Sometimes, a simple story is all that is needed to create the most meaningful works of art. German filmmaker Susanna Kosa has achieved this with her film 'Nino', which she shot with the class-leading Sony FX6 cinema camera.

The documentary shows the relationship between professional mountain biker Oli Dorn and his four-year-old son, Nino. Set in the spectacular Engadin region of Switzerland, the film shows Oli and Nino biking, camping, and exploring the area. However, the backdrop for the beautiful father and son adventure film goes much deeper.

“I had worked with Oli before on a few film projects, and we had become friends,” recalls Susanna. “One evening, we were sitting together, and he told me how much he had previously struggled to come to terms with being a father. He said, he was terrified when he got the news - but today he would give his life just to see his son happy. I got goosebumps when I heard those words. It touched me so much. Especially because I knew what an incredible father he is and how deeply he loves his son. Oli is super active with Nino and always has ideas to create adventures or jump on a bike and go somewhere. And Nino is the sweetest little guy. That was the starting point for the story.“

Susanna filmed the project with a professional Sony FX6 cinema camera. “The FX6 is my camera of choice for almost everything,” she exclaims. “For me, the FX6 combines everything that I need. It has a full-frame 4K 10.2-million-pixel sensor, which allows me to shoot in low-light conditions. It has great colour science with 10-bit capture. Great autofocus and a built-in ND filter - which is a game changer. You must be fast when you work with kids and dogs; I don't have the time to change ND filters.”

Oli, Nino and their dog, Balu, were filmed over six days in the Engadin region of Switzerland. “It is where all the rich people go because it is so spectacular and beautiful. It is about two hours away from our home.” Susanna approached the Engadin tourist board to fund the film, a step that she believes others should boldly make to help get their projects off the ground. “People should go out and share their work and ideas and ask for funding. There are organisations that are thankful for good stories and filmmaking.”

In the end, Susanna edited two films, one for the tourist board and then a more extended edit, which she plans to enter into film festivals.

Working with a young child and a dog meant the shooting was meticulously planned for the six days. The focus was ensuring that Nino and Balu weren't tired or bored, with the day broken into different parts to provide plenty of time to play and recharge. “No matter if we were in a rush, if Nino needed something, Oli would stop everything and take care of his child. He always puts his son first. And I loved that.”

Constantly on the move, Susanna prefers to shoot almost everything handheld, occasionally using a back-mounted stabiliser (or easy-rig) for additional support. “I think a handheld style feels more authentic. It's the best way to include the viewer and make them feel like they're there because it feels like natural eye movement.”

For a few shots, the German filmmaker paired a Sony FX3 with a gimbal to keep footage looking smooth whilst running alongside the bikes or shooting from a car window. “The FX3 and FX6 fit together perfectly when editing - it feels like they are the same camera.”

Mounted on the FX6 you could usually find the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II. “It is the most versatile lens,” says Susanna. “I only use G Master lenses as the autofocus always works much better than third-party lenses. I have the trilogy of the 16-35mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8 and the 70-200mm f/2.8 - all the G Master lenses. And then I use the FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS lens when I need to shoot some detail shots for the story.”

Overall, Susanna feels the story works because it is one that so many people can relate to. “I think a lot of people who have kids are overwhelmed by how much work it is and how immensely it changes their life,” she says. “Oli was a pro athlete and didn't want to get hurt or to be traveling away from his child. So, he scaled back his career to be there as a father. His turnaround from not feeling ready, to being the father he is now really touched me.”