Henry BautistaCLIFTON, N.J.
For most of my 35 years as an independent documentary/news cameraman, I've specialized in working in areas of conflict, and have to be prepared to speed off on a moment's notice. I have to have highly reliable equipment and, equally important, have to travel light.
RECOVERY OPERATION
Recently, I was assigned by CBS to cover the recovery of the crashed US Airways plane from the Hudson River. We had to set up at four in the morning in frigid temperatures and be able to light a wide area. I used two 400 watt Frezzi HMI lights backed by a 1,000 watt generator. Since we started in darkness, I had the option of starting with a 200 watt bulb and changing to 400 watts as the daylight became more intense. The lights were on for more than three hours in the cold and they held up perfectly.
I often work for HDNet, shooting assignments for the Dan Rather Report. On one of these, we recently spent a week in Kabul, Afghanistan, interviewing locals and then senior officers at a military base. For street interviews, I used the Frezzi 24 watt on-camera HMI fixture. It provided excellent fill light and its light weight allowed me to be extremely nimble.
For the office interviews, I used the 400 watt HMI unit with a softbox and added a 200 watt HMI for fill. The HD picture quality I got with HD-Net's Sony XDCAM F350 was outstanding.
When I started shopping for my current lighting system, Frezzi was a natural choice, as I've used their products for many years. I have a Frezzi M2100 Analyzer/Quad Multi-Charger with six FBP-14 metal hydride 130 watt brick batteries that I use with my Sony DNW-90WS camera and lights. I also use Frezzi NX-2, nicads for powering my portable audio mixer. When I was battery shopping I discovered that Frezzi's HMI system was not only an excellent product, but also cost about 30 percent less than some of its competitors, making my decision a no-brainer.
I've been loyal to Frezzi for a long time, as their equipment performs well under all kinds of conditions and the company is sensitive to the needs of broadcast cameramen. They are extremely responsive and will move mountains to resolve a problem, shipping equipment out overnight and loaning gear when necessary.
In my business, I can't afford down time, especially since I never know where the next assignment will lead me. Unlike larger companies where you are just a number, Frezzi's personnel develop relationships with their users and make it easy to do business.
Henry Bautista is the owner of Bautista Video Productions of Clifton, N.J. He may be contacted atbautistavideoproductions@gmail.com
For additional information, contact Frezzi Energy Systems Division of Frezzolini Electronics at 973-427-1160 or visitwww.frezzi.com.
