PAPUA NEW GUINEA, NOVEMBER 29, 2016 — Coming off the heels of directing his first feature length documentary, award-winning Australian Photographer and Writer Shane Peel began work on his latest project, “Secret Garden” — a video about area sustainability through adventure tourism. To help sculpt his unique message of giving back through extreme sports, Peel looked to his Compass 12 Solo 75 Carbon Fibre System from Miller Camera Support Equipment,a leader in the production of innovating camera support solutions.
"Secret Garden" is a multi-layer project that not only shares the beauty of Papua New Guinea and its culture, but also proposes the implementation of the Sustainable Surf Management plan created by Andrew Abel, a Papua New Guinea national, as a way to add value back into an area that has been over-exploited for its natural resources through adventure tourism.
With many tricky long telephoto shots of various surf scenes throughout the film, Peel needed equipment that allowed for a timely setup, so no shots were missed, as well as reliably stable and smooth pans.
"We spent most of our time aboard a charter boat and I knew I would need exceptional reliability from the equipment I brought, which is why I used my go-to Compass 12 Solo 75 Carbon Fibre System," says Shane Peel, director of photography and co-director, My House Pictures. "Being able to pick up the system and drop a rig on the head knowing that it isn't going to lock off or pan while going up and down the ladders of the boat or moving through the thick tropics was all the assurance I needed."
While on location, Peel faced a number of challenges, including having to chase down a specific sunset shot with only minutes before the moment was gone. "Due to the fact that I could have the sticks up, head level, and a cam mounted super-fast was the most important feature," adds Peel. "If we had been using a more complex and less reliable system, I would have definitely missed the shot."
Miller's Compass 12 Solo 75 Carbon Fibre System consists of the Compass 12 fluid head and the ultralight yet rigid Solo 75 2-Stage Carbon Fibre Tripod. The Compass 12 system is designed for a range of cameras, from DSLR to DV setups, and includes three selectable positions of drag, plus a zero position, and four selectable positions of counterbalance for payloads between 1.5 - 10kg. Other features include a quick release sliding camera plate with a 60mm travel, illuminated bubble level, 75mm ball leveling, three-position leg angle locks for a height range of 404 -1784mm, and spikes with wind-down rubber feet.
"We're thrilled to be a part of another one of Shane Peel's amazing projects, especially one that brings up important environmental and social issues," says Charles Montesin, marketing manager, Miller Camera Support Equipment. "The Compass 12 Solo 75 Carbon Fibre System was built with users like Shane Peel in mind by giving them the ability to capture the necessary shots to bring their artistic vision to life."
The seven-minute short film, "Secret Garden," is to be presented to the Papua New Guinea Ministry of Tourism and Arts, a potential producer of a full-length documentary on the topic. Once the film receives a green light, the production team is aiming to deliver the finished product in mid-2017.
To watch "Secret Garden," please visit: https://vimeo.com/149710272.
About Miller Camera Support Equipment
Founded in 1954, Miller Camera Support Equipment designs, manufactures and delivers professional fluid heads and tripods to the film and television industry, providing support for the world's leading camera operators. Celebrating more than sixty years in the industry, Miller is a longtime, global leader in the field of contemporary camera support and holds the first patent for fluid head design for film cameras, which it obtained in 1946. Today, Miller's tripod and camera support systems are frequently used during electronic news gatherings (ENG), electronic field production (EFP), and digital video applications by the world's leading networks, production houses, corporate, educational and government institutions in more than 65 countries. For more information, call +61 2 9439 6377 or visit www.millertripods.com.
