Explore a videographer's journey with Astrea Bioseparations, detailing the filming of their breakthrough product & the post-production challenges overcome.
For over 30 years, Astrea has blended its deep-rooted experience in chromatography manufacturing with a client-centric approach. By outsourcing the production of tailor-made chromatography resins to Astrea, businesses not only accelerate their product launch but also ensure a robust and dependable supply chain.
A Breakthrough in Biopurification: Introducing AstreAdept®
Recently, I had the honour of being approached by Astrea Bioseparations’ marketing division. The task? To film and produce a series of interviews spotlighting their new game-changing product: AstreAdept®.
So, what’s the buzz about AstreAdept®? At its core, AstreAdept® leverages nanofibre technology for biopurification. It stands out with its expansive open pore network and vast surface area. This innovation allows users to purify biological feed streams like never before, compressing processes and ensuring more efficient purification of larger modalities.
Crafting the Perfect Scene
My initial step was an exploratory visit to their laboratory. This visit was crucial to pinpoint the ideal location for our interviews. My competitive package included a next-day editing service, and for the shoot, I deployed two Canon 200 cameras - an ‘A’ cam steadied on a tripod and a ‘B’ cam on an Edelkrone slider, ensuring seamless tracking. And as always, I guaranteed filming in raw 12-bit.
A camera (Canon C200) with Emma Burman.B camera (Canon C200 B) on Edelkrone slider with Marc Hummersone.
The entire setup took a neat 2 hours, with filming spanning another 2.
Astrea Bioseparations Laboratory - Behind the scenes (Go Pro Hero 9).
As a surprise addition, I also introduced a third camera to the mix, the Canon R5C. This was strategically positioned to capture an alternate angle, presenting the interviewee on the frame’s left and relevant text or questions on the right. The Canon R5C, boasting a full-frame sensor, allowed me to film in 8K Canon RAW Cinema Light.
C camera (Canon R5 C) with Henry Pratt.
Post-production Triumphs and Challenges
On returning to my studio, the editing process commenced almost instantly. The Canon RAW Cinema Light format undoubtedly streamlined the editing phase. However, not every project is without its challenges. The predominant hurdle was the overwhelming noise from the lab equipment. But thanks to the recent noise reduction toolbox in Davinci Resolve Fairlight, I could considerably minimise this noise, ensuring voice clarity.
The complete video underwent meticulous editing, sound processing, and colour grading using Davinci Resolve. Working directly on raw files sans proxies was a breeze, thanks to my upgraded RTX 4090 graphics card coupled with 128GB RAM.
Ensuring shot consistency between the R5C and C200 was relatively straightforward, especially with the use of a colour chart. Additionally, Resolve’s automatic captioning, though necessitating some tweaks, was a significant time-saver.
Lastly, on the effects front, while I personally didn’t utilise Resolve Fusion, it’s commendable how Black Magic Design has amalgamated editing, grading, effects, and sound processing into one powerhouse application, offering a free tier to boot.
In Conclusion
The journey with Astrea Bioseparations was a testament to the harmonious blend of cutting-edge technology and videography finesse. It reiterates the importance of continuous learning, adapting to challenges, and delivering premium quality work in the ever-evolving world of video production.
