The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K and Pocket Cinema Camera were used to shoot the upcoming thriller Checkmate. Produced by LAs Status Media & Entertainment, the film chronicles how the actions of individuals affect us all, as six people are thrown together during an elaborate bank heist where any move can alter the outcome.
Director Timothy Woodward Jr. led a stellar ensemble cast, including Danny Glover, Sean Astin, Vinnie Jones, Mischa Barton, Michael Pare, Johnny Messner, Katrina Law, Willa Ford, Antwon Tanner and David Chisum, as they constructed six different story lines, each depicting the heist from a different point of view. As the entire film was shot over three weeks, with almost half of the footage made up of action sequences and almost 50 speaking roles, Timothy chose the Blackmagic Production Camera 4Ks for the affordable access to 4K and to save time on technical setups, allowing him to focus on creativity and performance.
Because of the affordability of the cameras, we were able to use multiple cameras while staying in budget, which allowed for more coverage and faster shooting, said Timothy. This film contains a lot of action and having the ability to shoot in 4K was a must. The camera provided a very rich look with more dynamic range, and it allowed us to punch in and manipulate the frame after the fact without losing any quality. During one scene, our second unit director, Josh Tessier, orchestrated the explosion of a van. The explosion was over 30 feet high and was incredibly wide. With several stunt actor surrounding the van, we only had one take to get it perfect.
Our output goal was 1080HD, so shooting 4K on action sequences gave us the opportunity to crop in and find moments that might not have been predictable, which is important when you only have one take. Ive seen it happen again and again, the ability to punch in on a scene has become the saving grace for a lot of takes. The information is there in the Blackmagic cameras, and its affordable. Utilize it, said Director of Photography Jonathan Mariande.
He continued: When it came time to shoot a big scene between Danny Glover and Vinny Jones, having two of the 4K cameras allowed us to use an unconventional approach. We shot both sides at the same time and then flipped cameras, which not only cut down on time, but allowed the actors to act together and give a much stronger performance. Had we only had one camera, the actors would have been acting opposite stand ins, which is less than desirable for them and the project as a whole.
With the majority of the film shot in 4K, one Blackmagic Production Camera 4K was used as the A camera hooked up to a Blackmagic Design SmartView HD monitor. A second Production Camera 4K was used as a B camera, with a Pocket Cinema Camera used as a C camera for POV and insert shots. Jonathan noted that the Blackmagic cameras flexibility let them go from complicated dolly setups to handheld in a matter of moments, another asset when shooting against the clock, while Timothy commented that the cameras built in on screen labeling system allowed them to skip several steps in post production, including transcoding of media, making the process more efficient.
Its even the little things that make a big difference. For example, each story was a little different. With Danny Glovers scenes, we were going for a look that was cool in temperature with contrasting skin tones to make the audience feel more comfortable, as opposed to Vinnie Jones scenes where we wanted to the audience to feel more uncomfortable, so we went opposite with a warm look, noted Timothy. The cameras onscreen menu allowed us to quickly change color temperature and the shutter angle, which helped dramatically with lighting. More creative control meant less time needed for setups.
I think the color and the way the Blackmagic cameras shoot highlights and the dark shadows are high quality, said Jonathan. As a DP, I like to shoot in as soft a light as possible, and the cameras color and curves are just beautiful. And for the price point its hard to beat for that cinematic look. Im thankful we were able to use Blackmagic for this film.
I highly recommend the cameras to anyone in the entertainment industry looking to get a blockbuster look on an indie budget, concluded Timothy.
Currently in post production, Josh Tessier of Rocket Panda Post will use DaVinci Resolve to grade the film which is scheduled for release in 2015.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K and Pocket Cinema Camera were used to shoot the upcoming thriller Checkmate. Produced by LAs Status Media & Entertainment, the film chronicles how the actions of individuals affect us all, as six people are thrown together during an elaborate bank heist where any move can alter the outcome.
