CRAFT AND CAMARADERIE

In the shadow of the iconic power station, the cinematography community descended on London’s Battersea Evolution conference centre for another bumper edition of BSC Expo. As ever, the show was the ultimate destination to discover the latest innovations and insight in the world of filmmaking, and with 7764 attendees and 127 exhibitors taking part, there was no better opportunity to exchange ideas with collaborators old and new.  

“It’s great to bring the community of filmmakers back together, have conversations about our craft, see the amazing innovations of all the technologists, and get communication going again,” said BSC president Christopher Ross.  

CAMERAS  

BSC Expo has always highlighted current trends in cinema and filmmaking technology, particularly cameras, lenses and lighting. Even though there was not a large amount of new product releases, this year’s event reflected current directions and how manufacturers are approaching the market. This was particularly the case with camera companies, most of which are now offering a full range of models, from top-end cinematography to B, crash and fixed cameras. 

In this way, explained Claus Pfeifer, head of connected content acquisition at Sony Professional Solutions Europe, cinematographers can have a consistent look and workflow. “Venice 2 is the A-camera and the FX30 is the crash-cam,” he said. “They are both part of our Cinema Line range and have similar sensors, although Venice is full frame and the FX30 has a Super 35 sensor.” 

Another trend is what Will Newman, business development manager for cinematography at Sony Europe, described as a mix of broadcast and cinema styles. “Coverage of the football World Cup in Qatar used the FX3 and FX6 for crowd shots and people have been seeing the difference,” he said. The main showcase, however, was the company’s virtual production system. Based on Crystal LED panels, this has a smaller pixel pitch (1.26mm) and is designed to work in conjunction with the Venice 2. Newman added that Crystal LED’s anti-reflective coating reduced light spill, which he described as “one of the huge problems of virtual production”. 

Canon has similarly broadened out its Cinema EOS range to encompass main shoot and supporting shot cameras. Customer marketing executive for pro video, Tom Storey, commented that the C70 was intended as the A-camera on smaller features, corporate productions and short films, as well as for B-camera on bigger shoots. This is supplemented by the R5 C, also a mirrorless camera but one that, said Storey, has moved over from the stills world into video/film. Describing it as a “hybrid” model, he said that it combines features of the Cinema EOS and EOS R series to produce “two cameras in one”. 

ARRI ensures the same look over its main camera family through the REVEAL Colour Science, now integrated into the Mini LF and Alexa LF as well as the Alexa 35. This, explained product manager Marc Shipman Mueller, allowed for closer matching across different cameras. Brand new for ARRI at the show was the Impression V (for vintage) line of eight filters – four positive and four negative diopters – designed for Signature Prime lenses. “People want a more organic or softer image from digital cameras and that can be achieved by fitting these filters behind the lens,” Shipman Mueller commented. 

Highlights at Blackmagic Design’s stand included the new Cintel Scanner G3 HDR+, featuring a completely new high intensity light source that allows real time HDR film scanning in Ultra HD. In other news, DaVinci Resolve is now updated to v18, and there is a free version available, or the Resolve Studio version for £255 with some high-end features. 

Panalux and Panavision went along the route of a whisky bar at BSC 2023. The set was primarily aimed at meeting people with apparently minimal equipment on show, yet this was somewhat of a subtle illusion. There were certainly some high-end cameras from Panavision to experience and lighting provided from Panalux. Cameras on show were the Alexa 35, Sony Venice 2 and RED Raptor. 

Panavision cameras now include the Panavision Millennium DXL2, RED Komodo, RED V-Raptor, Phantom Flex 4K, ARRI Alexa in many forms, ARRI Amira, Sony F35, Venice and Venice 2. 

The lighting on the set was created using some of the unique Panalux products that have been designed and built by the R&D team in Panalux London. Several 3×2 Sonaras created a warm backlight overhead (these are also available in 4×4 and 4×1 sizes) Some of the new Panalux Allegra range of fixtures were suspended overhead transitioning through different intense colours and demonstrated the unique in house Panalux products. 

