Cinematographer Christian Sprenger was busy this winter, shooting not one but two commercial spots that debuted during Super Bowl LIII. For TurboTax Live, he shot a series of commercials and a teaser leading up to RoboChild, which shows that robot A.I. isnt ready to replace live CPAs. And in the celebrity-filled Not Everything Makes the Cut for Amazons Alexa and its surrounding teasers, he shot a variety of situations where Amazon Alexa integration failed miserably. With so much on his plate, Sprenger turned to Panavision Hollywood as his one-stop camera shop.
What led you to choose Panavision's DXL2 for the TurboTax Live RoboChild spot?
Sprenger: The director was very insistent on shooting anamorphic, which I was super excited about. I also knew that there would be a lot of VFX and paint-outs. I felt like Panavisions Millennium DXL2 was the best option for shooting a visual-effects-heavy, anamorphic project. I hadnt done a DXL2-anamorphic job yet, and I thought this would be a great time to put it to the test. It proved to be the right choice!
What lenses did you pair with the DXL2?
Guy McVicker [Manager, Technical Marketing & Optics] at Panavision Hollywood suggested the G Series anamorphic primes because they had some interesting characteristics without too many lens aberrations so that visual effects wouldnt have problems matching properly. Because it was a longer job and we were filming with two cameras, Panavision ended up building us a combination of T Series and G Series to build the set out, which allowed me to share one lens set for two camera bodies.
How did the mix of T Series and G Series optically work for you?
The Ts are more modern and slightly sharper. There were times where wed put on a G and see a nice bit of softness and a little more blooming. But, in terms of flare color, skin tone, and edge-to-edge sharpness, I felt that they matched close enough that it wouldnt be a concern. Whats nice about Panavisions optics is the effort and pride they put into the different lens series. Even if the lenses are from different time periods, they still have that Panavision stamp, that consistency. They all fit together in the world of Panavision optics.
Did you shoot tests beforehand?
For TurboTax Live, we had very little prep time. I had a couple of phone calls with Guy at Panavision, and then we pulled the trigger and went for it with only a short day to get to know the camera system. Panavision did a great job of preparing everything for us. I think they built a hell of a camera, and we had really no problems with the DXLs whatsoever. They were rock-solid camera systems and rock-solid optics.
What look were you going for in terms of the look for the RoboChild spot?
The teaser leading up to the Super Bowl takes place at night its dark and moody, and I was working in low-light levels with a wide-open stop on the lens. The dynamic range of the DXL2 paired effortlessly with the anamorphic optics, resulting in a naturalistic and smooth image. For the Super Bowl spot, I wanted the daytime garage workshop to feel realistic and not over lit. I shot around an f2.8/4, which felt like the right sweet spot for the lenses optical performance, and because the DXL2s 8K VV sensor was larger than Super35, the depth of field appeared shallower than on a S35 sensor.
Did you take advantage of the DXL2 on-set workflow capabilities?
Our incredible DIT, Matthew Love, had a lot of previous DXL2 experience. We started out using the proxy setup the DXL2 has the ability to record proxies but Matt felt like his system was capable of just handling the RAW. So, we discarded the proxy workflow and just colored off the 8K RAW, using LiColor2 off the camera for viewing and lighting purposes and then importing the files into DaVinci Resolve. Matt and I used a modified version of the DXL color LUT. We would adjust color and create all our dailies on set. At the end of the night, wed hand off the drive. From my perspective as a cinematographer, it felt like a flawless workflow.
For the Amazon Alexa Not Everything Makes the Cut spot, you ironically switched to a Panavised ARRI ALEXA platform. Because you shot anamorphic, which lenses did you choose?
Just coincidental! The full-frame ALEXA LF shoots at 4.5K resolution in anamorphic [Open Gate mode]. Guy expanded the focal lengths of our anamorphic lenses to properly cover the full-frame sensor size. I really liked the G Series that I used on the TurboTax spot and chose them again. They have a perfect balance they are somewhat visually similar to the C Series but with modern upgrades and closer to the physical design of the T Series. The Gs can be customized, but the Cs cannot. Over a couple of weeks of testing, we came up with a really nice combination. Because the G Series only goes up to 100mm, we used a 135mm T Series for a few shots.
What were you wanting to achieve with the custom tuning?
We wanted to adjust the contrast and black levels to emulate filtration that I would use in front of the lens. When its baked into the lens optically, I feel it performs differently than having a piece of glass in front of the anamorphic front element. In addition to that, Guy made an adjustment, which produced blooming of the highlights and created some interesting optical irregularities. Guy also introduced me to their AFA, or Anamorphic Flare Attachment an additional external front element that can adjust or exaggerate the anamorphic effect when appropriate.
What sticks out for you in these spots?
For TurboTax Live, the coverage of RoboChild at night in the teaser, to me, was the result of the perfect camera and lens technology at work. The dynamic range of the DXL2 at such low-light levels paired effortlessly with the anamorphic optics in a very naturalistic and smooth way. For the Amazon Alexa spot, the scenes in space felt like such a great
Europe Stories
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...
03/03/2026
For many, finding time or headspace to pick up a book can feel out of reach, but...
03/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Realtek demonstrate first test solution for Bluetooth LE Hi...
03/03/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
03/03/2026
Luxembourg, 2 March 2026 -- SES S.A. fully consolidates Intelsat from 17 July 2025 and announces financial results for the year ended 31 December 2025
FY25 Pe...
03/03/2026
03 Mar 2026
VEON and MeetKai Expand Collaboration to Explore Sovereign AI Infra...
