Jeff Hamlin, Director and David Linstrom, Cinematographer Choose Sachtler for National Geographic Polar Bear Shoot
Jeff Hamlin, Director and David Linstrom, Cinematographer Choose Sachtler for National Geographic Polar Bear Shoot
Jeff Hamlin, Director and David Linstrom, Cinematographer Choose Sachtler for National Geographic Polar Bear Shoot
Linstrom Chooses Sachtler for National Geographic Polar Bear Shoot
When cinematographer David Linstrom signed on to shoot a segment of “National Geographic Wild-America’s Big Five”, he turned to Sachtler, a Vitec Group brand, for camera support. “This segment is about scientists from the United States Geological Survey, surveying polar bears,” he explains. “They go out across the frozen sea from the town of Deadhorse, on the northern slope near the Arctic, and look for bears on the ice. When they find a bear that hasn’t been tagged before, they shoot it from a distance with a tranquilizer dart. After it becomes immobilized, they land and go to work taking the bear’s vitals—tagging, weighing and logging the information into their record book.
“To document this, my camera package featured a Sony F800 and the Sachtler System 20 S1 SL HD fluid head and tripod. I would be covering everything from helicopter-to-helicopter shots to tripod shots of details of polar bears in the snow. We needed solid support that could stand up to the rigors of the arctic locations,” he explains. “At times we were at -28 degrees Fahrenheit (-33 degrees C), flying in a Hughes 500D helicopter. Even with these extreme conditions, I knew I could rely on my Sachtler to work flawlessly. Sachtler is simply the best tripod in the industry for documentary and fieldwork. They are lightweight yet stable and the controls make it a joy to work with a long lens. By using the tension settings, I personalize the balance and resistance so I can dial in just the right amount of tension in order to get beautifully smooth pans and tilts. And the head always works like it is supposed to, no matter what the temperature. The seals are tight so that grit doesn’t get in and cause bumps.”
Linstrom sites the design and construction of the tripod as another factor that sets Sachtler apart. “The speed levers on the tripod decreases the time it takes to set the height,” he explains. “And, it’s also ergonomically correct, as if a camera operator designed it.”
Hampered by extreme temperatures and heavy winds over the week-long shoot, Linstrom says he was still able to get more than enough shots for the episode. “The scientists we work with are happy to have us along but we are guests on their mission,” he explains. “I didn’t have time for things not to work. That’s why the Sachtler fluid head stayed fluid. I didn’t even notice a difference in the -28 degrees F (-33 degrees C), degree weather.”
Linstrom says some of his favorite shots on this particular episode were the extreme close ups of bears’ teeth, claws and hair. “They are amazing animals and have adapted incredibly well for that extreme environment. They need all the help we can give them to survive.”
David Linstrom has been using Sachtler tripods for over 20 years. He’s used them everywhere form the Sahel desert of Chad to the jungles of Indonesia and the swamps of Venezuela. This most recent segment of “National Geographic Wild-America’s Big Five” will air later this year.
For more information visit www.sachtler.com or contact: Sachtler, 709 Executive Blvd., Valley Cottage, NY 10989, Phone: 845-268-0100, Fax: 845-268-0113, Email: [email protected]
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About Sachtler
Sachtler, founded in 1958 by cameraman Wendelin Sachtler, is the worldwide market leader for professional camera support systems for cinematography and television production, its name a symbol of top quality and reliability for decades. With an extensive range of camera support systems as well as a finely modulated product line of reportage lighting, Sachtler is the highly qualified partner for cameramen, film and TV studios. Since 2000 Sachtler has been offering the artemis modular camera stabilizer system. With its numerous workshops and training sessions, the Wendelin Sachtler Academy has become a top address worldwide for invaluable know-how and the exchange of information, creating the ideal international platform for creative talents.
A Snapshot of The Vitec Group
Vitec is an international Group principally serving customers in the broadcast, photographic and military, aerospace and government (MAG) markets. Listed on the London Stock Exchange with 2009 revenue of £315 million, Vitec is based on strong, well known, premium brands on which its customers worldwide rely. Vitec is organized in three divisions: Imaging & Staging, Videocom and Services.
Imaging & Staging designs, manufactures and distributes equipment and accessories for photography, video and events.
Videocom designs and distributes systems and products used in broadcasting and live entertainment, film and video production and MAG.
Services provides equipment rental, workflow design and technical support for camera, video, audio, fibre optic and wireless technology used by TV production teams and film crews.
More information can be found at www.vitecgroup.com