
The rich color palettes and creative lensing typically seen in feature films is becoming increasingly common for documentaries thanks to the EOS C500 4K Digital Cinema Camera and EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR camera from Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions. Director of photography (DP) Antonio Rossi used both of these cameras - and an assortment of Canon Cinema and EF-series lenses - to capture stylized, cinematic footage for Death Row Stories, an eight-part CNN Originals series about America's most compelling capital murder cases. The series is executive produced by Robert Redford and Laura Michalchyshyn of Sundance Productions, and by Alex Gibney, Dave Snyder, Stacey Offman, and Brad Hebert for Jigsaw Productions. Gibney also directs the series, with Isaac Bolden as producer.
DP Antonio Rossi lining-up a shot using a Canon EOS C500 Cinema camera in a New York City prison (photo by Daniel Carter).
The Super 35mm CMOS sensor, lovely color palettes, and dynamic range of the Canon EOS C500 wasn't available to productions at our budget level in the past, Rossi said. Docs were typically shot using Super 16mm film or 2/3-inch ENG cameras, and the image difference with 35mm was extreme. Those formats provided completely different looks. But now with the Canon EOS C300 and EOS C500 cameras, you can approximate some of the looks you'd get in feature films and higher-budget episodics to a much closer degree. It's exciting to be able to do that affordably for a documentary.
Rossi used a Canon EOS camera as his A camera and an EOS 5D Mark III to capture B-roll. The EOS C500 is equipped with an Emmy Award winning Canon Super 35mm, 8.3 megapixel CMOS image sensor. The Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR camera features a 22.3 megapixel full-frame Canon CMOS sensor. Both cameras captured in 1080p, although the EOS C500 4K Digital Cinema Camera also offers multiple recording and output options for 4K and 2K. Rossi's EOS C500 was configured to record Avid DNxHD files to an external Sound Devices PIX 240i recorder.
Creating Looks
Death Row Stories is mainly comprised of three styles of footage: artistically lit interviews, mood roll (B-roll of abstract shots to establish a mood), and stylized shots Rossi describes as quasi-reenactments. These reenactments are filmed to evoke the era each story depicts but not to graphically re-create crime scenes. Key to Rossi's ability to capture the kind of images Gibney sought for each type of shot was the use of the JR45Cine picture profile created by AbelCine. These camera settings were loaded into the EOS C500 Digital Cinema Camera from an SD card. Rossi then tweaked the profiles according to the desired look for each scene.
They provided a rich, gorgeous look, very nice colors, and very flattering skin tones, Rossi explained. Obviously, the subject matter of the show is pretty heavy and dramatic. There were times I wanted to increase the moodiness, and I was able to dial-in more contrast. The Canon EOS C500 let me do that easily by getting into the black gamma. I was able to use the JR45Cine picture profile as a jumping-off point for the looks I wanted, and then tweak them as needed. For example, for our first episode we shot stylized reenactments in Miami of events from the 1980's. I took some inspiration from a Miami detective series and similar shows from that era, with bright colors and deep shadows. I also used a lot more gels than would be typical for a documentary to give it a more dramatic, filmic look. I really like the colors and the images that the EOS C500 camera can give me, and the directions I can push it in.
Rossi exploited the creative looks made possible by the Canon EOS C500 4K Digital Cinema camera and JR45Cine picture profiles not only for reenactments and mood roll, but also for present-day interviews.
Our production schedule was extremely tight, and we didn't have a lot of time for color correction, so I tried to give post production an image that would require very little manipulation, Rossi said. We shot Rec 709; had this been a more of a cin ma v rit show I think Canon Log would have been a great way to go. I prefer Canon Log for run-and-gun situations. But in controlled interview situations with little time for post the Rec 709 setting on the EOS C500 looked great. The picture profiles we developed were complementary to our interview subjects while also heightening the drama of their locations. We were able to create beautiful scenes with light and shadow and shallow depth of field, and do it at the speed and in the sometimes less-than-ideal locations that television requires. I wanted the people we interview to look great - to look natural - and the Canon EOS C500 handles skin tones really well, which was important for us.
