The RED Komodo might be defined as the most intriguing piece of gear to be announced. This “Badass little RED” is out there in the hands of filmmakers that have been shooting with it aggressively. However, we haven’t seen a shot. Why? Read below.

The RED Komodo

In case you are living inside a cave and don’t know what Komodo is, check out our articles (all 13 of them) about the “affordable” action camera by RED. The success of this camera is critical, even crucial, to RED Digital Cinema (we’ll explain this thesis in a dedicated article). The Komodo is a courageous business step by RED company to penetrate to the masses that have the desire to shoot R3Ds but can’t afford it. Now and then, RED teases us about the Komodo being used by professional content creators. Till now, we get a solid idea of how the Komodo looks like, including accurate dimensions. There are RED fans that even 3D printed a precise model of it. Furthermore, there are in-depth stormy discussions about the Komodo on REDUser and on Komodo’s FB page. Check them out to join the conversation.

Komodo has already shot a feature

We know that the Komodo has already shot a feature directed by Steven Soderbergh (Let Them All Talk). Soderbergh is known for being an early adopter of a new piece of technology. Moreover, in the era of COVID-19, Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion (shot on the RED One MX) is the second-hottest movie in the Warner Bros catalog.

However, the trailer hasn’t released yet, so we can’t see any Komodo footage. By the way, according to Jarred land, the president of RED Digital Cinema, Soderbergh didn’t have an R3D recording on Komodo when he shot his film. Jarred says that Soderbergh directly recorded the 4k 12g stream, which it was the first test of Komodo’s first-ever implementation of 4k 12g SDI. Soderbergh tested the Komodo on real production. But that’s the Soderbergh’s method.

I am not putting prototype Komodos in all these guys’ hands to make pretty pictures.. but I am putting prototype Komodo in their hands for them to try and break

Jarred Land, RED president

Komodo is extensively used in the industry

As we speak, professionals filmmakers are trying out the Komodo. Matrix 4, The Suicide Squad, and Red Notice are examples of blockbusters being shot on Komodo. Also, we wrote about Michael Bay’s Superbowl Hard Rock Commercial, which has been released with Komodo footage. However, we don’t know for sure what are the Komodo shots, because it’s hard to distinguish the Komodo footage since the cuts are extremely short (the Bayhem style).

That’s why we do this testing.. to find problems, and fix them so when you do get the camera in your hands; it’s the best it possibly can be. Everything before that shouldn’t really matter.

Jarred Land, RED president

The goal is to “try and break” the Komodo

Jarred has shed some light on the reasons Komodo footage has not been revealed yet. As stated by Jarred (on REDUser): “These are not our productions that the cameras are being used on. The testing I have been sending Komodo out on are not RED marketing exercises, which we just get to throw around footage because you all ask for it, they are real productions using the cameras in real ways. And once shooting is finished, as you all know, there are editing and VFX and post and then a completely separated release schedule, that has nothing to do with us. And lots of those productions are very sensitive in storylines, which means they really don’t wasn’t anything out there till release, or at least the trailer. Even Soderbergh, who was one of the first to sling the Komodo last year, hasn’t released his movie yet. You got lucky with the Bay stuff because that was a Superbowl commercial that had an insane deadline, and they ended up dramatically changing the commercial because of the Kobe helicopter crash, which gave them even less time…I know it sounds strange, but I am not putting prototype Komodos in all these guys’ hands to make pretty pictures.. but I am putting prototype Komodo in their hands for them to try and break. So yeah… Soderbergh, Matrix, The Suicide Squad, Momoa, Red Notice, and the handful of other productions that have used the camera get to release footage when they want. And remember… ALL the footage that has been shot is pre-released footage… Soderbergh didn’t have R3D recording when he shot his film, and if you look at the footage between the prototypes in Jan vs. the ones now, the IQ (image quality) difference is night and day. It’s why we do this testing.. to find problems, and fix them so when you do get the camera in your hands; it’s the best it possibly can be. Everything before that shouldn’t really matter”. 

Is there a release date?

No. There is not. We are circulating in a delicate and complicated situation due to COVID-19. Camera manufacturers’ employees are working from home, and the filmmaking industry is negatively affected. However, there is room for optimism, since this situation is temporary and things will get better soon. I believe coronavirus will delay the release of Komodo like everything else that will be delayed. Nevertheless, stay tuned (and optimist). We’ll keep you posted.