CANON ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE Though he didn’t have access to RF lenses for the R5 C, he used his range of EF glass with an adapter. “I have a bunch of lenses I could use with it. So I used my 70- 200mm f/2.8L and 24-105mm f/4L lenses plus a 50mm prime. It’s lovely.” What won Etheridge over was that it can run timecode – vital for multicam documentaries. “I was amazed it’s got a little timecode slot, so you can put an UltraSync on it. And the menu system is easy and quick to navigate. It felt like a proper filmmaking camera.” On the run Menu and timecode are also reasons Etheridge loves his XF205 and XF605, as well as their portability and great image quality, even in low light. That’s partly why Etheridge chose to spec Canon XF605s to all the camera operators on the Channel 4 series he works on as DOP – Hunted . Rather than the depths of the jungle, contestants are let loose in Britain and attempt to stay hidden while ‘hunted’ by a team of chasers. “For all the cameras used by the embedded camera operators on the run with the fugitives, I decided to go with the XF605 this year – that’s ten cameras. “The fact it can shoot Log now is amazing. IR is another huge benefit of that camera. I can’t think of another on the market with both timecode and IR, a massive lens range and 1.0-type chip. A lot of boxes are ticked,” he expresses. They’re proving a smash hit with the crew. “Everybody loves them. Producer/ directors are always panicking that they’ll get a large format camera with a Super 35 zoom lens, which is obviously quite a beast. It strikes fear into PDs when they’re given something like that because there is no autofocus and it’s front-heavy. So they all love the XF605.” And the footage is excellent. From performance in low light to outside on the brightest days, the XF605 delivers.
CLIFF’S EDGE Etheridge captures Bear Grylls in a typically intrepid moment
“We don’t have to worry how the footage will look, because we want it to feel rugged and on the move. We wouldn’t use an image stabiliser or anything like that, for example. You’d want it to feel in the moment, shaky and rough,” says Etheridge. “Then there’s
footage coming from phones or action cameras, so we don’t go too crazy on the look of things for the fugitives. It’s more about the practical usability of the camera.” One thing all the PDs agree on is the Dual Pixel CMOS AF, which works so well on many shots. “I don’t see any shame in flicking to AF at all, especially with a camcorder or a lens with an electronic servo,” Etheridge adds. “For much of my work over the years, I’ve used a Canon CN7x17 17-120mm lens and there isn’t the option of AF. I like to manually focus because I like full control. I treat focusing the same as zooming. There’s a creative
element to what you’re focusing on and when you’re focusing on it. But Canon AF is so good for so many things, especially fast- paced run-and-gun documentary work.” Though the latest series of Hunted is still in production, Etheridge is already planning a year full of more adventures to film, and will have his trusty XF605s by his side. “I have my own small production company now, but it’s growing quickly. We finished our first six-part docuseries for Discovery last year, and we’ve got lots of short film docs and even bigger projects in the pipeline. I’m doing an Ed Stafford show for Channel 4 this summer,” he tells us. It’s no surprise that a lot of it will be focused on worldwide travel, survival and adventure in inhospitable locations. “There’s always stuff bubbling in the background, and it’s all adventure-based content around the world – quite exciting stuff. There’s something going on late in the year where I’ll probably be going to the Congo for maybe a good two months or so.” And you can bet it won’t be in a nice hotel with a swimming pool. “No. It never is and that’s just how I like it.”
AUDIO MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
Sometimes Sound Devices A10 digital wireless transmitters are used for lav macs. While many might panic at mastering audio, Etheridge loves being in control of all aspects. “I’m a bit of an anomaly in that regard, because I do huge shoots up to reasonably large commercial shoots. And I do everything including the audio,” he says. “There’s something enjoyable about doing a whole shoot yourself, especially if there’s a drone. I like walking away from a shoot where I’ve done all the drone flying, audio and visuals, or all the underwater shooting. I have just done that for a Natural History Unit shoot recently. And when that’s finished, you sort of watch it and there’s a greater sense of achievement.”
Every filmmaker knows sound is a critical part in any production, which is why larger projects always employ operators to make sure it’s done right. But in much of Danny Etheridge’s work, it’s just not feasible to send an audio recordist. So the PD has to do it by themselves. Etheridge can rely on his Canon XF605 as it has professional XLR inputs as well as broadcast-quality audio recording hardware to capture all the little details. “For example, on Hunted, the audio quality in the XF605 is easily good enough for broadcast thanks to full-size XLR ports.” Audio equipment is high-class gear from Zaxcom because of the backup of timecode being recorded to the actual audio pack.
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