03/03/2026
Tuesday 3 March 2026
Sky releases official trailer for The Miniature Wife, a Sk...
03/03/2026
Tuesday 3 March 2026
Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac land first ever live commentary ...
03/03/2026
Tuesday 3 March 2026
The Dyers' Caravan Park reopens for a second season after a hit launch on Sky
The Dyers' Caravan Park
JPEG (510KB)
Sky books a ...
03/03/2026
Harmonic's cOS Virtualized Broadband Platform Simplifies Network Operations, Lowers Hardware Dependency and Enables Seamless DOCSIS and Fiber Growth SAN JO...
03/03/2026
Comscore to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial ResultsRESTON, VA, March 3, 2026 Comscore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for plannin...
03/03/2026
Self-taught on iMovie, Hanagami transitioned to Final Cut Pro in 2009, discovering that professional tools could give him full creative control over how his wor...
03/03/2026
RT Media Sales has announced Spry Finance has renewed it's sponsorship of M...
02/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation, advancing 6G readiness Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. have reached another pivotal ...
02/03/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, and Arqit Quantum Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQQ, A...
02/03/2026
Luxembourg, February 26, 2026 - SES and Africa Mobile Network (AMN) have expande...
02/03/2026
Monday 2 March 2026
Saturday Night Live UK announces writing team
L-R: Jonno Johnson; Charlie Skelton; Celya AB; Omar Badawy; Gr inne Maguire; Laura Claxton; ...
27/02/2026
Since its inception, Gorillaz has been known for blending art with genre-bending...
27/02/2026
This week, Spotify introduced Audiobook Charts for the U.S. and U.K. The charts make it easy to discover your next favorite book by showing what's popular a...
27/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Viasat to collaborate on NB-NTN IoT test plan for connectivi...
27/02/2026
In media technology, big features often steal the spotlight - AI integrations, cloud transformations, automation frameworks. But for the people who use these to...
27/02/2026
Digital Asset Management systems sit at the heart of most marcoms operations. They centralise content, organise it, and make it discoverable. Integrated with th...
27/02/2026
The AI Wild West comes to NAB 2026 and Blue Lucy is bringing the Sheriff
The AI Wild West is here, and media organisations are feeling the heat. On Booth W23...
27/02/2026
A deeply personal, uncompromising portrait of the legendary punk rock iconFriday...
27/02/2026
One of Ireland's favourite lifestyle shows Home of the Year, returns for its 12th series and will be proudly sponsored by SIRO. The brand-new series will ai...
27/02/2026
Our Farm: A GIY Story lands on RT One and RT Player from March 3
From walled garden to community farm, new six-part series captures the unfiltered realities...
27/02/2026
Note: English version included below the Irish language version.
Seachtain na Gaeilge 2026 ar RT
A Ghaeilge mo cheol th '
T feachtas athnuaite i n...
26/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz awarded contract by Israel Airports Authority for QPS201 securit...
26/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz highlights its unique CMX500 one-box tester tailored for NTN tes...
26/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz high-efficiency transmitter powers next-gen broadcast services i...
26/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz highlights its comprehensive embedded systems test solutions at ...
26/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to showcase spectrum security and network efficiency solutions a...
26/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Broadcom showcase first Wi-Fi 8 RF signaling tests, paving w...
26/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz advances AI-RAN testing using digital twins with NVIDIA Rohde & Schwarz, in collaboration with NVIDIA, continues to drive AI-RAN innovation fo...
26/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and LITEON demonstrate high throughput 5G femtocell testing with...
26/02/2026
The agreement ensures Europe's satellite-based augmentation continues enhanc...
26/02/2026
There were two big wins for RT KIDS shows at the 17th Kidscreen Awards in San Diego this week with Maddie Triggs and BeddyByes both taking home gongs.
The K...
26/02/2026
26 Feb 2026
VEON to Release FY25 Earnings Update on March 13, 2026 Dubai and New York, February 26, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital operator ...
26/02/2026
What can I watch on UKTV and stream on U this week?
This week's highlights include new episodes of Will and Ralf Should Know Better, The Marlow Murder Club...
26/02/2026
Thursday 26 February 2026
Sky partners with STARZ on high-impact boxing drama F...
26/02/2026
Thursday 26 February 2026
An Open Letter to Our Fellow Leaders in Global Media
From:
Tim Davie, BBC Director-General
Jon Slade, CEO, Financial Times
Anna B...
26/02/2026
Wuppertal February 26, 2026
Teatro alla Scala Elevates Backstage Communication with Riedel's BoleroRiedel Communications today announced that Fondazione T...
26/02/2026
RT has confirmed that it has today received payment from the GAA for its 50% share of GAAGO.
RT confirmed in February 2025 that it had agreed in principle wi...
26/02/2026
RT Statement regarding the broadcast of Republic of Ireland vs Israel Nations League fixture
If the match goes ahead and that is a decision for the FAI as ...
25/02/2026
It's never been easier to customize your Spotify listening experience. Last year, we introduced more control over the way your playlist sounds, giving Premi...
Cinematographer Christian Sprenger was busy this winter, shooting not one but two commercial spots that debuted during Super Bowl LIII. For TurboTax Live, he shot a series of commercials and a teaser leading up to RoboChild, which shows that robot A.I. isnt ready to replace live CPAs. And in the celebrity-filled Not Everything Makes the Cut for Amazons Alexa and its surrounding teasers, he shot a variety of situations where Amazon Alexa integration failed miserably. With so much on his plate, Sprenger turned to Panavision Hollywood as his one-stop camera shop.
