Less than a decade ago, filming a feature film in high definition on the scale of CREED OF GOLD, Crystal Creek Media’s most recent production, would have been virtually impossible for an independent film company. However, the recent revolutionary new advancements in cinematic technology have slashed the costs while allowing the project to have higher picture quality than that filmed on last year’s industry leading HD video cameras.

When Canon came out with a new firmware upgrade in March 2010 which allowed for digital cinema creation on an SLR camera, history was made. During the production of CREED OF GOLD, Crystal Creek Media took advantage of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II HDSLR camera.

The 5D Mark II’s full-frame imaging sensor enabled the crew to create sharp images with a 35MM depth of field, creating the evasive film look. Director of Photography, Stephen Higginbotham, was thrilled to be using this technology,

“From its stunning image quality to it its small footprint, the 5D Mark II enabled us to capture images that were not only beautiful to the eye but also portrayed a captivating story.”

- Stephen Higginbotham, Director of Photography for CREED OF GOLD

Commenting on the groundbreaking cinematic qualities of the Canon 5D Mark II, Greg Yaitanes, Director of FOX’s popular medical television drama House, said that he “feels it’s the future.”

Additionally, the compact size of the Canon 5D Mark II camera allowed for filming in small areas and the ability to capture shots where traditional film cameras would never fit. It also provided the flexibility to move the set much faster. Set up and tear down took a fraction of the time—which, with a 5 week shooting schedule in more than 20 locations, helped to keep the production on schedule.

From Director Daniel Knudsen’s perspective it was invaluable. “Having instant reviews of what was shot helped me as a director to get the exposition I was looking for in the film. Almost every evening I walked into the editing suite and watched dailies and sometimes rough cuts of scenes.”

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