New from Panasonic Lumix was the S5 MkII, released in February. This full frame mirrorless camera offers 6K video, dual native ISO and a new hybrid focusing system including phase-detect auto-focus. Lumix also promoted its range of box cameras, with the DC-BGH1 Micro Four Thirds model offering C4K 60p/50p resolution and 10-bit video recording; and the DC-BS1H featuring a full-frame sensor and 6K 24p video recording. Both, said business development manager Julian Hollingshead, are Netflix approved and come with SDI, Ethernet and Power over Ethernet connections. 

S35 continues to be in-demand and RED Digital Cinema previewed two new cameras based on it. The V-RAPTOR 8K S35 and V-RAPTOR XL 8K S35 employ the same sensor, which has the cinema quality and scan time of its 8K VV equivalent. The XL version additionally features RED’s new integrated ND system, which gives density control in 1/4, 1/3 and full-stop steps. The V-RAPTOR XL was also demonstrated in 8K live streaming mode using the RED Connect system. This enables 8K R3D video to be live streamed over an IP network direct to a post-production facility. 

LENSES AND FILTERS 

Cooke Optics gave a first showing to its new Varotal/iFF 19-40mm full frame spherical zoom. It completes the series, joining the existing 30-95mm and 85-215mm models. Carey Duffy, Cooke’s director of product experience, commented that the company was talking to users who were looking to integrate the Varotals with S7 or S8 Primes, with the possibility they might also use the zooms as their main glass. 

The main attraction on the Fujifilm stand was the Fujinon HZK 25-1000 cinematic box lens. Described by Andreas Georghiades, head of marketing for Imaging Solutions, as a “unique oddity”, it is essentially a TV systems camera lens with a filmic look. Aimed at live production, the HZK has a native PL mount and operates on a dual format basis, supporting two sensor sizes; large format type 3 and S35. This received its first UK showing together with Panasonic’s AK-PLV100. Based on the VariCam, it is a 4K studio model with a capture frame rate that can be switched to Cinematic 24p or 30p on a 60p system. Georghiades explained the PLV100’s presence by saying, as a lens manufacturer, Fujifilm wanted to “show the cameras that people are using”. 

Gecko-Cam appeared on both its own stand, with its full range including the Genesis G35s, Genesis G35 Vintage 66s and Vintage Ultra and Supreme Primes, and as part of the expanded CVP Lens Bar on the Mezzanine level.   

Leitz introduced the Hugo set of seven lenses, a re-housed version of the Leica M photographic lens. These now have cine LPL mounts and an extended focus throw of 90 to 270-degrees while, said regional sales manager for EMEA Kevan Parker, retaining the “classic Leica M look”. Also on show was the new design for the ELSIE range. which will eventually offer 13 lenses, with eight currently on the market covering large format sensors at T2.1. 

In addition to showcasing the latest additions to its lighting, grip and camera ranges, rental house Pixipixel introduced two new lenses: the classic Mamiya Sekor 645 and the Optix Fisheye, which was redesigned and reengineered by Pixipixel’s camera technical director, Renos Louka. It covers full frame with features including a wide-angle view with 17mm focal length and 2.8 T-stop. 

The Sigma 65mm T1. 5 FF is a Full Frame high speed Prime Line lens which is compatible with large format 8K digital cinema cameras. This is a prime lens that incorporates an optical and mechanical system specially designed for cinema lenses to meet the stringent requirements. The 65mm T2.5 Classic FF Prime incorporates non-coated optical elements that brings a classic lens look and leaves the user with the ability to create a true-life flare inside the lens when on set.  

BSC Expo marked the worldwide introduction of Tiffen Black Fog and Night Fog diffusion filters. Black Fog combines Black Pro-Mist with Fogs. Night Fog combines Fog with proprietary new Dark Con. Tiffen’s famous line of filters includes new Warm Diffusions: Antique Black Pearlescent, Antique Pearlescent, and Antique Satin. Tiffen also displayed ND Drone filters for today’s popular flying systems including DJI range of drones, also on display was the rear filters with magnets to attach to the ARRI Signature Zoom lenses. 

True Lens Service (TLS) convert, service, test and repair film, broadcast, professional, industrial and projection lenses for film and television industries in the UK and internationally. They have developed and refined a brand-new housing that adds modern functionality and a new lease of life to legendary optics. The system is of modular design and because of that it has been adaptable in being able to accommodate a wide variety of optical units. This includes the most recent project of rehousing the Mamiya 645 lenses, and many more. 

