Killing Me Softly, Canon 1DC

KILLING ME SOFTLY — A CANON 1DC SHORT FILM from Andrew Wonder on Vimeo.

When God designed lobsters he built them very different from humans, so it’s hard for us to imagine how they perceive the world.  Where humans are the dominate species on land, a water based habitat requires things work just a bit differently.  For example, we humans smell scents using our nose.  Lobsters “smell” chemicals in the water with their antennae, and where we humans use our tongue to taste our food they “taste” with sensory hairs along their legs. But in many important ways, lobsters aren’t so very different from us.

Like humans, lobsters have a long childhood and an awkward adolescence.  They also carry their young just as we do for nine months and if a lobster is very lucky escaping capture and becoming a human table serving, it can live to be more than 100 years old.  Lobsters also feel pain, according to scientific research, just as we humans do.  This film, from Andrew Wonder captures the life and journey of a lobster.  In Wonder’s own words, “The more time I spent with her the more human she became. I was completely unprepared for what I would see.”

The film was shot entirely on the Canon 1DC with a Zeiss ZE 28mm and 100mm Makro. With the 1DC Mr. Wonder was able to retain the flexibility of shooting with a DSLR while getting detail and clarity beyond what has been previously possible. In this case he believed that shooting in 4K was essential to bringing this story to life.  After seeing the film, I can say that it is certainly impactful storytelling.  Like all true art, this story disturbs.  It bothers you to view it.  I caution you in advance, you also are completely unprepared for what you will see.

The film is not color corrected to give viewers an idea of how the Canon 1DC camera handles documentary situations without manipulation.  All of the sound was recorded using only the onboard Canon 1DC camera mic.  Mr.  Wonder directed and shot the film without any support rigging what so ever.  Justin Sharp was the editor.  In my opinion, both of these gentlemen did a masterful job.  To take as simple a subject as Saturday night’s family dinner, and turn it into a powerful statement of the highest order is truly magical storytelling in my book.

To learn more about how lobsters are treated and used for food please visit:
peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/lobsters-crabs.aspx