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Some thoughts from watching Planet Earth 2


Mattias Burling
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I have just spent the evening watching the two first episodes from season 2 of Plant Earth and the behind the scenes of both episodes. On Blu-ray of course ;)


The show is just as awesome as season one. It truly is the best shot nature videos ever.
I recently saw season one again and it definitely hold up today, but this was beyond.

What did you guys think about the show, gear, techniques? 

Just some thoughts that came to my mind afterwards.

  • The Arri Amira and Red cameras delivered of course, but the shots that blew my mind the most was from a Sony F5.
    Now its impossible to compare footage from two cameras shot by two completely different teams on different continents, different lights, etc and so forth.
    But still... the F5 colors blew my f...ing mind.
  • The m4/3 camera (looked like one) that they first tried for flying shoots with the para sailer actually looked really good. They had it mounted on the helmet. To bad they couldn't use the shots.
    When they ditched that plan and flew tandem they could use something bigger (Sony A7x), it also looked nice.
  • When the scenes are so far apart they could mix ARRI, Red, F5, etc and no matching issues. But within many locations they still used different cameras and shooters and I still never felt it uneven.
  • Boy does sound effects really make or break nature videos. Its a bit funny when considering that more than a few fights on forums regarding video looks and grading have had crusaders of the "real look" and "looking through a window look". And they almost always use nature shows as good examples of "real". Well.. unless they put a law mic on a crocodile, that aint particularly real ;)

These where just some thoughts, felt like sharing. Watched with my GF and she couldn't give two shits and a popsicle about the gear :)
The whole thing made me want to buy a BMD and go shoot. At least to go snap nature photos with the X-Pro2 or even better, the Sigma SDQ.

 

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33 minutes ago, Mattias Burling said:

 

  • Boy does sound effects really make or break nature videos. Its a bit funny when considering that more than a few fights on forums regarding video looks and grading have had crusaders of the "real look" and "looking through a window look". And they almost always use nature shows as good examples of "real". Well.. unless they put a law mic on a crocodile, that aint particularly real ;)

 

Hah, yeah I've noticed the same. So much of it is overcranked to various degrees, with crystal clear sound obtain magically from packs of dangerous animals as if a boom op was right in the mix! The trickery of film.

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Season 1 was renamed "cute furry creatures being eaten" and became painful in the repeated use in each episode of peaceful music -> dramatic music -> animal eaten. In season 2 you can almost see a modern political correctness with all animals getting the "deserving a feed and living" treatment. This is more realistic but ultimately not as exciting for dramatic tension as everything getting eaten. Stunning images as always. 

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1 hour ago, Orangenz said:

Season 1 was renamed "cute furry creatures being eaten" and became painful in the repeated use in each episode of peaceful music -> dramatic music -> animal eaten. In season 2 you can almost see a modern political correctness with all animals getting the "deserving a feed and living" treatment. This is more realistic but ultimately not as exciting for dramatic tension as everything getting eaten. Stunning images as always. 

I disagree, for every "sad" story, there was another one more optimistic, and that is life by the way, it's just us, humans, that have unbalanced things.

Even 1 cell organisms and amoebas eating other 1 cell organism and amoebas. I am sure most of us here had (as "ate") a cute, or less cute creature today.

Some probably had some beautiful big eyed cow in the form of a juicy burger (that sounds really cruel, I have to cut down on burgers).

I personally had a lovely and lively little tuna swimming around in northern Atlantic, before became part of my tuna salad.

Some of the stories in number 2 felt incomplete. Great achievement all in all. I even downloaded some BBC radio playlists with some footage from the show.

Just remember I bought a PS3 to watch Planet Earth on blue ray back then, and watched it numerous times. With #2, I just watched it, once.

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6 minutes ago, Orangenz said:

Can't remember that one? Is that in the last episode? Oh I think I remember. That wasn't an albatross though?

It was in the first episode. And if it wasn't an albatross I wonder why David Attenborough called it that at least 10 times :)

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8 minutes ago, Mattias Burling said:

Yup that's the one. Was a similar story with the penguin.

Ah the Bullers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buller's_albatross The only one I think of is the Royal which I've visited a few times. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_royal_albatross and make everything else look like a seagull. There's a live feed of our ones here but it's night time as I post this. 

 

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20 hours ago, Mattias Burling said:

I have just spent the evening watching the two first episodes from season 2 of Plant Earth and the behind the scenes of both episodes. On Blu-ray of course ;)


The show is just as awesome as season one. It truly is the best shot nature videos ever.
I recently saw season one again and it definitely hold up today, but this was beyond.

What did you guys think about the show, gear, techniques? 

Just some thoughts that came to my mind afterwards.

  • The Arri Amira and Red cameras delivered of course, but the shots that blew my mind the most was from a Sony F5.
    Now its impossible to compare footage from two cameras shot by two completely different teams on different continents, different lights, etc and so forth.
    But still... the F5 colors blew my f...ing mind.
  • The m4/3 camera (looked like one) that they first tried for flying shoots with the para sailer actually looked really good. They had it mounted on the helmet. To bad they couldn't use the shots.
    When they ditched that plan and flew tandem they could use something bigger (Sony A7x), it also looked nice.
  • When the scenes are so far apart they could mix ARRI, Red, F5, etc and no matching issues. But within many locations they still used different cameras and shooters and I still never felt it uneven.
  • Boy does sound effects really make or break nature videos. Its a bit funny when considering that more than a few fights on forums regarding video looks and grading have had crusaders of the "real look" and "looking through a window look". And they almost always use nature shows as good examples of "real". Well.. unless they put a law mic on a crocodile, that aint particularly real ;)

These where just some thoughts, felt like sharing. Watched with my GF and she couldn't give two shits and a popsicle about the gear :)
The whole thing made me want to buy a BMD and go shoot. At least to go snap nature photos with the X-Pro2 or even better, the Sigma SDQ.

 

I thought it was brilliant and much better than the first series.     In the third episode (I think) they use an A7sii for the low light stuff.

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