National Geographic filmed 'Race to the Center of the Earth' with Blackmagic's URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2

The first season of the series Race to the center of the Earth, produced by National Geographic, was filmed with several URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 units from Blackmagic Design under the direction of photography by Joshua Gitersonke.

Created by Elise Doganieri y Bertram van Munster, producers of The great race (Race to the Center of the Earth), the new program is a race between four teams that start at different points on the planet and compete across various terrains, converging toward a buoy located in the middle of the ocean near Hawaii in the final stage. The prize for the winners is one million dollars.

For Gitersonke, this type of competition was not new. Having worked in The great race for 16 seasons and eventually becoming the show's director of photography, he knew he could draw on his vast experience while filming in this adventure genre. “Throughout those years, I had the opportunity to learn a lot from Bertram,” says Gitersonke. “In addition to being a producer and director, he is recognized as responsible for photography, so it was an honor that he and Elise Doganeiri chose me to be in charge of the images in Race to the center of the Earth“.

Since each group starts in a different part of the world, the race was not only a challenge for the competitors, but also for the film crew. When planning the program, van Munster and Gitersonke looked for a camera that would offer great image quality in a compact design.

“Betram and I had seen material recorded with the URSA Mini Pro G2 model and decided to do some tests,” says Gitersonke. “The ability to record in RAW format at a reasonable transfer rate and the fact that the drive was small enough to carry around easily were deciding factors.”

Exhaustive shooting plan

Cameramen were required to follow participants through varied and rugged terrain in Russia, North America, South America, and Southeast Asia, in rain and snow, in wind, and on water. Gitersonke developed a comprehensive plan for each rig, establishing how and where the cameras would be used, and the type of platform for each occasion, with special accessories for each URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 unit.

"We managed to maintain consistency in appearance thanks to the plan, but in reality, the photography people who are part of the team are among the best in the world. We all work in The great race and other similar adventure shows, and we had vast experience in extreme situations, running with the camera and carrying it from one place to another. We wanted to achieve a visceral cinematic style, as much as possible, and for viewers to experience the places where the competitors were. To do this, it was necessary to capture beautiful views and even the smallest details.”

Each team had to be prepared to face a wide variety of conditions and adapt quickly to changes in the environment. In this sense, the compact design The URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 model provided flexibility and great image quality. Gitersonke chose to film in Blackmagic RAW 3:1 format at a constant transfer rate, which allowed for a proper balance between the consistency of the recorded material and storage space, which was a major concern when traveling through rugged terrain.

The film crew, competitors and camera alike faced several challenges, but ultimately the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 met the challenge. "It was our workhorse. None of the 16 units stopped working for a moment, even in the most demanding conditions, for example, during snow storms, at temperatures several degrees below zero or in hot, humid weather."

Color fidelity

But what surprised Gitersonke most was the color fidelity of the Blackmagic RAW format. "The natural image and its exceptional dynamic range really gave us the ability to capture beautiful images. Additionally, the flexibility of this format allowed us to adjust the look of the program without worrying too much about not being able to achieve it."

Sometimes even some minor camera features made a big difference for the team. “The ability to press a button to record in 4K at 120 f/s was something we kept turning to,” adds Gitersonke. "This works seamlessly and is one of the things I like most about the camera. Obviously, when filming this type of adventure program without much assistance in terms of production, the neutral density filters made it easy to adjust the exposure. In addition, the Blackmagic Viewfinder device offers rich colors and great sharpness, which always makes it easy to control the images."

A series like this presents particular challenges, but at the same time it has magical moments, and the URSA Mini Pro 4.6K G2 model made it possible to capture them instantly. “One of the most unique experiences I had was when the competitors were in Siberia herding reindeer through a forest,” says Gitersonke. "I was able to get a ride in an old armored vehicle, which was essentially a tank. The forest had swampy areas that were difficult to cross, and in the evening we still had a few kilometers to go to reach the camp. We turned down a road, and when I looked back, I saw a beautiful sunset."

"I quickly jumped out of the tank with my URSA Mini Pro and ran about 30 meters to a place where I thought the competitors with the reindeer would pass. They could have gone another way, since they had to fend for themselves, but they headed towards where I was, and I managed to capture a beautiful shot of the participants running along the path, with the forest and the sunset behind them, in slow motion and at 120 f/s. It's one of my favorite moments of the entire series,” concludes Gitersonke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts-IfiJ-PUs