[Press Release by Well Above]
As with the first series of Mago Films’ The Best in Australia, series 2 was also shot using three JVC ProHD GY-HD251E cameras.
With series 2 however, due to editorial time restraints, not only did the Mago Films team shoot to three on-camera Firestore hard-drives, they also had a resident assembly editor on set working in tandem with the crew.
Mago Films’ producer and writer Alun Bartsch explained, “Some time ago we chose the JVC ProHD camera for our productions in preference to others for a number of reasons; chiefly as it offered far more options particularly in the case of interchangeable lenses. Now with the advent of the Firestore HD100 on-camera hard-drive which synch easily with JVC cameras, another excellent benefit emerged – the ability to shoot to both hard-drive and tape at the same time. The big plus here is that back-up tapes or sub-masters do not have to be made on location as the media is already on the hard-drive and tape.”
Whilst filming The Best in Australia, Series 2, the three JVC GYHD251E cameras were synched using time-of-day time-code. Four channels of sound were captured and these were split onto camera B & C. Camera A was operated by DOP Jim Frater and was on a Steadicam. Paul Bell (who also worked with MagoFilms on Surfing the Menu) was on Camera B and Paul Brown was on the high camera, C. Track D was recording FX.
Bartsch continued, “Even though the Firestores could hold more than a day’s vision, media was downloaded onto hard-drives at lunchtime and at end of play. This meant that the director and producer could check the vision quickly. It also meant that, if any continuity issues were encountered, a check of the recoded files would take minutes rather than hours as it would have if tape after tape had to be spooled through.”
Mago FIlms has also successfully used the JVC ProHD series on its international hit series Surfing the Menu and more recently on their International Award-winning documentary, The Fabulous Flag Sisters.
The Best in Australia Series 2 is airing on Saturdays at 7.30pm on The Lifestyle Channel.