Cinematographer Philip Holahan lent his photography skills to the creative team of BLOODTIES, a rock musical written by Ned Massey. They smashed 4 acoustic and 2 electric guitars during their promo photo shoot at dvDepot. BLOODTIES will premiere at The 2010 New York Musical Theater Festival. Holahan shot the photographs at dvDepot using a Canon 5d camera.

An Array of Advantages

The Canon 7d camera is very popular and exciting to work with, shooting still pictures and digital video. Canon single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras create high quality video and give filmmakers more control over their image than video normally allows. The fact that the cameras are affordable and very lightweight only adds to their appeal.

Digital cameras use chips as their sensors. Larger sensors mean an ability to take in more information and therefore, a better image quality. The Canon 7d’s chip is larger than ¾ of an inch, which is a step up from the ½ inch chip in a Sony EX1, which is itself an excellent camera.

More Lenses Means More Merit

Canon’s SLR cameras open more possibilities in shooting because you can use Canon photo lenses. Still camera lenses are more readily available to the average user, allowing more choices in how you want to shoot. Additionally, using these lenses can help create a very cinematic look, including more control over depth of field than you normally have with digital video. As you can see in this video, a shallow depth of field can create a very dramatic look.

dvDepot carries a full array of L series prime lenses, including:

14mm F/2.8
24mm F/1.4
35mm F/1.4
50mm F/1.2
85mm F/1.2
135mm F/2

And the 70-200mm F/2.8 L series zoom lens.

Other New Equipment

In addition to all the new Canon cameras, the Zacuto double barrel shoulder mount is now available at dvDepot. Not only does this cutting edge shoulder mount adapt to any DSLR camera, but it also looks super cool. It can easily be customized for every camera operator; the shoulder mount can be rigged on either the right or left side and is height adjustable. Throw in the Zacuto follow focus and you’ve got everything you need. This new equipment can be rented from dvDepot as a part of any package that includes a DSLR camera.

The Canon 7d is available for rent or in a crew package with an operator and the Canon 5d is available with a shooter package. Call 212.333.5100 and get in touch with the rental or crewing departments for pricing.

dvDepot filmed the latest installment of Food For Thought, a BET television series, on May 27. This episode, “Food For Thought: Conversations with Ice Cube” aired in early July. As in previous episodes, three media personalities, the Media Assassin Harry Allen, Hot 97’s radio host Angie Martinez, and sports journalist Stephen A. Smith, conduct interviews with Ice Cube over lunch. Previous installments of the show featured musical celebrities Jay-Z and 50 Cent. Since this was the third time dvDepot has shot Food for Thought, members of the crew have become friendly with the interviewers, leading to what we in the industry call “water cooler conversations.”

Lots of Equipment; No Space

With this shoot, dvDepot continues to provide the BET series with both crews and equipment.

The crew used four HDX900 cameras to obtain top quality footage. Using the steadicam also contributed to a very smooth shoot. Due to multiple cameras, lots of lighting equipment, and many crew members, the set was chaotic, to say the least. In addition to all of this activity, the restaurant was open to the public; diners looking for a quiet meal certainly got an unexpected surprise!

The Location: Sylvia’s Restaurant

The interviews took place at Sylvia’s, the world famous soul food restaurant. Situated uptown in Harlem, the eatery is famed for providing great service and an array of Southern favorites. Sylvia actually came out from the kitchen to meet the crew and personally took their orders. Munching on delectable macaroni and
cheese, divine fried chicken and catfish, and delicious cornbread kept the entire group more than well fueled for a full ten hour day of filming.

Multitalented Crew

Each member of the nine person crew brought their unique talents to set. Alex Sierra resumed his position as DP for the third installment of the series. Ameer Grice exhibited enviable packing skills; the utility’s ability to stow so much gear into a relatively small van was nothing short of beautiful. dvDepot’s own Jose Caraballo along with freelancer Jack Hutson handled the audio with impressive skills. Most importantly, however, everyone displayed impressive eating skills that would have made anyone on the competitive eating circuit jealous.

