The video clip of Sigala and James Arthur shot in Blackmagic RAW

This codec gives London-based production company Electric Light Studios a wide range of grading options at a reasonable bit rate, even when using lower compression rates.

The London producer Electric Light Studios trusted the camera Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2 of Blackmagic Design to shoot the video clip Lasting Lover (acoustic version), Sigala and James Arthur, which has been viewed almost 3 million times on YouTube since its release.

In order to modify the style of the original song and video, Electric Light Studios changed the setting by filming at the Rivoli Ballroom in London, with James Arthur on guitar and vocal arrangements, Sigala on piano and a complementary string orchestra.

Andy Morgan, director of the video clip, comments that “for the acoustic version of Lasting Lover, I wanted to contrast the energy and neon exteriors of the original with a warm, open interior environment, focusing on the musical talent, songwriting and performance, in order to show all this genius without any filter.

"Stylistically, I wanted it to feel like a more intimate performance by Sigala and James, for example after a party. This is highlighted by the way we decorated the space and showcased the melancholic undertones of the song," he explains.

On the other hand, Andy adds that, in this case, the camera and accessories were very important. "For this shoot, we chose the Ursa Mini Pro G2 as it perfectly suited our goal of capturing beautiful cinematic images. We placed the camera on a Moviola travel frame, as we wanted it to move constantly, but in a more limited and consistent way than using a stabilizer."

"We decided to record in Blackmagic RAW 3:1 format at a constant bit rate. I really like this codec because it gives me a wide range of grading options at a reasonable bit rate, even when using lower compression rates," he highlights.

“We did exactly the same thing when I directed the shoot for the acoustic version of We Got Love, by Sigala. On that occasion, we highlighted the brightest areas of the image with natural light, but in this case, it was more about the shadows. Anyway, on both occasions, the camera did not disappoint us,” he adds.

When recording with APL anamorphic lenses (Rehoused Lomo) by One Stop Films, the team attempted to create a classic toned-down look to match the location. In turn, they used a panoramic aspect ratio, given the size of the space and the number of musicians.

Calibrations

After filming wrapped, Andy and his team began grading the footage and discovered some inconsistencies due to the variety of anamorphic lenses used. In any case, these variations are common when using this type of lenses.

“The images shot with the 35mm widescreen lens required the most work as they had a yellowish tint. Once this problem was solved, the main purpose was to achieve warm and pleasant skin tones, as well as highlight the chromatic variety of the location," said Andy in conclusion. "I found the best way to do this was to adjust the colors in the wide shots and then match the other shots to those images."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhs2vZrcnTY