LUMIX AMBASSADORS ALICIA ROBBINS, CARISSA DORSON, AND EMILY SKYE TAKE PRODUCTIONS TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL
By Adam Noyes
Check out the original article by ProductionHUB here!
Here is a great interview Shiori Kitaoka (from Panasonic) who chats about the Panasonic LUMIX Ambassador Program. Also featured are Alicia Robbins, Carissa Dorson, and Emily Skye.
PH: What is the Panasonic LUMIX Ambassador Program?
Kitaoka: The program began many years ago when Panasonic recognized that there was a dedicated core of professional users dedicated to the Lumix brand. Their creativity was recognized and that was the genesis of the LUMIX Ambassador program. Initially it was more photo-centric but due to our brand’s rich history in video, it is now balanced between both still and video.
PH: How many LUMIX Ambassadors are there?
Kitaoka: There are a total of 22 LUMIX ambassadors in the US with a wide range of expertise from both photo and video industries. Among them, these 3 new ambassadors are in the cinema industry (Alicia Robbins, Carissa Dorson, and Emily Skye). Not only are they great directors of photography, all three love and are excited to use LUMIX gear. Being a big fan of LUMIX is critical for us.
PH: Is there more than one group of LUMIX Ambassadors?
Kitaoka: There are ambassadors from many different countries and regions, with different backgrounds.
PH: Why do professionals gravitate to LUMIX cameras?
Kitaoka: LUMIX cameras are well accepted in the videography and cinematography market thanks to the high image quality, well-considered feature set, and compact and lightweight form factor. We have a great reputation in the real world of film production.
PH: What role does the Panasonic organization play in the process?
Kitaoka: Our ambition is to support all creators in the cinema industry and to keep them one step ahead with the latest form of expression. The LUMIX brand is able to offer professionals unlimited shooting styles which they have never imagined with large, heavy cinema cameras.
My New Power Trio
So, as I started reading about some of the LUMIX Ambassadors current projects and credits I have to say I was just blown away. (see the links below) From film productions to episodics, this list of my new power trio accomplishments is huge. I’m calling this my new wow list and I think you will agree. These three newly minted LUMIX Ambassadors: Alicia Robbins, Emily Skye and Carissa Dorson share their unique experiences, illustrating why LUMIX cameras are their tools of choice to produce some of the most iconic television series, artistic films, and still photography.
Robbins, a celebrated DP in popular television and film, and the first female cinematographer to shoot a Shondaland series and currently is lead DP on Grey’s Anatomy season 17. She is a 14-year industry veteran, having worked on Grey’s Anatomy season 16, and critically acclaimed episodes of the series, such as season 15’s “Silent All These Years.” In addition, she has worked on feature films “The Wedding Invitation” and “BabySplitters,” which won Best Romantic Comedy at the 2016 Manhattan Film Festival and Best Comedy at Burbank International Festival, and Best Narrative at Santa Barbara International Film Festival, respectively. Robbins also received the prestigious 2018 Emerging Cinematographer Award from the Cinematographer’s Guild for the short Internet Gangsters and has shot for projects that include “Creed II,” “Tag,” “The Post,” “WAT” and “Scorpion.”
Robbins states: “I am proud to partner with LUMIX to share my personal creative journey and highlight how standout LUMIX cameras, such as the S1H, have supported my artistic vision and enabled me to bring creative concepts to life,” said Robbins. “The picture quality and low light performance of the S1H are second-to-none, and I really appreciate the ability to shoot on long days without worrying about the camera overheating.”
Previously featured on ProductionHUB.com for her work in television and still photography, Dorson brings her own unique style to the LUMIX mix.
Currently, she is the DP of A Little Late with Lilly Singh on NBC. She recently lensed I Think She Likes You, which premiered at Tribeca, and the comedy feature, It’s a Party, starring SNL’s Ego Nwodim. She is also a fine art photographer, with an interest in portraiture. Her ongoing photo series, Funny People. Serious Photos, was featured in L.A. Weekly; her first photo book, Conversations with Dad is being published with Kehrer Verlag.
Dorson states: “LUMIX cameras are some of the most reliable cameras on the market, and you get excellent image quality and resolution in a very small package,” said Dorson. “But that’s just scratching the surface; there’s really so much to love about the entire range of LUMIX cameras, and representing those elements of excellence through this partnership is exciting.”
LUMIX Ambassador Skye is known for writing, directing and being the DP on her feature film “River,” which is debuting worldwide this summer. She has won more than 18 awards for her short film of “River,” filmed in May 2020, available on DUST, Hollyshorts Bitpix, and more. A champion of women in filmmaking, Skye leads a digital community called #shefilmtribe on Instagram, a safe place for women in the industry to encourage and bond with one another, share experiences and have a dialogue about what it means to be a woman in film. Skye’s highly anticipated Whiskey Docuseries adventure, “Binders Stash,” will debut in Fall 2021.
Skye had this to say: “I love the dynamic range of these cameras,” said Skye. “They are also user-friendly for first time filmmakers, and that’s one of the points I make when a young filmmaker asks me about purchasing their own camera. I tell them they can grow with a LUMIX. I am excited to bring that element of mentorship to this partnership.”
Other LUMIX Thoughts
There are a lot of LUMIX configurations and updates to choose from and as you all know, there are also a lot of good cameras out there to choose from as well. But I have some pretty compelling reasons(I think) why I like a LUMIX as one of my choices as a main camera or as a trusted second camera for the shoots that really matter. Panasonic continues to announce upcoming new cameras as well (see below) and upgrades that have definitely caught my eye. That said, here are some of my reasons you should look at the LUMIX series of cameras.
The Image Quality Was Really Good
We just did a once in a lifetime shoot with a LUMIX G5 as our “B” camera and came away with great images that matched in great with our main cameras. As an added bonus the client was pretty happy with the look as well.
Ease of Use
We were on the fly, and again the LUMIX made life much easier. Making changes was easy and the smaller form factor meant that my DP could go all day without collapsing from exhaustion (yes, I fed him too).
Value Proposition
I think this is where I am going to win a lot of you over. The bottom line is the bottom line. There is a lot of flexibility built right into the LUMIX line up. One can go from shooting video to shooting high quality stills, all without breaking the bank so to speak. Plus we pushed our LUMIX hard in a challenging environment, and it didn’t overheat at all. Not having to think about the camera holding up is a big deal in my book.
Closing Shot
Be sure to check out the numerous links I have included and be sure to stay on the lookout for some more LUMIX Ambassador insights in the weeks ahead. Stay safe and we’ll talk to you soon.