Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago
In this behind-the-scenes breakdown, I walk through how we created a moody, atmospheric jazz drummer sequence for a MassMutual department highlight reel. This shoot pushed us creatively — from lighting a small studio for dramatic isolation to using haze, sliders, probe lenses, and a mix of FX9 and FX3 setups to capture unique cinematic shots.
We filmed at Parkville Sound in Hartford, working with our friend Cedric to bring in an incredible jazz drummer and lock down the perfect location. Using haze for the first time on one of our shoots added so much depth and texture to the scene, and the DZOFILM Pictor zooms paired with the Sony FX9 crop mode gave us sharp, character-filled images.
One of the most fun parts of the project came later in post — compositing animated text and design elements onto the drum kit and cymbals using After Effects. It added a layer of polish and visual storytelling that tied the whole highlight reel together.
#bts #behindthescenes #filmmaking #setlife #cinematography #sonyfx9 #sonyfx3 #jazzdrummer #drumshoot #videoproduction #dzofilm #pictorzoom #probelens #lightingsetup #filmmaker
In this behind-the-scenes breakdown, I walk through how we created a moody, atmospheric jazz drummer sequence for a MassMutual department highlight reel. This shoot pushed us creatively — from lighting a small studio for dramatic isolation to using haze, sliders, probe lenses, and a mix of FX9 and FX3 setups to capture unique cinematic shots.
We filmed at Parkville Sound in Hartford, working with our friend Cedric to bring in an incredible jazz drummer and lock down the perfect location. Using haze for the first time on one of our shoots added so much depth and texture to the scene, and the DZOFILM Pictor zooms paired with the Sony FX9 crop mode gave us sharp, character-filled images.
One of the most fun parts of the project came later in post — compositing animated text and design elements onto the drum kit and cymbals using After Effects. It added a layer of polish and visual storytelling that tied the whole highlight reel together.
#bts #behindthescenes #filmmaking #setlife #cinematography #sonyfx9 #sonyfx3 #jazzdrummer #drumshoot #videoproduction #dzofilm #pictorzoom #probelens #lightingsetup #filmmaker
