Shift 4 unveils new cinematography facility

Broadcast specialist Shift 4 has launched its brand-new cinematography facility, offering a versatile testing space previously only available to camera crew in the US and Europe.

After years of collaborating with DPs and focus pullers, Shift 4 established “there was a clear need for a tailored service and specialised unit focussing on HETV, dramas, commercials and features.”

Shift 4 Cine’s adaptable new space, which combines an experienced team and top-of-the-range tools, is specifically designed to help DPs, directors and producers craft the visual grammar for their projects.

The Look Development Studio marks a departure from typical lens test setups. Shift 4 Cine’s approach incorporates all the technical markers DPs look for within the testing process, including built-in LEDs & lightboxes, as well as the choice for either natural or DMX controlled lighting, textured surfaces, and modular furniture. In the adjoining room there’s a fully connected Viewing and Grading suite with DaVinci Resolve for a LUT stress testing and development process.

The facility has a range of lenses on offer but for DPs searching for that special glass, there’s a four-strong engineering team working on Special Optical Projects. Here, “they’ll be tweaking, tuning, reworking, and building optical tools for custom looks, giving cinematographers access into new ways of seeing the world.”

Established in 1989, Shift 4 is one of the longest-running rental houses in London, making its name in the broadcast industry while lending its expertise to many high-end TV shows over the years.