Earlier this summer time, we lined how director Joseph Kosinski and DP Claudio Miranda ASC pushed the boundaries of high-speed cinematography for F1: The Film, utilizing compact, customized Sony cameras to seize actual Method 1 racing with immersive realism. Now, due to a latest in-depth interview in Movie and Digital Occasions, we now have a clearer view of how this bespoke digicam system got here collectively to deal with 200 mph racing whereas delivering cinematic high quality.
Editor‘s observe: For this text, we reached out to F1 AC Dan Ming, who fortunately checked this text for accuracy and gave us permission to reuse his pictures from behind the scenes of F1: The Film. Take a look at his Instagram the place he recurrently shares superb BTS pictures from the tasks he works on.
For F1: The Film, the purpose was to put viewers contained in the cockpit with Brad Pitt and Damson Idris – who had been truly driving at pace, not crawling for security photographs. That meant constructing a digicam system sufficiently small to suit underneath the F1 automobile’s halo whereas sustaining picture high quality appropriate for IMAX screens. Off-the-shelf compact cinema cameras, together with the Sony FX3, had been too giant and heavy. Even the VENICE Rialto Mini, nonetheless in improvement on the time, was too thick to clear the halo construction.
Simon Marsh, Nobu Takahashi-san, Claudio Miranda, ASC, Dan Ming at Sony LA. Picture: Sony, through FDTimes
A customized digicam smaller than a Rialto Mini
Sony’s engineering group, led by Nobu Takahashi-san (who we interviewed a number of instances earlier than), developed a completely customized prototype recognized on set as “Carmen.” It mixed the picture pipeline of the FX6/FX3 with distant operation structure derived from the FR7, utilizing copper wiring to attach a minimal digicam head to a recording physique. The system featured an inside drop-in ND filter slot between the lens mount and sensor, providing eight phases of ND with out rising the digicam’s footprint. The E-mount system allowed the usage of compact Voigtländer and Zeiss Loxia primes, making certain shallow depth of subject whereas sustaining a slim profile underneath the halo so drivers may see the observe clearly.
“Carmen” on the customized Panavision panning head, operated by Preston motors. Picture credit score: Sony, through FDTimes
Customized panning, distant management, and a trackside community
What actually set the Carmen system aside was its means to ship remotely operated pan and focus management inside automobiles touring at 200 mph. Working with Panavision and RFFilm, the group developed a customized panning head operated by Preston Cinema Programs controllers tailored for IP-based management. Every automobile turned its personal mesh community node, transmitting video and management alerts again to “mission management,” the place Miranda and Kosinski monitored and adjusted framing, publicity, and focus in actual time throughout a number of automobiles on observe concurrently.
This strategy allowed the manufacturing group to roll as much as 16 cameras without delay throughout 5 autos whereas managing bandwidth in RF-congested observe environments. It meant they might fine-tune the shot whereas drivers had been pushing the boundaries of pace, as a substitute of relying solely on fastened rigs or post-stabilization.
Digital camera positions on one of many F2 automobiles used for filming. Picture credit score: Dan Ming, with permission (through FDTimes)
Constructed to outlive the weather
Capturing genuine in-car footage meant these cameras needed to endure the realities of F1 racing: rocks and particles at 200 mph, high-frequency vibrations distinctive to every observe, and speedy climate modifications from daylight to rain. Vibration administration was achieved utilizing Sorbothane dampening layers tuned per observe whereas making certain direct mechanical coupling to keep up stability with out utilizing IBIS, which might battle with the car’s motion.
Selfie by Dan Ming (far left)with director Joseph Kosinksi, his DP Claudio Miranda ASC (each within the center) and different crew on the set of “F1: The Film”. Picture credit score: Dan Ming, with permission (through FDTimes)
Recording was executed in XAVC Intra 4K onto CFexpress Kind A playing cards within the recording physique, sustaining the light-weight head design whereas making certain high-bitrate seize prepared for cinematic colour grading.
Reside feed from all of the cameras on the image F2 automobile. Picture credit score: Dan Ming, with permission (through FDTimes)
A take a look at mattress for future cinema tech
Sony at the moment has no plans to commercialize the Carmen system, however the improvements examined right here immediately influenced the event of the VENICE Rialto Mini and should form future cinema cameras for high-risk, high-speed environments. Miranda emphasised that the choice to shoot actual racing, relatively than resorting to simulated environments, was important to the immersive realism F1: The Film aimed to ship.
One “Carmen” aimed straight on the driver in one of many F2 automobiles used for filming. Picture credit score: Dan Ming, with permission (through FDTimes)
The mission showcases how large-scale productions are driving digicam expertise towards smaller, lighter, remotely operable programs able to sustaining excessive cinematic requirements whereas working underneath excessive circumstances.
For a deep dive on the digicam tech on F1: The Film, I can actually advocate trying out the FDTimes article right here.
Would you think about using a system like this for high-speed car shoots if it had been accessible, or do you like present rigging workflows with current compact cinema cameras? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
