Question: You recently shot your first national commercial with the VariCam. Tell us about it.

Sabo: “Wetlands,” for Rocky Boots Outerwear, was not only my first national commercial but also the advertiser’s first national TV spot. When I got the call from the production company, OnSlot Creative in New York City, which also acted as the agency, they had already pitched the client on using HD. I took it a step further and promoted the idea of shooting 24p DVCPRO HD.

The VariCam was the way to go for this spot and here's why. The client wanted the spot to feel natural because Rocky Boots footwear and clothing are typically worn in natural environments like wetland areas or farms. I had to capture those environments in their natural state, and the VariCam can do that. With its wide dynamic range and beautiful color reproduction, I could easily make menu adjustments to the camera and capture those moments as if I were shooting film. I was confident that what I saw with my eyes was what I’d get onscreen.

“Wetlands” was a single-camera shoot here in Ohio close to Rocky Boots’ Nelsonville headquarters. When on set, I only use HD monitors; I do not like to look at a downconverted signal, and I want my clients to look only at an HD signal. I keep a portable monitor right by camera -- I use Panasonic’s BT-LH900 (8.4” HD monitor) extensively. I refer to the waveform for critical exposures. After I shot “Wetlands” I did a second Rocky Boots’ spot, “Farm,” with the VariCam.

Question: What other spots have you shot with VariCam? 

Sabo: Commercials are my bread and butter, and I’ve used the VariCam on countless spots, including a McDonald’s open-late campaign from the Stern Agency in Cleveland, Got Milk? promos tied to the Columbus Crew Major League Soccer team from Burris Communications/Columbus (which had previously been shot on film), a series of spots promoting Time Warner’s RoadRunner Internet service for business from Burris, and Ohio Lottery spots from Stern.

People often think that my VariCam spots were shot on film. I take that as a great compliment to me and to the product Panasonic has brought to market.

As I really understand how far I can push the camera, my body of work continues to get better and better. I find myself getting more calls from some of the bigger markets, from New York- and LA-based production companies.

Many TV shows are requesting the VariCam:  Modern Marvels (on The History Channel), American Idol (on Fox). I have shot a segment for an HBO documentary on global warming, Too Hot To Handle, with the VariCam.

Question: Did you use VariCam’s variable frame functionality on the Rocky Boots’ shoot?

Sabo: I used 180-degree shutter and 60 fps frame rate throughout. This allowed me to have the option of slow mo in the edit if needed. Part of the pitch to the client was that the VariCam can do slow mo - that capability really sold them on it. I could not do this with any other HD camera. When it came time for me to make a decision about buying an HD camera, the VariCam’s variable frame rates weighed heavily in its favor. If I knew that feature existed, I wanted to have it; you never know when you might need it.

Question: What have you found to be different about shooting HD?  Did it impact production for the Rocky Boots spot?

Sabo: Shooting HD is different from film, no question about it. You need to understand how the VariCam handles different light conditions. HD is a more delicate format: You have to pay attention to exposure and you find yourself trying to control light more thoroughly. In the end, the images are just as beautiful. But using HD over film can have quite a few advantages, for example, simple tape changes, no gate checks, no scratches to worry about, no film shipments to get lost, no film transfer issues. Things that will definitely speed up the production process and most likely save money.

On the Rocky Boots “Wetlands” shoot, I probably shot double the coverage that I would have gotten with film. Sometimes, I would just roll the tape creatively -something you normally can’t do if you’re concerned about film costs - just shooting things I wanted or playing with the frame rate. There’s a shot in “Wetlands” that nobody saw me take, and it made the cut as a nice transition.

Question: What about the VariCam’s outstanding dynamic range and color rendition?

Sabo: The VariCam is very consistent in color reproduction and can handle darks and whites exceptionally well. The ability to give this camera a film look has been easy. I cannot express enough how the consistency of this camera holds up under any light condition. Even at night with just street lights, I can still get a quality image.

Question: Was the transition from film cinematographer to HD cinematographer a difficult one?

Sabo : The film menus in the VariCam are not complicated so right away I felt at home - just as if I were using a film camera. The shutter angles were in degrees, the camera worked in frame rates that could easily be changed. Menu navigations for high color and dynamic range really helped give the camera a good “film look.”  I found that I could really make this camera sing!  Buying my VariCam in November 2003 was one of the best decisions I ever made in advancing my career.

Question : In general, how are the projects you shoot on VariCam edited and
finished?

Sabo: Many of the early projects I shot with the VariCam were downconverted and edited in standard def and delivered in a 4x3 format. In the last year, a lot of post houses have upgraded to HD edit suites. Now, I find I can shoot more 16x9 and see the product work its way through the post systems in HD.

I personally use Apple’s Final Cut Pro 5 and edit in native 960x720. I then master it back to DVCPRO HD. From the HD master, we can make whatever deliverables the client needs.

Question: Can you make some generalizations about how shooting HD impacts budgets?

Sabo: In general, shooting HD saves money compared to film. Many agencies seem to ask for a film budget and a 24p budget. I don't think I've ever seen the 24p budget higher than film. The main reason for the difference is the cost of the film stock compared to tape stock.

Question: What would you say to colleagues about the VariCam?

Sabo: I’d tell those who use Sony (HD cameras) or even film to give the VariCam a try. They’ll find that VariCam is a solid camera, and it produces wonderful colors and images.

People who already use Panasonic cameras like the AG-DVX100 series (24p/30p/60i Mini-DV), AJ-SDX900 (DVCPRO50) and AG-HVX200 (DVCPRO HD P2) know that Panasonic is very consistent with its cameras: You can take them out of the box, turn them on, point them at the same image and they will all have the same look and feel. The resolution will be different but the color reproduction will be similar. Panasonic products are precise and match each other so well.

Question: What’s next for you and your VariCam?

Sabo: I am currently producing and shooting my own action feature, The Courier, in the Ohio Valley. I have made the VariCam jump through hoops on it -- I've had it in the rain, on rivers, boats, car rigs, cranes, in humid conditions, extreme heat, and many other situations. The camera hasn’t failed me once, either mechanically or visually.