Hal Long, principal of production company Henry Films, directed a launch video for the 2010 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe that was shot with an array of Panasonic P2 HD and AVCCAM cameras, recorders and workflow tools.

The 90-second video, produced by Aquila Productions, debuted at the Detroit Auto Show and continues to play at auto shows around the country; it is used in General Motors' marketing of its new prestige coupe. The director of photography was Mark Raker. Additional cinematography was provided by Jeffrey Dougherty. The video was shot over the course of two days at GM's test drive facility in Detroit. Camera equipment and accessories were rented from Abel Cine Tech's Los Angeles office.

Cadillac CTS-V Coupe launch video
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The video emphasizes the performance and comfort of the CTS-V. An AJ-HPX3700 P2 HD VariCam (VariCam 3700) shot the interiors and was used as the B-camera when the coupe was on the road. (A Vision Research Phantom HD camera shot high-speed footage—up to 400fps—of the car idling on the tarmac and peeling out on the track.) An AG-HPX170 P2 HD handheld camcorder was deployed on car mounts and used to shoot some interior details in small spaces.

The production team additionally used an AG-HMR10 AVCCAM compact field recorder/player and AG-HCK10 POVCAM camera on car mounts, an AG-HPG20 Portable P2 HD recorder for real-time P2 backup of the Phantom footage and confidence playback, and a P2 Mobile recorder/player for video village review.

"While we needed an ultra-high-speed camera for exteriors, the VariCam 3700 integrated beautifully into our specialized workflow," says Long. "The interiors are a major part of the piece, and shooting with the HPX3700 at full-raster 1920x1080 resolution in AVC-Intra 100, we achieved images that fully convey the passenger luxury inside the car."

"The HMR10/HKC10 AVCCAM products were a great addition to the production," he adds. "The car in the video was the only CTS-V Coupe in existence, and it had to appear at the auto show only a week after our shoot, which meant we couldn't do standard car mounts [which can require rigging directly on the body]. That's why the POVCAM was such a terrific player—it only needed suction mounts."

"Considering its minute size and weight—a little more than half a pound—the POVCAM is a big performer," Long says. "We shot in the highest-quality PH mode, using a long lens, and recorded 1080/30p to the HMR10. The car mounts were all about singling out detail, and we got a really nice looking defocused background with the HCK10."

The video was edited in Apple Final Cut Pro, finished in Final Cut Studio and delivered in DVCPRO HD for presentation on a 100-foot theater screen at the Detroit Auto Show. "The great thing about the Panasonic lineup is that all of the formats [P2 AVC-Intra, DVCPRO HD and AVCCAM] import into FCP and can cut into the same timeline without extra legwork," Long adds.