The Darkest Hour 3D (2011)

Feature Film

Our Role
Main Unit Codex Data Capture Engineer

Directed by
Chris Gorak

Cinematography by
Scott Kevan

Shooting format
Sony F35 - Codex JPEG2000
-3D Sony P1 - Codex JPEG2000

Experience
Dan Carling returned to Russia again, this time to Moscow for the 3D adventure utilising the Codex Portable recorders to manage the data generated by the cameras in the 3D rigs on this shoot.

A and B camera rigs consisted of 2 x Sony F35 per rig, mounted horizontally and vertically through a mirror to enable the 3D capture. C and D cameras were Sony P1 cameras in the same configuration.

Fibre cable was used to connect into the camera rigs. These cable runs were often up to 200m long carrying the picture signal to be recorded by the Codex portable recorders.

Two onset mobile workstations were built for the shoot to house all the codex recording equipment. This enabled us to move around quickly when required.

In order to save data, the recorded shots were trimmed within the Codex Portable recorder to minimise the amount of pre role generated, This helped the off set Digital Dailies team with the slightly reduced amount of footage per roll.

Another unforgettable shoot, at one point production was forced to shut down for 2 weeks as Moscow and Russia was effected by the worst in land forest and peat fires for years.

Due to the intense summer heat wave combined with the fires, this made a giant smog cloud that descended onto Moscow forcing production to halt and send crew back home till the situation cleared. Fortunately the situation improved and production resumed after a 2 week hiatus.