NEW YORK—In marketing myself as a Director/DP of branded content, I tell prospective clients that my work bridges the worlds of raw documentary filmmaking and studio beauty lighting. Moving between these different worlds gives me the experience to choose the right tools to tell the story, whether I’m directing crews on large film sets or working as a one-man documentary storyteller.

My current top acquisition tools are the one-two combination of Panasonic’s VariCam LT and AU-EVA1 4K cinema cameras. I’ve invested in both, backing up my initial purchase of the LT with the incremental buy of the EVA1. My first project using both cameras was a 90-second spot, “Eating Clean at the Holidays with the Rockettes,” with the LT as main camera and EVA1 as B cam. I was really impressed with how well the two cameras matched in V-Log. I also edited that video so I can attest to how well the cameras matched in post at ISO 800—I only had to tweak the curves a little bit on the EVA1 to synchronize.

A VARIETY OF LOOKS

Since then, I’ve teamed up the cameras to shoot extensive promotional work for NBC News’ marketing department (“Meet the Press,” “NBC Nightly News”), as well as branded corporate content for Big Four accounting firm Ernst and Young. Also, I am the DP on an upcoming Netflix science series where I used three LTs, and brought in my EVA1 for pick-up shots at the end, recording 4K ProRes out to an Atomos Shogun.

We shot the Netflix series—a variety show format aimed at a pre-teen/teen audience—with three LT bodies: our A camera built-up studio style, the second LT on our MoVi gimbal and the third as our B camera. We shot 4K internally, 4:2:2 AVC-Intra. We went for a lot of looks, requiring different lighting, and made significant use of the LT’s dual-native ISOs.

In retrospect, I’d say I really treated ISO 5000 like a film stock, for instance, dialing down from 5000 to 3200 for more grain, or dialing down from 5000 to 2000 while shooting 60p, which meant we didn’t have to light for slo-mo. We shot during the winter months, and pumping up the ISOs on some very short days would give us an extra 30-60 minutes of shooting.

I’ve been using the EVA1 as the A camera on several NBC brand campaigns that require a low profile documentary approach—the small, lightweight package is ideal for these run-and-gun scenarios (as you see in the accompanying photo, where I follow Lester Holt, shown as he’s about to throw out the first pitch at a Chicago White Sox game during a cross-country trip with the Nightly News). Or, alternatively, I’ll shoot handheld with the LT with the EVA1 on the MoVi.

For other shoots, I’ve set up two-camera interviews where I get A camera performance out of both the LT and EVA1, achieving an exceptionally high quality level at a very desirable price point.

Having both camera options assures me versatility as I move between high-end branded content and stripped-down documentary work.

A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Joe has traveled the world shooting campaigns and docs for brands including GE, Merck, NBC News and National Geographic. He can be contacted athello@thejoegabriel.com.

For more information about Panasonic VariCam cinema and high-speed cameras, visitus.panasonic.com/varicam, or call 877-803-8492.

NEWARK, N.J. — Fremont Studios in Seattle, has purchased four Panasonic VariCam LT 4K camcorders for mobile and studio applications, Panasonic announced this week.

The cameras include an upgraded shading mode, new tally and CineLive return video management, which is set up for live and “near live” multicameras shoots.

Fremont Studios has two large sound stages offering a combined 20,000 square feet used for live production and special live events. They also are used for single-camera commercial shoots.

[Read: ABC's New 'Castaways' Reality Series Shot On Panasonic Varicam LT]

The VariCam LTs will be used on a new 22-foot, battery-powered production unit that can double as a control room for the studios. The studio will rely on Panasonic’s AK-HRP1000 remote control panel.

One of the first uses of the new cameras was for an eSports broadcast of the World Championship Xbox Forza Race, an event viewed by millions worldwide.

“The LT fulfills our needs to utilize cinema lens with the operation of a typical broadcast B4-mount live production camera,” said Scott Jonas, president of Fremont Studios.

“Historically many of our projects are switched live for timing and ISO recorded for finishing in post. The VariCam LT is designed well for that, allowing both in-camera 4K recording and 3G progressive capture in the mobile unit.”

More information about the camcorders is available on the Panasonic website.

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NEWARK, NJ–Nomad Entertainment shot and produced ABC’s new reality show “Castaways” on Panasonic VariCam LT 4K cinema camcorders. The contemporary action in the series was shot in a remote part of Indonesia, with the “home recall” documentary segments shot in New York, Nashville, Alabama, North Carolina, Los Angeles, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington State, Las Vegas, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.

The show was shot in in AVC-Intra 4:4:4 1080p. The cameras were outfitted with Fujinon Cabrio 85-300mm and Canon 17-120mm ENG-style lenses, with Sigma Primes used for some night work. The crew used 12 cameras simultaneously shooting eight hours a day, according to DP Neil Moore.

[Read: Panasonic Readies Firmware Upgrade To VariCam LT 4K Cam]

Moore had previously shot with the VariCam 35, and showrunner Grant Kahler had used the VariCam LT. “The first two weeks of production we worked with larger cameras and bigger lenses, which just wasn’t conducive to our fast, cinema vérité style,” Moore said. “The LT was a very appealing alternative, especially because of its dual 800/5000 ISOs. We had no time for lighting, and we were working with predominantly natural light with plenty of dark interiors and exteriors. The camera’s ISO 5000 setting is so clean, and you can switch easily without having to ride gain.”

Moore said he routinely used ISO800 for daytime work in Indonesia, but with a significant number of “easy clicks over” to ISO5000, for instance, for a nighttime scene lit only by firelight.

“The tropical humidity was pretty insane, but we experienced no overheating or stopped files with the LTs,” the DP added. “Beyond ruggedness and ease of use, other stand-out features of the cameras were the unique Focus Squares tool —a must, especially with the long lens work—and the on-camera control panel that can double as a monitor. The LT is, overall, a simple, intuitive camera.”

“Castaways” follows 12 diverse individuals as they’re dropped alone throughout various islets in Indonesia and challenged to survive among washed-up luggage, scattered resources and abandoned structures. It premieres Tuesday, Aug. 7 at 10 p.m. EDT on the ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.