Chile. Chilean production company AGTV employed several Blackmagic Design equipment, including six URSA Broadcast cameras, in the filming of the successful telenovela Amor a la Catalán, for Canal 13, the second oldest broadcaster in the Andean country.
To bring the story to life through a high-end production without exceeding the budget, AGTV decided to implement a working dynamic with Blackmagic Design products, starting with the URSA Broadcast cameras.
"Seeing the way in which Channel 13 had used Blackmagic products in Preciosas, we wanted to recreate this work dynamic to achieve the same quality. In the case of Amor a la Catalán, we divided the cameras into two groups: the first included three units that we used as the main cameras in the studio, while the second consisted of two others that we used during the outdoor scenes. The rest served as a backup for the team," said César Norambuena, operations manager at AGTV.
By using three cameras simultaneously in the studio, Norambuena and his team were able to shoot scenes in a single shot, thus avoiding the need to repeat the recording to capture different angles and reactions of the actors. On the other hand, the units of the second group were always ready and with the batteries charged, which allowed them to be used outdoors immediately whenever necessary.
To maximize efficiency during production, the team used an ATEM Camera Control Panel device to monitor image quality and adjust color balance, shutter speed and other parameters, giving cameramen the ability to focus on other necessary tasks.
"Each shoot can last up to 10 hours, and the URSA Broadcast cameras never failed us. They are extremely reliable, and our team was able to adapt them quickly and use them efficiently during these sessions. Many operators were accustomed to common television cameras, but this model also offers cinematic features, in addition to including the traditional controls of these units, "said Norambuena.
On the other hand, AGTV used ATEM Television Studio Pro HD and ATEM Production Studio 4K mixers, a HyperDeck Studio Mini device for each group of URSA Broadcast units, to make additional recordings, a SmartScope Duo 4K monitor and an ATEM Talkback Converter 4K. The latter allowed operators to remain in communication with the director, even when moving away from the cameras in order for the action to proceed without interruptions.
"Using Blackmagic equipment in this production has been an incredible experience. We have been able to integrate them into our work dynamics without any problems, and the quality is phenomenal. We are pleased to start a new season of 'Amor a la Catalán', and once again we will rely on Blackmagic Design's products in order to achieve extraordinary results," said Norambuena to conclude.
