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Professional skier, car-enthusiast, product designer and blogger, Jon Olsson, has now added vlogging in 8K to his extensive list. Being in front of the camera for 20 years filming for ski movies, he always loved doing his tricks for the camera, but he also always loved to learn how the other side of the camera worked. This fascination along with blogging for his website, led him to daily vlogging.

Back in May when he started the vlog with Marcus Valeur, they were using a Leica SL camera, but recently decided to invest in the new RED Epic-W to start filming their vlog’s in a higher resolution.  They admit daily vlogging in 8K is bit overkill, but for some of the footage it really makes a difference. Also, when you build your channel to grow to 498K subscribers with 600K daily views, you want to provide your audience with the most incredible footage you can.

A typical day filming can last them from about 8am to 6pm at night, and then they have to get home to upload and edit all of the content to post the next day online. It’s definitely a challenge, but it’s what they strive to do every day. With their busy on-the-go type days filming, they needed a compact, reliable setup to get them through the day. Since power is one of the most important components to any camera, while they were doing research for the best RED run and gun setup, they decided to go with Hypercore SLIM HC8 and HC7 battery packs to assist them with their productions. After using them for a few weeks, they’re impressed with how long of a runtime they get in a super compact battery and couldn’t have imagined choosing anything else.

One of the many cool features about Jon’s new RED Epic-W setup is the design on the camera. About 10 years ago they decided to have a camouflage Lamborghini as kind of a joke, but since many people liked it so much, he kept with it. Now, he has everything in that gray, black, white camouflage pattern that he kind of became a trademark for him – Even his house is painted in camo! Along with the camera, his Wooden Camera battery module is also in camo, and possibly something from Core SWX will be coming in the near future – Stay tuned

Upcoming for the daily vlog, we should be seeing what they’re up to in Indonesia, and then they’re heading to Bali, Dubai, back to Monaco where Jon lives now, and then Canada. What a busy and exciting schedule! Be sure to check out the vlogs daily at Jon’s YouTube channel here.

Inspired by our amazing client base, and many of their visually stunning BTS (behind the scenes) photos, we want to reciprocate the love!

Our new contest, #COREDRIVEN will do just that, for a chance to win a killer battery system!

To enter, while on production, you will need to capture an out of this world BTS photo! Post on Instagram tagging us and using #coredriven in the caption. (Please note, in order for us to see the entry, the account needs to be off private).

Our team will choose their top 10 favorite photos, and then send them off to our nearest and dearest industry friends who will individually rank each of them. Based on their feedback, the team will tally up all the scores and announce the winners for the following prizes:

First Place – FOUR brand new HC8 battery packs and ONE Quad Fleet Charger (mount style of choice)

Second Place – TWO HC8 battery packs and ONE Dual Fleet Charger (yes, this charger is still under wraps but you will be one of the first to get it ;)) (mount style of choice)

With no time to waste, start getting those creative juices flowing!  We are super excited to see what you will capture!

Don’t have our battery packs?  What are you waiting for?  Pick up some Hypercore and get a 1st person perspective of why our users LOVE our packs.

If you don’t win, keep your chin up!  We Salute YOU! This is only the beginning and wait until you see what we are working on next!

Disclaimer (The boring, legal stuff): Upon submission, we reserve the right to use the photos for marketing purposes and may request hi-res images.  Photo credit will be given to the respective parties.

My name is Mark MacEwen, I’m a DP and at the beginning of this year, I took on the task of filming a program on Chimpanzees in Senegal for the BBC. It will be part of a 5 part series of 1 hr mini features on single species. Filming chimpanzees is no small undertaking, the last time I did was for a BBC series called ‘Africa’. I found myself in the middle of the Congo Jungle for 5 weeks, trekking the equivalent of a half marathon to full marathon every day for fleeting glimpses of chimpanzees. I was losing 2 stone of weight in the process, filming long lens and using a Steadicam in one of the more extreme environments I’ve tried to.

So I thought about it with some trepidation, but they are such amazing animals, there really is nothing like spending time with chimps. There are moments when you film them that you really see and feel how closely related we are together and this was a chance to spend the next year and a half filming the drama unfolding of their lives, so I could really only make one decision and that was to accept.

The chimps here unlike the one I filmed before in the Congo live in a far more extreme environment. Unlike the Jungle of the Congo, the environment here is far more Savana and patchy woodland, appearing far drier and less forgiving. This atmosphere makes the chimps have lots of very interesting behaviours, from Spear hunting Bush babies to digging wells for water.

This is the end of my third trip to Senegal this year for the project and each shoot has been very different and the story has developed every time. This shoot was all about trying to use the Freefly MoVI M15 with Red Dragon camera and try to follow them.  I didn’t even know if it would be possible to be honest as the distances covered and some of the terrain makes doing it and adding cinematic movement to the film incredibly difficult. Also, having learnt from my Congo experience, a Steadicam was not an option. Powering the Camera and follow focus is a major consideration and I was fortunate to use the HyperCore Slims. I’ve been really impressed with them. The D-tap out on them is great for providing power for my Follow focus and accessories and the fact that they are light and  82wh in such a small form factor, made them the perfect choice for this sort of Gimbal work as they gave me longer working times.

