What's the Story Behind, “The Touch”?
What's the Story Behind, “The Touch”?
"The Touch" is a captivating short film that tells the touching story of a couple, emphasizing the power of love and care. Directed and shot by DoP Ayananka Bose using Sony BURANO, the film beautifully captures the essence of human connection. In a recent interview with Ayananka Bose, we gained insights into the inspiration behind this creative excellence.
The concept for the film emerged from my desire to push the BURANO to its boundaries. I reverse-engineered a narrative specifically designed to test the autofocus system under the most demanding conditions.
Sony BURANO: Sparking “The Touch”
“The result was a series of intricate, visually stunning transitions that showcased not just the emotional depth of the story, but also the remarkable capabilities of the Sony BURANO.”
When Sony launched the BURANO, for a cinematographer like me, this was exhilarating because this wasn’t just another camera—it was a groundbreaking addition to their cinema line, featuring an autofocus system, a first of its kind.
My rapport with Sony has always allowed me to conduct camera tests whenever Sony introduces a new product relevant to my work. Creating this short film required meticulous planning. Focus on cinematography is paramount, especially when dealing with a constantly shifting plane. The challenge was maintaining focus on a moving subject and deftly shifting focus between subjects, from the foreground to the background and vice versa. I envisioned scenes where transitions were executed entirely in-camera, without the aid of VFX or CGI. The camera had to perform flawlessly, tracking the subject with precision while navigating complex focus shifts. The autofocus handled every challenge we threw at it, from rapid focus pulls to subtle shifts, proving its mettle in a real-world, high-stakes scenario.
“I had an amazing experience working with Sony BURANO. It’s a fantastic camera that complements the VENICE Cinema Camera perfectly.”
Whenever I need a smaller, compact camera to fit into tight spaces for handheld shots, or even to rig onto a moving car or bike, BURANO is my go-to. Its built-in Image Stabilizer and reliable autofocus take a lot of the technical stress off my shoulders, allowing me to focus on other creative aspects of the shoot.
The camera’s design is user-friendly and accessible to everyone. It has a touch screen that simplifies the process, and the monitor quality is outstanding. BURANO is the first camera I’ve seen with built-in autofocus tracking, which uses AI to recognize human subjects and keep them in focus. This feature, along with the world’s first in-body stabilization (IBIS) with PL mount lenses ensures smooth & stable images in real time. BURANO’s advanced AI Subject Recognition AF features can only be utilized with G Master lenses.
Sony BURANO: Sparking “The Touch”
“The Burano camera captured each scene perfectly as it was shot. It handled the changes in light and mood effortlessly, proving just how reliable and versatile it is.”
BURANO is packed with professional capabilities. Despite its compact size, BURANO supports internal recording of X-OCN LT* , XAVC H, and XAVC-I formats. X-OCN, Sony’s compressed RAW format, captures the full 8.6K sensor data in a 16-bit linear file with rich tonal gradation. X-OCN LT reduces storage needs and speeds up file transfers, making 8K content post-production as efficient as 4K.
With 16 stops* of latitude, the BURANO captures stunning, low-noise images in any lighting. This is something a cinematographer like me would always appreciate. Its wide dynamic range expertly handles highlights and shadows with superb color rendition, offering maximum flexibility in color grading.
Additionally, I am very impressed to see how incredibly BURANO supports Dual Base ISO 800 and 3200, like VENICE 2. This ensures clear, low-noise images in both bright (ISO 800) and dim (ISO 3200) settings, enabling me to capture stunning shots even with just candlelight. Speed-wise, the Dual CFEXPRESS Type B cards VPG400* are impressive, which allow for reliable capture at exceptionally high data rates, including X-OCN LT recording in full 8K.
With BURANO, you can work quickly and efficiently. One thing I have truly liked about BURANO is that it has the electronic built-in variable ND filters, which means I don’t need to carry extra filters with me.
What’s more amazing is that I didn’t need to edit or color-grade the footage at all. No matter the scene, whether bright and colorful or dark and moody, the camera performed exceptionally well, bringing out the beauty in each moment.
Exploring Sony BURANO vs. VENICE: Insights from Ayananka Bose
In my experience, the Sony VENICE feels like the big brother, while the BURANO comes across as its tough little sibling. Both cameras are compact and reliable on set, with similar color science. But VENICE is larger and more powerful, like the big brother who can handle the heavy lifting. On the other hand, the BURANO might be smaller, but it's still mighty and ready to tackle any task. Their different sizes give me options, so I can choose the right one for any shoot. I'd love to pick BURANO every day without hesitation.
iNot compatible with X-OCN XT and X-OCN ST recording formats.
iiS-Log3 shooting. Sony measurements.
iiiNon-VPG CFexpress Type B memory cards are not guaranteed for normal operation.