Zeiss presented its current range of optics but highlighted the CinCraft Mapper digital service. This is designed to provide frame-accurate lens distortion and shading data for digital compositing and match-moving in visual effects to achieve an accurate and realistic cinematic result. 

LIGHTING 

AC-ET offered a wide range of lighting fixtures from both Chroma-Q and Prolights, along with the Luminex range of control and switching equipment, Manfrotto stands, including the new Buccaneer, and Avenger hardware. 

On the stand at Ambersphere Solutions/Astera LED were Astera’s cylindrical battery-powered LED tubes. These are controllable with on tube buttons and also programmable with a free app with customisable effects. Behind the “curtain” on the stand were two new prototypes being developed, and the immediate reaction is they will create a great interest in lighting companies when they are released. Watch this space. 

Aputure’s Infinibars are a new RGBWW LEDC Pixel bar with a square profile, seamlessly connected end to end. They incorporate industry-leading pixel density. And the user can arrange them into shapes with splicing connectors giving an infinite seamless design. Aputure were also showcasing their Amaran pixel tubes (2700K to 10,000K). 

Introduced at the end of last year, ARRI‘s 25 and 35-degree Projection Optics for Orbiter were among the company’s lighting offering, together with the 15-65-degree Fresnel lens. The Projection Optics enable the creation of light spots, shutter cuts and gobo effects, which ARRI sees as being attractive to the theatre market as well as for TV drama and feature films. 

Accessories were also a highlight of K5600 Lighting’s stand, notably the Spacebeam for the Alpha range. While it was designed specifically for the Alpha 4K, K5600’s Kenny Galerne explained it could also be used on other lamps in the series. Among the effects now possible are a narrow beam and a space light. Galerne commented that these, together with open face, Fresnel and parallel beam operations, made the Alpha even more versatile. 

LCA featured a number of brands on their stand, including Creamsource and their new Flashbandit accessory. It’s available for synchronising Creamsource lights with a wide range of sources. The heads can be fine-tuned to flash for between 1 flash per frame to multiple flashes per frame. Used with high-speed cameras and multiple heads with different colours, it’s an interesting effect. 

On the theme of Battery “generators” were “Betteries”. These are upcycled Li-Ion batteries from electric Renault cars and housed into new high power batteries. They have an output of 2 x 24V 600W, 48V 2 x 670W or can be joined together and put through an inverter to create 2-5KW 220V units. They show remaining power and capacity runtime through an app.  

Cirro Lite also provided a launch pad for the new Kino Flo MIMIK 120 for lighting LED volumes. Outputting 8,000 NITS, MIMIK 120 is driven by the Megapixel VR HELIOS LED processor and housed in a lightweight carbon fibre frame. It also integrates Kino Flo’s Matchmakker technology to deal with some of problems associated with lighting LED volumes by converting an incoming RGB video signal into five individual emitters (warm white, cool white, red, green and blue). 

Chimera‘s display included the recent Octa 5 lightbank for Creamsource’s Vortex8, together with the Octa 2 and 6. SUMOLIGHT, which had equipment on the Sony stand as part of its virtual production feature, demonstrated its SUMOSKY LED wall running in conjunction with the SUMOMAX interactive LED luminare that was designed to work with virtual volumes. 

Also on the Cirro Lite stand were dedolight‘s next generation LED lighting fixtures, the neo and neo color. The most recent neo heads are now powered by the DTN neo LED ballast, with a range from 20 to 90 Watt in monocolour, bi-colour, infrared and ultraviolet. New from Fiilex for 2023 is a 90W G3 colour ellipsoidal spotlight that features advanced optics and a rotating yoke barrel for directing the light. 

DoP Choice have created the DOUBLE-HEX SNAPBAG® for the FAT-RABBIT™. This is an 8ft version of the originals in a new nearly-round, double hex shape for the ARRI Skypanel S360. There are also new Snapbags for the Astera tube range. 

The Litegear Auroris V is a 3m x 1.5m, 12 large pixel variation on the 24 pixel Auroris X. With a C.T range between 2,000K and 11,000K, a 6 colour LED set, 48V Input and power draw of 600W. It has an IP 20 rating.  

