The Chicago Cubs have a beloved mascot named Clark the Cub. Clark made his debut in 2014 and has since become a fan favorite. He is known for his energetic and friendly personality, often seen interacting with fans during games and events. Despite his popularity, Clark has been the subject of some controversy. There have been instances where individuals have made inappropriate and offensive comments about the Cubs mascot, referring to him with derogatory language. These incidents have sparked debates about the importance of respect and proper conduct, even in the context of sports mascots.
Author Morgan Moore on the right demonstrating the finer points of Getting In The Van.
The Micro Cinema Camera also promises to be pretty handy in low light especially if paired with very fast glass on the Metabones Speed Booster BMPCC. I will be working with Super 16mm film on another shoot coming up soon, so this was a nice reminder that you don t need full frame or even Super 35mm to achieve a cinematic look.
These incidents have sparked debates about the importance of respect and proper conduct, even in the context of sports mascots. It is essential to remember that mascots, like Clark the Cub, play a crucial role in adding to the atmosphere and experience of sporting events. They are meant to entertain and engage with fans, fostering a sense of fun and unity amongst supporters.
Blackmagic Micro Cinema camera: first impressions by DP Sam Morgan Moore
I’ve had Blackmagic Design’s new Micro Cinema Camera for a couple of weeks and personally I am very excited by this tiny camera.
I feel the need to own a tiny camera for two reasons (I also have an FS7 and an EX1). Firstly to mount it in silly places, either on a stabiliser or hard mounted to vehicles and the like. Secondly to have a fun camera to take to the park, or back home for a family weekend, or even do a simple corporate or news assignment with.
Micro Cinema Camera, Speedbooster and manual focus Nikkor lens.
Tiny cameras
Over the years I have had a lot of fun with the Sony NEX5n. I’ve had two (the first died after a small drop) – I had an expensive cage fabricated for that camera and with the cage it served me very well. I’ve also had fun with GoPros but the lack of shutter control is enough to make the share price tumble.
The NEX5n is a little long in the tooth now so last year I bought a GH4 and YAGH box. This has worked well for me as an interview ‘B camera’, (with a YAGH unit, XLR connections and a V-lock battery) but not as a ‘tiny camera’ with no accessories. And ultimately the onboard 8-bit codec doesn’t quite have the flexibility to make it work well against the 10-bit 4K Sony S-Log my FS7 produces.
Sony’s A7s MkII: great camera, many menus.
Many people see a Sony A7s camera as their tiny camera. Personally I find the Sony menus and multifarious crop options to be a drag. The short battery life, rolling shutter, single 1/4″ 20 mount point, mini HDMI, and odd results with 8-bit S-Log make the A7 cameras uninteresting to me.
Roll on the Micro Cinema Camera. Four 1/4″ 20 screw points, large HDMI, reasonable battery size of a type I own from my 5D Mk2 days, and 1080p 10-bit ProRes. 1080p? Yes. I feel that with a small sensor, jamming 4K’s worth of pixels often leads to difficulties, especially when you compress your 4K to 60Mbps (the NEX5n is 25Mbs for HD – a higher data rate per pixel).
I love the simplicity of Blackmagic cameras. Picture profiles? Flat or Not Flat. Simple. Frame rates, it has a few – colour temperatures, it offers some of them too. What else does one need?
With a Sony the options are baffling. The FS7 for example can only do certain frame rates in certain resolutions, it cannot offer other frame rates if you are in PAL, if you change to NTSC you can’t play back your clips when in PAL mode. On set under pressure this can all get a bit baffling.
Rigging
Back to the Micro, well I also bought a Ronin M and most certainly the thin profile of the camera will help you rig it. By comparison the GH4’s HDMI lead was at constant risk of clashing with the Ronin body. The Blackmagic also just feels ‘right’ when you’re handholding it. It cradles in one hand, almost like just holding a lens.
Testing the Micro Cinema Camera mounted on the Ronin M gimbal in the car.
So it is looking good to make the perfect gripping camera, mounted on a Ronin or hard mount. And I hope to build it up to make a fun walkabout camera matched with my old Rode videomic from my 5D Mk2 and SmallHD DP502 monitor. The camera is so compact the 502 feels big and heavy by comparison (A side note: I hope to use the headphone jack on the 502 to monitor audio). Clearly for ‘serious’ audio jobs I will use one of my XLR cameras, or employ a sound recordist.
I have a short floppy HDMI lead which feels like it is going to be OK as a jump between the camera and monitor although I would of course prefer SDI.
In the field
This weekend I shot a short comedy film and thought I would add a few shots with the Ronin/Micro combination as a kind of test. Shooting with a largish cast and crew hanging over one’s shoulder is where the chickens come home to roost. The camera was duly mounted via the Ronin on a small jib.
