Fine Optics/Rough Territory

The rough, shark-infested waters off the South African coast would not be the ideal setting for most film projects, but for DJ Roller, cinematographer
and deep sea diver, the conditions were the main draw. His latest film in IMAX 3D, Wild Ocean, tracks the immense schools of sardines that gather there, as well as the food chain of creatures they attract, with audience immersing visuals.

Filmmakers are able to shoot cleaner, high-quality film in rough conditions partly because the equipment is there to support it. The Fujinon lenses
that Roller used are not only sturdy, but come closer than ever to duplicating an eye’s motion-capturing ability. Roller used two Fujinon HA10X5B-W50 HD Cine Style Zoom lenses mounted on a Cameron/Pace Fusion Underwater HDTV 3D camera system, the same system that James Cameron pioneered on the set of Ghosts in the Abyss. The lenses were encased in custom made lens barrels for the rig, making them impossible to change during the shoot. Roller explains the lens’ “interocular positioning:” “if you close one eye you’re only getting partial information. The two lenses are spaced the approximate distance of eyes to capture a fuller image.”
When asked what advice he’d give to filmmakers seeking to stretch their cinematic range, Roller replied: “you have to have a passion for the surface you’re working on. If you’re on a mountain, love to climb. If you’re diving, learn everything about it before you shoot.” If you can master the conditions you’re shooting in, new developments in equipment guarantee the perfect shot.

Wild Ocean was released last Friday, March 14th in IMAX theathers nation-wide. To catch a glimpse of the sharp underwater images, watch the trailer here.