What’s it like filming one of the world’s biggest aquatic sporting events? Tristeps Studios’ Claudio Chock and Terence Sia take us behind the scenes of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships and explain why Sony’s BURANO was their camera of choice.
What’s special about filming the World Aquatics Championships?
We worked on a BTS Brand Video produced for Sony Global at the World Aquatics Championships 2025 in Singapore.
The project showcased Sony’s Cinema Line in a live sporting environment — documenting not just the competition but also the unseen behind-the-scenes energy.
We built our workflow around the BURANO as the main camera, supported by 1 FX6 and 3 FX3 units. This setup gave us both cinema-grade imagery and nimble coverage across diverse environments, from poolside competition areas to outdoor training grounds at Sentosa.
Why did you need to stay nimble?
Venue access was tightly restricted, allowing only minimal personnel and equipment. We worked with a small crew of four, ensuring mobility while staying unobtrusive to athletes, officials, and broadcasters.
That’s why a lightweight system was critical — it allowed us to move quickly across multiple restricted zones like competition pools, warm-up areas, media zones, and outdoor venues — while maintaining production value. Given that all four of us are well-adapted with the BURANO and supporting cameras (FX6 and FX3), this allowed us to interchange between different camera and lens combinations seamlessly.
Why did you choose BURANO?
The BURANO was chosen as our lead camera because it offers cinema-quality imaging in a lightweight, documentary-friendly form factor.
Handheld agility: In-body stabilisation enabled smooth handheld shots, essential for BTS coverage in tight or moving spaces where gimbals or tripods weren’t possible.
Variable ND filter: At outdoor venues like Sentosa, lighting conditions change constantly. The electronic ND allowed seamless exposure control, while the updated IR filter preserved colour accuracy across all ND levels.
Low-light adaptability: The wide dynamic range and dual base ISO let us capture both dim backstage areas and harshly lit arenas without relying on additional lighting rigs.
What was your shooting mode and why?
Our goal was to balance cinematic quality, editorial efficiency, and consistency across all cameras.
Codec choice: We shot in XAVC instead of X-OCN LT. While X-OCN LT offers exceptional latitude, its heavier files were not practical for this project. With multiple cameras (BURANO, FX6, FX3) feeding into the same workflow, XAVC provided lighter, more manageable files that were easier to edit quickly while still delivering excellent image quality and colour consistency.
Frame & resolution modes:
- Full-Frame Crop 6K 16:9 at 50 & 60fps: Our main recording mode. This preserved cinematic depth while providing flexible slow motion that felt natural for BTS coverage.
- Full-Frame Crop 3.8K 16:9 at 100 & 120fps: Used for high-intensity aquatic action (dives, splashes, explosive movements) where heightened slow motion added dramatic impact.
- Super35 Crop 4K 17:9: Employed when we needed extra reach with our lenses, especially in restricted spaces where physical repositioning wasn’t possible. This gave us framing flexibility without sacrificing image quality.
Together, these choices ensured agility, workflow efficiency, and the ability to adapt creatively to very different shooting conditions.
What was your most memorable scene?
A highlight was filming the athlete training sessions outdoors at Sentosa. The harsh midday sun created extreme lighting contrasts between reflective water surfaces and shaded tents. The BURANO’s variable ND allowed us to adjust exposure seamlessly on the move, while still delivering natural skin tones, vibrant colours, and strong shadow detail.
Another memorable sequence was shooting handheld on the pool deck during competition. With rigs not permitted, we relied on BURANO’s stabilisation to achieve cinematic close-ups of athletes in tense pre-race moments. Capturing these in 100fps slow motion elevated fleeting seconds into emotionally powerful visuals.
What was your favourite BURANO feature?
There were four main features we found incredibly helpful.
High Frame Rate in Full Frame: Essential for balancing natural BTS pacing with dramatic slow-motion action.
Electronic Variable ND with updated IR filter: Delivered smooth exposure transitions outdoors while preserving accurate, cinematic colour reproduction.
Handheld stabilisation: Allowed immersive, stable shots in restricted and high-energy environments.
Compact, lightweight body: Perfect for our four-person crew working under strict venue limitations in a run-and-gun workflow.