Ice Cube

Working with Ice Cube was wonderful. The artist had a professional attitude that translated to a very functional, stress-free shoot. Ice Cube’s acting background became obvious as he handled the shoot like an experienced professional. The platinum artist had only one indisputable stipulation about the shoot; the day had to end early enough so he could watch the Lakers playoff game which, fortunately, they won.

Though the shoot was crowded and long, our crew maintained a cheerful attitude. With great food, better company, and completely functioning equipment, the day ended on a positive note. We look forward to working with BET on the next episode.

To see more pictures from this shoot, visit our Facebook page.

The World Cup Trek is an epic race from Berlin, Germany, the location of the 2006 World Cup, to Cape Town, South Africa, the 2010 tournament venue. The contest, organized by dvDepot client Rob Evans, involves three teams, each comprised of two volunteer members, driving 10,000 miles through sixteen countries on two continents to reach the southern tip of Africa in time for the Cup’s final game. Sponsored by dvDepot and produced by both Burgess Productions and Nomadic Nation, Mr. Evans and his team will film their seven week adventure with the intent to transform their journey into an adventure/reality program.

Race for Charity

Contest organizer Rob Evans

As a social activist, Mr. Evans has been involved in several charity initiatives. Some of his recent projects include establishing and maintaining a storage facility for charities in his hometown of Phoenix/Tempe, Arizona, helping organize community projects, creating an arts community in Scottsdale, Arizona, and becoming an organ donor by donating one of his kidneys. Mr. Evans’ conception of and participation in the World Cup Trek is yet another of his charitable endeavors.

Benefiting from the race are three non-government organizations: Grassroot Soccer, Kick 4 Life, Coaching for Hope. These multifaceted organizations work in third world African countries to both coach underprivileged children and aspiring soccer players and provide education and preventative measures to combat the AIDs epidemic.

The Gear

dvDepot is sponsoring World Cup Trek’s production and furnishing the teams with video equipment, including two Sony PMW-EX1R HD cameras, six 16GB cards for footage, two 7” Nebtek monitors to review the footage before uploading it into a computer for editing, and other accessories. With the pristine quality of the Sony EX1, and the durability and storage capacity of the memory cards, no moment of the weeks-long journey will be missed.

View World Cup Trek 2010 in a larger map

After being equipped with dvDepot gear, the World Cup Trek teams began their exciting trip. Departing on May 9th from the United States, the volunteers set out for Berlin, Germany. The teams and the production crew stopped at Berlin’s co-sponsor hostel CityStay to finalize travel plans, go over the route, get all the needed vaccinations and load the last of their supplies into their Renaults.

On the Road

The World Cup Trek cars on the Autobahn

On May 18th, the team hit the Autobahn and almost immediately ran into their first setback. One of the three cars blew a head gasket 200km into the race, a frustrating mishap that could have been avoided. The car, driven by team members Jonathan and Susan, had to wait for the production vehicle to send for a tow truck; however, that car struck a flat tire and its spare tire was coincidentally flat. With two vehicles down, the team had to wait for tow trucks to arrive for both cars. To compound an already rocky beginning to their journey, the police declined to deal with cars that were ill-equipped to handle the Autobahn to begin with.

Into France and Spain

Barcalona Harbor

After two days of camping outside a McDonald’s in Hof, the team was back on the road in rainy, foggy weather. After seventeen full hours of continuous driving through miserable weather, the team left Germany and finally entered France nearly two days behind schedule and in dour spirits. The fair weather and sunshine in France, however, lifted team spirits. The group even had time to stop for a rest at Beziers, a picturesque city with a large winemaking industry. A 10-hour scenic road trip from Beziers to Barcelona (effectively avoiding traffic and tolls) was the next course of action for the team. From Barcelona the team managed to rest up before catching the last ferry out of Tarifa and into Marakech.

