Humans and animals have always coexisted in harmony. For some, their domesticated animals are an inseparable part of their lives. In Kai Nottapon Boonprakob’s latest mini-documentary, he tells the extraordinary story of Chama, an eight-year-old horse-riding prodigy with an affinity for animals. Filmed with the Cinema Line FX6 and FX3 cameras, the short documentary vividly captured a young girl’s love for her pets and passion for horse riding.  

Gearing up for the shoot

As the production for Chama took place in the idyllic Kanchanaburi countryside, Kai had to select gear that allowed him to work efficiently and nimbly. He eventually settled for a small crew and compact set-up to complete the production in a shorter timeframe.

The tricky part of filming with children and animals as subjects is needing to prepare yourself for their unpredictable actions, which makes for more authentic scenes. Kai’s favourite aspect of the Cinema Line FX6 and FX3 is their fast and accurate hybrid autofocus, which allows him to capture candid cuts with precise focus and direct his attention to the framing of his shots, thereby supporting his goal of crafting a more well-rounded and detailed visual story. 

“Using Sony E-Mount lenses with the Cinema Line FX3 and FX6 cameras, we harnessed their autofocus capabilities to achieve precise focus when filming spontaneous moments,” said Kai. “Thanks to the fast and accurate hybrid autofocus of Cinema Line cameras, I could achieve sharp autofocus on my subject in every frame, even in challenging and fast-paced scenes in slow motion.” 

A simple, compact set-up 

When filming animals and children, there is the issue of your little subjects being intimidated by studio-like setups. The compactness of the Cinema Line cameras helps to create a more welcoming environment for them to warm up to you, allowing you to capture close-up scenes of a child in her element. 

“By simplifying the camera setup, we created a more approachable and less intimidating environment for our subjects,” said Kai. “Chama could feel at ease and be herself in front of the camera, resulting in authentic and relaxed footage.” 

Vivid imagery like never before

In any production that takes place indoors and outdoors, it can be tricky to keep your lighting consistent. The Electronic Variable Neutral Density (ND) Filter ensured seamless indoor-to-outdoor transitions. A 15+-stop dynamic range in both cameras allowed Kai to capture intricate details in shadows and highlights. 

The Cinema Line cameras feature incredible cinematic colour science inherited from the VENICE 2, usually used for major productions. As such, the post-processing process is much more seamless, allowing for a visually cohesive final output. 

That’s a wrap! 

As a filmmaker who values improvisation, the versatile and compact Cinema Line cameras allowed Kai to capture unscripted, authentic moments effectively and to pursue his creative visions boldly. Wrapping up his journey throughout the production of Chama, he said: “These cameras have allowed me to bring storytelling to life, capturing the beauty and authenticity of every moment.”