Shooting outdoors in the cold

Jim Moore · January 21, 2016

In a few weeks I'm going to be shooting a docu outdoors in below freezing temperatures with my IIC and also most likely my Askania Z. Can anyone share any advice or tips? This is my first below freezing shoot that is not digital so I'm not sure how the camera, film and lube will behave in those temps. I have a heated battery box so I'm not too concerned about battery life.

Jim Moore · January 27, 2016

Guess I'm the only one who shoots in the cold.

David Mullen ASC · January 27, 2016

There is an old article on shooting in the Arctic in the ASC Manual. As I recall, it involves things like swapping out the lubricants. You want to make sure that the iris on the lenses doesn't get stuck in one position. Batteries will drain much faster, so keep them as warm or insulated as possible and carry more of them, don't set them down in the snow, etc. Acclimating the lenses to the temperature is important.

Dom Jaeger · January 27, 2016

If you google "camera maintenance winterisation" the relevant page in Samuelson's Cinematography Manual will come up in google books.

Also this page:

http://cinematography.net/edited-pages/WINTER.HTM

A 2C is pretty simple and rugged and should be OK if it's not too too cold. Lenses might get stiff. The freezer test is a good indication of how your gear will respond if you're concerned.

I'd like to see some photos of your Askania Z, not a common camera that one.

Good luck with the shoot.

Robin R Probyn · January 28, 2016

Years ago as an assistant shooting way up north in Canada.. we actually had the film itself split sometimes.. !! but that was super cold .. -30+ C with wind chill.. use a barny ! ... the film gets vert fragile.. and change all the lens /tripod fluids to weaker "winter" ones.. we had lenses, seizing up.. the good news out side in the sun and snow your usually at T11-16 anyway .. always keep the batteries in your coat pocket or similar..

Tyler Purcell · January 28, 2016

It's kinda funny because there is a great article on Arri's site about people who shoot in extreme conditions relying on film cameras vs digital. Film cameras are generally lubricated with a light-weight lubricant that won't be too thick when running in freezing conditions. I've shot quite a bit in below freezing temps with an Arri SR, CP16 and Bolex, no problems. I agree about things like film being brittle lenses getting stiff. Also remember that going from cold to warm and back to cold can cause a fog up.

Gregg MacPherson · January 28, 2016

There have been other usefull threads on this. I often use google for a search, something like this...."shooting in sub zero cinematography.com" was a good start.

Chris Burke · January 28, 2016

Is there such thing as a heated barney? Are you shooting on location where there is no AC power? If not, plug in an electric blanket.

Gregg MacPherson · January 28, 2016

In the early 80s (I think, release was 83) a Japanese crew made Nankyoku Monogatary (Antarctica), the film that Eight Below was based on. Someone told me that they shot on Arri IIs, but I don't know for sure. You could track someone down and have a chat?

Interesting movie, though I haven't seen it all. Long haired huskies are very cool dogs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL4HqzDbO2s

Edited January 28, 2016 by Gregg MacPherson

Robin R Probyn · January 29, 2016

Is there such thing as a heated barney? Are you shooting on location where there is no AC power? If not, plug in an electric blanket.

Pocket warmers .. we had a barney with sewn in pockets for those hand warmers you crunch up and it sets off some chem reaction to give off heat.. I wonder if you could modify the Porta Brace Polar Bear cover.. that would be ideal..

rob spence · January 29, 2016

'March of the Penguins' was filmed in sub zero temperatures on Aaton S16 cameras. I remember reading online articles on how they prepped everything....a google search should find them.