Latest News - CAMCAT Portugal
Image: by Katja S. Verhoeven
German hotel commercial now in post production
For the entire first week of August CAMCAT has been booked to provide directing, lighting and DoP services abroad for the extensive shoot of two hotels in Germany's picturesque cities of Goslar and Friedrichshafen. The footage is now being post - processed and the final results to be delivered before the 23rd of August 2024.
Our seven-person team has persevered brilliantly and everyone is now extremely excited about the upcoming results.
Lisbon, 12.08.2024
BLOOMBERG orders colour grading for DOCUMENTARY
The shoot is barely accomplished and we're happily announcing that CAMCAT has also been hired to deliver the colour grade for the documentary on the Golden Visa Programme, which marks an important milestone in CAMCAT's portfolio development and bonding into a stronger relationship with an international player within the field of documentary filmmaking.
Approximately two thirds of the documentary were shot in 4K DCI - braw format, all of which has to be balanced and coloured to be matching across the different cameras and shots.
The exact publishing date is not fully confirmed yet, however the team is aiming for late September / early October. The link to the final film will be published here.
Lisbon, 30.07.2024
CAMCAT officially certified with EASA for professional drone operation (A1/A3 and A2)
As of today, CAMCAT is fully certified to operate drones across all EU countries and Switzerland. Christopher Michael Heisler, CAMCAT's head of operations, has successfully passed the A2 exam, in addition to the A1 and A3 classes he had previously completed. With this crucial step in meeting all EASA requirements, CAMCAT is now primed to deliver even more exceptional services / footage to its clients.
Lisbon, 22.07.2024
DOCUMENTARY SHOOT FOR BLOOMBERG
News provider Bloomberg is planning to shoot a documentary on a variety of visa programs that require an investment in multiple European countires. One of them is Portugal and it's here that a hand-full of expats will be interviewed and their stories and experiences with the respective programme told.
CAMCAT's Christopher Michael Heisler has been picked by the production "Bloomberg - Originals" to serve as the 1st Director of Photography during the 4-day shoot. Areas of responsibility will cover operation of four cameras, thereof two cinema cameras, lighting / light blocking, as well as directing camera crew.
Lisbon, 13.07.2024
GRATNELLS - UK-Based Tray Producer moving to PT
Gratnells, a UK-based company, is known for producing a range of storage solutions primarily used in educational and healthcare environments. After expanding their business to the US the company also decided to expand and open a production facility in Setubal (Portugal), which is appr. 35km South of Lisbon.
To help document and communicate the brand's story, the management decided to hire the Portugal-based Video Production Company "Mario Milosevich", which in turn hired Christopher Michael Heisler to be their Director of Photography during the 2-day shoot with Director Luke Robert Jeffery and executive producer Mario Milosevich. The goal is to cover the facilities, production line, offices, overall vibe and turn them into a light hearted presentation video of Gratnell's new location.
Lisbon, 08.07.2024
ALL EXPECTATIONS EXCEEDED
After a brilliant start in March 2024, CAMCAT and KPI - King Performance Ideology worked together for the second time in June of this year. This time, eight professional athletes were filmed training. The whole event was captured and edited by CAMCAT into a 55-second action-packed video and exceeded all expectations: the video received over 100,000 views in the first 6 hours after publication and can be viewed here.
Lisbon, 06.07.2024
Music Video Shoot for Radi from "Caravan Dream"
Caravan Dream are a multinational Pop-Rock band formed in 2019 in the Middle East, while living as Expatriates in the state of Qatar.
As they gear up for a busy schedule of events, tours, and festivals, the band is currently busy with recording their debut album and shooting music videos. For the Lisbon segment of a new single release, frontman Radi has enlisted Christopher Michael Heisler to capture cinematic footage, enhancing the video with greater visual variety.
Lisbon, 04.07.2024
Filming interviews with international Product Designers
WEWOOD, a renowned producer of solid wood furniture, commissioned me to film interviews with their designers from across Europe. The much-anticipated shoot is taking place today, on June 27th, and I was excited about this project as it allowed me to showcase my skills in both lighting and discreet sound setup "Netflix-Style". By 'discreet,' I mean achieving crystal clear audio without the microphone being visible, a technique that involves booming.
