Blackmagic Design’s Pocket Cinema Cameras were recently used to shoot concert and behind-the-scenes footage for the band Thirty Seconds to Mars. Videographer and DP K.C. Lauf used the Pocket Cinema Camera to capture every possible moment, both on stage and off, during the band’s recent 25 show Carnivores Tour co-headlined with Linkin Park.
“Our motto is, ‘if you didn’t film it, it didn’t happen,’ which is why we film absolutely everything on tour. From the moment we wake up in the morning, we are shooting B roll of the crew, the stages being built, the instrument prep, planning meetings, band arrival and prep, interactions with fans, artist relations, VIP events, performances and meet and greets. We are busy all day, every day,” explained Lauf. “Distribution for the footage is endless. In addition to using video and frame grabs across social media, all footage is archived for use in documentaries, TV promos, band promos, Internet streams and more.
“For this kind of workflow, simplicity, mobility and reliability while maintaining quality are key,” he added. “We don’t have time to deal with cumbersome drives, extra cables, slow speeds and a hassled post process. It’s why we chose the Pocket Cinema Camera. It was a snap to get high quality footage off the SD cards. Not to mention the sensor provides huge dynamic range, which let us get all the details in one shot.”
Lauf typically shot in ProRes for longer durations and during performances, but for insert, texture or landscape shots, he used RAW for even greater detail. “It’s about quality and quickness. We post videos of the tour and even video snippets throughout the day on the band’s website and via social media, and we want a real look to it,” he said. “Fans watching the videos can feel like they’re on stage or with the band having a VIP experience. The camera’s dynamic range and the cinematic realness of the footage helped create that connection for them.
Each performance is full of action, lights and movement, with the band, led by frontman Jared Leto, fully engaging the audience, and according to Lauf, the Pocket Cinema Camera captured it all.
“I love how focus peaking is built into the camera. I moved around so much, and there was so much movement on stage, that it was quick and easy for the super important shots I needed. We really used the camera to its fullest potential, and the resulting cinematic footage is amazing,” said Lauf. “Jared had shot with it as well and reviewed footage on the camera and set up shots on stage all the time.”
The Pocket Cinema Camera was housed in a Wooden Camera rig, and a Panasonic wide angle lens and audio recorder rounded out the setup. “Touring means being constantly on the move, and the camera is so easy to set up and travel with. I can throw it in a Pelican case and carry on planes. We got a huge bang out of one of the smallest camera packages possible, and it’s made our camera process 10 times better,” said Lauf.
