Lens: 24mm • F-stop: 4.3 • Frame Rate: 60
When they encapsulate beautiful places and extraordinary experiences that traditional photography struggles to capture, cinemagraphs can rescue viewers from the everyday. These images tell stories by melding the beauty of stills with touches of subtle motion, vibrating with life.
To manage the ebbing and flowing current, the boat was tied and stabilized with ropes. Factoring in the position of the sun, the buildings were illuminated to bring out the rich colors and capture the bluest sky and water. The flag was shot separately and added in post to complement the beautiful motion of the water.
Lens: 24mm • F-stop: 7 • Frame Rate: 60
Bermuda Tourism Authority recently collaborated with Flixel Studios and some of the island’s production artists, stylists, and models to produce a suite of cinemagraphs celebrating the vibrant lifestyle of their extraordinary island. The goals of this rich partnership were to bring to life Bermuda’s many opportunities to brave adventure or succumb to blissful relaxation – and illustrate what happens when Bermuda’s charm, natural beauty, and style converge.
To capture this cozy sunset setting, only 10 minutes of the proper light was available to capture the master shot. Before that, the tiki torches were shot separately and the water was fully captured behind them. The key light source was the fire pit and tiki torches, an Aputure 300D Lightstorm added light on the subjects, and an ASTRA LED lit the detail of the rocks. Extra footage of the fire pit was included to add extra sparks in the cinemagraph.
Shot with DJI Phantom 4 Pro 4K drone, in LOG
For MMGY Global Creative Director Brandon Sanders, teaming up with Flixel was a natural choice. “When Bermuda Tourism Authority Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Victoria Isley, came to us with the concept of capturing Bermuda through cinemagraphs, that made a lot of sense to us. Cinemagraphs, at their best, have a way of pulling you in. You get lost in this single moment in time. And there’s always a bit of mystique to them, which is fitting. We ended up with a set of alluring, elegant and colorful images that invite viewers to take a little escape.”
For this sunrise shot, the sky was filled with clouds, which provided a backdrop for all the beautiful rich warm colors reflecting in them. The drone camera allowed multiple shots: the beginning of the sunrise for exposure and color, and then the rest of the scenery with brighter sunlight as it rose.
Shot with DJI Phantom 4 Pro 4K drone, in LOG
MMGY and the Bermuda Tourism Authority also understood that a collective approach with local talent and artistry was the best way to convey the gorgeous landscapes, lifestyle, and culture of Bermuda. Sanders added, “collaborating with Bermudian production teams and artists was instrumental in successfully conveying the unique style, vibe, and cultural diversity of Bermuda within these cinemagraphs.”
Flying a drone at this location near an airport proved very difficult because the drone’s GPS was not compatible with the area’s security. In order to capture as much water and landscape as possible from a stabilized angle, the drone was attached to a boom arm to a large light stand placed on the platform of the bridge.
Lens: 35mm • F-stop: 3.3 • Frame Rate: 30
It’s hard not to stop reading and stare at them – and Isley knows the feeling. “Our target audience is primarily city dwellers who seek to escape the frenzy of the city and hectic schedules and want to get away to somewhere very different for relaxation and rejuvenation. These cinemagraphs convey the many ways that Bermuda offers an escape from the ordinary and the opportunity to get swept away in the island’s mystique and unique cultures.”
For this shot, which was literally accomplished in a cave, all the lights on-hand were used to capture the detail seen here.
Lens: 50mm • F-stop: 3.6 • Frame Rate: 60
As for the placement strategy for this cinemagraph campaign, Isley and Sanders took a bold approach. Cinemagraphs and stills from the shoot will feature prominently in Bermuda’s Summer Fridays campaign, with a month-long takeover of the Union Square metro station in New York City and high-impact bus shelters throughout NYC and Boston, and in digital, native, and social media channels.
The cinemagraphs have also been featured in movie theatres across the country in Bermuda’s primary target markets such as NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, and Toronto. “By featuring them in high impact out-of-home placements in cities where nonstop flights to Bermuda are two hours or less, it makes an escape feel not only alluring but very accessible.”
Lens: 50mm • F-stop: 6.1 • Frame Rate: 60
To set up the camera and tripod at this location, rock climbing was required. The model was shot in front of a Lastolite Panoramic 13’ Chromakey fabric in order to key out the movement of her hair and sandals. The environment was shot separately, and the two were combined in post.
To edit and capture the living photo content of the campaign, Bermuda Tourism and the MMGY team chose Flixel Studios and its award winning technology. Flixel’s creative team was led by Chief Creative, Mark Homza and the trio of creative directors/shooters on the project were Ylva Erevall, Michel Mölder and Mario Sahe-Lacheante, with support from Joshua Amar. They were tasked with delivering both horizontal and vertical cinemagraphs. They chose to work with the RED Monstro, since it shoots 8K at 60 fps, which gave them the ability to crop in for both vertical assets yet keep the 4K-quality needed for large-screen display for both cinemagraphs and stills.
