What's Survivor Shot On?

mb72378

mb72378

Well-known member
I was wondering if anyone has any idea as to what kind of camera the TV show Survivor utilizes?

I KNOW that the footgage gets a lot of Color Correcting and boosting but man the footage is beautiful for "run and gun" shooting. Im sure there are bounce cards everywhere but still...
 
I found some references that are several years old to XDCAM, but I have to say that the TV show "Survivor" is in no way "run and gun". I'm sorry but cranes, jibs, and well lit sets is not "run and gun".
 
Not everything, but the very mention of any lighting makes it not run and gun in my book. They have dozens of sets, most lit by the sun, and there is very little actual running.
 
Sony and CBS have joined forces to bring the ground-breaking reality series "SURVIVOR" to high definition. Sony's XDCAM HD(TM) Professional Disc(TM) system will be used to shoot the upcoming 17th season of "SURVIVOR" in high definition, with production scheduled to begin this summer and the premiere episode debuting in the fall.

"Sony's XDCAM HD system will start a new era for 'SURVIVOR'," said Mark Burnett, the show's executive producer. "The camcorder brings the exotic locales to life brilliantly, creating an immediacy that draws viewers right into the frame. This is something we'd been looking to do for some time and now, with Sony's assistance, it has become a reality."

The XDCAM HD camcorders and decks to be deployed are a direct replacement for Sony Digital Betacam equipment used to craft the series' groundbreaking style since its premiere. The Sony XDCAM HD solution is immediately familiar to camera operators and line producers, but offers far more than an upgrade from SD to HD resolution. The optical disc-based HD workflow introduces new innovation and efficiency that addresses the unique needs of reality TV's unscripted style.

"Shooting in high definition gives our production team the tools for storytelling beyond what was previously possible and will give our loyal audience an enhanced viewing experience," said Ghen Maynard, executive vice president, Alternative Programming and Entertainment Content for New Media, CBS Paramount Entertainment Group. "The show's locations and natural elements have always served as another character in the show and an important part of the competition. With HD, viewers will feel as if they are on location instead of in their living room."
Click to expand...

Source: Press Release

......and not "run and gun". lol
 
Ok so my choice of words is off haha. But the shooting conditions for this show are propably still more harsh than that of other shows. So...I was just wondering what cameras they use bcause they are yielding great results in a not so easy shooting environment.
 
I get your point and did from the beginning. My point is some 18 year old kid could read this and think Survivor is "run and gun". Amazing Race = Run and Gun (mostly), Jackass= Run and Gun, Survivor= Sit and Wait. Lol!
 
kgimedia, haha, I completely understand where your coming from. I was that kid about 10 years ago. Now my definition of run and gun is COMPLETELY different than what it used to be haha. Thinking it was ALL camera which isn't the case :)
But, I have decided that I want to "graduate" from the original HVX200 to a Professional Shoulder mount and I was just blown away by the crisp clean footage on this show.
 
If you have a strong back and a good eye those Shoulder mounts are an amazing tool. The flexibility in controls and the extra angle of support is the way I learned to shoot. My first camera in college was a Panasonic AG-195 VHS shoulder mount when all my fellow students had VHS-C or 8mm. When we started shooting with Beta-SP I was used to the motion and moving my hips not my wrist. It took me 2 years of shooting VX1000 every Thursday night for 3 hours to really get the swing of not shoulder mounted.

It takes mad skills and great fitness to wield those bigger cameras by yourself (meaning Run and Gun with no crew). There is a reason they cost so much and are the gold standard for broadcast, they create consistent pretty images.
 
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