Field Notes
Cinematography & digital camera workflows from a Sony Venice & FX owner, operator and DOP.
This blog is a working journal — a place to collect thoughts, tests and observations from the day-to-day of cinematography. It covers lighting, workflows, ideas, colour and camera quirks, mostly centred around Sony systems (I own on a Venice, and previously used the FX6 and FX3), though RED and ARRI cameras make the occasional appearance.
It’s mainly written for other professionals — particularly camera assistants, operators, Sony users and aspiring cinematographers — but I’ll be honest, I don’t expect most people to find it interesting. It’s a mix of technical notes, experiments and the kind of daydreamy thoughts I suspect only 1% of us ever think about. But if you are in that 1% — welcome!
Old-School Audio with Modern Tech: My Workflow with the Sony Venice & Sound Devices 302
After an Instagram post following some recent work which required sync audio into camera for post reasons, I’m diving into the setup to answer some questions. Specifically, I want to talk about my audio workflow with the Sony Venice camera, Sound Devices 302 mixer, and finally a little more about Deity Theos UHF wireless kit. If you’re someone who appreciates the intersection of obscure analogue engineering and cutting-edge digital technology, this setup might intrigue you. There is a video below if you prefer to watch a demo of all this, otherwise I have done my best to break things down in the article below.
Camera Tech Indulgence & The Rush Design VCT Plate for the Sony Venice
Alright, let’s kick off this blog with a deep dive into camera rigging—especially for those of you who own a Sony Venice, are Venice-curious, or work as ACs with the Mk1 or Mk2. The Venice has become more accessible lately, opening up new possibilities. I’m hoping to share a few tips that might help you with rigging, operating, and navigating the quirks that make this camera so unique.