Cinematographer Blake McClure shoots his next project with Blackmagic's URSA Cine 17K 65

La URSA Cine 17K 65 de Blackmagic Design se erige como la cámara principal del nuevo trabajo del director de fotografía Blake McClure, responsable del acabado visual de series como ‘The Dropout’, ‘Miracle Workers’ o ‘Loot’.

El primer contacto con la camera, y con el large format sensor de la misma, ocurrió al ver la obra del director de fotografía Dylan Rucker. "I saw a sample shoot that Dylan filmed. There was one shot that particularly stuck out to me: a man drinking coffee in a kitchen, looking at a farm in the distance. That single image grabbed me and immediately made me think of medium format portrait photography. It made me feel close to the actor, because of the elegance with which the background was diluted, and the naturalness with which the skin tones had been rendered. The nuances were perfect. It was a simple shot, but at the same time incredibly effective," he recalls. McClure.

The director of photography, who is used to recording episodes for series with a very visual style staticI wanted something distinct for this project: "In half-hour programs there is little room to use dynamic camera movements. I have always used light and color to create interesting images. Coverage is usually limited to over-the-shoulder shots, clean shots and, occasionally, a panning; I was looking for something new." To give his work a twist, he decided to bet on the URSA Cine 17K 65mm sensor of Blackmagic, whose sensor allows a closer approach to the subject, eliminating the usual distortion. McClure provides more details: "We were shooting medium shots in 55mm, about two meters away. To achieve the same field of view in Super 35 format, we would need a 30mm lens, or be twice as far away from the subject. I wanted the series to be like a portrait: intimate and with an emphasis on the relationships between the characters. I have always loved medium format photography, and this project was the closest I have come to that style, only with movement."

The advantages of the sensor RGBW of the URSA Cine 17K 65 model, as well as the wide variety of compression options offered, also allowed McClure to manage his data more actively: "We shot full sensor at 8K resolution, and the ability to shoot in multiple high-resolution formats without having to crop the image was an incredible feature of this camera. You can also shoot with a constant compression setting, which is what is usually done in the industry, or use the constant quality mode. We shot with the Q3 option, which allocates more data to those areas with a higher level of detail, and less to static parts of the frame, reducing the overall data transfer speed; it's something that's not visually distinguishable but results in smaller files. This made it easier for the studio to access this option, since we weren't asking them to approve us using a huge amount of storage space for processing digital images or for post-production.

For its part, Logan Hall, first camera assistant, highlights the camera versatility to adapt to different situations. For this, its system of frames: “We could adapt the camera for any purpose, whether it was for recording in the studio, for mounting on a stabilizer mount, or even for use with compact stabilizers, such as a Ronin 2.” Another advantage was the second screen on the right side of the camera: "Having the two screens integrated was extremely useful. There were many times when Blake was on set making adjustments and, no matter which side of the camera he was on, he could take a look at the screen without having to return to the digital imaging technician's workstation. I noticed that directors, assistant directors and even production assistants looked at the camera assistant's side screen, which allowed them to see the adjustments being made immediately, without leaving the epicenter of the action."

"Every time a new actor or actress arrived on set, they would mention how close the cameras got to them in a particular scene. They thought we were using wide-angle lenses for close-ups; however, once we showed them the shot, they couldn't believe the look we were able to get. Everyone was very impressed," he concludes. McClure.