Power Gems are known for their 1,000Hz high frequency ballasts for HMI lighting, yet there is more. Fluorescent tube fixtures will soon be banned, so to cease the endless landfill this would create means different thinking. Power Gems now provide a service to unleash new life into some fluorescent heads designed for green screen CVC use by converting them to LED heads. The head exterior shell is retained and the electronics are completely replaced, adding DMX and manual fader functionality. They are essentially bi-colour, with 3200K and 5600K LEDS able to be mixed.  

Lightbridge had their CRLS system on display – a compilation of different reflectors in various sizes that reflect with different diffusion levels. They are graded from 0-4, and go from a mirror finish to a white reflector. 0 is a mirror, and 4 is a white reflector. They range from the smallest at 7cm square to 100 cm  (7,15,25,50, 100) and supplied in different kit configurations with different sized reflectors. 

Vivendum’s Quasar Science had Rainbow 2 (R2), high quality tuneable white light and the highest RGB colour saturation with multiple pixels and flicker free dimming in 2ft, 4ft and 8ft lengths.  

The Double Rainbow (RR) Linear LED has two rows of high fidelity RGBX pixels, creates realistic lighting with vibrant saturated colours and intense white light, in both 2ft and 4ft lengths. 

Alongside Rosco‘s established DMG Lighting range – including the DASH, DMG SL1 and MAXI – was the new DASH Octa kit. This comprises eight DASH fixtures, which come either with or without CRMX, eight standard accessories (egg crates, dome diffuse flat diffusers, gel holders) and two LINK4 mounting adapters in a compact roller case. The company also highlighted its backdrops together with a prototype virtual production system, RDX LAB. This employs Rosco’s library of cinematic backdrops combined with virtual technology to control depth, colour, contrast, time of day and horizon line. Also on show was the X-Effects range of LED projectors. 

MONITORS, ON-CAMERA GEAR, AND GRIP EQUIPMENT 

British remote camera head manufacturers A&C showcased the Lumi-Pod 100, a dedicated remote head for large heavy stage lights, and the adjustable tubular chassis handles large lamp heads up to 70kg, with a simple balance adjustment. Another must-see was the Wingdinger wingnut spanner, designed and produced in-house. 

Anton Bauer had the VCLX NM2 600Wh NiMH block battery. High-current fixtures can be run from 2 x XLR4 ports (24A at 14.4V) and 1 x XLR3 (16A at 28V or 12A at 48V). There is also a USB-A output. NiMH chemistry means it is safe to fly. Advanced battery management with the 2.4” colour LCD screen displays remaining runtime, charge time or active power draw and internal “smart logging” of over 40 potential errors. 

Bright Tangerine showed the brand-new final version of the Prodigy Air Deflector (the prototype was shown at least year’s BSC show). Recently used on The Batman, this device keeps a lens clear from rain, snow, sea water, dust and debris, and is the perfect solution for keeping a clear lens. 

Core SWX presented the Apex APX-360HV V-Mount on board battery, 367 W.h Lithium Ion, DC 22v-33.6v, capable of outputting up to 12A continuously as well as providing extended runtimes. They also had the Maverick, a travel-safe block battery with built-in charging, with a capacity of 605Wh.  

Creative Solutions highlighted the Teradek Bolt 6, an industry-first 6GHz zero-delay wireless video. Bolt 6 transmits and receives over the newly opened 6GHz frequency band, dramatically reducing signal congestion. Also on show was Wooden Camera’s new custom-designed rig for the Sony Venice and Rialto 2 Camera Extension System, which has a streamlined baseplate with a low C/G, an updated D-Box, a unique top-plate that slides directly onto the camera-top dovetail, and a front cage with stainless steel DLC coated rosettes. 

Filmotechnic has developed some of the industry’s most versatile, advanced and stable fleet of high-performance camera car systems in the industry. They are capable of carrying virtually any camera package and enable highly dynamic, stunning and precisely controlled and complex on-the-fly shots from just about any angle. The systems have been used on films including Mission Impossible with Tom Cruise, Michael Bay’s Transformers and many more. 

The Green Voltage mobile power units are designed specifically for use within the film, TV and live productions, and the E-Gen range is ideal for powering lighting, electrical and camera units, production villages and other departments with no noise or diesel fume emissions. The range is ideal as a primary, back up or UPS source, and has a rapid charge time of less than 2.5 hours. 

