What’s this? A camera, you say?
Looks like it would blast a hole in the wall as much as it would record video.
And lovin’ it.
The “Ray Cannon,” as we lovingly call it, gives the phrase “shoot your actors” a whole new meaning. Cobbled together with some of the best equipment in the business, we’ve constructed a behemoth that’s capable of some truly knockout video – only the best for Fresh Fruit Pie. Not only does this puppy pull some great images, it demands respect on set for its sheer presence.
With all the parts we slap on this baby, it’s pretty much the digital camera version of Frankenstein. We like our gear big and mean.
What kind of images can you get from this camera?
The Ray Cannon’s performance is pretty impressive. With this digital video camera setup, we have extreme control over lighting, color, mood, and background blurriness (also known as ”depth of field”) to bring out the most amazing images possible. Once we release the trailer for Fresh Fruit Pie, you’ll see what we’re talking about.
How can I build my own Ray Cannon?
We’re not big on keeping secrets. We’re big on spreading good news around the world and sharing our success with others. That’s why we’re providing the exact recipe for our super-camera FOR FREE. Just in case you have an itch to build one yourself.
The Base Unit
The Panasonic HVX200. This camera swept the independent film world a few years ago with revolutionary, low-cost, high-definition 24p video. It also features true slow motion! After several years of being introduced, it’s still a leader in creating fantastic video.
Background Blurriness.
Standard video cameras don’t provide as much control over ”background bluriness” that super-expensive film cameras do. The presence of that “background bluriness” is how most people tell whether a video is “professional/expensive” or “amateur/cheap.”
A few years ago, some genius actually invented a way to create that blurriness on a standard video camera. Voila, we have the Cinevate Brevis. It allows us to slap professional camera lenses (in our case, Canon FDs) onto a video camera, giving us a level of control that cameras thousands of dollars more would normally have.
The Sticks
What’s the point of a nice camera if the image shakes all over the place? That’s where a solid tripod comes to save the day. We use the Manfrotto 055XB Pro Tripod with 503HDV Fluid Video Head. It’s pricey but very, very worth it.
The Ray Cannon is a beast, tough to lug around, and so top heavy that sometimes we get very close to accidentally knocking it to the floor. But it’s the workhorse of our arsenal, and Fresh Fruit Pie wouldn’t exist without it.
Like this behind the scenes article? Then leave some comment love below.
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Awsome
FD lens go cheap now days. You have a vast selection of quality lens for your video recorder. What lens have you used so far?
Do you record onto P2 cards or do you stick with the traditional MiniDV?
In Christ
B.L.T.
this awesome,love to know you more.
Ben, we use P2 cards. You can get them for 1/10 of retail off ebay. As far as FD lenses, I have a 35mm, a 50mm, 85mm, 100mm, 135mm, and a 75-120mm zoom. That pretty much covers all our needs. It would be nicer to have something wider than 35mm, but then you start getting serious vignetting problems with the Brevis adapter.
Paul – ask away! I’m happy to answer any technical questions in detail.