Toolbox

Monday, Apr. 6, 2015

Grass Valley adds 2 new audio processing modules to Densité family at 2015 NAB Show

Mike Cronk, sr. VP of strategic marketing, Grass Valley.

MONTREAL --

The requirements for audio and video signal processing and distribution are growing more complex every day. The increasing international reach of many channels is driving the need for more audio processing—transcoding, track shuffling, level adjustmentsGr and more. To address these needs, Grass Valley, a Belden Brand, introduces the Densité MAP-3901 embedded audio and metadata processor and the Densité ADX-1901 high-quality, eight-channel analog audio de-embedder for 3G/HD/SD-SDI. Both will be at the Grass Valley booth SL206 at the 2015 NAB Show

The Densité family features modular construction that offers unlimited scalability and outstanding performance in a space-saving design for applications from a single signal to thousands of signals. The new modules can be integrated into existing Densité systems and are ideal for both playout and live production applications. As broadcasters are pressured to “deliver more with less,” the Densité concept of flexible, reconfigurable signal processing tools helps them achieve a competitive level of operational efficiencies.

“Broadcasters have a wide variety of new opportunities for delivering content, but with those opportunities come a number of challenges in managing signals,” explained Mike Cronk, sr. VP of strategic marketing, Grass Valley. “The beauty of the Densité system is that it’s easy for users to upgrade modules whenever needed—providing the best processing solution for their environment at any given time.”

The new Densité MAP-3901 is the latest-generation audio and metadata processor in the Densité family, offering a 400 percent increase in audio processing power compared to previous Densité audio processing modules. A single MAP-3901 module can provide two Dolby-E decoders, four Dolby Digital and Digital Plus encoders and two upmixers (2.0 to 5.1), which is comparable to having eight XVP audio processing boards on a single module.

The powerful and versatile processing platform delivers significant value by simultaneously processing up to 56 channels of audio (16 channels of embedded audio from the video, plus others generated internally) and includes functions such as dual downmixing, level control and channel shuffling/mixing This advanced audio processing power makes the MAP-3901 especially valuable for managing complex, multilingual audio for playout.

Another advantage of the MAP-3901 is the video delay of up to 4.2 seconds, making it very effective for processing incoming feeds, especially where there is a mix of short and long delays (often the case when managing large live events). Up to 10 MAP-3901 processors can be housed in the Densité 3 frame, and up to four in the Densité 3+ FR1 (1RU) for even greater space efficiency.

Additionally, four audio metadata insertions in the vertical ancillary data (VANC) are possible from multiple sources, such as Dolby-E decoders, embedded VANC streams or from the integrated metadata generators. All parameters in the metadata streams can be probed and monitored. Audio metadata (method A or B) can be used to steer the behavior of the audio downmixers and the Dolby encoders.

The new ADX-1901 is a high-quality, high-performance audio de-embedder and digital-to-analog converter designed to extract eight analog audio signals from 3G/HD/SD video. It offers a high level of functional integration with cutting-edge signal processing functions such as metadata de-embedding and advanced probing and loudness measurement combined on a single 2RU module.

The ADX-1901 can also perform audio channel shuffling and mixing, and offers loudness measurement with logging of up to eight audio programs using the iControl loudness monitoring software to analyze and report compliance with respect to various loudness legislation requirements worldwide. Additionally, a delay of up to 2.7 seconds can be programmed independently per de-embedded audio channel to provide lip-sync correction.

“With the introduction of the Densité MAP-3901 and ADX-1901, advanced audio processing that previously demanded multiple modules can now be achieved with a single module—saving space and reducing power consumption, while improving scalability and reliability,” concluded Cronk.

Thursday, Apr. 2, 2015

Cinema drone company Intuitive Aerial opens L.A. office

Professional cinema drone the Aerigon

LOS ANGELES --

Intuitive Aerial AB, the Swedish manufacturer of the professional cinema drone the Aerigon, has opened a new Los Angeles office. Intuitive Aerial Inc., the U.S. arm of the company, will be responsible for sales and service throughout the Americas. The new location provides aerial cinematographers, drone pilots, camera operators, directors, and major studios with local sales and support for the company’s cinema drone.