The E GEN range includes power units in a selection of sizes, from 2kW and 5kW right up to the impressive 20k – 60/80/100kW variants – each providing up to 10 hours continuous power. It has rugged designs with no moving parts (aside from a small fan), IP54 rating and wireless monitoring capabilities. 

Gripbits’ heavy-duty vacuum is used with different vacuum feet to rig gear. An industrial grade pump extracts over 80 litres of air /min. This means bigger rigs can be built and the vacuum is maintained. It is powered by a standard V lock battery or from any 12-volt battery or car cigarette lighter and fitted with a mechanical vacuum gauge to monitor pressure. Even when the power is off you can still see the system status. A 6mm hard anodised cheeseplate is fitted as standard for rigging. All the holes are on one-inch spacing and some are tapped 3/8×16 and 1/4×20 UNC.  

Battery manufacturers Hawk-Woods showcased their range of camera batteries, chargers, power adaptors, cables and plugs at the show. Head of sales Hazar Kinali explained how, with new cameras having ever-higher power consumption, the Hawk-woods team are investing more in R&D to ensure their products find the balance between runtime and weight, keeping user satisfaction and comfort in mind. 

Ideavision showed a variety of vibration reducers at the Expo. The Hybris is custom designed to reduce high and low frequency vibrations and hard impact shocks typically experienced when shooting from moving platforms on rough terrain or paved roads. The Vybris dampens vibrations from mountings such as car rigs, cranes and arms, while the AXL compensation axis is the world’s lightest iso dampener. Meanwhile, The VacuMount system is ideal for mounting cameras, gimbals, camera heads, lights or other accessories on all smooth surfaces such as windows, cars, walls. 

On the hardware side of the show, Miller Fluid Heads displayed its CiNX range of supports for the cinema market, reporting that it is doing well in its home territory of Australia as well as the US and is now to gaining “some traction” in the UK. Matthews Studio Equipment, exhibiting on the Cirro Lite stand, highlighted the new black finish version of the CAM Tank fluid head and the Dovetail Cross Plate, which can be added to existing camera supports to give further 90 and 45-degree angles. 

Over at MK-V, the virtual production set simulator software was demonstrated by Ruben Sluiter. This can help you visualise a complete set/location or scene, and gives the ability to see a visual representation and work out logistics and equipment beforehand. All parameters of set design, access, camera, lenses, focus, apertures, lighting, sun angles, cranes and grip can be added. A camera move can be worked out to see if the crane will fit, or if the lighting fixtures can be seen. A change of camera, lens, time of day, dolly or crane height can be added to see any issues.  

Motion Impossible showcased their AGITO Sports remotely controlled dolly system with tower plus MagTrax for pre-programmed movement as part of CVP’s virtual production setup. MagTrax was launched a year ago and appeared on the Motion Impossible stand this year in the main exhibition area along with AGITO SKYTRAX and TRAX, COLUMN for heavier payloads and AGITO Sim and Creator, the company’s first CINEVERSE powered pre-release application for creating interactive configuration in Unreal Engine. 

A key product on the OConnor stand, part of Vivendum, was the Ultimate 1040 fluid head. It allows cinematographers to move from heavier to lighter payloads without sacrificing quality, and features the brand’s Sinusoidal Counterbalance system. 

Optical Support offers a comprehensive range of camera stabilising equipment and accessories for the TV and film industry from industry-standard brands including Tiffen, GPI Pro, Preston, Flowcine and ARRI as well as in-house bespoke products and Rickshaw packages. The rental team have vast industry experience in creating the packages required for a shoot. There is also the ability to engineer and create custom set-ups on a project-by-project basis. 

Preston presented the Light Ranger 2, which incorporates an infrared distance measuring system with 16 distinct measurement zones, allowing the focus puller to visualise the depth of an entire scene without looking away from the monitor.  

Focus assist graphics are overlaid the camera image displayed on the video monitor. Each of the 16 simultaneous distance measurements corresponds to a specific section of the image, and is represented with a green or white rectangle overlay directly on top of the image at that location. The LR2M is great for any crane, car-to-car, dolly, Steadicam, or other shots where the camera is moving. 

