SHELTON, CT - Whenever cinematographer James Mathers needs reliable and durable power solutions to bring his wide range of film projects to life, he is confident he does not need to shop around. Anton/Bauer, a brand of The Vitec Group, and a premier global provider of batteries, chargers, lighting and other mobile power systems for the professional broadcast, video and film industries, has been Mathers' go-to source for more than three decades. The veteran cinematographer is known for his work on indie features such as The Chicago Eight, starring Gary Cole, Danny Masterson, and Orlando Jones, Montana Amazon, starring Olympia Dukakis and Haley Joel Osment, and the upcoming thriller Brake, starring Stephen Dorff. Also known for his work on the documentaries The U.S. vs. John Lennon, Mathers serves as the president of The Digital Cinema Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to the industry's informed integration of new technology.
"Anton/Bauer stands alone when it comes to maximum battery performance, superior reliability and versatility," says Mathers. "Whether shooting with digital cinema cameras from RED, ARRI, Panasonic or Sony, Anton/Bauer has continuously provided me with dependable, trouble-free power." Throughout his career, Mathers has worked on a wide variety of film and television projects, each necessitating a different type of camera. One constant, he says, has been Anton/Bauer. "I've relied upon the brand to provide me with one power solution that can be used for many different types of equipment, from cameras to lighting instruments, on a variety of projects. This versatility is crucial in motion picture production and especially important to the owner/operator who can get a faster return on investment by sharing a single power product."
Mathers typically uses RED One, Epic or ARRI ALEXA cameras with Anton/Bauer HyTRON 140 batteries, as well as the high-power DIONIC 90, which is helpful when camera rigs need to be lighter. Additionally, Mathers has been impressed with the Anton/Bauer signature Gold Mount system, which ensures that a camera is securely locked to a battery despite any rough and tumble the camera might endure while filming. Providing power requirements ranging from 7.2V to 28V, the Anton/Bauer Gold Mount system is the most widely used battery mounting system by professionals in the industry. Due to Anton/Bauer's strong relationships with key camera manufacturers, the Gold Mount is available as factory standard equipment on many models, including ARRI, Thomson, Hitachi, Ikegami, JVC, Panasonic, and RED.
Anton/Bauer designed the DIONIC 90 lithium ion battery to deliver consistently reliable performance even in the most challenging shooting environments on Earth. The DIONIC 90 offers a RealTime display that continually updates the operator on how much run-time remains and on the state of the current charge. It weighs only 1.7 pounds and can be transported without restriction under the IATA and DOT safety regulations (http://www.antonbauer.com/Support/TransportationInformation). The 91WH battery can handle a maximum of 6 amps, and offers run-times ranging from six hours at 15 watts to 1.75 hours at 50 watts.
The HyTRON 140 is a 140 Wh NiMH battery, designed for the power demands of today's HD gear and on-camera lighting systems. Offering excellent counterbalance for lens weight, it is ideal for a high-current draw and can be used with portable HMI lights.
"Anton/Bauer has facilitated the production of my projects enormously over the years. Another great example is the status tool the batteries come equipped with, such as the side, on-battery fuel gauge meter known as the RealTime Display. This feature lets the user know how much time he or she has left. It's been very helpful in situations over the years when a camera hasn't been able to electronically convey battery status," says Mathers.
"The ability to see the battery status on the camera itself is a huge asset," he adds. Anton/Bauer is the only battery manufacturer authorized by RED for communication with the RED ONE using the QR-RED Gold Mount. The battery's remaining run-time is displayed directly in the camera's LCD via Anton/Bauer's proprietary InterActive Viewfinder Fuel Gauge.
"Anton/Bauer has strived to develop collaborative relationships with manufacturers to offer the finest battery to camera communication to digital cinema pros," says Paul Dudeck, vice president of sales, Anton/Bauer. "Other battery manufacturers are not able to offer the same advanced capabilities and synergy between the products as Anton/Bauer. That's because top camera companies trust the quality and dependability associated with the Anton/Bauer brand."
The Anton/Bauer customer support team is also held in high regard by Mathers, who cites its high level of efficiency. An example he draws upon is the team's top-notch assistance over the phone, including step-by-step instructions on how to upgrade equipment.
"The customer support is stellar," says Mathers. "Filming is a fast-paced, sometimes chaotic experience, so when a piece of equipment needs attention, either for repair or upgrading, I need the problem solved as quickly as possible so as not to hinder production. Anton/Bauer has come through again and again in this area. Anton/Bauer has been my go-to battery throughout my career, and will remain so for my upcoming projects."
About Anton/Bauer
Anton/Bauer is recognized as the world's innovator and a premier provider of batteries, chargers, lighting and other key mobile power systems for the professional broadcast, video and film industries. Based in the United States in Shelton, CT with offices in Europe and Asia, Anton/Bauer was established in 1970 and has expanded its product offerings to include many signature lines such as its leading Gold Mount system, InterActive chargers and Logic Series batteries such as the HyTRON 50, 100 and 140, and DIONIC 90, 160, HC and HCX. Their products are compatible with virtually every camera brand on the market today. Other Anton/Bauer high performance products include the Ultralight, ElipZ, ElightZ, CINE VCLX and CINE VCLX/2. Their superior-quality products have become an industry standard. For more information on Anton/Bauer, visit www.antonbauer.com.
A Snapshot of The Vitec Group
Vitec is an international Group principally serving customers in the broadcast, photographic and military, aerospace and government (MAG) markets. Listed on the London Stock Exchange with 2010 revenue of £309 million, Vitec is based on strong, well known, premium brands on which its customers worldwide rely. Vitec is organized in three divisions: Imaging & Staging, Videocom and Services. Imaging & Staging designs, manufactures and distributes equipment and accessories for photography, video and events. Videocom designs and distributes systems and products used in broadcasting and live entertainment, film and video production and MAG. Services provides equipment rental, workflow design and technical support for camera, video, audio, fiber optic and wireless technology used by TV production teams and film crews. More information can be found at www.vitecgroup.com.
