John Pavlus
American Cinematographer (Usa)
November, 2002
No Holds Barred
Die Another Day brings James Bond back to the big screen
Just as integral to creating dynamic coverage of the scene was Emmanuel Previnaire's Flying-Cam system. The unit, which specializes in close-range aerial cinematography, houses a proprietary, gyro-stabilized Super 35mm camera on a miniature, radio-controlled helicopter. A Flying-Cam fitted with a 200' magazine weighs just 30 pounds, and because it supports very wide lenses it can shoot as close as 10' from its subject.
Armstrong, who professes to "absolutely love this piece of equipment," had the Flying-Cam capture high-speed coverage of the chase as well as aerial close-ups. Previnaire supervised the action while camera operator Phillipe Piron and pilot Bruno Ziegler executed Armstrong's moves. One move involved swooping low between two hovercrafts as they zigzagged through a live minefield. "Vic rigged bombs in the ground that would pop up six feet in the air and then explode," Previnaire recalls. "We took the Flying-Cam right through the smoke of the detonations with no problem." Piron and Ziegler, jogging behind the action to ensure a precise flight path, set their lens at hyperfocal distance to ensure maximum sharpness amid the chaos. |
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Pictures
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