Oscar-nominated director Junger, DP Valdez opt for Canon EOS Digital Cinema cameras and lenses for their latest documentary
Academy Award-nominated director Sebastian Junger (Restrepo, Korengal) and cinematographer Rudy Valdez chose Canon EOS Digital Cinema cameras and lenses for their new documentary The Last Patrol, the third installment of Junger’s trilogy of war documentaries. The pair of filmmakers relied on the Canon EOS C300 Digital Cinema camera to capture The Last Patrol, which premiered on HBO on November 10, 2014, and is currently airing on HBO.
The Last Patrol follows Junger, photojournalist Guillermo Cervera, and combat veterans Brendan O’Byrne and Dave Roels as they hike the 300-mile stretch of railroad lines from Washington, D.C. to New York City – a trek Junger originally planned with his close friend and acclaimed war photographer Tim Hetherington before Hetherington was killed in 2011 while covering the Libyan civil war. The goal of the journey was to get to know America again after a decade of war and discuss why combat is so incredibly hard to give up. Because hiking along the tracks is illegal, they moved with a purposeful invisibility designed to echo the isolation felt by many who return from war.
“‘The Last Patrol’ is a compelling example of the kind of storytelling that the Cinema EOS system was designed to support,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “We are honored that the filmmakers selected Canon professional cameras and lenses for their epic project.”
The men lived outdoors and carried all of their own supplies, which presented an unusual challenge for the filmmakers.
“What I needed was, basically, the ultimate camera,” said Junger. “Not too heavy, easy to use with numb fingers, good in low light, rugged if you throw yourself in a ditch, and something that delivers absolutely gorgeous cinematography.”
After searching for a camera that would produce a consistent, top-of-the-line image under rough conditions, Junger and Valdez determined the Cinema EOS C300 digital cinema camera was the best option for the job.
“The EOS C300 camera seemed like it was designed specifically for this project,” said Valdez. “It’s a lightweight camera with a large sensor that works really well in low light. With the added bonus of being able to shoot in Canon Log, it ended up being a pretty easy decision.”
Carrying the EOS C300 digital cinema camera on his back during the entire trek, Valdez shot using only natural light while the former soldiers and combat journalists dodged rail security and hiked terrain as varied as dense wilderness and urban streets.
The images Valdez captured exceeded Junger’s expectations: “When we watched the material, I was absolutely speechless. It all absolutely glowed with a kind of meaning. That glow came from the machine we were shooting on.”
Valdez rounded out his kit with a set of Canon Cinema prime lenses, including the CN-E24mm T1.5 L F, CN-E50mm T1.3 L F and CN-E85mm T1.3 L F.
“After some days on the trek, I started looking at the camera with a kind of reverence,” said Junger. “It was incredible. I can’t imagine making this film with any camera that lacked the power and capability of the EOS C300 camera.”
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More