Ryohei Kamide Uses Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio for Documentary TRAIL
Blackmagic Design today announced that the YouTube documentary “TRAIL” by Ryohei Kamide was produced using Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro digital film camera and DaVinci Resolve Studio editing, color grading, visual effects (VFX) and audio post production software.
“TRAIL” is a film on the YouTube channel “muda,” documenting actor Taiga Nakano and director Ryohei Kamide, known for TV Tokyo’s popular program “Hyper Hard Boiled Gourmet Report,” as they walk an 80 kilometer trail over four days toward Wonder Lake in Alaska.
The documentary was shot by Kamide and Cinematographer Kunihiko Ishii using Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro, with editing handled by Kamide and Akira Kamitaki using DaVinci Resolve Studio.
Explaining the choice of equipment, Kamide said, “I already had the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro, and it is the camera I had used the most. Besides being the most convenient camera, we chose the camera considering its weight and battery management for this project. Since we were shooting in the mountains, its ability to be powered by 12V and its built in ND filters were incredibly helpful.”
Kamide continued, “Although it might look heavy, it feels surprisingly light when you hold it. Moreover, I really like the large tilt screen and the intuitive interface. Unlike other manufacturers, it has only the essential features without any unnecessary extras. It’s great that everything you need is clearly displayed and easy to understand. The quick startup time is also a plus. For our documentary shooting style, where we rarely have a script and are constantly filming or capturing crucial moments, the quick startup and usability of this camera are very important.”
The filming conditions were extremely tough. On location, they attached a half rig to the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and connected a microphone and SSD, shooting for approximately eight hours each day, recording in Blackmagic RAW at 6K. Since there was no power source on set and they couldn’t recharge batteries, they brought enough batteries to last four days in advance.
Ishii has extensive experience filming in remote locations, having worked on hit shows like Japan’s “Itte Q! to the Ends of the Earth” and “Darwin Has Come!” His wealth of experience greatly supported the production of this film.
Regarding battery management, Ishii explained, “We brought three 98 watt V-mount batteries and around 20 to 30 NPF batteries. The V-mount batteries didn’t last a whole day, so we switched to the NPF batteries as needed.”
Kamide said, “A significant advantage of using DaVinci Resolve was the ability to edit Blackmagic RAW footage from the Pocket Cinema Camera directly. Sometimes I created proxies, but even that process was seamless. We could drop the RAW footage straight into the sequence, apply a temporary color grade to all clips for better visualization, and focus immediately on storytelling. Once the project was complete, I sent it from New York to Kamitaki, who lives in the US, for grading, and then it was sent to the client in Tokyo. This workflow was unique to DaVinci Resolve.”
“I always want to present an alternative in every aspect. When everyone thinks ‘it has to be this way,’ I want to do something different. That mindset is present in ‘TRAIL,’ and I intend to continue this approach in the future,” concluded Kamide.
Enjoying the news? Sign up for the Creative COW Newsletter!
Sign up for the Creative COW newsletter and get weekly updates on industry news, forum highlights, jobs, inspirational tutorials, tips, burning questions, and more! Receive bulletins from the largest, longest-running community dedicated to supporting professionals working in film, video, and audio.
Enter your email address, and your first and last name below!
Responses