Fullface Productions is a three-piece group of young filmmakers from the Czech Republic. They focus on outdoor and action sports, especially mountain biking, free-ride skiing and ski mountaineering. What started as a hobby has grown into work and they are now filming with top athletes in unusual places.

Why did you choose to shoot for the Mountain Rescue Service of Czech Republic?

For a long time we have been thinking about what occasion would be a great opportunity for viewers to take a look at what goes on behind the scenes of our filming. We wanted to have the opportunity to show diverse situations and many locations. Mountain biking or skiing projects, which we deal with the most, would not allow us to do this. That's why we selected the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) where we had the space to film skiing, rappelling, and working with rescue dogs. Also, we know the members of the MRS well and we simply knew that they would do their best to help us achieve the best results.

You use a combination of Sony FX6 and Alpha 7S III. Which camera is primary?

I wouldn't say that for projects like shooting for MRS we have a primary and a secondary camera. We use each of the cameras for certain types of shots. We have the FX6 mainly for shooting from a tripod, ideally in combination with a longer lenses such as the FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS or FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM.

When do you use the Alpha 7S III?

We have the Alpha 7S III primarily on a gimbal in combination with a wider lens. The camera is small and light so we can use a smaller and lighter gimbal. A fantastic feature is AF tracking, which allows us to shoot motion pictures at longer focal lengths with shallow depth of field without the need for a focus puller. At the same time, we appreciate that such a small camera offers 120 fps in 4K and without any drop in image quality. This is a really big step from previous generations.

Which lenses do you use the most?

This is quite individual and it depends on the specific project. For some projects, we move from location to location on skis or bicycles, so we try to carry as little as possible. That means we often use the FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM, FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM and FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS. If the situation allows, we gladly add prime lenses to the portfolio, especially the wider focal lengths such as the FE 24mm f/1.4 GM or FE 35mm f/1.4 GM. At the same time, we are happy to work with super long focal lengths such as the FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS or FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS. These are not used in video production too often, so you will always amaze the audience with the uniqueness of the shots.

Do you use any special settings, either for the Alpha 7S III or FX6?

I would probably start by choosing codecs - we choose them according to the type of project. For TV production where we know there will be no room and time for complex colour grading we choose codecs with a lower bit rate. In this case, we also appreciate the new S-Cinetone color profile.

I would also recommend mastering the AF tracking settings on the Alpha 7S III. Each situation requires a different adjustment of the focus speed and sensitivity. Without the correct setting, AF will never work 100%.

Also, at times when you aren’t controlling the camera using the mobile application, turn on Airplane mode. This will significantly increase the battery life.

Do you have any general tips for outdoor filmmakers?

Dress well. The weather in the mountains changes every minute! I would definitely recommend a quality camera backpack made of waterproof materials which will protect your equipment in bad weather. Also, it can withstand some impact without damaging the equipment inside.

If you go to the mountains, study all the risks, never go alone and always have a guide accompany you when you go to more remote places.

It is said that good preparation is half the battle, and that goes double for winter activities in the mountains. The days are short, so you need to head out for shooting with a clear vision of what shots you want bring back with you. Despite good preparation, the weather can create trouble for you at any time, which is why we factor in a time reserve of 1-2 shooting days whenever planning winter projects.