Creating a documentary on veganism

Tom Pickering, a lifelong vegan and experienced filmmaker, undertook this remarkable project to investigate the counter-arguments to veganism. “I often heard the phrase ‘I could never go vegan…’ in conversations with friends and colleagues. I was curious about the different perspectives people had on veganism, which inspired me to research the topic further,” he shares.

What began as a small idea quickly evolved into a four-year mega-project, taking Tom across seven countries and involving over 40 experts, including health professionals, scientists, chefs, athletes, environmentalists, and celebrities.

Titled ‘I Could Never Go Vegan’, Tom’s ambitious documentary required extensive footage and meticulous post-production to condense the content into a 97-minute feature film. Despite the setbacks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which temporarily halted production, Tom and his crew continued the project. They adapted to new safety protocols, keeping crew numbers to a minimum, which Tom found beneficial for documentary filmmaking. “For documentaries, I tend to favor a two-camera setup that can be built up or stripped back as needed,” he explained. Tom filmed the documentary using the Panasonic LUMIX S1H and S5 cameras, which he later replaced with the S5 IIX model. “These cameras provide stunning image quality and versatility, ideal for documentary work, ” he added.

However, storage quickly became a challenge during long filming days with a small crew, prompting Tom to explore external recording solutions. He invested in Ninja monitor-recorders, which allowed him to capture 4K ProRes 4:2:2 footage. “What I love about the Ninja monitors is how incredibly functional and well-built they are. They’re a joy to work with and have become an essential part of my setup,” says Tom.

“The Ninja’s features simplify everything in the best possible way, allowing me to stay fully in control of the shots.”