With any luck, the team will reach South Africa around July 5th, a few days earlier than planned. We hope to continue providing support and enthusiasm for the entire team on their amazing trip! Be sure to follow updates about the World Cup Trek on dvDepot’s Twitter and Facebook.

TV DNA celebrated their 10th anniversary at dvDepot last night. The TV Diva Networking Alliance is a group connecting women working in the TV industry. They meet periodically to share knowledge and resources. Membership is exclusive, limited only to women actively working in television, and based on recommendations of current members. The members include producers, network executives, production managers, line producers, among other positions. One of our owners, Deborah Wolpert is fortunate enough to be a member and hosted the anniversary party.

At last night’s meeting, dvDepot also set up a demo of our HD cameras for the Divas. We went through the advantages and disadvantages of several HD cameras including the Sony EX1, Z5U, and A1U, also the Varicam and HVX200 from Panasonic. Comparing cost to picture quality to post workflow, each camera is appropriate for various situations. The demo was a success and then the men of dvDepot scurried out to leave the Divas to their celebration.

You can read more about the TV Diva Networking Alliance at http://www.tvdna.net and see more picture from the event on our Facebook page.

Everybody’s raving about Twilight now, but a lot of people were surprised when it was an enormous blockbuster. Showtime jumped into the game early and got an exclusive deal for showing the Twilight movies. Obviously, they wanted to turn the premiere into an event with specials and behind the scenes material. We were lucky enough to help on the material shot in the New York area. You can see some of our footage in the video shot below or at Showtime’s video site.

Shooting underwater takes not only an experienced shooter, but the right kind of equipment. From the normally hidden world of the ocean to the underwater antics of a pool party– underwater footage is a desirable addition to many projects.

Here at dvDepot we have two great models of underwater housing that can be used with a variety of cameras, such as the Sony V1U, Z1U, Pansonic DVX100, Sony DCR-VX2000 and DSR-PD150. In addition to this we also have some audio gear that is suitable for water based shoots -the Lectrosonic MM400C transmitter and M152 mic.

The Sony V1U is best paired with the Equinox HD8 Underwater Housing which can be seen below. The Equinox can be brought to depths of up to 75 meters (250ft). It also has BRS ( Ballast Release System) for easy travel. This is also useful if trouble occurs on a dive–just pull the release pin and the Equinox will shoot straight to the surface.

Ewa-Marine V2000 Underwater Housing can be used with a wider variety of cameras such as the Sony PD150, Sony Z1U, Panasonic DVX100, Sony DCR-VX2000, and Panasonic HVX200. This housing enables the user to film up to 10meters (33 ft) below water. It features a double laminated PVC Construction and an Optical Glass port. The bag shape makes it easier to carry. Also included are weight straps, which makes it easier to achieve buoyancy. It is also ideal for filming while snorkeling, shallow diving or moving in and out of the water. This type of underwater housing has been used to good effect for the show “Made” which airs on MTV Saturdays at 3pm.

The Lectrosonics MM400C Lavalier transmitter is ideal for use in heavy rain,humidity and/or water based shoots and can be submerged in the water if necessary. Also featured is a waterproof On/Off/Mute reed switch and non-detachable antenna. The switch is removable to avoid accidental switching caused by the talent. A machined finish provides a non-corrosive housing, preventing rust and oxidation. The use of the MM400C results in greater range with minimal noise.

The Lectrosonics M152 is a highly sensitive omnidirectional microphone that can be used with the MM400C. It also features a watertight mini connection that makes it ideal for a shoot that’s water bound!

If you have a shoot coming up that requires water-friendly equipment, feel free to contact us and we can put together a package that suits your production and budgetary requirements. We look forward to working with you!

Today, we’re prepping for a multicam reality shoot in January. Those sorts of shoots require a lot of preparation and often take days to get ready.

