MERCEDES-AMG EQS 53 CAR CAMPAIGN SHOT WITH POCKET CINEMA CAMERA 6K PRO

Manchester, UK – July 13th, 2022 – Blackmagic Design today announced that the campaign unveiling the first fully electric Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 in Italy relied on Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro digital film cameras with post production, including edit and color correction, completed on DaVinci Resolve Studio.

Directed by Alessandro Di Cristanziano, DP Leonardo Cestari lensed the digital campaign supported by drone pilot Simone Castagna, camera operator Leo Papuluzzo as well as editor and colorist Andrea Pescini.

Featuring a special DJ set from the Lumen Museum of Mountain Photography rooftop on Mount Kronplatz (Plan de Corones), filming for the car spot took place over three days in the Trentino-South Tyrol region of Italy.

"Recognized worldwide for its prestige, charm and class, we wanted the campaign's aesthetics to express the values of the German automaker's philosophy," begins Cestari.

"My choice fell on the Pocket Cinema Cameras as they are incredibly versatile, especially given the logistical challenges of the various mountain elements that made up a significant proportion of this shoot. Beyond that, I love their excellent cinematographic qualities,” he adds.

Shooting from sunrise to sunset posed some creative challenges. "In particular, the sun behind us was very harsh compared to the light on the mountains, as was the light in between the branches, causing strong areas of light and shadow," explains Cestari. "However, the wide latitude and dynamic range of the 6K sensor ensured that we could balance these two completely different lights easily, while the Gen 5 color science helped to get the truest essence of the colors."

The Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro was mounted to a car using a spring system to film the sequences of the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 on the mountain path. In contrast, the promo's interior sequences were filmed from a garage using an electronic dolly which helped to achieve elegant, lightly moving images.

According to Cestari, the production relied exclusively on LED lights inside the garage. "For example, we achieved the signature red on the dashboard using a dimmable LED tube from Astera, while an ARRI SkyPanel helped with the filling light," he reveals. "Rating the camera at its native 3200 ISO, we were able to move comfortably in the dark dimness of the garage, while still getting a clean image thanks to the camera's dual gain sensor."

A drone carrying a Pocket Cinema Camera 4K rigged with a 10mm lens captured the promo's many aerial sequences to give the campaign a more contemporary touch.

The production employed a ProRes 422 HQ workflow acquiring in 4K for UltraHD delivery while entrusting DaVinci Resolve Studio for editing and color correction. “I loved how the entire editing and color workflow worked so smoothly for us by staying in one software tool,” notes Cestari.

"I chose the Pocket Cinema Cameras because they are a compact and practical solution for handheld and aerial work while also working well on the gimbal system we used for tracking the car," concludes Cestari. "They gave us all the versatility we needed in a package that was both lightweight and easy to transport around."

PRESS PHOTOGRAPHY

Product photos of Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro, DaVinci Resolve Studio and all other Blackmagic Design products are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk/media/images

ABOUT BLACKMAGIC DESIGN

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com/uk