“Professional cinema drones are a powerful new tool for modern cinematography,” said Eric Bergez, VP at Intuitive Aerial Inc., the industry veteran who will head up the new L.A. office. “Hollywood is already embracing the new technology. The Aerigon has seen action in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Into the Woods, and other A-list projects currently in production.”

The Aerigon is the world’s first serially manufactured, six-armed professional cinema drone built for use with Hollywood-standard cameras and lenses. With a manufacturer-approved payload capacity of 35 pounds, the Aerigon is able to carry over 20 pounds of camera equipment, along with the gimbal, even in hot climates and at high altitudes. The aircraft features a dual coaxial design with 12 powerful counter-rotating brushless motors, each sporting twin blades. A carbon fiber exoskeleton conceals and protects cables from external stress, and detachable arms provide operators the choice between power or endurance, depending on the location or the type of shot required. The Aerigon Gimbal features a proprietary advanced stabilization system that works with heavy cameras, including professional zoom lenses and full FIZ (Focus, Iris, Zoom) controls. Sturdy, detachable legs ensure soft landings and form a protective cage around the camera and lens.

“When you’re carrying $100,000 worth of camera equipment, you need to ensure flight and landing are safe and gentle, every time,” Bergez explained. “Experienced pilots will love the power and control the Aerigon provides for challenging maneuvers, while cinematographers and camera operators will appreciate the stability, precision, and accuracy of the Aerigon Gimbal.”

The new office is located in Woodland Hills, Calif. Eric Bergez, VP of Intuitive Aerial Inc., brings to the company more than 20 years experience in production, postproduction, and distribution.

The Aerigon can be viewed at NAB in Las Vegas, April 13-16 at the Canon booth (C4325) and at the RED Digital Cinema booth (SL1517). Live demonstrations will take place during the show.

Wednesday, Apr. 1, 2015

Motion Picture Academy launches ACES as global digital production & archiving standard

LOS ANGELES --

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has launched the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES), a free, open, device-independent color management and image interchange system that offers a critically needed global industry standard for motion picture and television production.

From image capture through editing, VFX, mastering, public presentation, archiving and future remastering, ACES enables a consistent color experience that preserves the filmmaker’s creative vision. It addresses and solves a number of significant production, postproduction and archiving problems that have arisen with the increasing variety of digital cameras and formats in use, along with the surge in the number of productions that rely on worldwide collaboration using shared digital image files.

“A decade ago, the Academy recognized the need for a new set of infrastructure standards as the industry moved from film to digital,” said Richard Edlund, Academy governor and founding member of the Academy’s Science and Technology Council. “We made a deep commitment to the effort--coordinating hundreds of top industry scientists, engineers and filmmakers on years of research, testing and field trials – so we’re both proud and excited to launch ACES 1.0 as the first production-ready release of the system.”

The Academy is simultaneously launching the ACES Logo Program to encourage consistent, high-quality implementations of ACES concepts and technical specifications throughout the industry. Initially focused on production and postproduction equipment such as cameras, color correctors, displays and visual effects and animation software, the Logo Program is the first step toward enabling facilities and productions to take full advantage of ACES benefits. There are 22 leading companies already in the Logo Program: ARRI, Assimilate, Autodesk, Canon U.S.A., Codex, Colorfront, Deluxe Media Creative Services, Digital Vision, Dolby Laboratories, FilmLight, FotoKem, The Foundry, FUJIFILM North America, Light Illusion, MTI Film, Panasonic, Pomfort, Quantel, RED Digital Cinema, SGO, Shotgun Digital and Sony Electronics.

ACES has been used on scores of film and television productions to date, including such features as “Chappie,” “The Lego Movie,” “Big Eyes,” “Elysium,” “Oblivion” and “Chasing Mavericks.”

As part of the ACES launch, the Academy will be exhibiting at the 2015 NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Show, April 13–16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in booth C9132. The Academy also will make two ACES presentations: the first as part of the Technology Summit on Cinema, and the second in conjunction with NAB’s Creative Master Series. Science and Technology Council Managing Director Andy Maltz will make the Summit presentation “The Academy Color Encoding System (ACES): A Digital Production Infrastructure Standard,” covering the science, engineering and practical application of ACES, on Saturday, April 11, at 4:15 p.m. The panel session “Coming to You Live: ACES 1.0,” with top industry professionals discussing how ACES helped them successfully manage complex cinematography, visual effects and color correction issues on a variety of motion picture and television projects, will take place on Tuesday, April 14, at 3 p.m.

Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2015

DP Phedon Papamichael deploys Codex Action Cam for branded content

Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC on Infiniti shoot.

LONDON --

Oscar-nominated cinematographer Phedon Papamichael ASC GSC, deployed dual Codex Action Cam point, shoot and record packages on a TV branding film for the new Infiniti QX50 luxury compact SUV. Using the tiny Codex Action Cams to shoot handheld location and road footage himself, Papamichael discovered new-found freedoms and creative cinematographic possibilities, and that the high-quality Action Cam imagery inter-cut perfectly with the 4K footage from the principal cameras on the production. Codex Action Cam is one of the highlights on the Codex booth (C1817) at NAB 2015, as the company focusses on more than simply recording.

Papamichael, who is best known for big-screen cinematography on movies including The Descendants, The Ides Of March, The Monuments Men and Nebraska, which brought him an Oscar nomination in 2014, often shoots and directs commercials, where he can lavish attention on each moment and try out the vary latest gear. It was in that vein that he shot and co-directed the branding film for the Infiniti QX50 incorporating Codex Action Cams.

In the film, Chinese superstars, Archie Kao and Zhou Xun, portray a couple who decide to break the rules during a typical car shoot, and get a taste of freedom in the new SUV. Chased by paparazzi on motorcycles, they abscond to the Griffith Observatory, where they evade the pursuit by going off-road in Griffith Park. Other scenes were shot in the high desert near Mojave, and at Zuma Beach north of Malibu, where they frolic on the sand, shooting movies on their cellphones. They eventually return the car to the soundstage, where the frustrated director looks at the cellphone footage of their escapades.

The film was directed by Jaume Collet-Sera, through production company Bullitt. Papamichael took over directing duties on a final day of the five-day shoot, which involved beauty stage-work of the vehicle. The toolkit, mainly provided by CamTec in Burbank, included two RED Dragon cameras, a drone mounted with a Panasonic Lumix GH4, an Edge vehicle and crane, three Canon 6Ds shooting time-lapse footage, plus two Codex Action Cams.

“We initially added the Codex Action Cams to our camera package for travelling car logo/badge shots and other moving details,” said first AC Jeff Porter. “But when Phedon and Jaume saw that you can literally hold the Action Cam head in the palm of your hand, they wanted to play. They saw an opportunity to shoot unscripted, spontaneous moments with the actors driving in the Infiniti SUV.”

However, limited space inside the car meant there was no room for camera operators or focus pullers.

Consequently, Papamichael and Collet-Sera were given small, handheld monitors, and quickly instructed in how operate the Codex Camera Control Recorder.

“We literally held the cameras with one hand and went free-driving with the actors,” said Papamichael. “Because we used these small cameras, we were able to get probably 100 set-ups on a 30-minute drive. It was great. From the back seat, I could hold Action Cam out the window and point it through the side window of the front seat, getting a hostess-tray-type shot. I could rake the car and get the actress’ reflection in the rear-view mirror. We were working quickly and winging it. There’s a lot of shaking and bumps in there, but it definitely made for some usable shots that we could never have gotten otherwise.”

Codex Action Cam is a tiny remote camera head that shoots up to 60fps. With a single co-ax cable to the Codex Camera Control Recorder, it delivers a proven workflow. It uses a 2/3” single-chip sensor with a global shutter to capture 1920x1080 HD images with wide dynamic range. Papamichael appreciated the Action Cam’s compatibility with professional grade cine lenses – in this case he opted for Super 16-format Zeiss Superspeeds, with a C-mount-to-PL-mount adaptor.

“I could roll the iris with one finger,” added Papamichael. “The little monitor was lying on my lap and I could pull my own focus to a degree. I would open it up and get the image flared out, or we’d come out of a tunnel and I’d roll the iris closed. People are excited about the footage we got. I’m thinking that with short edits, it will integrate pretty well with the RED footage we shot. Action Cam gives you a lot of possibilities – and it’s certainly a fun option to play with.”

