Not every day you manage to get an incredible shot like capturing a touchdown pass. Well, we all know that this is not only a matter of luck but expertise and knowledge. Luckily, the sports cinematographer who captured that shot, Domenick H. Satterberg reveals the secrets of the art of sports cinematography. Let’s learn from his most helpful insights.
Capturing epic football shots
A few days ago, this ultra epic shot came to me in my Twitter feed. The shot shows a perfectly focused football that lands into a touchdown pass. After a bit of investigation, the shot was captured by sports cinematographer Domenick H. Satterberg on his workhorse (ARRI AMIRA) with the Fujinon 23X ENG 2/3” B4 lens. Watch the shot below and BTS of how he did it. Basically, he did it by manual focusing with the Fujinon 23X ENG 2/3” B4. The setup on the AMIRA was 200FPS at 1080p. Such an incredible shot. Now watch the BTS below:
The result. Handheld #arriamira 120fps, 180° shutter, @fujinonlenses 23x B4 zoom lens, @arri B4 to PL adapter/extender, manual focus, manual zoom pic.twitter.com/f4PwtPRVq8
— Domenick Satterberg (@domthedp) August 30, 2021
Sports cinematographer Domenick H. Satterberg
Satterberg (Dom) is an award-winning video producer and cinematographer with a demonstrated commitment to producing high-caliber content. Skilled in commercial and documentary film production. He owns a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree focused in Cinematography from Art Center College of Design. Since 2007, Dom has spent his Sundays, during football season, shooting for NFL Films. Dom is also a certified FAA Part 107 Commercial sUAS (drone) pilot for hire. Lucky us, that Dom has decided to share his precious knowledge on his YT channel that is one of the best channels dedicated to the art of sports cinematography.
ARRI AMIRA: “The best camera for sports cinematography”
According to Dom, the ARRI AMIRA is his weapon of choice and it’s the best camera for sports cinematography. Dom doesn’t shoot 8K, 6K, or even 4K. In his opinion, 1080p is the king. Dom loves the AMIRA because of its reliability, interface, and viewfinder which is a critical component when shooting sports. Dom doesn’t edit his footage. He just captures them for TV producers and channels that broadcast major sports leagues.
The glass
Dom utilizes a large variety of lenses. These are not so ordinary glass. Some of them are defined as cinema lenses like the ARRI Ultra Prime 180mm T1.9 which he uses that paired perfectly with the AMIRA. The Ultra Prime has been utilized for special closeups in case Dom is close enough to the object. For wide-angle shots, Dom uses the Tokina 11-16mm rehoused by Duclos (PL mount to be paired with the AMIRA and focus gear) to get those ultra-wide shots, mainly before the game starts. For extreme closeups, Dom uses the Canon 400mm 2.8 FD/PL. Another interesting lens is the Fujinon 20-120mm PL with no servo.
Manual focusing on fast-moving objects
Dom likes to manually focus because it’s faster, especially on a football game when the servo barely catches the movement. However, the most intriguing lens that Dom uses, is the Fujinon 23X ENG 2/3” B4 with the ARRI B4 to PL adapter. The adapter allows this lens (not a cinema lens) to be attached to the AMIRA, as opposed to the Fujinon 20-120mm that paired natively (without an adapter). Also on the ENG lens, Dom prefers to manually focus the lens. “ I’ve been shooting my entire career with manual focus lenses. Each lens is different too. Practice is key” Dom answers when a commenter asks about the challenges of focusing manually in a fast action environment.
For a recap, check out one of Dom’s videos below which summarises the methodologies pretty well:
Closing thoughts
Shooting action sports and also makes it look cinematic, constitutes a valid challenge. Thus choosing the right gear that fits you and your style is a very important factor. Furthermore, the most crucial factor is your expertise as a cinematographer. Capturing a perfect slow-motion shot of a touchdown pass is not something that you’ll accomplish in your first game. Education is the key. That’s why educational recourse like Dom’s YT channel is so important to shed light on an undocumented profession.
Product List
Here’re the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers.
- ARRI AMIRA Camera Set with Premium & UHD Licenses
- Fujinon XK20-120mm T3.5 Cabrio Lens
- ARRI PL to B4 Lens Adapter for ALEXA Mini / AMIRA
- Fujinon HA23x7.6BERM-M6 ENG Lens with Digital Servo Zoom
- ARRI Ultra Prime 180mm T1.9 Lens
