HUDSON, N.H.—Game Creek Video is a leading media production services and facilities provider that offers technical and logistical expertise behind the biggest events in sports and entertainment. Game Creek’s live events customers are constantly seeking new ways to engage with their audience and enhance the story.
The most recent result of that pursuit is the look of the shallow depth-of-field camera. Commonly referred to as “the cinematic look,” this style of capture has increased in popularity and helps an audience know where to direct the eyes. Shallow depth-of-field has been adopted in television and movies, where productions rely on cameras like Sony’s full-frame VENICE to achieve this new form of expression.
Game Creek’s entertainment and corporate events clients demand a similarly functional tool that balances creative needs with the ease of setup and quick teardown that they are accustomed to in an integrated broadcast camera system.
Multicamera Production
As long-standing Sony customers, Game Creek is excited about the HDC-F5500 system camera, with a Super 35mm 4K CMOS global shutter image sensor. Game Creek currently manages 10 of these camera chains not only because clients are requesting them, but because the company believes that this is the future of larger sensor multicamera production.
One of the key benefits of the F5500 is the ability to do a true larger-sensor, streamlined multicamera production with the efficiency of a traditional broadcast camera system. The Super 35mm sensor look also gives a shallower depth-of-field than a typical 2/3-inch broadcast camera. Additionally, it uses native PL-mount lenses, giving creators lots of options for optics—there is really nothing else on the market like it.
Another important consideration when purchasing these cameras is their ability to move between various trucks in the Game Creek fleet in a “plug and play” fashion, using existing CCUs, SMPTE fiber and infrastructure. This allows greater flexibility to find the right solution for a project and provides a great deal of versatility. Game Creek also appreciates the fully integrated tally, intercom and return video for multicam feeds; and the motorized ND and filter wheel control—borrowed from VENICE—is a big hit.
Native RCP Control
Additionally, the F5500 offers native Sony RCP control with full color matrix and the ability to match cameras perfectly in a multicamera environment. Game Creek has worked closely with Sony for years and owns more than 600 Sony cameras, which means the controls and menus are familiar and there’s virtually no learning curve.
Knowing that the F5500 intermixes seamlessly with the HDC-5500 inventory is a critical advantage because both can operate with the S-LOG3 Cine gamut and offer a consistent look for post-production. The ability to plug the F5500 into mobile unit CCUs and immediately have a fully integrated system with the existing video shading architecture in all mobile units adds great value to the overall fleet.
In live entertainment productions which often include various lighting conditions and frequently incorporate LED walls, the F5500 shines. Due to the global shutter sensor, the moire effect on LED walls was minimized or eliminated, which is a great benefit. The cameras have performed consistently during outdoor keynote speeches, as well as dimly lit environments with strobe lights.
Overall, the cameras work phenomenally and are a popular request. Game Creek values the ability to simultaneously be in the HDR and SDR worlds, as many clients move toward an HDR environment or look to secure the future of their content through archive. As requests continue to grow for 1080P, 4K and HDR productions, Sony’s HDC-F5500 is a powerful tool to provide Game Creek’s customers with the latest creative technology.
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