California-based Tumbleweed Entertainment is relying on the Canon XL H1 HD camcorder to shoot a series of 12 made-for-mobile three-minute short films titled “Go Green,” designed to educate viewers to become more eco-friendly.
The series, which includes episodes on home-energy management, automobile fuel economy and recycling household refrigerants, will premiere on a major 24-hour mobile programming network.
Once the network gave “Go Green” the green light, Tumbleweed Entertainment producer/director Brian Weidling and his partner, writer/producer Paul Galichia, selected the camcorder because they were already familiar with it.
Weidling’s eight-person crew captured “Go Green’s” video using the 20X HD lens that comes standard with the XL H1 HD camcorder. The 38.9mm-778mm lens is coupled with the XL H1’s Super Range Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) system that corrects camera shake for steady shots even when they're handheld at long focal lengths or taken while the XL H1 HD camcorder is in motion.
While most of the program material was shot on location with DP Matthew Talesfore, the design and operation of the Canon XL H1 HD camcorder also made it easy for him and Galichia to go out as a two-man team to acquire B-roll footage.
Because the footage was all shot digitally, Tumbleweed Entertainment is also mastering all of the episodes with an eye toward future distribution on other platforms. Weidling and Galichia are editing their “Go Green” shorts using Apple’s Final Cut Pro.
For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.
