Newton Thomas Sigel, ASC shoots new X-Men in 3D with Alexa's

[Tim Tyler]

Singer wanted to shoot the stereoscopic 3D natively, which meant they would need compact, nimble 3D rigs. "The ALEXA M was on the market and had been field-tested, so we decided that was the way to proceed," says Sigel, pointing out that the ALEXA M's smaller size was a big advantage. The film's main unit carried three 3D rigs, totaling six ALEXA M cameras.

 

 

ARRI had also just unveiled the ALEXA XT, which offers in-camera ARRIRAW recording, internal FSND (Full Spectrum ND) filters and lens data for VFX, among other features, and Sigel liked what he saw. "It's got the beautiful look we all like on the ALEXA that's made it so popular," says the cinematographer, who rated the XT so highly that he bought one. "The fall-off is so subtle and gentle. I was getting the same beautiful look except in full-resolution and a smaller profile."

 

Sigel used the ALEXA XTs for the production's 2D work, including 2nd unit. "The 2D work tended to be action photography that couldn't be captured in 3D," he explains. "It was converted to 3D in post and accounts for about 20 minutes of the movie." Sigel appreciated the flexibility and simplicity of the XT's in-camera ARRIRAW. "I didn't need a recorder or extra cabling," he says.

 

More at http://www.arri.com/news/alexa-xt-on-x-men/