Lightweight and Low-Light
Both the Canon EOS C500 and EOS 5D Mark III cameras are highly mobile, have camera bodies that weigh less than 4 and 2 lbs. respectively, and can accommodate virtually any shooting set-up, from hand-held to used with a wide variety of third-party accessories.
I love the fact that you can configure the Canon EOS C500 camera in a lot of different ways, Rossi said. I generally like to build it up with long rods and a viewfinder to make it more like an ENG camera that's steady on my shoulder. But then also if I'm running around with it, I can put a still prime on it, use just the top handle and the viewfinder, and keep a very low profile. Stripped down, the EOS C500 is not really that much bigger than a still camera. And if we really need a low profile we use the EOS 5D Mark III DSLR. When you're getting a lot of different shots in, you're making very quick decisions about the best tool for each particular moment. It was nice to have the EOS 5D Mark III to be able to do some of the more extreme shots. We
Most recent headlines
13/03/2025
(L-R) Stephanie Suganami, Tatanka Means, John Malkovich, Ayo Edebiri, and Juliette Lewis attend the premiere of Opus at Eccles Theatre in Park City. (Photo by...
13/03/2025
Spotify took center stage at the London Book Fair this week, reaffirming our commitment to the audiobook market and showcasing our impact on the publishing indu...
13/03/2025
At Spotify, we work every day to lift up new voices, giving creators the opportunity to live off their art. Through Spotify Audiobooks, our in-house publishing ...
13/03/2025
Every time airborne law enforcement (ALE) teams fly, they expect their equipment to perform. Whether airborne units are conducting support for ground teams, bor...
13/03/2025
Sunday February 9 saw the annual return of the US' biggest television event, the Super Bowl LIX. Jamie McCombs, Fox Sports Audio Consultant / Sr. Audio capt...
13/03/2025
On Sunday March 2, stars across the film industry gathered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the 97th Academy Awards. Production Sound Mixer Paul Sandweis...
13/03/2025
WUPPERTAL, Germany Riedel Communications will feature its new StageLink family of smart edge devices, Smart Audio and Mixing Engine (SAME) and Virtual Smart Pan...
13/03/2025
TAG Video Systems and Harmonic Partner to Deliver Enhanced Real-Time Monitoring ...
13/03/2025
DigitalGlue Invites NAB Visitors to Experience New Features in Managed Storage P...
13/03/2025
FOR-A America Theme - Connecting the Present, Building the Future - Comes to Lif...
13/03/2025
CTIA, the wireless industry association, has named former FCC Chairman Aji Pai as its President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1. He replaces Mere...
13/03/2025
he National Association of Broadcasters is urging the FCC to end its investigation of that controversial CBS interview with Kamala Harris stating there is no ...
13/03/2025
MIAMI CBS News & Stations continues to expand its use of augmented and virtual reality technologies with the planned launch of an augmented reality/virtual real...
13/03/2025
Srividhya Srinivasan, co-founder and chief customer success & innovation Officer at Amagi, tells TVBEurope how staying ahead of the latest trends is essential f...
13/03/2025
WASHINGTON FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency has launched a massive, new deregulatory initiative that could potentially subject virtually all ...
13/03/2025
SUNNYVALE, Calif. SDVI has announced that it has integrated its Rally media supply chain management platform with the Spectra Vail multi-cloud data management s...
13/03/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a waiver of its local ownership rules to permit Gray Media to acqu...
13/03/2025
TV Tech: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2025 NAB Show?...
13/03/2025
Watch Student Naomi Soleils Folk Pop Performance on The Voice The songwriting major sang Stars by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during the blind auditions.
...
13/03/2025
Roku Debuts NWSL Zone' Within Roku Sports to Spotlight Live Games, Content Feature marks Rokus first women's league-branded zone within service By Bra...
