Mel Gibson is no stranger to pushing the boundaries of filmmaking and in his latest movie, Flight Risk, the director and his director of photography, Johnny Derango leaned on the DJI Ronin 4D camera system – and it left quite the impression!
Above: The YouTube video When Your Camera Saves a Mel Gibson Film Make.Art.Now
In a behind-the-scenes interview featured in a video by Make.Art.Now, Gibson didn’t hold back his enthusiasm. "I think these cameras are f**king amazing!" he declared. So much so that he now wants to use them exclusively for his next film.
The DJI Ronin 4D has had an impactful effect on modern cinematography, offering built-in stabilization, a compact design, and full-frame image quality that enables filmmakers to capture dynamic shots with ease. On Flight Risk, the system proved invaluable for executing complex camera moves, maintaining fluidity in action sequences, and reducing the need for bulky rig setups.
During an intense airplane chase scene, the Ronin 4D truly proved its worth. The crew had initially planned to film the sequence with a rig on a helicopter, but when it came time to shoot, the camera's iris wouldn’t open. With time running out, Derango grabbed his personal Ronin 4D and used it to save the shot, proving the system’s reliability in high-pressure situations. Gibson states that those shots turned into the 'hero' shots for the end action scene!
Johnny Derango echoed Gibson’s sentiment, highlighting how the camera’s stabilization and lightweight design allowed them to move quickly and achieve shots that would have been much more challenging with traditional setups. Flight Risk was almost entirely shot inside an airplane cabin, so the Ronin was essential for capturing interior shots in tight spaces where larger rigs simply couldn’t operate efficiently.
For Gibson, who has always been hands-on with his filmmaking, the Ronin 4D’s versatility and efficiency seem to align perfectly with his approach to storytelling. In fact, he was so impressed that when asked about his next project he said, "I was thinking of using these guys [Ronin 4D] just get a couple of these and exclusively use those on a project. It's not a huge production, it's a small production, where you have to be light, you have to be malleable, and you have to be able to get down and dirty and grind it out – but not sacrifice quality".
With his next project already on the horizon, it looks like this compact powerhouse of a camera will be taking center stage once again. Gibson embracing the Ronin 4D is a testament to how new tech is reshaping the way films are made. And if his reaction is anything to go by, we might be seeing more directors following suit.
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