Q&A with Steven Pennington DoP on Saving Lives in Leeds BBC2

Steven Pennington DoP shares his experience of using the VoxBox Pro for down-the-lens interviews on BBC2's Saving Lives in Leeds series

Saving Lives in Leeds (Label1 for BBC2) meets a group of world-leading doctors and surgeons at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust as they battle through their ever-increasing waiting lists to transform the lives of their patients and decide who to treat next. All master interviews were filmed by Steven and colleague Jarrod Roberts using the VoxBox Pro.

How do contributors react to the VoxBox Pro?

"Using this kit on the down-the-barrel interviews helps people focus on the interviewer, and stops them looking around the room at everyone else. I normally put 4x4 floppy drapes on either side of the camera to cover the producer and operator, so they only look down the lens. This helps if they are nervous." 

How do you like to rig the VoxBox Pro kit?

"I like to sit the VoxBox Pro on a lighting stand in front of the lens so I can frame the shot once they sit in and move the tripod easily or change the lens as we normally shoot these setups on prime lenses - then just swing the box in front once I have set everything else! Happy days!" 

Have you used the teleprompter feature?

"I have not used it in this way but can see how this could be a great one to use on Steadicam as other prompters have been so heavy and difficult to mount on a Steadicam rig." 

How does the VoxBox Pro compare to other systems?

"I found VoxBox Pro so easy to set up compared to any other similar products I have used for setups. It's lighter and less clunky than an Eye-Direct, especially if you have multiple setups and moving around/swinging lenses. On some shoots, other kits have either been so front-heavy or just a pain to rig plates to a tripod plate and change lens etc that we have abandoned it because it was taking too much time." 

Steven's Kit List for this shoot:
Camera: FX9 / Zeiss super speed cp2 85mm.
Lighting: Forza 500/5ft dome/ Floppy flags.
VoxBox Pro for down-the-lens interviews Learn more

Steven Pennington is a DoP based in Manchester, UK.
StevenPenningtonDOP.com

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