Angnieux partner of Le Ride - the Tour de France in 40 miles on a 98s bike !

2014-02-14 : Ang nieux partner of Le Ride - the Tour de France in 3340 miles on a 1928s bike !

Ang nieux partner of Le Ride the Tour de France in 3340 miles on a 1928's bike !

During the summer 2013, the year of the 100th Tour de France, Phil Keoghan, a New Zealand born TV celebrity, best known for hosting The Amazing Race on CBS, paid tribute to Harry Watson, the first New Zealand biker in a Tour de France by retracing the route of the Tour de France 1928. He accomplished the total of 3,500 miles (5,600 km) in 22 stages on a vintage 1928 Ravat bike with no gear shifts! Le Ride, a cinema verite production, was shot in 4k format with Sony F55 cameras equipped with Optimo DP 16-42, Optimo DP 30-80 and Optimo 45-120 provided by Angenieux as an official partner of the event.

Le Ride is currently in the editing process and will be released in the theaters later in 2014.

Cinematographer Scott Shelley who shot most of Le Ride from the back of a motorcycle gave us his feedback:

Le Ride is a verite documentary. Shooting from the back of a motorcycle for 26 days we followed the saga of two bicyclists, Phil Keoghan and Ben Cornell, as they rode the 3500 mile circumference of France, retracing the route of the 1928 Tour De France. We shot in all kinds of weather and in every conceivable lighting condition. The action was constant and free flowing; nothing was staged for the camera. We endeavored to never impede the rider's progress for any reason. If you missed something, that was that.

We needed a 4k camera kit that is light and versatile. We went with the Sony F-55 camera and Angenieux Optimo lenses. The camera was set up with a shoulder mount and handgrips but no follow focus or matt box; just a light weight clip-on lens hood & filter holder. Simplicity and balance. We needed to keep it as light as possible.

Given the physical challenges and the fact that we were shooting 4k for theatrical distribution, the lens choice was my single biggest concern going in.I also didnt agree with what some suggested was the "obvious" choice: the Cabrio 19-90 servo zoom. My preference was to go with the Optimo 16-42 as my primary lens.The problem I have with the Cabrio lens is related to its use in hand held shooting; it's too nose heavy. It is about a pound and a half heavier than the Optimo, and much of that weight extends almost 9 from the camera.This combination of weight and length creates a significant amount of polar inertia that is hard to overcome in fast-paced shooting, so unwanted motion can end up in the shot. And its just not wide enough. By comparison the Optimo is shorter, lighter, wider and faster. All aspects that help determine what and how one can shoot in difficult conditions.

We also knew that we would have to live with long takes from a single camera to cover some of the most critical action. Any mechanical hindrance in capturing those moments would be problematic. The Optimos have precise focusing with no ramping or breathing. And the optical quality of these lenses is beyond reproach: great speed, sharpness and contrast. All critical aspects for this project.

However we also needed beautiful cinematic landscapes in which to place the action and compare with archive photos of historic locations from the of 1928 Tour. This was the mission of our second camera operator Uri Sharon. For this we chose the Optimo 30-80 and the Optimo 45-120 with a 2x extender. This combination gave us all the range we needed while maintaining a consistent look and quality.

Verite filmmaking is all about capturing unpredictable actions in uncontrollable conditions. When the sun is blazing there is no time to set up a china silk and bounce card. Riding through a village at 2 am in the rain the only available light comes from street lamps and the occasional passing truck. The Optimo lenses exceeded my expectations in all of these conditions.

LINK:	http://www.angenieux.com/zoom-lenses/news/angenieux-partner-of-le-ride...
	See more stories from angenieux

More from Angenieux