13/03/2025
Pixels, Images, Video, AI - and Us: A Perspective on AI from NDI Inventor Andrew...
13/03/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Lighting Design Group's Steve Brill, Dennis Size ...
13/03/2025
IOC, Comcast NBCU Ink $3B Media-Rights Extension for Olympic Games Through 2036;...
13/03/2025
NCAA March Madness Live Returns with Expanded Availability of MultiView Vertical...
13/03/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Cosm's Devin Poolman on What It Takes To Deliver the Immersive...
13/03/2025
Sky Business, Sky's B2B division, providing connectivity and content to busi...
13/03/2025
Rohde & Schwarz launches R&S NRP140TWG(N) thermal power sensor: A new benchmark ...
13/03/2025
We asked the questions, analysed the answers and now we're excited to share the results of the fifth edition of the ICG Marketing Survey.
Our 2025 survey p...
13/03/2025
SAN JOSE, Calif. - March 13, 2025 Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced a breakthrough in video streaming innovation with the launch of new origin capabilitie...
13/03/2025
Haivision Showcases Mission-Critical Video Solutions at SOF Week 2025
Haivision's video wall systems, ISR technology, and DoDIN APL-certified video distri...
13/03/2025
Company Leads the Way with New Software-Based Production Platform, 12G Switcher,...
13/03/2025
A new Apple Immersive concert experience, Metallica, is coming to Apple Vision Pro this Friday, March 14. Filmed in Mexico City during the sold-out second-year ...
13/03/2025
Here is your host, Patrick Kielty!
Shake your Shamrocks, Patrick Kielty will be...
13/03/2025
This St. Patrick's weekend, RT invites you to celebrate all things Irish, showcasing the very best of Irish sport, entertainment and live coverage from the...
13/03/2025
What's next in AI is at GTC 2025. Not only the technology, but the people and ideas that are pushing AI forward - creating new opportunities, novel solution...
13/03/2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
By combining T-Mobile's robust network, Thal...
13/03/2025
Bundle up - GeForce NOW is bringing a flurry of Blizzard titles to its ever-expanding library.
Prepare to weather epic gameplay in the cloud, tackling the genr...
13/03/2025
AI is leveling up the world's most beloved games, as the latest advancements...
13/03/2025
PC game modding is massive, with over 5 billion mods downloaded annually. Mods p...
12/03/2025
O Spotify acaba de lan ar o relat rio Loud & Clear deste ano, uma vis o transpar...
12/03/2025
Spotify acaba de presentar el informe Loud & Clear de este a o, una mirada trans...
12/03/2025
Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide, is a time for fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Enrich your experience thi...
12/03/2025
Spotify has just unveiled this year's Loud & Clear report, a transparent loo...
12/03/2025
More than 70% of FAST programming has been produced since 2010, according to new Gracenote report
NEW YORK March 12, 2025 Gracenote, the content data busin...
12/03/2025
GEONA, Nev. Independent digital and linear advertising rep firm Viamedia will adopt cloud-based ShowSeeker Pilot as its primary ad campaign and order management...
12/03/2025
BRUSSELS Mediagenix has announced that Wael Yasin has joined the company as sales director Central Europe....
12/03/2025
LONDON A new study highlights opportunities for shoppable TV and the massive impact online consumer spending is having on the economy, with Omdia predicting tha...
12/03/2025
CUPERTINO, Calif. Interra Systems has announced that Comcast Technology Solutions has integrated recent updates to BATON Version 9 into its operations....
12/03/2025
Nevion announces new 400G addition to its eMerge SDN media fabric offering
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
High-capacity switch enhances existi...
12/03/2025
DaVinci Resolve Studio Delivers Cinematic Sound for Adam Bol
Brie Clayton March 12, 2025
0 Comments
Feature film relies on DaVinci Resolve Studio for ...