Independent filmmaker, Danfung Dennis, selected the Canon 5D Mark II to shoot his most recent documentary on the war in Afghanistan.
The footage was shot on a custom built rig, using a Canon 5D Mark II, 24-70 f/2.8 L lens, Sennheiser ME-66 and G2 wireless system, Singh-Ray variable ND filter, and Beachtek 2XAs mounted on a Glidecam 2000 HD with custom made aluminum ‘wings.’
Battle for Hearts and Minds covers the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade as they launch a major helicopter assualt deep into a Taliban stronghold in Souther Afghanistan.
…they were dropped 18 km behind enemy lines to seize a key bridge. Within a few hours of landing, fierce fighting erupted and continued for the next three days, during which Lance Corporal Charles Sharp, from Adairsville, Georgia was shot and killed by a Taliban fighter.
After the initial fighting, the Marines searched for the insurgents who had killed Lance Corporal Sharp. Frustration set in as the Marines tried to fight the elusive enemy whose IED’s cut off their supply lines. The Marines’ objective was to secure and protect the population, but the Afghan villagers complained that the fighting has driven them into the desert, and the bombing destroyed their homes. Can the Marines balance their contradictory roles as warriors and statesmen, as they struggle to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people?
To say nothing of Danfung’s obvious talent as a filmmaker, I’m very much looking forward to seeing the entire movie. From the trailer alone you can see just how well the 5D MKII performed in a very rough environment.
- Battle for Hearts and Minds Website
- Battle for Hearst and Minds HD Trailer on Vimeo
- Follow Danfung on Twitter
- Battle for Hearts and Minds Facebook Page
1 Comment at "Battle for Hearts and Minds"
Great link, Mark. I became aware of Danfung’s work two weeks ago and was quite moved by his commitment, bravery, and skill. Imagine my surprise when his name popped up in my email box a day or two later.
As you mention, Danfung works with highly refined, if somewhat battle-weary, DIY kit that must function under any and all conditions. He shared that he was investigating a high-tech sports goggle with an integrated heads-up video display directly from the camera’s sensor and that he had hopes that this accessory would help him compose and focus while “running away”. In a follow-up email from this weekend Danfung shared that while the spectacles were adequate for compositional purposes, the resolution did not support critical focus.
The reason for our original correspondence had to do with a request for custom fabrication. I’m building Danfung a custom iDC Follow-Focus rig to be mounted on his Glide-Cam 2000. This will primarily be used when he hits the dirt and uses the Glide-Cam as a uber-short mono-pod. I’m always glad to help those who are brave enough to walk the walk and hope to have a solution in his hands before he returns to Afghanistan in a few days
Danfung is a great guy and a real journalist. I, for one, will be following his work from now on…
B
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