Amarjargal, a ten-year-old Mongolian boy, sits proudly atop his powerful horse and stares curiously at my camera like it was some kind of alien creature from another planet. Although there is a plethora of newly-released 3D cams flooding the marketplace, the presence of a 3D camera in any remote geographical area is indeed unique.
My WalleCam, as I affectionately call my Panasonic AG-3DA1, stares back steadfastly at the boy. The AG-3DA1 is the ideal indie/travel 3D camera for an efficient crew of two: my wife Bee and me. It allows me to work in delicate and intimate environments that would otherwise not be feasible with a big 3D camera rig and a large crew. Added to that is the Convergent Design, NanoFlash 3D external recorder for recording raw XDCAM at 180Mb/s in order to ensure broadcast quality.
I am somewhere on the endless plains of the Nadach Province to record the ancient Naadam Festival of Mongolia. The vastness of these plains seem to roll on forever beneath the infinite blue sky above. Straddling his horse, bareback, Amarjargal smiles into the camera with confidence, anticipating victory in the 30km horse race that is about to begin. The competitors range from seven to twelve years of age, on three- to four-year-old horses. This marathon race is a test of strength and endurance for both horse and rider, and serves as a rite of passage for these Mongolian children.
Where can the footage be seen?
I shot this film for a travel series called Explore 3D Travel, and I hope that it will be picked up by one or more of the 3D channels around the world. The trip was a marvellous experience on so many levels. The ability to push your creative and technical boundaries is certainly not for the faint-hearted, but the rewards are worth it when you can come back with footage like this.
Read more at 3DRoundAbout.com
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