Chile. The Chilean production company AGTV relied on Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K digital cameras for the filming of the successful telenovela "Hijos del Desierto". Filmed in Blackmagic RAW, critics hailed the series for its outstanding production quality and captivating color palette, made possible by AGTV's strategic choice to employ Blackmagic Design cameras.
Directed by Patricio González, "Hijos del Desierto" has captivated audiences both on Mega, one of Chile's leading television stations, and on its MegaGo platform. Set in the 1930s, the series tells the heartbreaking story of two brothers who are separated in the aftermath of a tragic massacre of workers. With a duration of more than 100 episodes from August 2022 to January of this year, the program has earned the recognition of viewers and the most important publications in Chile.
The director of operations at AGTV, César Norambuena, had already used several Blackmagic URSA Broadcast units during the production of the series "Amor a la catalán" of Canal 13, and knew that he wanted to re-implement a work dynamic based on Blackmagic Design products in "Children of the desert". In order to capture the events that unfold from one moment to another in the series, the AGTV team chose to have two film units, each equipped with two URSA Mini Pro 12K cameras and a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2, and record in Blackmagic RAW format.
Norambuena highlighted that the remarkable performance of the URSA Mini Pro 12K model in low light conditions was a key benefit. "Since the show is set in the early 1900s, many of the scenes were shot in dim lighting. The URSA Mini Pro 12K cameras were excellent at recording images only illuminated by candlelight, for example. This gave us the opportunity to achieve the desired cinematic effect for the series and capture subtle details, such as the blurred effect of the background and optimize the old style of the images. Having Blackmagic Design cameras was essential to make this possible," he explained. "Shooting in Blackmagic RAW also gave our post-production team the flexibility to achieve the exact look and feel we wanted to convey. Before, we felt we had to settle for the aesthetics that any camera brings, but now we can make decisions and improve the level."
"The Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2 was fantastic during production and was the ideal choice for the telenovela," continued Norambuena. "We mounted the cameras to stabilizers, and because they are so lightweight, the team was able to move them easily, which allowed us to give viewers a dynamic experience using multiple cameras. In turn, they are very accessible in terms of price, which was crucial. This gave us the ability to incorporate more Blackmagic Design products within budget."
The production of "Children of the Desert" lasted eight months, and Norambuena applauds the reliability of the equipment. "The cameras worked perfectly consistently, even when given no respite, and their performance was outstanding. At no time should we have worried about them stopping working and having to be solving problems," he said.
After the success of "Children of the Desert", Norambuena continues to rely on the URSA Mini Pro 12K and Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2 models for the production of Mega's latest soap operas entitled "Como la vida misma" and "Juegos de ilusiones". Despite the different styles and environments of these new programs, Norambuena knows that Blackmagic Design cameras will allow her to continue capturing the diverse visions and sensations of each project.
Finally, Pablo Ávila, owner of AGTV, concluded: "As a production company, AGTV always tries to adopt new techniques and technologies. Our Blackmagic Design team-based work dynamics ensure that we can remain at the forefront of the industry and have innovative technology at a reasonable price. We look forward to seeing soon what we will be able to create with these products."
Sincerely,
Anna Lange-Soto
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