Our team wraps up a three day trip to beautiful upstate New York today by returning to Galatia Films both elated and exhausted. Mark Chamberlin runs the set as Director of Photography with stunning visual results. The lighting set-up in Champagne’s workshop is both subtle and dramatic and we know the HD footage captured during this shoot will be unbelievable (especially on the big screen).

With more than 20 years experience in the industry Mark Chamberlin is currently at the forefront of the HD revolution in digital video cinematography. His credits include Director of Photography on multiple projects for the American Film Institute. Mark has directed interviews with Harrison Ford, Sir Anthony Hopkins, William Goldman, and Sir Sean Connery among many others.

This Monday included a very full schedule on set in swordsmith, Paul Champagne’s studio, as he explained and demonstrated the process of smelting steel and forging replicas of antique blades. Champagne’s infectious interest in his skill carries throughout his interviews and demonstrations as he patiently displays his craft for Reclaiming the Blade.

Also joining us on set is the renowned Dr. Lee Jones, a personal collector of blades from not only Renaissance Europe, but throughout history. Dr. Jones brought with him a portion of his personal collection and enlightened us with stories of the pieces and his adventures while collecting such rarities. What makes Dr. Jones’s collection unique is the accessibility he offers swordsmiths like Champagne. While most pieces of this historic and monetary value are kept behind glass in a museum, Jones allows swordsmiths to study the pieces hands-on. This subsequently allows Champagne to more accurately reforge the individual nuances found within the ancient blades.