DRAMA | Free Rein 3 - Netflix / Lime Pictures

We were chosen to provide camera & grip equipment for the third series and two feature length specials of Netflix & Lime's popular Children's drama shooting through summer & autumn 2018.

Published

12.02.2019

Free Rein 3 / Halloween Special / Valentine's Special - Netflix & Lime Pictures

Director: Angelo Abela

DOP: Phil Wood

Free Rein launched globally as a 10 x 30 minute live action drama series for Netflix in Spring 2017.  A coming-of-age story about an American teenager, Zoe, and her summer of intrigue in the British countryside, Free Rein was shot on location in Cheshire and then Anglesey and was set on a beautiful island off the coast of Britain.

We provided a comprehensive camera & grip package for the 3rd Series which also included two feature length episodes for Halloween & Valentine's day. 

Being a Netflix co-production, they were required to acquire in true 4K. As such, to keep on budget given the length and breadth of the shoot they decided on Panasonic Varicam LTs as their main camera. During 6 months of rigorous filming on beaches, gimbal rigs, russians arms, drones and horseback the camera never failed. This camera, which has rarely featured on lists for drama production up until the advent of Netflix really impressed us both in the images it acquired and it's robust build quality. To compliment the unique look of the Panasonic sensor, Phil chose Cooke Optic's S4/i lenses - a really vibrant combination offering balanced warm colour, smooth contrast and a defined space and depth to the image.

Given that this production's storyline revolves around a stables there were many sequences where the camera was moving at speed, tracking alongside the horses. For this we provide what became a very well used kit of DJI Ronin 2, DJI Masterwheels and Flowcine Black Arm system. This allowed the camera to be moved between in any number of ways from handheld to cranes, to Quad Bikes - all the time stabilised as if it were on a vastly more expenive remote head with none of the delays in rigging. 

Check back here soon for a full interview with Phil and more detailed info on the equipment used and all of the unique ways in which they moved the camera on Free Rein.

Equipment supplied: 3x Panasonic Varicam LT cameras, Set of Cooke S4/i T2 lenses; 14 - 180mm, Angenieux Zooms, DJI Ronin 2 & DJI Masterwheels