The Action Cams recorded 1920 x 1080 imagery that Codex Tech Nick Lantz converted to 10-bit DPX files. For the most part, a rate of 25fps was called for, as the commercial is meant for broadcast in China, although Papamichael sometimes shot up to 50fps. The RED cameras were set up to capture images at 4K resolution with 5:1 compression. Papamichael used Optimo zooms on these cameras in part because he likes the way they flare.

“The beautiful moments that Phedon and Jaume captured of Archie and Xun with the Codex Action Cams could not have been achieved with a process trailer, or with a camera operator and focus puller jammed into the front seat,” said Porter.

“The images are simply amazing. For previous car and motorcycle commercials, Phedon and I have used a variety of other small cameras, such as the Novo 2K, BlackMagic Pocket Camera and GoPros. But the Codex Action Cam is by far the best. Besides its amazing image quality and low light capability, it is the only one of these cameras that has a global shutter, which virtually eliminates the wobble- or Jello-effect we’ve experienced when we have mounted cameras with rolling shutters onto vibrating cars or motorcycles.”

Papamichael is currently in London prepping The Huntsman, a Brothers Grimm-based feature film that will star Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron.

Monday, Mar. 30, 2015

Procam Expands Into U.S. Market Via HotCam NY Acquisition

John Brennan, Procam's Group CEO

LONDON --

U.K. camera rental facility Procam has acquired camera rental company HotCam New York. The move enables Procam to provide its expanding U.S. client base with the same levels of service and expertise it is known for in the U.K., while also supporting UK-based clients shooting in the US. Procam plans to expand HotCam New York’s offering in the U.S., as well as extend Procam’s reach into new territories, through further acquisitions over the next 12 to 24 months.

HotCam New York will mirror the extensive range of services provided by Procam’s U.K. offices in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, which include kit and crew rental, project management, workflow consultancy and training for TV drama, features, commercials, branded and VOD content. Procam is planning on keeping the HotCam New York branding for the business, and HotCam New York will benefit from the same 24-hour support offered to all Procam’s U.K. clients, as well as Procam’s industry-leading staff training.

Procam is well-known in the U.K. for its work with leading production companies including All3Media and Monkey Kingdom (part of NBCUniversal). Procam’s recent productions include the popular Made In Chelsea and technically-challenging The Island With Bear Grylls. Procam also provided crew and equipment on both sides of the Atlantic for Dynamo: Magician Impossible and U.S. support for the British reality series Taking New York.

HotCam New York has a long list of high-profile US shows to its credit, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, American Pickers and Teen Mom. The company was established in December 2004 by sound mixer Trevor Hotz and partner Ali Grapes, as an off-shoot of HotCam U.K. Hotz and Grapes have resigned their positions as co-owners of HotCam New York. HotCam U.K. will operate unaffected by Procam’s acquisition.

The strategic purchase of HotCam New York was led by Procam’s Group CEO, John Brennan and backed by private equity firm, Foresight Group.

“American production companies have long been asking us to open a facility in New York, and we’ve looked to set up shop there for many years,” said Brennan. “The HotCam New York opportunity fulfils our clients’ demands for a Procam presence in the U.S., and means we can offer a more seamless and detailed level of service for U.K. clients shooting in the U.S. Customer services--from kit logistics and carnet handling to technical assistance on the ground--will now be much easier. Additional group investment will see HotCam New York progress even further with a series of up-to-date enhancements and solutions, and this will also enable us to expand into supporting more high-end dramas and feature productions.”

Clive Jones CBE, Chairman of Procam, said: “Bringing two of the strongest brands in the industry together will deliver significant benefits to our customers on both sides of the Atlantic. The combined entity will have a leading position in the global TV, drama, features, commercials, branded content and VOD hire sectors. These increased capacities will allow us to better meet the huge demands of current customers and acquire new ones. We’re ultimately laying the foundations to advance our goal of growing into a global and integrated TV, drama and film facilities company.”

The acquisition of HotCam New York is the latest part of Procam’s ambitious expansion plans. It follows the recent purchase of U.K.-based lens service and manufacturing facility True Lens Services, which has designed and supplied lens modifications for high-profile motion pictures, including the Bourne series, 007 Casino Royale and the 2015 Oscar-nominated movie Mr. Turner. Procam also recently acquired rental company Hammerhead TV, expanding its services into Scotland.

