Canon C300 Mark II and RED Epic Dragon Updates
Hello friends. We here at FiveSix Productions find that kindness and cooperation often goes a long way. We like to help our production friends and partners be the best that they can be. We were doing our routine upkeep of our computers, cameras, etc., and were going through some firmware updates. It can sometimes be hard to remember to stay up on that, especially when we get into these busy periods. Long story short: if you have a Canon C300 Mark II, there is a firmware update that will be available July 28th (Thurs.), and RED just put an update out a couple days ago. So there you have it, go make sure you're reaping all the benefits of these awesome tools. If you don't have an Epic Dragon or C300 Mark II, but need one, give our friends at F11 Rentals a shout, and they'll get you squared away.
Mathematics Infiltrate Our World
Mathematics are terrifying, there's all those numbers and letters and symbols... It gives me the night sweats just thinking about it. Photographers and cinematographers are artists, and last time I checked, there isn't a lot of long division involved in finger painting; however, despite being artists, we should understand the science and mathematics behind what we do so we don't look like a bunch of phony-bologna, amateurs. Our good friend, and rock star DP, Clayton Moore (CMDP), talks a whole lot of crazy about footcandles, lux, lumen, watts, etc., and normally it's a "smile and nod" situation, but perhaps he's on to something. I was on the youtube getting my morning fill of puppies and otters when I came across a video about the Inverse Square Law; now, don't get me started on how dull, and horrible that sounded, but I accidentally clicked the link, so I was in for the long haul. For those of you who don't know, you're lucky, it's horrible, useless knowledge that is in no way practical or worth 15 seconds of your time. If you however, enjoy punishment, you can watch this video and learn all about how lighting works over distance. Believe me though, I guarantee no one in Hollywood or New York gives it a second thought.
San Diego: Staying Classy
So, apparently, it's good to be in San Diego these days. Not only did they get to host the MLB All-Star festivities, they are currently the epicenter of all things comic books, movies, television, etc. as the annual Comic-Con is in full gear. The four-day convention kicks off tomorrow, and runs through Sunday evening with a grand bouquet of events, activities, speakers, awards, and so, so much more. The San Diego Comic-Con is the largest such event of it's kind, and it attracts tens of thousands of attendees and artist types from around the world. I've never been, but it looks like a blast. Check out their website for all the nerd-tastic details!
Support our Indy project!!!
Hi friends, we here at FiveSix Productions stay super busy, all the time- it's like, non-stop, every day, no such thing as a vacation. It's the best. And, as we are gluttons for punishment, we like to do more filming when we're not allowed to be at work. That's why two of our team members got all fired up and entered into the Nevada Film Office's annual video contest. We need your help to advance our video to the finals, so we can show Nevada why even when it's not work related, the salty fellas at the bottom of the totem pole at FiveSix ball out of control, each and every day.
Follow this link: https://www.nevadafilm.com/filmnv/#!/entry/10320701 to view our video, and vote. Vote early, vote often, and tell your friends, neighbors, enemies, dog, grandma, and the milk man.
FiveSix Productions Hits the Hardwood
It's that time of year again, when the NBA (that baseball player, Michael Jordan, played with this group for a while) gets together in Las Vegas to have their summer league. Yes, all the youngsters, fresh out of college or foreign countries, converge upon Sin City to try to throw a ball through a netted hoop. It's during this event that some of them will earn invitations to 'the cool kids' table', and they get to repeat this activity for months on end throughout the winter and spring. Anyhoo, we took to the festivities and charades, and sent a small tribe of camera and audio folks to the Mandarin Oriental to do some television makin'. Seven cameras, a dana dolly, a slew of microphones, and many a soft, diffused light made for grand times as we captured two, yes, two hour-long episodes of basketball television bliss. It was a long day, but that's just what we love; half-days are half a day to short in our opinion. Until next time, may your dunks break backboards, and may your dribbles never be double.
On This Day in History
How a Bunch of Moms Changed Movies Forever—And Why It Still Matters Today
(A nostalgic look back with a modern lens)
On this day in 1984, the film world changed forever—and not because of a blockbuster premiere or a breakthrough in special effects. Nope. It was the moms. Worried moms.
Let’s rewind even further. Picture it: 1968. Tie-dye, free love, and a whole lot of cinematic freedom. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) was getting grilled by concerned parents over what their kids were seeing on the big screen. The solution? Introduce a rating system to calm the chaos and preserve America's innocence—or at least, try to.
The early system included:
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G – General audiences
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M – Mature (later morphed into PG)
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R – Restricted (originally 16+, because apparently if you could drive a car, you could handle gore)
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X – The mysterious rating that later became NC-17
Fast forward to July 1, 1984, when the PG-13 rating was born—adding nuance but not necessarily clarity. Its debut didn’t stop 12-year-olds from sneaking into Red Dawn (yes, 1984, not 1983—we triple-checked), but it gave helicopter parents something new to debate.
Why This Still Matters in 2025
In today’s world of streaming everything, content rating systems have evolved beyond just parental control—they’re part of brand identity. Platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and TikTok are developing their own filters and flags to guide viewers (and advertisers), with some creators even self-censoring to stay algorithm-friendly.
As media pros, we see the ripple effects in what gets produced, promoted, and pushed to the front page. Whether you're shooting a product demo or producing a livestreamed keynote at a major Las Vegas trade show, knowing your audience—and what will or won’t trigger a content warning—is more important than ever.
At FiveSix, we keep our productions clean, creative, and tailored to your message—no matter the rating.
So, here’s to 1984: the year PG-13 made its debut, moms everywhere got a new reason to stress, and the film industry took one more step into the labyrinth of content regulation.
Now you’ve got a fun fact for your next pitch meeting or dinner party—and if not, well, it’ll come out in the wash.