in a country music video? It's impossible not to like him."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zScLQPhj_0Q