“When we look at acquisitions, we look for companies that share a similar philosophy to us, namely the very best service levels delivered with professionalism and attention to detail,” added Brennan. “The gap between feature and television production has narrowed to the point where the production kit requirements are very similar to each other, with the same digital cinematography cameras increasingly commonplace across the board. HotCam New York is a mature company with a great reputation. It fits very well into what we are moving forward to achieve.

Speaking about the sale of HotCam NY, the former Hotcam US owners Ali Grapes and Trevor Hotz jointly stated, “We are both extremely proud of our U.S. legacy and agree that it’s now time for us to evolve a new work dynamic.”

Monday, Mar. 30, 2015

Quantel and Snell set new sales organization

Russ Johnson

Three new regional heads appointed; Snell and Quantel sales forces integrated

NEWBURY, UK --

Quantel and Snell have announced the reorganization of its international sales operation under three newly-appointed regional heads, each heading up fully integrated Quantel and Snell sales structures.

Russ Johnson joins the company to lead the Americas organization (U.S., Canada, Latin America), based out of the New York office. Johnson is an accomplished sales leaders in the Americas, having successfully carried out similar roles for Grass Valley, Leitch Technology and Harris Broadcast over the last 20+ years.

Tim Banks is appointed to lead the EAME (Europe, Africa, Middle East) sales organization, based out of the U.K. Banks has been in sales with Snell for 15 years and was most recently director of sales.

David Tasker is appointed to lead the Asia Pacific organization, based out of Hong Kong. Tasker joined Snell & Wilcox in 1991 and was a key figure in driving both technology development and rapid sales growth. In 2001, Tasker took over as product marketing director, and in 2011 was appointed sr. VP for Asia and the Middle East.

“This reorganization is another major step in our plan to reposition our brand and drive sales growth and customer value,” said Tim Thorsteinson, Quantel and Snell CEO. “In line with the new structure, all our worldwide account managers will be representing the entire Snell and Quantel product offering, significantly widening our customer engagement and reach into the market worldwide.”

Monday, Mar. 30, 2015

Canon U.S.A. sets NAB offerings

MELVILLE, NY --

At the 2015 NAB Show in Las Vegas, NV, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, will showcase its full line of professional, high definition imaging equipment for motion picture, television production, video content creation, and still photography at booth C432. During the 2015 NAB Show, Canon will feature a live 4K Workflow Demonstration where visitors will have the opportunity to interact with industry-leading colorists and editors in a 4K HDR (High Dynamic Range) and DI (Digital Intermediate) suite. Visitors will also have the opportunity to demo the full range of Canon Cinema, HD Video and DSLR cameras, Cinema Lenses, including the Cine-Servo 50-1000mm T5.0-8.9 lens and Broadcast HDTV lenses, such as the new HJ24ex7.5B HD ENG lens, through various simulated shooting situations in three different shooting galleries. Canon will also feature a 4K frame-grab demonstration where professional photographers will utilize the Canon Cinema EOS-1D C camera to deliver still images from 4K video.

Live educational sessions will demonstrate the benefits of Canon’s Dual Pixel autofocus technology for various shooting scenarios. In addition, images taken with the new EOS 5DS 50.6 megapixel high resolution Digital SLR camera will be printed on site on the imagePROGRAF iPF8400 printer, and displayed as wall wraps to highlight the detailed and high quality images that can be taken with the new DSLR.

Throughout the 2015 NAB Show, Canon will host a series of unique stage presentations with renowned cinematographers, broadcast specialists, and filmmakers on the Canon Live Stage. These industry professionals will provide insight into the ever-changing field of optical and imaging technology and showcase their projects and works that were shot using Canon equipment, as well as share best practices and real-world applications for utilizing Canon technology.

Highlighting the Company’s strength and achievements in the realm of optical technologies, Canon will exhibit all 125 of its current EF, Cinema and BCTV lenses. This dedicated optics section of the booth will include technology displays to help educate visitors on the intricate systems that help make Canon lenses such powerful tools.

Show attendees are also welcome to view stunning clips of recent award-winning content shot on Canon Cinema EOS equipment in the Company’s 90-seat Theater.