One exciting piece of gear on this shoot is our Starlink wireless monitor system. The Starlink is a powerful wireless transmitter and receiver that can be mounted onto the camera. We’ve cameras down to the street and received the signal in our seventh floor office. On a multicam reality project, it allows a producer to monitor all cameras from a centralized location, no matter what environment they’re in.

Has anybody else used the Starlink? Are you as excited by them as we are?

Canon has introduced a really exciting new camera, the EOS 5d Mark II. It would be remarkable if all it did was take still pictures with its CMOS Sensor and 22 megapixel resolution. Even better, though, it can also record video.

The 5d also shoots HD video at 30 fps 1080P. A firmware update expected later this month will allow for 24P as well. This is high quality video in any camera, but since it’s SLR (single lens reflex), the lenses you can use on the camera are different from you typical video camera like the EX1 or HVX200. You can create a much more filmic look with more control over your depth of field.

Of course, buying this camera for its video function may not be the best idea. Its compact flash cards can only hold 12 minutes of video at a time, which is not ideal for most shoots. Additionally, its controls are designed around photography so the video controls are not entirely intuitive.

However, this is a great leap forward in the ease and accessibility of high quality video– especially at prices under $4,000. We’re keeping our eyes peeled to see where the 5d will take us.

Below is a short film made in Tokyo, shot entirely on the 5d.

Tokyo Reality (Canon 5D MarkII) from Florent Porta on Vimeo.

The Nikon D5000 also shoots in 720P HD video. Rainn Wilson of the office made a short film on this camera:

dvDepot works a great deal with BET. In September, we worked on the pilot episode of the “Food for Thought” series, featuring Jay-Z. This month we were back for another episode: “Food for Thought: Conversations with 50 cent”. The series is a major event for BET and they pull out all stops in the production. We shot with four HDX900 cameras, including one on steadicam. The beautiful location required a full lighting package. BET’s production team and our crew worked together and created an exciting product to watch.

The show features three media personalities, sports journalist Stephen A. Smith, Harry Allen– the Media Assassin– and Hot 97’s Angie Martinez. They each bring their own perspective and style to the interviews. Smith is an expert on image and media. Martinez knows music and has an ability to get stars to answer personal questions. Harry Allen always asks the difficult questions and got some lively answers out of 50 Cent.

This episode was shot in Bobby Van’s Steakhouse (25 Broad St). Bobby Van’s is well worth a look for those of you who haven’t been there before. The restaurant has an upstairs formal dining room and another room in the basement, which used to be a bank vault. This gives the restaurant a luxurious and distinctive feel which made it an ideal location for 50 Cent’s interviews.

50 Cent was great to have on set and was a pleasure to work with. 50 is very busy at the moment with the release of his new album “Before I Self Destruct” which is available in all record stores now.

We had a great crew on this shoot. Alex Sierra was the DP again, Chris Piazza and Jeremy Leach were also camera operators with Jon Beattie operating the steadicam. Michael Correa was the Audio/Video tech. Audio was by Ethan Goldberger with Brett Hammond doing the breakaway audio. Jeff Clark was our utility and Chad Williams and Gabriel Cassia were our PAs. It was great to work with BET again and we’re already prepping the next episode of “Food for Thought.” The new episode, “Conversations with 50″ Cent premiers Thursday November 19th at 7:30pm on BET.

You can see all the photos from the shoot on our flickr site.

Medco Health Solutions, a major pharmaceutical company, got in touch with dvDepot. They’re shooting videos at their locations around the country and they hired us to work at their New Jersey location. They’re shooting people speaking in front of greenscreens. Our portable greenscreen was ideal for the situation. At 10X20, it can be used to make a full cyc or folded up for smaller situations. The adjustable width and height even allows us to work in small spaces.

The project was shot by Roger Coraggio, who shoots a lot of our fashion work. The audio was by Ethan Goldberger. Our multitalented PA Daniel Pleacoff helped set up and light the greenscreen. The people at Medco were very happy with the result.