Qinematiq, producers of focusing assistance devices, showcased their Smart Range 2 – based on two different technologies, an ultrasonic sensor and a mobile radio tag. The tag can capture subjects that are much further away to the camera, even when subjects are moving. Qinematiq’s IMAGE+ is the worldwide first system to scan the film set and simultaneously tracks multiple objects in real time, creating a three-dimensional image of it. The distance values of all objects are permanently available and can be used to focus the camera lens either manually or automatic ramp shifting between subjects. 

Ratworks had their beautifully designed and crafted cheeseplates, handgrips and other mounting accessories on display. All work is produced in house in the UK using high grade billet (solid aluminium) including design, milling and machining, anodising and engraving. Specific anodising colours are available, and Ratworks can produce custom designs for specific projects. 

Battery solutions providers Revolt provide large-capacity solutions for clean energy on location. They incorporate Second-Life cell-packs coupled with the very latest technology and BMS software. They provide a series of portable power solutions up to a 40ft sea container. Manufactured in the UK all portable generators can be charged from a domestic 13 amp source with fast charge times of just 2.5 hours. Solar charging is also possible. 

Ronford Baker’s Lightweight Precision Camera Slider, available in 2ft and 3ft lengths, runs on precision ground stainless steel rails to ensure a smooth and silent operation. It can be configured without using any extra tools, and there is the ability to use either a 100mm or 150mm bowl mount options both on top or underneath. There is also a flat plate option for using attaching a quick release or dovetail plate. 

Highlights of the Rotolight stand included the new NEO 3 PRO, AEOS 2, and its SmartSoft Box. The NEO 3 PRO is the brightest LED on-camera light ever made with up to three stops more flash power than its previous generation.  

Dutch manufacturer SolidGripSystems has a focus on traditional camera movement. Its TrussDolly System is a very versatile system. It is a railing system used for horizontal, diagonal and vertical movement of the camera. The camera can be mounted on the TrussDolly on top or underslung. The TrackJack is a great idea to use when moving grip kit around. Push the TrackJack underneath a piece of BarTrack, lock it, then wheel the track to the desired position. Unlock the TrackJack and you are set to shoot. 

SERVICES AND LABS 

While digital is now firmly established in filmmaking, film itself still has a major role. Julie Taylor-Butt, senior manager of marketing at Kodak UK, commented that the company was continuing to advocate for film, explaining it was accessible to “all budgets and production types”. Cinelab established itself as a film lab and continues to work with the format, notably its DFD (Digital-Film-Digital) process. Described as analogue intermediate, this involves scanning a digital movie file on to celluloid, processing it and then transferring back to digital to achieve a filmic feel. Cinelab chief executive Adrian Bull explained that DFD added a film grain look while retaining the sharp digital image underneath. 

Over on the ARRI Rental stand, the centre of attention for cameras was the Monochrome version of the Alexa, with black and white sensors now available on the 65, 35 and LF. Of more interest, perhaps. was the new Heroes lens family. This is not a traditional lens series but a grouping of individual optics that do not fit anywhere else. Currently it comprises the T.ONE, claimed to be the first cine lens usable at T1 without dropping image quality, and the LOOK, featuring a three-dial ring for de-tuning images. “Individually they wouldn’t comprise an entire set, so we decided to create an umbrella for single lenses that can be used to complement ‘normal lenses’,” said Andrew Prior, head of camera technology and development at ARRI Rental UK. Also on show were the Moviecam large format line of vintage primes, which originally appeared in the 1970s and 80s, and the ALFA large format anamorphics. 

CVP featured PTZ cameras and the new MYT Works Opti-Glide Compact portable system for quicker and more accurate warehouse camera checkouts but its centrepiece was the virtual production stage. Technical consultant Sam Measure explained that disguise provided the core workflow, taking tracking information from a Ncam system, running technology from Absen and Brompton, cameras, hybrid lights and a prototype turntable. 

Sunbelt Rentals has recently combined some of the biggest names in film and TV under one roof, including Movietech, PKE Lighting, Alpha Grip and Media Access Solutions. This means virtually everything, from cameras to powered access equipment, can be provided on set, on location, on time and on budget, from prep through to wrap. As part of Sunbelt now, Movietech has increased ability to expand the amount of new gear that can be bought, create camera and lighting packages, as well as location services and collaborate on more projects. This also means a larger ability to compete due to size of the business.  will soon be moving into a new 145,000 square feet premises in Stockley Park. 