It’s probably one of the hardest subjects I’ve ever tried to use the MoVI with. They go from fast asleep to marching you 10 miles in the blink of an eye. They can also be incredibly explosive, giving very little warning that something is about to happen and at this time of year the temperatures are brutal and from about 11:00 on most days are about 46 degrees Celsius.  We have had our work cut out for the last 3 weeks, but we have also filmed some extraordinary shots for the program. It wasn’t easy and they made us work hard and sweat a lot for every shot, but when it all came together at the same time it really delivered, my worry now is that we will want to do it again.

I’ve lost about half a stone on this trip, it should have been more but the food is very good where we are staying and they have looked after me very well. I’m looking forward to seeing how the chimps lives and how this film changes and develops over the next year. I can’t wait for the next shoot back here and will keep using the Hypercores on my M15, but in the meantime next stop is Peru for a series on Mountains.

The Chimpanzee film is due for release at the end of 2017 so we still have many months of filming time left, but I’ve spent much of the last few years filming for a series by the BBC called “Planet Earth 2” the follow on to the original “Planet Earth” that came out over 10 years ago, its due for release at the end of this year (2016), it’s taken me all over the world, Madagascar several times, Komodo where I filmed Komodo Dragons fighting, Costa Rica and several others.

Mark MacEwen
Wildlife / Documentary Cameraman
www.markmacewen.co.uk
Twitter: @MacEwenMark

Foster Visuals is a team of storytellers founded by filmmaker Brent Foster. The team travels the globe producing work for editorial clients, companies and brands, using their past of photojournalism as inspiration for their style. In addition to these projects, they pursue their own passion projects, keeping them inspired and shedding light on stories that deserve to be told.

Currently, one of their passion projects is a web series called “While I’m Here | The Legacy Project.” The project started as a result of Brent missing out on a story he promised to film, letting time and other work get in the way. That promised story was supposed to be about a man in his hometown, sharpening hockey skates for the local families, without taking a dime.  Before Brent got to tell the man’s story, he unfortunately passed away.  In honor of this man, Brent started the “While I’m Here | The Legacy Project,” telling stories of elders doing great things while they’re still here.

The first one is about a man, Thomas Weller in San Diego, who got stuck in a ditch with his car at 16 and was rescued by a man who asked for him to pay it forward one day. Forty-eight years later, Thomas has rescued thousands of people who were stranded on the side of the road. When he helped and continues to help those stranded, he hands them a card that says “You don’t owe me a thing. I’ve been there too.”  He explains, “Someone once helped me out, just the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here’s what you do: don’t let the chain of love end with you.”

Bluesman, Leo “Bud” Welch is the featured man of the next story. For 35 years, while Leo was making a living in the logging industry, he pursued his passion of playing guitar on the side for family, friends, and church. Last year, he proved one should never give up on their dreams by releasing his first gospel album on his 82nd birthday. He in-turn passes the legacy of blues music along to the younger generations by visiting schools to perform.

The third story spotlights Ed Nicholson who was in the Navy for 30 years and private industry for 10 years. When he was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer, he was in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where injured vets were also coming back from Iraq. Ed realized he could help them cope with their mental and physical issues, so he began Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. He started to teach people how to cast on the front lawn of the hospital, and now the project takes veterans out onto the water to fly fish as well as build new relationships. The project has grown to 178 programs in the U.S.

With many of the productions being in remote locations, the production team rarely has AC to charge battery packs, cell phones, etc. To assist with lack of AC, they rely on the Switronix XP-L90S battery packs to power Sony FS7, Sony A7RII, Zylight LED Fresnel, monitors, as well as the USB to charge phones. They find that wattage capacity is ideal to last them all day and they don’t have to frequently switch the packs out.  With travel being a primary concern, the XPL90S is also air travel compliant.

As the most important, rewarding project they’ve worked on and being able to see the direct impact on others, Foster Visuals plans to continue inspiring others with three more stories. Up next, they’re headed to Philippines, and trying to coordinate with two others in Canada and Italy.

Follow Foster Visuals on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to make sure you don’t miss out on the upcoming three episodes.

Four friends who had a passion for skateboard cinematography combined their talents to start the Germany-based production company, Modest Department. Taking their urban skateboarding roots, Modest Dept. applies their out of the box thinking, to produce videos for a variety of clientele, Adidas, Ben and Jerry’s, Expedia, and more.

