Toyotaro Shigemori's niko and WINTER BOOK Shot on URSA Mini Pro 12K
data-src=https://creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/avatars/263018/5fa08c562aaf4-bpthumb.jpg data-srcset=https://creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/avatars/263018/5fa08c561c0e7-bpfull.jpg 2x class=lazyload avatar avatar-80 photo height=80 width=80 />
Brie Clayton June 2, 2021
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that renowned cinematographer, Toyotaro Shigemori, used Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K to shoot the web movie niko and WINTER BOOK. The film, which was created as part of an ad campaign for the fashion/lifestyle brand niko and was also graded using DaVinci Resolve Studio.
Toyotaro Shigemori is an award winning cinematographer who has shot a number of well known corporate TV commercials, music videos and feature films. He is also known as a cameraman who mostly uses film cameras, and 80% of his work has been shot on film cameras. For niko and WINTER BOOK, starring young and talented actors, Masaki Suda and Nana Komatsu, Shigemori captured the fantastic world of a picture book created by renowned art director, Chie Morimoto.
I have been working with Morimoto, the art director, for the brand and had mostly shot their movies on 35 mm film. However, for the previous project of this winter version, I used a different camera - the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. I was asked what kind of movie we should make, and I suggested to make the actors pose as mannequins and let them freeze their movement, as the project was originally used for photography. They liked the idea so I needed a camera which was easy to move around as the actors couldn't move at all. So I shot the movie on the Pocket Cinema Camera mounted on RONIN and I liked it, said Shigemori.
data-src=https://gcs.creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/03150514/4-niko-and-winter-book%402x-1024x560.jpg alt= class=lazyload wp-image-2411220/>Shigemori usually serves as the director of photography for most of his projects, however for this film he decided to direct. I actually had directed the previous autumn version as well, and they liked it so I was asked to direct again. However, Morimoto had already planned the visuals very precisely, so what I did was tell the actors how they should move while not to ruining her visual style.
I shot in 8K 8:1 setting. The movie was to be uploaded to Instagram, so I used an anamorphic lens and made a 4:3 side-cut. If you do side-cut when using regular camera, you will lose picture quality greatly, on the other hand, the URSA Mini Pro 12K allows you to film in high resolution, so you don't have to worry about the quality loss, he continued.
Loving the unique tone of film, Shigemori had a plan to recreate that tone with the URSA Mini Pro 12K. Most digital cameras are set to 800 ISO for its base ISO, however I hardly use the 800 ISO setting as I feel it makes the picture look too digital and kind of boring. I always make the ISO higher when shooting in digital and this time I used 1600 ISO. I often bring ISO setting to 3200 to help prevent the image to look too real.' Whether it is film or digital, you need to somehow torture' your picture to get an interesting tone.
That is why I used the anamorphic lens as well. You don't get clear focus with the lens, which makes the image a little fuzzy. I like an audience to be imaginative by leaving some fuzziness in the image, so I try not to make my picture look too clear, Shigemori said.
data-src=https://gcs.creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/03150518/3-niko-and-winter-book%402x-1024x560.jpg alt= class=lazyload wp-image-2411221/>Grading was done at the post house Omnibus Japan using DaVinci Resolve Studio. Shigemori explained what he aimed for in color grading: I shot in very flat lighting for this project, which was unusual to me. I usually like to create more shades when shooting, but this was supposed to be a snowscape in winter so I intentionally used flat lighting. I also used smoke in the studio, which made the image whitish. I wanted to leave the mood and atmosphere acquired from the lighting and smoke effect but still wanted to see each color, so I asked my colorist to grade carefully with sharpness and bring up more colors. It was unusual to me to make the image a very soft tone, but it came out very nice.
Shiegemori lastly spoke about shooting in Blackmagic RAW: I thought it would not run 8K RAW material on a regular computer. I was so surprised how light Blackmagic RAW was when I used it, which was beyond my expectation. While some RAW footage from other digital cameras requires more computer processing power, Blackmagic RAW is really easy to handle.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
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...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
26/03/2026
Extron and Audio-Technica have announced that their Design Solutions devices, Ce...
26/03/2026
SPORTEL Asia took place March 24-25 at the Orchard Hotel Singapore, drawing 370 participants representing more than 220 companies from 35 countries. Approximate...
26/03/2026
LTN will demonstrate satellite-to-IP migration solutions for broadcasters, cable networks, MVPDs, and station groups at NAB Show 2026 (Booth W2100).
