Image Factory Productions Taps Panasonic Camcorders for Crosby, Stills, and Nash Performance

When two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famers folk-rock legends Crosby, Stills, and Nash performed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra last spring, The New York Times called it a ”conjoining of colossi” with the trio’s harmonies
juxtaposed with the orchestra’s distinctive swing. The performance, which was captured with an assortment of Panasonic P2 HD camcorders and remote HD cameras, is expected to be released on DVD next year.

Chris Kissinger, principal of Image Factory Productions (Los Angeles, CA), served as the director of the concert recording. A longtime music industry veteran and himself a former performer, he is often the top directorial choice of performing artists such as Crosby, Stills, and Nash and Jackson Browne. Since 2001, Kissinger has also been the video
I-MAG Producer/Director at Los Angeles’ historic Greek Theatre, where he recently supervised the installation of Panasonic P2 HD and AVCCAM camcorders and remote HD cameras, as well as two PT-DW17KU WXGA, 17K lumen projectors and an AG-HMX100 HD A/V mixer.

“I’ve worked with Panasonic gear at the Greek Theatre for well over a decade, and we were poised to upgrade to HD live production there at precisely the time I was hired for the Lincoln Center gig,” Kissinger said. “In New York, I found a sophisticated installation dominated by Panasonic P2 HD and remote HD cameras. My satisfaction with that complex 19-camera shoot certainly influenced our selection of specific Panasonic equipment for the California venue.”

The 5,900 capacity Greek Theatre is an internationally renowned venue that presents a wide variety of headline entertainment, from pop to classical, Latin to rock and much more. It has even been the backdrop for blockbuster movies, including a starring role in “Get Him to the Greek.” During the 2013 season, Kissinger used the Panasonic equipment to capture and project performances from world-renowned artists such as Barry Manilow, the Rascals, Ana Gabriel, and The Lumineers, among others.

“The range of Panasonic gear we chose is delivering superior price/performance, and is seamlessly integrated. We like the HPX370’s interchangeable lensing, and the impressive 22X digital zooms on the HPX255 and AC160A. The projectors, with an extremely small footprint, represent a significant improvement, especially in terms of keystone correction and skewing,” said Kissinger.

During a typical event at the Greek, Kissinger deploys two AG-HPX370 P2 HD shoulder-mounts, an AG-HPX255 P2 HD handheld and an AG-AC160A AVCCAM HD handheld as his manned cameras, with two AW-HE50S HD pan/tilt/zooms operated remotely. He switches the show through the HMX100, and projects to two 12 by 16-foot live screens through the PT-DW17KU WXGA projectors.

Kissinger has previously used Panasonic professional equipment for live production at Los Angeles’ The Shrine Auditorium, The Hollywood Bowl, Atlanta’s Chastain and the Woodruff Arts Center Symphony Hall with Atlanta Symphony.