The entire project was a testament to incredible teamwork, from the storyboard designer to the art director. We are eager to release the final results before the grand opening of WEWOOD's new flagship store on Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon, which is scheduled for the autumn of 2024.
Lisbon, 27.06.2024
Action-loaded video with UK Pro-Footballers: Round 2
The paths of KPI - King Performance Ideology, a UK based professional personal training operator and CAMCAT - Portugal crossed again at the High Performance Campus in Quinta do Lago, close to Faro.
This time I was filming Femi Seriki, Andre Brooks (both from Sheffield United), Harrison Reed (Fulham Football Club), Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain (Besiktas & England's National Player) during their off-season training, rehab and analytical drills. Three cameras were used to capture the event.
Watch this space and / or other CAMCAT channels to see the highly dynamic outcome, soon to be published.
Lisbon, 25.06.2024
Cooperation with Director Shammi Samano on her new documentary
It makes me very happy to announce that Lisbon-based director Shammi Samano (winner of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Media Awards for the best short film) approached me to help out with colour grading, final aesthetic bits and edits and title work including effects on the same.
In her new documentary she will be telling the story of an immigrant family residing in Lisbon while at the same time giving historical context about one of Lisbon's most important sights.
Really excited about this cooperation with Shammi, as she is also planning to have the work be participating in international film festivals with hopefully more awards to come her/our way.
Lisbon, 28.05.2024
500k views within the first 24 hours after posting
My new video for Pérola - Luxury Villas in cooperation with Giovanni Perice and Molly Brown has generated 500k views and far over 7000 likes in less than 24h, which - frankly speaking - neither the client nor I have been expecting.
The goal of this video was to showcase the luxury lifestyle in a stunning location, featuring beautiful weather, exquisite wine, and the offerings of two premium brands: VITA, Giovanni Perice's new fragrance, and Pérola, which provides luxury villa accommodations. I believe we successfully wove these elements into a cohesive and visually appealing narrative, while effectively capturing the essence of both brands.
I had the honour to film, edit and colour grade the video along with adding sound design to it.
Lisbon, 23.05.2024
New GOETHE INSTITUT - VIDEOS SOON to BE PUBLISHED
Proudly announcing the successful completion of another exciting project, which consisted of three promotional videos for Goethe Institut and their new series on web3, in which they educate the public (free of charge) on how to use this new thing called "web3".
In a nutshell: visitors will learn how to create an NFT, which software to use for video mapping, how to set up a crypto wallet and many more.
The videos were meant to represent the vibe, content and journey of participants and will soon be published on the social media channels of the Goethe Institut, one of which can already be viewed on their website.
Lisbon, 02.05.2024
340K Views and Counting...
A few weeks back I had the honour to film Alex Oxlade-Chamberlaine with his fitness trainer Dr. Tom King (from KPI) down in the Algarve.
Not only was it a very inspiring shoot, it was also quite impactful, what we were able to pull off within just 3 hours of shooting. No taking into account any other social media channel, the video was viewed over 340.000 times on Instagram only.
The outcome of the video might be one of the reasons why the client decided to book CAMCAT again for another shoot appr. 2 months from today. I'm excitedly looking forward to be shooting with more high-profile sports people in the summer. It'll be getting hot in here!
Lisbon, 22.04.2024
CAMCAT to film Pilot episode of Nick Hughes' endeavour "Founders Live"
While Nick Hughes (investor and creator of "Founders Live") will be touring several major cities in 2024, his initial stop will be happening in Lisbon in early April. CAMCAT will not only film his path through the city, but also capture his interviews with entrepreneurs from the world of Portugal-based startups.
More details about Nick Hughes' vision and the very inspiring story of Founders Live including its core values and vision can be read here.
Lisbon, 26.03.2024
Algarve Shoot with Fitness coach Dr. Tom King and Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlaine
In collaboration with Dr. Tom King, esteemed former sports director at Liverpool FC (under the legendary Jürgen Klopp) - who is now running King Performance Ideology - and renowned footballer Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain, I embarked on a journey to the prestigious sports camp in Quinta do Lago, nestled in the heart of the Algarve. Over the course of a couple intense days, my cameras captured the action at the high-performance sports center. Now, as the footage undergoes post-production, I'm looking forward to unveiling several top-class advertising videos that will hopefully captivate their audiences.
Lisbon, 19.03.2024
Honest Sea Moss Commercial Finally on Air!
