Italy - Trans Audio Video (TAV), one of the leading brands of cine-video-photo production products, and Sony Europe supported the creation of exclusive images during Vasco Rossi's live concerts held in Milan from 7-20 June and then in Bari from the 25-30 June. For the first time as many as 22 cameras were used, most of them with full-frame sensors, all part of the Sony line-up to create a film about the iconic rock star during the live events at the San Siro stadium.
The Stadio Comunale in Bibione on 2 June hosted the zero dates of Vasco's tour, where filming with the same Sony cameras was tested and optimised.
Director Pepsy Romanoff, with the Except production company and the technical supervision of the production services company EMG Italia, wanted to give a typical cinematographic connotation to the filming. The aim of conveying the intense emotions experienced in the evocative setting of the San Siro was achieved thanks to the perfect integration of the Sony Cinema Line.
At this unprecedented event in terms of the number of spectators, which exceeded 500,000, every detail of the incredible setting was captured using a combination of Sony’s 4K 2/3" HDC-4300 cameras and a new HDC-5500V - ND Filter version, together with the Full Frame line starting with the FX-3 up to the Venice and Burano, which boast exceptional quality of image and colourimetry along with a highly flexible camera setup.
The use of large, high-resolution scenic LED walls, constantly capturing the originality of the stage scenery together with the special lighting, pushed the performance of the camera sensors to the extreme, creating maximum intensity in storytelling.
A brand-new HDC-5500V was used to capture and master recording in excellent quality and in continuous mode directly on board its control unit in XAVC-CLASS 480 S-Log3 S-Gamut3.CIN, delivering all the close-ups of Vasco Rossi with its unique VND (Variable Neutral Density filter) technology. This allowed for continuous depth-of-field control while adopting a 2/3" lens, unleashing the director's creativity, integrating seamlessly with LFS cinema cameras and contributing to the signal for the huge LED wall even from a distance of over 50m.
Six HDC-4300 4K HDR system cameras were used for live footage transmitted on the LED screen over 1000sq.m without any interference and delivering exciting images with unrivalled colour, dynamics and definition.
A Venice 2, the digital camera with full-frame sensor and internal X-OCN recording and 8K and 6K sensor range, was mounted on a dolly track and positioned together with the HDC-5500V at a considerable distance in front of the impressive stage. Meanwhile, a brand-new Burano was positioned under the stage, used by DOP Emanuele Cerri, to film Vasco in close-up.
Four ILME-FX6s, one ILME-FX3 and four PXW-FX9s, part of Sony's extensive 'Cinema Line', were deployed for subjective shots, including one used on stage directly by director Pepsy Romanoff. An FX6 on TowerCam in front of the singer and one on Air Lift Crane hanging from the Americana above the stage on a 60m cable enabled unique dynamic shots to provide the audience with a highly immersive visual experience.
Three ILME-FR7 PTZ cameras with Large Format Sensor controlled by the director via the RM-IP500 panel with SELP1635G optics were positioned on stage to capture footage of the band across drums, keyboards, wind instruments and choir.
A very important role was also played by Sony products that worked in the background, offering the solution for an ideal legacy and complete control of a system of such impressive complexity and scale. The new CNA-2 (Camera Network Adapter) that allowed the absolute accuracy of the fundamental parameters related to image quality represented in a clear timeline as Black, Gain, Colour Temperature and IRIS, a clear dashboard on the status of the seven HDC cameras also for fibre connections, diagnostics, matching and log data. The images are converged for accurate evaluation on the sophisticated Sony Trimaster EL model PVM-X2400 4K HDR 1000 nits Monitor also equipped with tools to optimise quality for live and recorded material.
The complete web interface of the equipment further facilitated setup and control even in adverse weather conditions, guaranteeing maximum reliability.
“22 cameras from the entire Sony Cine line-up helped to portray the incredible Vasco Live XXIV show at San Siro,” said director Pepsy Romanoff. “I tried to tell the story of Vasco in every little detail from the very close-up with the Burano, from a distance of 4/5m, to the wonderful aerial images that we shot thanks to Moovie, developing an air lift crane capable of rotating 360 degrees and moving from side to side of the stage from a height of 28m down to the stage floor. This technology was developed specifically for the show and gave us the capacity to portray a concert in a unique way that we will soon see in cinema and on other platforms."
Emanuele Cerri, DOP, commented: "The exceptional latitude of the Sony BURANO allowed me to handle the extreme range of exposures typical for a musical event of this magnitude. From the blinding spotlights to the most subdued corners of the stage, every detail was captured with precision; and with the BURANO the ability to contain saturations and produce a crystal-clear image with a 'Hollywood' look exceeded my expectations."
