Company's Upcoming Projects Include "RoboDoc," Feature Slated for National Lampoon Distribution
(SECAUCUS, NJ - September 25, 2007) Best Friend Films (Orlando, FL), a full-service film production company specializing in high definition work shot with Panasonic's AJ-HDC27 VariCam, used the HD Cinema camera to shoot the feature-length comedy, "RoboDoc", which will be distributed by National Lampoon Inc. later this year.
From Gordon-Tyne Productions, RoboDoc takes a darkly comedic look at the many maladies of the country's health care delivery system. Starring Alan Thicke (of TV's Growing Pains), the feature was directed by Stephen Maddocks, with cinematography by Stephen Campbell. Cinematographer Kevin Lang, a founder of Best Friend Films, served as Digital Image Technician (DIT).
As one of the first VariCam customers in the Southeast, Best Friend Films has a full roster of production equipment that also includes Panasonic's AG-HVX200 P2 HD camcorder, and the BT-LH2600W 26", BT-LH1700W 17" and BT-LH900A 8.4" multi-format HD LCD production monitors. Lang brought two VariCams (the second rented) and four LCD monitors to the set of RoboDoc.
"The VariCam, outfitted with our Pro35 digital lens adapter and Cooke S4/i 35mm lenses, delivered a seamless reproduction of the look of 35mm film without the big price tag," said Lang. "We made considerable use of off-speed shooting on RoboDoc, speeding up some operation scenes shot at 6-fps and slowing down a comely nurse at 60-fps."
The director used the two BT-LH1700Ws to monitor the output of the VariCams. DIT Lang checked back and forth between the cameras on the BT-LH2600W. The BT-LH900A was mounted on the VariCam and used as a viewfinder.
"During the course of the shoot, the 26" monitor tumbled down some concrete steps," Lang recalled. "The monitor is durable as can be -- it only suffered a little scratch, which I buffed out. Our clients love the monitors -- they're lightweight, compact and bright enough to use outside."
"Its ease of use is one of the key reasons I invested in the VariCam," Lang said. "We do a lot of music videos, and it's so useful to get into the camera and achieve different looks -- turning off the gamma, blooming out the highlights-- that can be recalled quickly. Essentially, special effects are built right into the camera."
Best Friend Films teams the VariCam and HVX200 for dozens of independent films, high-end-commercials and music videos, as well as various corporate programming including in-room and underwater video shot for Sandals Resorts. Upcoming projects include an episode of The History Channel's series Modern Marvels and a pilot for the Discovery Channel about the "Wizard of Orlampa," the second largest landowner in Florida with the world's largest collection of airplanes.
For more information about Best Friend Films, visit http://www.bestfriendfilms.com.
The AJ-HDC27 VariCam replicates many of the key features of film-based image acquisition, including 24-frame progressive scan images, time lapse recording, and a wide range of variable frame rates (4-fps to 60-fps in single-frame increments) for "overcranked" and "undercranked" off-speed in-camera effects. The AJ-HDC27 VariCam also features CineGamma™ software that permits Panasonic's HD Cinema camera systems to more closely match the latitude of film stocks.
The ultra-versatile AG-HVX200 records in 1080i and 720p in production-proven 100 Mbps DVCPRO HD quality, with the ability to capture images in 21 record modes. The camera records video on a P2 card as IT-friendly MXF files in 1080/60i, 30p and 24p; in 720/60p, 30p and 24p; in 50Mbps DVCPRO50 and in 25Mbps DVCPRO or DV. The HVX200 can capture fast or slow action in 720p at various frame rates--the first time this function is available in a hand-held camera. The shooting frame rate in 720p native mode can be set for any of 11 steps between 12fps and 60fps including 24fps and 30fps.
About Panasonic Broadcast
Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Co. is a leading supplier of broadcast and professional video products and systems. Panasonic Broadcast is a unit company of Panasonic Corporation of North America. The company is the North American headquarters of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE: MC) of Japan, and the hub of its U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. For more information on Panasonic Broadcast products, access the company's web site at http://www.panasonic.com/broadcast.
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