Recently, they headed to Florence, Italy to produce an episode for the “She’s Mercedes” campaign. Car maker, Mercedes-Benz, started this inspirational campaign to showcase successful woman who are independent, strong, and passionate in what they do. The episode Modest Department had the pleasure to produce focused on shoemaker, Saskia Witter. On the flight over to Florence, Director Gerrit Piechowski said he was feeling kind of nervous since this was their second production for Mercedes, and the first he was fully responsible for. He also noted the social gap couldn’t have been any wider between skateboarders and a woman who was invited to golf with Royals. From the start, Modest Dept. was welcomed, by the time production wrapped, Saskia didn’t want them to leave.

As with any production, challenges always arise. For one, the weather was less than ideal. Modest Department hoped for blue skies during production, but it was the complete opposite. Turning a negative to a positive, the inclement weather provided a more edgy look to the episode. Interior lighting was also difficult as Saskia’s workshop was small, making it unfeasible to bring large lighting setups. They made it work by lighting every scene with two F&V LED Z400s light panels.

One aspect which didn’t concern them was traveling however. Not only is it important to have the batteries under a certain capacity, but in Europe they also check the weight of a carry-on. When traveling with a RED Epic Dragon, the appropriate lenses and battery packs, it makes it hard to keep the weight at 8kg or less. They say there is a delicate balance between keep your carry-on bag as light as possible while still having enough power to cover a daily production. Using Hypercore 98 RED’s they had no issues with weight or capacity in travel, and had long lasting power on set, making it a win-win-win

Up next for Modest Department are two music videos, a fitness image film, and an image film for a major tire company. Not straying from their routes, they are also working on a skateboard series for a Euro-based skateboard website. Seeing what Modest Department has already accomplished in two years, and as they continue to learn from every past project, the sky is the limit for them. Their goal is to exceed expectations on each upcoming project, setting a new standard each time for future clients. They know in the end, it’s all about having fun and being remembered as a friendly, passionate, and professional group of cinematographers.

Stay connected with Modest Department by following them on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and watch their videos on their site here.

Action Sports Cinematographer, Mathieu Cowan, also known as Sunset Films, headed to Aspen, Colorado to film Professional Snowboarder Sebastien Toutant at the X Games. This year was just as great his other four times filming at the X Games, as he said the weather was on their side during the contests Sebastien Toutant was competing in. Toutant won the Silver for the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle Final and received fourth for the America’s Navy Snowboard Big Air Final.

Cowan made sure he wouldn’t miss one of Toutant’s big moments by relying on Hypercore-98RED’s to power his Panasonic Lumix GH4(using the PTC-GH4 cable). He commented that the batteries made a big difference for him this year because he has to shoot between 3-6 hours straight every day, and the batteries can handle the cold conditions very well.

Although he can assure himself he won’t run into any issues with power, there were some challenges that were out of his control. The biggest one he came across was with the strong winds during the Slopestyle Final because he always shoots from a mile away with a long lens, and those two things don’t mix well together. As we knew he would, he managed to overcome the challenge to get the perfect shot.

Next up for Cowan is a shoot for CCM in Edmonton, Canada with an NHL superstar toward the end of February. In between now and that shoot, he would like to finish filming Sebastien Toutant on Mt. Royal in Montreal for a snowboarding part, but they need it to snow there first in order to finish the project! After that, he will be able to escape the snow and head to Florida in March for a golf shoot.

Stay in touch with Cowan (Sunset Films) on Instagram and Facebook.

One of the largest and top ranked pediatric health systems in the United States, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, has been an independent, non-profit system since 1924. Children’s serves kids throughout the Upper Midwest and maintains it’s longstanding commitment to the community to improve children’s health by providing high-quality, family-centered pediatric services and advancing those efforts through research and education. They serve children from before birth through young adulthood at two free-standing hospitals that have 12 primary and specialty-care clinics and six rehabilitation sites. Within the hospital, they have a production company known as Star Studio that provides positive, memorable experiences for the patients and families as an alternative to mainstream and commercial entertainment. They produce live, interactive programming, several pre-recorded shows and create visual tools to educate staff and families.  They broadcast to all hospitals televisions and on the Star Studio’s website from their own closed circuit television channel.

When they reached out to us for a power solution to help their productions, we were more than happy to donate gear. They recently used the PowerBase 70 for their Canon XH-G1 for one of their biggest broadcasts which is at the Minnesota State Fair. The show is interactive where the patients get to call the crew at the fair live and tell them where they’d like them to go. Their goal is to give the patients and families an opportunity to experience the fair without actually leaving their hospital room. The crew completes the requests of the kids by doing activities such as seeing the baby animals or going on the “Giant Slide,” which are a couple of the most popular requests.

With the PB70 battery this year, they were able to move their production more efficiently throughout the fair. By having a smaller and wireless setup, it allowed them to make their way through large crowds and go on rides such as the “Giant Slide” and ferris wheel which they weren’t able to do in the past.

Now that their yearly broadcast of the fair is complete, they will continue producing content and live shows on their in-house channel, as well as film and edit a variety from promotional videos for fundraisers to clinical content, all to support the hospital.

Check out the broadcast from the fair here and the Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota site here.