New shoulder rigs coming soon!
Every once and a while, you get that spark of imagination, the creative juices begin to flow... and suddenly, you have created something totally righteous. That's just what we're doing here at FiveSix Productions. We realize that to expand and improve upon what we can offer to our clients, and to continue to push the limits of what FiveSix Productions is capable of, well, we need to never stop expanding on our gear and skill sets. That's why we're building a pair of sleek, dynamic, and versatile shoulder-rigs that will allow us to push beyond what we've been able to do with our older shoulder rigs.
Now, don't get too excited, we didn't opt for the edition with the sparklers and mini-fridges, but we are pretty sure these will work just as well. Coupled with our new Tilta Nucleus-M follow focus system, and our upgraded power-distribution solution, anything from our Canon C300 Mark II's to our RED Epic Dragon will be set free. We are excited to announce that our new DJI Ronin 2 will also benefit from our Nucleus-M follow focus system, and between that and our shoulder rigs, series of sliders, jibs, and tripods, we've completely set our photography free.
Make sure to ask about our new shoulder rigs and DJI Ronin 2 when booking your next Las Vegas or Long Beach video production project with us.
Like Looking Into the Heavens
Recently, we got to be a part of a very fun shoot here in Las Vegas. Why so fun? It's because we got to break out our awesome RED Epic Dragon and Schneider Cine-Primes and have them all making silky smooth moves on our Dana Dolly- we even invited our Sound Devices 633 to join in on the fun. Now, I can't even begin to tell you how sweet that 6K looked through those lenses, the bokeh was superb, the shot was crips and focused, and I could have sworn we were on silk, because the movement on the Dana Dolly was smoooooth! It helped having the one and only CMDP manning the lens, but, with a lineup like the one we had- even I could have made a little bit of magic. So, for your next Las Vegas video production, I would highly recommend adding the RED and the Schneiders to your order, you can always knock that 6K down to SD in post. Oh... the 633 was fine for audio, or whatever.
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.
RED Epic Dragon: Epic Camera
The RED Epic Dragon is FiveSix Productions' most powerful and capable camera offering. With the update of the sensor, this camera really delivers on an incredible level. One of the most notable features of the new sensor is its ability to provide amazing detail and incredible native exposure that eclipse 35mm film in both latitude and image density. The almost unthinkable 16.5+ stops of dynamic range allows your DP to really spread their wings and create visually stunning scenes; even at ISO 2000, the image is clean enough for cinematic or publication presentation. The Epic Dragon is fast! The new sensor enables Full Frame 6K at 75fps, 6K 2:4:1 at 100fps, and below 6K, all the way up to 300fps (300fps is at 2K). This camera isn't just for motion pictures; at 6K Full Frame, you're getting a 19.4 Megapixel image- so, you can take your individual frames, and make amazing stills, or shoot specifically for the single, still image. Beyond these facts and figures, there is a plethora of other upgraded aspects such as improved color, capability of 3D (with appropriate hardware), and more. So, all that said, if you want the best of the best, shoot with us and our RED Epic Dragon.
Renting Video Production Gear
There are only two possible choices when deciding on gear for a shoot. Own it or rent it. Be it cameras like the C300, RED, Sony PMW 300 or Arri Alexa, cine lenses from Canon or Zeiss, or grip gear and lighting or even audio. But who really cares about audio, right? Renting gear is the way most productions tend to go. This is because, first off, the gear is expensive and requires a good chunk of cash. But there are other reasons too, you don't have upkeep costs as a renter or a depreciating asset and you can be more versatile and not locked into a single camera/format. If you travel, you don't have to lug it around or keep up with firmware and updates. These are all problems of the gear's owner. But when renting, do you rent from a big rental house or a local production company or a local freelance owner/operator. There are pros and cons to each of them.
Rental houses - They will usually have whatever you want in stock and available. They will normally be a bit cheaper since they deal in bulk. There is no negotiating on prices/dates, pick up times and drop off, they are locked in. If something breaks on the shoot, it is difficult to get a replacement in a timely fashion. The gear has been highly used and is beaten up a bit. Every add on is extra. No real specific point of contact.
Local Production House - Depending on the size of the facility, camera availability may be an issue. Prices are higher than big rental houses since they are only dealing in a few cameras. Price/days/times are negotiable. The gear is usually well taken care of and includes extra items in the package. Add ons are negotiable and sometimes thrown in. Replacements, if needed, are usually quick. There is a known point of contact and someone is almost always available.
Local Owner/Operator - Camera availability can be an issue. Prices are higher than rental houses and many times the owner will require they be on the shoot. Price/days/times are negotiable. The gear is well taken care of. Add ons are negotiable, if they are available. Replacements can be difficult. There is a known point of contact but not always available since it is a single person.
With all this to take into account, when we here at FiveSix need to rent gear somewhere not in Las Vegas, we tend to try and find a local production company to help us out. We like the upkeep on the gear, having a point of contact and the flexibility. It may come with a slightly higher price tag but the benefits are worth it.