by Jennifer Taylor
Universal Pictures’ recent action-thriller Public Enemies was shot with Sony F23 professional high-definition cameras. Co-writer/director/producer Michael Mann and co-producer/2nd unit director Bryan Carroll had specific HD production needs to realistically capture the look of 1930s America and overcome the challenges of shooting a period piece. “To do a historical period movie right, you need to push the limits on picture quality, detail, depth of field and exposure,” Carroll said. “The F23 was an ace up our sleeve.”
Mann and Carroll recreated the story of Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp) – the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him a folk hero to much of the public, and the numberone target of J. Edgar Hoover’s fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis. Public Enemies also stars Christian Bale (Purvis) and Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard as Dillinger’s girlfriend, Billie Frechette.
The production team for Public Enemies also featured an A-list team behind-thescenes, including two-time Academy Award®- nominated director of photography Dante Spinotti and digital imaging technician Dave Canning. The team used the F23 to bring a vivid period in history to life in stunning detail. About 95 percent of the movie was shot with the F23, while the Sony PMW-EX1 camcorder handled shots that required a more mobile tool. For example, the compact EX1 camcorder was used to lens the interior of planes and cars during high-speed chases.
“There’s a combination of a handheld, very close approach to the faces of the actors, all shot with long lenses,” Spinotti said.
Complementing the F23’s use to achieve a realistic look was Sony’s HDCAM SR™ digital videocassettes. These cassettes are designed to fully maximize the benefits of 4:4:4 RGB recording technology. The PMWEX1 camcorder recorded to Sony SxS PRO™ memory cards. 
