Fujinon Lenses Capture 3D IMAX Film Wild Ocean

http://www.uemedia.net/CPC/digitalcinemamag/articles/article_16826.shtml By Staff Feb 26, 2008, 04:50

Cinematographer/producer D.J. Roller recently wrapped principal photography on Wild Ocean, an IMAX 3D film shot with two Fujinon Cine Style zoom lenses mounted on a Cameron/Pace Fusion underwater 3D camera system. Shot over two summers along South Africa’s Kwazulu-Natal Coast, the film documents the annual sardine run, in which massive schools of sardines swim up the coast in search of food, drawing predators including dolphins and sharks to the area. The environmental documentary is expected to be released to IMAX and Digital 3D theaters in March.

All underwater sequences were shot with two Fujinon HA10x5B-W50 HD Cine Style zoom lenses mounted on a Cameron/Pace Fusion underwater HDTV 3D camera system. The lenses are encased in specially-made lens barrels for the rig and affixed to custom-configured Sony HDC-F950 1080p HD cameras.

Roller has led film expeditions on all seven continents but found this location to be particularly challenging. According to Roller, it was the combination of Fujinon lenses and the Pace underwater camera system that made it possible to meet the numerous challenges presented by underwater filming. “The camera technology afforded us longer record times, and the lenses gave extremely sharp images. Since the camera and lens are encased in an underwater housing, switching out lenses is not possible. Without the lenses Fujinon developed for the Pace camera, we wouldn’t have had the flexibility cinematically to capture the amazing pictures we did.”

The untouched, wild coast provides ideal conditions for the sardines but not necessarily for filmmakers. Sardine runs like the one captured in Wild Ocean previously occurred in areas with similar current patterns throughout the world’s oceans, but because of over-fishing, the only place to see this natural phenomenon is now on the South African coast. This difficult-to-reach location was another reason the compact and lightweight Fujinon lenses were well suited for the shoot. “On other underwater projects, we’ve had the luxury of a research ship and a huge harbor to dive from. Given that our location was very unique and so wild, we took just two 25-foot Zodiac boats—one for support equipment and one for camera equipment—down river tributaries to get to the ocean.”

Roller’s crew had to be nimble, moving quickly to capture the numerous feeding frenzies that take place below the ocean’s surface. “The ‘Holy Grail’ of natural history filmmaking is capturing something that no one has ever seen before. The underwater team rode on the camera boat and deployed the equipment in a matter of seconds. Capitalizing quickly on an opportunity can make or break a nature film. Timing is everything, because wild animals don’t give you a second take.”