Camreras & Accessories News

Ambitious series shoot

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:02

Anthony Hardwick on the set of Rizzoli & Isles

Rizzoli & Isles DOP Anthony Hardwick has purchased a second OConnor head for the hit TNT series that is currently airing.

Hardwick, who has added a new 2575D to his support package, says: “Season Two has become more ambitious and we need to capture more action in the same timeframe set for a television shoot.”

For the second season production he has chosen to shoot with a pair of Arri Alexa cameras, a pair of Optimo 12:1 zooms, and a set of Arri Master Primes.

“At the core of my camera support is both an OConnor 2575 and now a 2575D,” continues Hardwick. “Having come up through the camera department, I have done my share of operating on various television shows and movies over the years, and OConnor has always been my fluid head of choice. OConnor heads are the perfect tools to capture fast action long lens shots, as well as being all-around workhorses for shooting traditional studio style coverage.

“Season Two is a challenge. The schedule hasn’t changed but our shows are becoming more ambitious, pumping up the action, as usually happens with a hit series. We’ve got bigger stunts and effects sequences and have brought in a third camera. I can reveal that we managed to do over 100 setups on one particular day this season with three cameras.”

In the first season finale, Hardwick had to capture a full siege of the police precinct. “We did several 600mm to 1,000mm shots simulating a sniper’s view as he scans rooftops and the street,” Hardwick explains. “The rock-solid support of the 2575 made those shots dynamic and steady at the same time, which is a lot to ask for at those extreme focal lengths.”

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