Crafting Visual Stories with Fujifilm: The Making of the X-S20 Short Film
The Vision
In my career as a filmmaker, my goal has always been to capture authenticity. To weave stories that resonate, that foster a connection with the viewer, and portray the true essence of the human experience. Within this latest project for Fujifilm, a short film featuring the new X-S20 camera, I got to explore this.
We had a simple yet captivating premise: to document Enoch's journey as an architect, music producer, and content creator, and highlight how the X-S20 aids his creative process. As someone who started with the X-S10, Enoch's long relationship with Fujifilm's offerings provided the perfect backdrop for this narrative.
The Tools of the Trade
At the heart of my filmmaking process was the Fujifilm X-H2S. Despite its compact form, this camera boasts an impressive set of features and uncompromising performance. Its ergonomic design and lightweight structure allowed me to stay nimble, even when switching between different shooting styles – from the stability of a DJI Ronin RS3 pro gimbal to the raw intensity of handheld shots.
For this project, we were shooting in F-Log2, and I was recording to an external recorder in ProRes. I found the F-Log2 along with the recording codecs incredibly easy to grade, offering ample freedom to play with the shadows and highlights in post production.
The Lenses and the Look
My lens choices for this project were the Fujifilm MK 18-55mm t2.9 and MK 50-135mm t2.9. With these two lenses alone, I had a huge range of focal length at my disposal and the resulting footage was clean, crisp, and visually compelling. A hint of Black Pro-Mist filter helped me achieve an analogue aesthetic, a look I've always been fond of.
Behind The Scenes - Filming at Enoch’s home studio
The Workflow and the Edit
In the editing room, the ProRes files straight from the camera streamlined my workflow. I applied a LUT that replicated Fujifilm ETERNA to retain a low saturation and soft tonality, aligning with the aesthetic that I desired.
The X-S20's Debut
Through Enoch's experiences, we managed to highlight the X-S20's key features - from its exceptional image quality to the versatility of its X-Trans CMOS 4/26MP sensor, the X-Processor 5, and its internal 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes 422 and ProRes HQ recording. One of the standout features was the new SR-AUTO and Vlog mode, which allows for a seamless transition from shooting to live streaming, ideal for modern creators like Enoch.
Behind The Scenes - Filming at The Barbican
The Final Take
Enoch's final line in the film encapsulates it all: "I would sum it up as the perfect camera for those who are looking to buy into Fujifilm and for enthusiasts who want to take their content creating to another level." And as a filmmaker, I wholeheartedly echo this sentiment. Watch the video and see for yourself below.
For me, the success of this project reinforces the synergy between storytelling and technical innovation, crafting narratives that deeply resonate with the viewers