Even though we shot the commercial already back in November, both the post production took a little while and the (amazing) team of Honest Sea Moss were waiting on the second batch of the production to arrive, as it didn't make sense to advertise something, that was already sold out.
In short: the ad is finally on air and can be watched either on the various channel of the brand or here.
Lisbon, 02.03.2024
2nd music video of Carlos Cavallini went public today
Today marks the long-awaited online release of Carlos Cavallini's "Nem Tudo Mundo." Audiences will not only be treated to Carlos's remarkable voice harmonizing with an expertly composed melody but also witness another proud addition to CAMCAT's portfolio: a captivating music video.
Filmed entirely at the CAMCAT studio in a single take, this music video represents a fresh creative endeavor for Director of Photography, Christopher Michael Heisler. Alongside location-specific lighting, innovative techniques such as the rotational split diopter and prolate prism glass were expertly employed to enhance the visual narrative.
Lisbon, 23.02.2024
A car scene at Night, in Rain, with yellow street lights...
What can potentially go wrong under these three conditions? Sounds like a filmmaker's dream, doesn't it?
Check out the final result of the ACC's last session, held in Costa de Caparica in January 2024.
Huge thanks to all participants:
Female detective: Annaleen Liégeois
Male detective: Marko Mitic
Dr. Zemeck: Frankie M. Rooney
1st camera: Christopher Michael Heisler
2nd camera: Rasmus Anderssen
Assistant Director: Bruno Teixeira
On-Set Services: Carolly Diez De Medina Gil
Production Assistant: Gabriella Hedegaard
Lighting Assistant: Guilherme Joaquim
Editing / Colouring / Sound: Christopher Michael Heisler
Written by: Ivo Stainoff
(Check out this link to learn more about the ACC.)
Lisbon, 14.02.2024
new Cinema Prime Lens in CAMCAT's kit Portfolio
In a recent development, following the acquisition of 35mm and 135mm cine lenses, I've made a strategic investment in the 14mm T3.1 Cine Prime lens—an acquisition that has left me thoroughly impressed. Boasting remarkable sharpness and delivering a cinematic allure right out of the box, this lens is a game-changer for me. Notably, its adept handling of distortion and absence of noticeable chromatic aberration enhance its appeal.
However, despite its commendable features, certain limitations exist: the absence of a thread for ND filters, a comparatively slower T3.1 aperture when juxtaposed with other Samyang lenses, and a divergent gear ring positioning when compared to other Samyang lenses. Nevertheless, the overall consensus stands—this lens represents a remarkable investment, one that fills me with anticipation as I look forward to employing it in upcoming projects.
(Test footage can be watched here).
Lisbon, 11.02.2024
CAMCAT to shoot educational programme at German "Goethe Institut" in Lisbon
Appr. one year after shooting "Lola Runs - Lisbon Edition" for the 20th anniversary of German Film Festival at Cinemateca and Cinema São Jorge, I am proudly announcing another exciting cooperation, that is about to start this month. The Goethe Institute in Lisbon will be hosting a series of educational (panel) talks and workshops regarding web3, working with AI, NFTs, VJing and many more, mainly aiming at artists. And the best part? It's FREE for all participants. So, in case you are interested, you shouldn't miss this opportunity. Everyone is welcome. So why not get in touch with them today?
Lisbon, 10.02.2024
Carlos Cavallini soon to publish second music video
Only a few weeks after releasing "SEMPRE MAR", we can't wait to hear the echo of the second video, we shot together at the legendary CAMCAT studios in Almada.
"NEM TUDO MUNDO" will appear online on the 23rd of February 2024. Stay tuned!
Lisbon, 08.02.2024
another CAMCAT video of João Velez goes viral
How does that sound:
~ 440.000 views (on 16.7k followers)
~ 20.000 likes
~ 250 comments
~ 4000 saved
~ 2000 forwarded
And counting... On a single video! :-)
These are the statistics of one of the first reels I've shot for João Velez earlier this month. Want to know how much initial capital you need to buy a 200.000 EUR home in Portugal? Check out the video on TikTok.
Lisbon, 04.02.2024
Welcoming the Portuguese Real Estate Influencer
Fans of João Velez may remain excited, as we're planning to shoot more than just the talking head videos at the CAMCAT Studio.
