Raw Talent Meets The South Atlantic

Cinematographer Simon Vacher recently visited Ascension Island, St Helena, the Caribbean Territories and Antarcticawhile filming for a new documentary on the UK Territories. Miller invited Simon to talk about the expedition, the challenges and how his Compass 15 Solo tripod system performed during the shoot...

Miller: What was your motivation to shoot this project?

Simon: I've always been totally absorbed with observing the natural world, and specifically the film communication language on which the visual medium of the natural world is told through television. I'm very passionate about my gadgets and cameras, and love technology. These two interests have created a fusion that has led me to becoming a wildlife and documentary cameraman.
I really felt I could get my teeth into the UK Overseas Territories project, as it served as a level platform to build up experience and work with a talented presenter as well as wildlife and people in natural surroundings. It also gives me the priceless opportunity to travel with my job and see the world.

Miller: What was the biggest challenge for this particular project?

Simon: Some of the major challenges of an ambitious shoot are the environmental concerns with equipment. We shot many sequences on wind-swept sandy beaches, searing heat and salt-water mangroves, to cold icy plateaus and pools of penguin poo, to razor sharp skin-lacerating lava cones. Each of these places tested our equipment to the max.
Our first setup wasn't a Miller but an inferior friction tripod head system with a Sony EX1 and nanoFlash. After our first six weeks filming, we found salt water had corroded the XLR inputs on the camera, and the lens barrel has almost completely corroded from within.
We ditched the old tripod and brought a Miller Compass 15 custom three-stage Solo tripod and invested in a new Dedo LedZilla top-light. We also bought the new Sony PMW-200 which has the inbuilt capability to record 4:2:2 50mbps. This shooting setup followed us around on the Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula for nearly two months, and never ever let us down once.

Miller: What were the advantages of using a Miller tripod for this shoot?

Simon: We've been thoroughly impressed and pleased by our outstanding Miller Compass 15 3-Stage Carbon Fibre Solo Tripod. Not only did it get some impressed looks from the BBC News and Sky News crew at the Falklands Referendum when I was able to get high and stable above the other TV crews, but most importantly it has lasted and survived every situation in the field. During the harshest moments of our trip when other tripods would have certainly broke; in ice, in mud, in saltwater and in high winds, in sandy dusty beaches and in blistering heat, it has not let us down once.
The three-stage leg-locking system is an instant ten seconds breeze to setup, from high-angle shots to low-angle ground shots and is easily configurable for rocky and uneven terrain, meaning we've nearly never missed a shot. I've almost always achieved smooth and stable pans with the simple yet well-built three-way drag fluid head, even while shooting at the 'end of the lens' in the dry and windy katabatic conditions found in the Antarctic. I would go as far to say it's really a pleasure to use each and every time I use it.
Carrying it long distance over rough terrain has not been any problem either, due to its lightweight chunky Carbon Fibre legs and leg-locking system, which is unaffected by saltwater. It's reassuring and masterfully uncomplicated!
My only complaint is the cheeky and inquisitive Striated Caracara bird of prey who pecked and pecked at the upper leg foam coverings during filming until they got shredded beyond use, resulting in the Gaffer tape making an appearance! Those keen-eyed birds almost made off with the producer's camera, broke his lens cap and stole his notes!

Miller: Is there anything you would change about your Miller tripod?

Simon: There really isn't much I would change about the Miller, apart from making it more bird-proof!

www.simonvacherfilm.com
www.millertripods.com
(IT/JP)