Firstly I was reminded of my desire never to use a ‘5D’ battery ever again. By the time we had done a couple of rehearsals and a bit of actor-director chat had occurred the first battery was dead. I really dislike small batteries with no level meters. The Micro does hold out hope on this front as it will accept power via the rather wacky COM port and I’m sure people are rushing to offer options. I will probably use BPU batteries which, fitting my EX1, FS7 and having level meters are my go-to batteries when I’m not using V-lock.
Simple menus are all very well but when rigged to the gimbal control buttons are all but inaccessible.
Now, that simple menu? Not so simple when the camera is upside-down, hanging from a crane with the menu also upside-down in the monitor, wrestling tiny buttons on a live gimbal. Personally I find the buttons tiny, and the menu a little unintuitive. I also struggle with the GoPro menu and am completely lost on Sony menus this isn’t a fault unique to the Blackmagic!
With controller, monitor and follow focus the Micro Cinema Camera is much bigger than an Osmo and many things need charging. Seen here the camera and Metabones Speedbooster are mounted to the Ronin M gimbal with DJI focus control; the Ronin Follow focus mounts a SmallHD DP1 monitor, focus controller and is powered by a Hawkwoods V-lock + battery plate.
Now the BM may feel tiny, but on the Ronin gimbal it is still quite big. One reason not to buy one right now is to wait and consider the Osmo and X5R – a combination that could be even more small, simple and powerful with an excellent app that will control everything. Controlling and monitoring the Ronin/Blackmagic combo is still always going to be a jumble of wires with a heap of menus to dig into.
It is also a shame that the camera had to be mounted upside-down (or the right way up on an upside-down gimbal). If Blackmagic had gone the final mile they could have offered three 1/4″ 20 holes on the top side, this would have made the camera orientation agnostic. Personally I find single 1/4″ 20 threads to be close to useless because I always want to double mount any accessories to make sure they cannot come unscrewed.
The camera certainly needs a cage – I will make my own, others sell them. I note the Skier cage has only one hole on the bottom, which seems wrong to me. I would therefore suggest checking out Wooden Camera for a commercially available cage.
Lensing and picture
I’m lost with the maths but I bought a Blackmagic Pocket Speedbooster. It is a very snug fit and seems to give a FOV and DOF look very similar to S35. This will live on the camera and work well with my old manual Nikkor glass.
Image looks great, here with a little added grain.
And finally, the picture. 10-bit ProRes. Oh yes. To me, and I have only done a very few shots so far, the picture just looks pretty, owners of the Blackmagic Pocket probably understand. I don’t think there is really a technical way to evaluate ‘pretty,’ the dynamic range is not huge but when one blows the highlights one is not presented with problems and that is worth a lot to me and other shooters who are not scared of flare or backlight. A LUT in Resolve or a tweak of curves or saturation and the image becomes rich and malleable.
Author Morgan Moore on the right demonstrating the finer points of Getting In The Van.
Overall then a very positive first couple of weeks and I’m looking forward to finishing the build – both for rigging and using the camera for fun.
Sam has been making images professionally since 1994. Based in Bristol in the UK he produces video and stills for broadcast, websites, social media, print and press.
I gave myself a day and a half to come up with an idea, shoot, edit, and color. Having no budget or crew, I decided to keep the idea really simple, shoot only with natural light, not have any dialogue, and limit the locations as much as possible. Ultimately things came together well, and the small footprint of the camera made it possible to capture lots of material even while shooting guerrilla style.
In recent years, the Chicago Cubs organization has taken steps to address any inappropriate behavior or comments towards their mascot. They have emphasized the importance of creating a positive and inclusive environment for all fans. Additionally, the team has been proactive in encouraging fans to report any incidents of disrespectful behavior to ensure that the fan experience remains enjoyable for everyone. Ultimately, it is essential to remember that mascots, such as Clark the Cub, are representative figures of a team and its fanbase. They should be treated with respect and appreciation for their contribution to the sports culture..
Reviews for "The Cubs Mascot's Apology: Genuine or Damage Control?"
- Karen - 1 star - I did not enjoy the "Cubs mascot dick" at all. I found it tasteless and offensive. The concept of turning a beloved mascot into something vulgar just didn't sit well with me. I think it's a total disrespect to the team and the fans. I wish they had chosen a different approach to their marketing campaign.
- John - 2 stars - The "Cubs mascot dick" was disappointing to say the least. I expected something creative and fun, but it was just crude and inappropriate. It felt like they were trying too hard to be edgy and it backfired. I hope the team realizes that their fans deserve better and think twice before coming up with such controversial ideas in the future.
- Emily - 1 star - I was really excited about the "Cubs mascot dick" but it turned out to be a major letdown. It's not funny or clever, just crude and tasteless. The team could have used this opportunity to create something memorable and engaging, but instead, they made a poor choice that reflects poorly on their brand. I won't be supporting any future campaigns like this.