As we're moving along and taking a look into the future (after 29 videos in 29 days), there'll be an exciting continuation in many ways, but mainly hitting a slightly new direction. That's for sure.
Without spoling too much the promise is a cinematic journey through João's life, depicting who he is and why he became the person he is today.
Lisbon, 29.01.2024
Enriching Equipment upgrade
Not only CAMCAT's executive management but also the board of members (quick note to the reader: Camcat-Portugal is still (most of the time) just a one-man show, but they told us [which again is just me] to dream big) decided to slowly but surely be moving away from the old towards the new. We're talking about the 32-bit float technology, which in its entirety I recently tested with charismatic Vhils (here with Farokh from Rug FM) but also with real estate investor and public person João Velez in his new series of Social Media reels "29 videos in 29 days".
For all my other clients this means - due to the ver high dynamic range of the recorder - never have to worry about clipping sound again: The Sennheiser MKE-600 on a carbon fibre boom feeding into a Zoom F3 sounds fantastically full-bodied and will do justice (not only) to João's and Vhils' lively style. Both the sound system and I are looking for more happy clients in the near future.
Lisbon, 26.01.2024
CARLOS ON A STREAK!
Signing his contract with Altafonte was quickly followed by an interview with Portugal's largest newspaper "Publico". This series of events will certainly give the young, gentle-spoken artist a huge boost. Needless to mention, how proud I am of Carlos Cavallini's success.
Read the full article here.
Lisbon, 24.01.2024
FRANKIE Rooney signs with Papaya MANAGEMENT
Congrats to actress Frankie Rooney - who I had the honour to shoot with several times - for signing her contract with Papaya Management earlier this month.
Here's the last scene we shot together with a handfull other cinematographers from the ACC in early December 2023.
Lisbon, 07.01.2024
Meet Tim Vieira - Portugal's candidate for president
(next election in 2026)
Tim Vieira, a prominent Portuguese entrepreneur and investor renowned for his impactful ventures in business and television, recently granted an exclusive interview to Adrien Hardy. This marked one of Tim's initial interviews following his announcement of candidacy for the Portuguese Presidency in 2026. In this insightful conversation, Tim delves into topics ranging from the essence of success and the lessons gleaned from failure, to the pivotal roles of education and vision. He shares candid anecdotes about family dynamics, the enriching experiences of travel, his passion for automobiles, and his love for sports.
I had the privilege of orchestrating the technical aspects of the interview. From setting up the lighting and microphones to operating three cameras and overseeing sound control, I ensured that every detail was meticulously attended to. Additionally, I managed the post-production process, crafting the final presentation of the interview.
It was an honor to contribute to such a significant dialogue, and I'm proud to have played a role in bringing Tim Vieira's insights to life. Thank you Tim, thank you Adrien. Watch full interview here.
Lisbon, 18.12.2023
STUDIO SHOOT PREPARATIONS
Yaaaay. One of the last projects of the old year: finally a studio shoot again! The lights are burning, the mics are glowing. This indeed feels like Xmas. A tiny spoiler alert: it's getting artsy in here...
Oh damn, another spoiler alert: the result, that I'm very proud of, will be released on 23rd February 2024 on multiple media (including certain press coverage). I'll obviously report, so stay tuned.
Lisbon, 08.12.2023
COMMERCIAL SHOT FOR "HONEST SEA MOSS" ACCOMPLISHED
With two shooting days of the really delicious chocolate ball snacks, the footage is now in the post production phase and will soon be released. Stay tuned! It's going to be a nice one: solid, crispy, dynamic, spiced up with a few animations, sound design and a couple other effects :-)
Lisbon, 23.10.2023
AAAND THE "ACTIVE CINEMATOGRAPHERS CLUB" IS ON AIR!
Our new-born has now grown to a little baby is beginning to crawl. In other words: After its start in May 2023 (with a five cameras and five lenses test setup click on the picture to see the test result), the ACC is now gaining popularity! :-) Feel free to be invited to one of Lisbon's most active filmmaking communities, independent of your skill level.
More details here.
Lisbon, 04.05.2023
live recordings for MUTI Collective
During the second edition of "Cabeça Na Lua" in Montemor-O-Novo, CAMCAT had the honour to record all three live concerts, performed by Smoked Falmon, Puçanga and MADAMA (shown in the gif above).
Montemor-O-Novo, 21.06.2022