The C-Ban...
26/03/2026
The Seattle Mariners have partnered with Daktronics to install an upgraded outfi...
26/03/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) has awarded National Team Partner status to organizations and individuals across more than 100 countries and territories for the Esp...
26/03/2026
Telestream has announced expanded integration between its Vantage workflow platf...
26/03/2026
FOR-A Corporation has announced a partnership with Nippon TV and NVIDIA to distr...
26/03/2026
CBS Sports and the WNBA have expanded their partnership through a new long-term, multiplatform rights agreement. CBS Sports will feature up to 20 regular-season...
26/03/2026
Zac Brown Band will star in the Sunday Night Baseball show open on NBC and Peacock, NBC Sports announced. The open was filmed at American Family Field, home of ...
26/03/2026
Major League Baseball opens the 2026 season with nationally televised games across multiple media partners. Fans can visit MLB.com/Watch for a complete schedule...
26/03/2026
DIRECTV has announced an agreement to carry nine new MLB-operated team channels, covering the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers (Detroit SportsNet), Kansas City R...
26/03/2026
Nationals.TV, the Washington Nationals' local broadcast channel, is now avai...
26/03/2026
Starting Thursday, March 26, MLB.TV will be available on the ESPN App, giving fans access to more than 2,000 out-of-market regular season games. Fans can also r...
26/03/2026
Spotify's partnership with NAVER, Korea's leading digital platform, is built around one simple goal: making it easier for listeners in Korea to discover...
26/03/2026
Exclusive to ComposerCloud for first month
Sample library and virtual instrument gurus EastWest have announced the upcoming release of a new virtual drum i...
26/03/2026
Friday 27 March
Friday 27 March will mark Dynamic Range Day 2026, the annual day of online activity that was started in 2010 by mastering engineer Ian Sheph...
26/03/2026
Includes four separate instruments
Max Richter's SRM Sounds venture have just announced their fifth release, ASMR Choir. Captured at the main live room ...
26/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), has been tasked with administering the Sixth Presi...
26/03/2026
By Matt Klein
Hello to everyone reading this - whether you're a current YEP, HPA member, or just YEP-curious. I'm Matt Klein, one of the co-chairs of t...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
28 participating companies, from start-ups to blue-chips, lead the UK Group as part of the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland presence across all the Halls at N...
26/03/2026
Arkona Unveils BLADE//planner and Major Usability Enhancements at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
New graphical configuration tool and...
26/03/2026
Bitfocus showcases complete control at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
Continuing development drives advances in security, availa...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Nevion introduces powerful new Panel Builder to enhance VideoIPath broadcast con...
26/03/2026
2026 Oscar Nominated Films Powered by Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton March 25, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio used on 27 of this year's no...
26/03/2026
Leader to present full suite of advanced Test & Measurement solutions at NAB Sho...
26/03/2026
Boston Conservatory to Present New England and Collegiate Premiere of Groundbrea...
26/03/2026
Thursday 26 March 2026
HBO Max included for Sky and NOW customers from 26 March...
26/03/2026
Thursday 26 March 2026
Sky Sets Iconic Costumes Dancing Together Like Never Before' in Brand CampaignTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy o...
26/03/2026
Wuppertal March 26, 2026
CS live Builds Future-Ready OB Van With Riedel MediorNet and hi Control SystemRiedel Communications today announced that Czech-based ...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
Have a Wish Worth Dying For? Netflix's First Korean YA Hor...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
The Truthers, Starring Jose Coronado and St phanie Magnin, Pre...
26/03/2026
Enhancements to Harmonic's Sports Streaming Solution Introduce Server-Side Multiview, Contextual Metadata-Driven Advertising, Dynamic In-Stream Ads and Robu...
26/03/2026
Open the report
Our 2025 report brings together results from 79 business magazine titles across 22 market sectors, published by 49 media owners. Over the year,...
26/03/2026
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on ...
26/03/2026
RT Commercial today announced Fiat as sponsor of The Louise Duffy Show on RT Radio 1, Weekdays 3pm 4pm.
The Louise Duffy Show is the home of daytime music...
26/03/2026
That gaming backlog won't clear itself - GeForce NOW is here to help. Stream the latest titles straight from the cloud across a variety of devices.
This we...
26/03/2026
Wayne, N.J., March 26, 2026 Phantom High-Speed announces the latest product li...
Toyotaro Shigemori's niko and WINTER BOOK Shot on URSA Mini Pro 12K 
