CINEMATIC LIVE PRODUCTION TECH
ON CUE Nathaniel Hill (below) says broadcasters are no longer worried about a cinematic aesthetic not looking live, while for John Tipton (right) it’s about the ‘best shot’
and mood that would be difficult, if not impossible, to recreate within traditional broadcast exposure parameters. Rather than altering the production, Davis works closely with vision engineers to adapt camera settings in real time. During productions such as Giselle , where scenes move gradually from near darkness into full daylight, camera operators may be required to make significant exposure adjustments to maintain image quality while preserving the artistic intent of the stage design. “The audience in the opera house paid to see the show as the director intended,” he explains. “Our job is to maintain that while still delivering good television pictures.” Davis frequently introduces additional lighting to improve balance for cameras, particularly in opera and ballet. A character positioned in deep shadow may work theatrically but prove problematic for a close-up camera shot. Small adjustments often benefit both mediums. “It‘s surprising how often the theatre team likes the changes and keeps them in,” he says. Davis remains a strong advocate of traditional broadcast system cameras, particularly for live productions, valuing the predictability and direct control they provide. While intrigued by newer large format systems such as the ARRI
Fujifilm‘s Duvo Series as a significant development, providing the long zoom ranges demanded by live television while maintaining compatibility with large-sensor cameras. “Ten years ago, getting those focal lengths involved compromises. Now we can put a Super 35 camera front of house and still get the range we need.” TELEVISING LIVE STAGE PRODUCTIONS RTS Award-winning lighting director Bernie Davis specialises in marrying stage lighting with broadcast production.
“I make the cameras work with the lighting as much as I make the lighting work for the cameras,” describes Davis, whose recent credits include Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the National Theatre and Manon at the Royal Opera House. Unlike conventional television productions, where lighting is built around the needs of the camera, televised theatre (for livestreaming to cinema) presents a different challenge. The stage show has already been designed for a live audience, often with dramatic changes in brightness
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