Cinematographer/producer, veteran diver, and founder of
Liquid Pictures, D.J. Roller, recently wrapped principal photography on a new
IMAX 3-D film entitled “
Wild
Ocean.” All underwater
sequences were shot with two Fujinon HA10X5B-W50 HD Cine Style zoom lenses
mounted on a Cameron/Pace Fusion Underwater HDTV 3D camera system. The lenses
are encased in specially made lens barrels for the rig and affixed to
custom-designed Sony HD-950 cameras. Roller used that system with two of the
Fujinon lenses and one back-up.
The film was shot over two summers along
South Africa’s
pristine wild coast, documenting the annual sardine run. During these “runs,”
massive schools of sardines - sometimes measuring up to 15 kilometers long -
swim up the coast in search of food every year. This draws many predators to
the area including thousands of dolphins and sharks.
The environmental documentary is expected to
be released to IMAX and Digital 3D theatres worldwide this March.
Roller has lead film expeditions on all seven continents but
found this particular location to be particularly challenging. According to
Roller, it was the combination of Fujinon lenses and the Pace underwater camera
system that made it possible to meet the numerous challenges presented by
underwater filming. “The camera technology afforded us longer record times, and
the lenses gave extremely sharp images,” he explained. “Since the camera and
lens are encased in an underwater housing, switching out lenses is not
possible. Without the lenses Fujinon developed for the Pace camera, we wouldn’t
have had the flexibility cinematically to capture the amazing pictures we did.”
The untouched, wild coast provides the ideal conditions for
the sardines but not necessarily for filmmakers. Sardine runs like the one
captured in “
Wild
Ocean” previously
occurred in areas with similar current patterns throughout the world’s oceans. Because
of over fishing, the only place to see this natural phenomenon is now on the
South African coast. This difficult to reach location was another reason the
compact and lightweight Fujinon lenses were well suited for the shoot. “On
other underwater projects, we’ve had the luxury of a research ship and a huge
harbor to dive from” he said. “Given that our location was very unique and so
wild, we took just two 25-foot Zodiac boats -- one for support equipment and
one for camera equipment -- down river tributaries to get to the ocean.”
Roller’s crew had to be extremely nimble, moving quickly to
capture the numerous feeding frenzies that take place below the ocean’s
surface. “The ‘Holy Grail’ of natural history filmmaking is capturing something
that no one has ever seen before. The underwater team rode on the camera boat
and deployed the equipment in a matter of seconds. Capitalizing quickly on an
opportunity can make or break a nature film. Timing is everything, because wild
animals don’t give you a second take.”