Focussing on their state-of-the-art facilities opening soon in London, created specifically for DPs and crews working in drama, commercial & feature productions, the Shift 4 Cine stand also celebrated the extensive catalogue of lenses and cameras they’ve collected as one of London’s longest-running, independent rental houses. 

ORGANISATIONS 

To show that BSC Expo is not all about the gear, it featured stands reflecting the human side of the film business. The Association of Camera Operators (ACO) promoted the art and necessity of the camera operator, while the Mark Milsome Foundation highlighted the dangers operators can face, something it is campaigning to reduce. A recurring attraction was the Talent Bar, presented by Digital Orchard, which sought to offer a “welcoming space for new and established filmmakers”. 

Whether a feature film, TV drama or commercial chooses to shoot on film or digital, the GBCT has the technicians you will want on your production. GBCT members are at the cutting edge of our art and have the experience and training to provide the best of our talent. 

SOFTWARE 

PIX and CODEX showed their respective approaches for camera to cloud workflows. The PIX asset management system provided tools to manage H.264/H.265 proxy files sent directly from a shoot via Teradek Serv 4K units, with the ability to instantly review material and securely share to a cloud platform. CODEX demonstrated backing up Original Camera Files (OCF) on to a CODEX Transfer Drive and then moving them to MediaVault Edge before being pushed up to CODEX Cloud. 

PANELS 

An incredible line-up of cinematographers took to the seminar room stage over the Expo to share their knowledge and advice with attendees.  

Kate Reid BSC was joined by fellow Society members Si Bell BSC, Stephan Phersson BSC, Rina Yang BSC and Erik Alexander Wilson BSC for a fascinating discussion dubbed ‘Advice to my younger self: things I wish I knew earlier in my DP career’.  

“[At first] you’re going to be handholding – a lot,” said Yang. “It gets easier as you progress in your career and move onto bigger projects, so you’re surrounded by more experienced people.” 

“Bigger projects, bigger problems!” added Phersson.  

‘TV Drama: In Practice’, moderated by Stephen Murphy BSC ISC alongside Vanessa Whyte, Ed Moore BSC, Gavin Finney BSC, Laurie Rose BSC and Simona Susnea, centred around the practical realities of working in TV drama, including breaking into the field, the importance of prep, and the on-set collaboration. “If you and your first AD aren’t in sync, it’s not going to be a pleasant shoot,” said Murphy. “I always think of the director, DP and 1^st AD as the ‘triangle of sadness’ – we’re the pragmatists on set.” 

John de Borman BSC AFC led a discussion Ellen Kuras ASC, Rob Hardy ASC BSC and Daniel Landin BSC on ‘The Power of the Image: The importance of how and why we choose our images’. The panel dived into the artistry of discovering and creating images, and how sometimes what is excluded from a frame but implied is much more powerful. 

The three BSC Panels were complemented by a selection of exhibitor sessions, including two hosted by British Cinematographer editor Zoe Mutter. ‘Lensing Banshees: Behind the scenes with Ben Davis BSC (ARRI in partnership with British Cinematographer)’ was an incisive look at Davis’ work on Martin McDonagh’s drama, giving audience members a glimpse of the pair’s collaboration. “Martin likes to keep the camera running and get the actors into this space,” Davis explained. “It’s difficult to do that technically – there’s atmos in the room and that disappears, the actors start to sweat, the boom swinger’s got to hold… I remember we did a 12-minute run and I asked Martin if we could take a little break. I said to him, ‘Imagine you’re holding your hands above your head for twelve minutes – now imagine you’re holding a boom pole!’” 

Meanwhile, Sumolight’s ‘Interactive Lighting for Virtual Production & Beyond’ united DPs Balazs Bolygo BSC HSC and David Procter BSC, chief lighting technician Julian White, Sumolight CPO Innovations & Mechanical Design Sacha Jazbinsek, and Anna Valley’s director of virtual production Christina Nowak, to discuss image-based lighting, especially amid the new challenges of a virtual production environment.