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Canon Cinema EOS Gear used to Capture “The Last Patrol”, a Documentary About the Consequences of War

Sebastian Junger’s The Last Patrol was captures using Canon Cinema EOS products. The documentary premiered October 23, 2014, and takes part in the Margaret Mead Film Festival.

Whether fighting or documenting the realities on the ground as a journalist, how does the context of war transform a person’s identity? What happens to that identity when soldiers return home? Sebastian Junger, war journalist and author of The Perfect Storm, explores these questions on a soul-searching journey with three comrades-in-arms. Junger, joined by Brendan O’Bryne and Dave Roels, protagonists of the Academy Award-nominated documentary, Restrepo, and combat journalist Guillermo Cervera walk along railroad tracks from Washington, D.C. to Pennsylvania. They move with a purposeful invisibility designed to echo the isolation felt by many who return from war. The men live outdoors and discuss the transition from soldier to civilian. With the backdrop of a varied United States revealed by the path of the tracks—ghettos and wealthy suburbs, heavy industry and farm country—the juxtaposition of scenery and conversations uncover diverse and conflicting American perceptions of war and what it means for veterans to come home.

Canon’s press release:

Canon Cinema EOS Products Capture Sebastian Junger’s The Last Patrol

MELVILLE, N.Y., November 14, 2014 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is proud to announce that Academy Award®-Nominated director Sebastian Junger (Restrepo, Korengal) and cinematographer Rudy Valdez chose Canon EOS Digital Cinema cameras and lenses for their new documentary The Last Patrol, the third installment of Junger’s trilogy of war documentaries. The pair of filmmakers relied on the Canon EOS C300 Digital Cinema camera to capture The Last Patrol, which premiered on HBO on November 10, 2014 and is currently airing on HBO.

The Last Patrol follows Junger, photojournalist Guillermo Cervera, and combat veterans Brendan O’Byrne and Dave Roels as they hike the 300-mile stretch of railroad lines from Washington, D.C. to New York City – a trek Junger originally planned with his close friend and acclaimed war photographer Tim Hetherington before Hetherington was killed in 2011 while covering the Libyan civil war. The goal of the journey was to get to know America again after a decade of war and discuss why combat is so incredibly hard to give up. Because hiking along the tracks is illegal, they moved with a purposeful invisibility designed to echo the isolation felt by many who return from war.


Interview with Sebastian Junger

” ‘The Last Patrol’ is a compelling example of the kind of storytelling that the Cinema EOS system was designed to support,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, President and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “We are honored that the filmmakers selected Canon professional cameras and lenses for their epic project.”

The men lived outdoors and carried all of their own supplies, which presented an unusual challenge for the filmmakers.

“What I needed was, basically, the ultimate camera,” said Junger. “Not too heavy, easy to use with numb fingers, good in low light, rugged if you throw yourself in a ditch, and something that delivers absolutely gorgeous cinematography.”

After searching for a camera that would produce a consistent, top-of-the-line image under rough conditions, Junger and Valdez determined the Cinema EOS C300 digital cinema camera was the best camera for the job.

“The EOS C300 camera seemed like it was designed specifically for this project,” said Valdez. “It’s a lightweight camera with a large sensor that works really well in low light. With the added bonus of being able to shoot in Canon Log, it ended up being a pretty easy decision.”

Carrying the EOS C300 digital cinema camera on his back during the entire trek, Valdez shot using only natural light while the former soldiers and combat journalists dodged rail security and hiked terrain as varied as dense wilderness and urban streets.

The images Valdez captured exceeded Junger’s expectations: “When we watched the material, I was absolutely speechless. It all absolutely glowed with a kind of meaning. That glow came from the machine we were shooting on.”

Valdez rounded out his kit with a set of Canon Cinema prime lenses, including the CN-E24mm T1.5 L F, CN-E50mm T1.3 L F and CN-E85mm T1.3 L F.

“After some days on the trek, I started looking at the camera with a kind of reverence,” said Junger. “It was incredible. I can’t imagine making this film with any camera that lacked the power and capability of the EOS C300 camera.”

For more information about Canon Cinema EOS cameras and lenses, please visit the Canon U.S.A. website at http://cinemaeos.usa.canon.com/

The Last Patrol

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $36 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents granted in 2013† and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2014. In 2014, Canon U.S.A. has received the PCMag.com Readers’ Choice Award for Service and Reliability in the digital camera and printer categories for the 11thconsecutive year. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. In 2014, the Canon Americas Headquarters secured LEED®Gold certification, a recognition for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of high-performance green buildings. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].

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† Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

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