Hollyland Technology partners with Echo Five Film to test their communication products, bringing communication channels from the classroom to the film set.
“Wow, they’re only $2,000 for a 6-set fully wireless? And the range on these is insane!”
Echo Five Film
Hollyland had the pleasure of working with Jonathan Lee and the Echo Five Film team earlier this Fall. Jonathan J Lee is a Los Angeles-based Korean-American Cinematographer and Lens Technician. Born in Illinois and raised in South Korea, Lee received his Bachelor’s in Television & Film production from S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Lee has worked in the industry for +5 years and has worked on various projects including the 2024 horror feature Creeping Death (dir. Matt Sampere) exclusively streaming on Screambox and Prime Video, LA Shorts International select Bad Eggs (dir. Soowan Bang), Matt Sampere’s Grey Skies music video (dir. Soowan Bang) and 2021 short Skylight (dir. Preston Mohr). He currently works as a lens technician at Keslow Camera, while working on various projects as a cinematographer.
Project Overview
In working with Echo Five Film, Jonathan and his team partnered with Hollyland in their production, “Jerky and Whiskey.” Jonathan and his team used the Solidcom C1 Pro headsets during the case study while on set in Joshua Tree National Park in California. This production spanned over 300 feet and outdoors so communication was essential when trying to talk to ACs and other staff on set. With the Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) technology, communication has never been clearer no matter where you are. With the system being ready to use out of the box, Jonathan and his team loved how simple setup was, increasing their overall efficiency on set. With a clear LED light on the microphones to signal being live, the ENC turned on, and whether the system was paired, everything was ready to go for their shoot.
As the Director of Photography on set, Jonathan’s job is to direct people for the many different tasks that allow for a production to happen. Communication is critical for teams and the Solidcom C1 Pros are no stranger to providing clarity on set for teams. The system that they tested didn’t have a hub, allowing for a more wireless experience while filming. With the freedom to roam as they please, it gave them increased flexibility even when they were away from the master headset. One of the other people on the same set was Kiana Lui who served as the assistant director on ‘Jerkey and Whisky.’ “(The Solidcom C1 Pros) Made communication a breeze and working together much more efficient,” says Kiana.
“The benefit of using the Hollyland comms was that I, the DP, could communicate to the gaffer and my ACs even when they are not within a talking range. I could have my gaffer set up lights 300ft away from the set and still talk to him like he is right next to me.”
Why choose Hollyland?
In the past Jonathan has worked on set with Hollyland products but never had a set for his own production. Jonathan reached out to Hollyland in September after attending Cine Gear Los Angeles and when production started, he called Hollyland. With his previous experience using Hollyland intercom systems, microphones, and video transmitters, this was a chance to test their range for what he needed on set. “From my time with them and comparing them to some of the competitors’ headsets, I found that the Hollyland headsets were reliable, robustly built, and very affordable for industry professionals to acquire. I haven’t had them break on me, cause issues on set, or create frustration points while using them, unlike some of the competitor headsets I’ve used,” says Jonathan.
With a robust build and drop-proof quality, the Solidcom C1 Pro headsets have always been reliable in the field no matter where they have been tested. With over 1000 ft. of range and a build that is suitable for any user, these headsets will become a likely addition to your crew or production team. In every set, you can expect to have 6 hours for the master headset and 10 hours for each remote of crystal clear communication without the need of a belt pack or walkies.
Takeaways
After working with the headsets, Echo Five Film and Jonthan’s team plan to use the Solidcom C1 Pros in the future when working on larger productions. More possibilities can be unlocked with the ability to increase the number of headsets and add a base station. The hub would add a second group while allowing the remote headsets to have the same distance but from the hub rather than the master headset. When working to team with new people, the Solidcom C1 Pros are the perfect solution for any production, whether big or small. Since it wasn’t the team’s first time using the gear, we hope there are more opportunities to use Hollyland products and share with other DP’s and ACs in the field the innovative solutions Hollyland continues to produce each year. Working with Jonathan and his team was great and we are super thankful for their participation in our case study where they were hands-on with the products.
If you have any interest in working with Jonathan and Echo Five Film, please check out Jonathan’s website to find out more
“I hope I can use these the next time I’m on set. Straight from the box, we’re ready to go.”