Canon 4K Reference Displays will be featured throughout the booth, including a non-linear editing system demonstrating the display’s compatibility with various digital cinema camera solutions as well as ACES color grading capabilities.

Professional cinematographers in need of a fast, easy way to print images for scene continuity or to preserve highlights of a recently completed project will appreciate learning about the convenience and versatility of Canon’s high-quality imagePROGRAF and PIXMA Pro inkjet printers.

Canon’s Education Team will be hosting in-booth guest speaker seminars and workshops throughout the 2015 NAB Show.

Thursday, Mar. 26, 2015

Ikegami to exhibit 8K and 4K technology at 2015 NAB Show

The 2/3-inch CMOS 4K camera will be part of the Ikegami Technology Exhibit at the 2015 NAB Show.

NEUSS, Germany --

Ikegami, a leader in HD cameras and production equipment for TV broadcasters, networks, and other HD content creators, will display a wide range of advanced systems and technologies at the 2015 NAB Show. This year's NAB exhibition halls will be open April 13-16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Ikegami will follow its 2014 presentation by once again hosting a leading-edge 8K Technology Exhibit, an 8K UHDTV camera, which will update attendees on the newest developments in the extremely high resolution Super Hi Vision format.

A 4K Technology Exhibit including a new 2/3-inch CMOS 4K camera and a new 4K base station, compatible with existing Ikegami Unicam cameras will also be presented. As part of the 4K exhibit, Ikegami will display Hibino Corporation's cutting-edge real-dot full 4K 293-inch LED display. Ikegami's precise imaging technologies and Hibino's high resolution display technologies will be merged to expand the potential of the 4K solution.

Throughout the Ikegami booth, visitors will experience products that provide exceptional HD picture quality, industry-leading CMOS technology, superior performance, and convenient features. Systems on display will include the following, with additional Ikegami technology on exhibit to be announced closer to the show.

Ikegami HC-HD300 1/3-inch 3-CMOS docking-style camera
The newest addition to Ikegami's Unicam HD product line, the HC-HD300 is a highly flexible docking-style camera that represents Ikegami's first affordable HD studio camera system. Ready for studio or field, it features a newly-developed 1/3-inch 3-CMOS optical block design, in keeping with the outstanding imagery and same rugged construction of the broadcast-ready Unicam HD line.

Ideal for broadcast TV stations, as well as, educational, corporate and house of worship applications, the versatile Ikegami HC-HD300 also works in conjunction with a newly developed camera control system consisting of the FA-300 fibre adapter and BSF-300 base station, utilizing OpticalCON DUO connectors for its fibre camera cable connection. This connector accepts either a mating OpticalCON Duo connector for SMPTE hybrid camera cable (maximum distance: 250m/820ft), or common optical LC connectors for duplex single-mode fibre cable (maximum distance: 10km/32,800ft). The system enables affordable and flexible integration for a variety of applications.

Ikegami HDK-65C 2/3-inch 3-CMOS portable camera
The new HDK-65C is the latest addition to Ikegami's Unicam HD line. Equipped with multi-format 2.5 million pixel 2/3 inch CMOS sensors, the HDK-65C is available as a single-format system and is software-upgradeable to additional HD formats. Providing end-to-end digital processing, it features a low-profile docking camera head for fiber, triax, or wireless applications.

CMOS sensors are now meeting and exceeding the performance of CCDs in sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratio, and resolution. They continue to offer low power consumption, no vertical smear, and a high degree of format flexibility. With extensive ongoing research and development in this technology, the adoption of CMOS for broadcast camera use is now the trend.

These Ikegami systems and more will be on display on Booth C7725 throughout the 2015 NAB Show April 13-16, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Thursday, Mar. 26, 2015

SKYLAB designs an integrated ACES color workflow with FilmLight’s BLG and Baselight For "Chappie"

"Chappie"

LONDON --

Post house SKYLAB (formerly Digital Film Central) recently developed an innovative new workflow to tightly integrate creative grading with both editorial and VFX for Neill Blomkamp’s new movie, Chappie. Working with visual effects studio, Image Engine, the team created a seamless feature-finishing architecture which took advantage of FilmLight’s BLG file format, Baselight and Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) technology.

During SKYLAB’s work with Blomkamp on previous effects-heavy movie Elysium, the team began discussing ways to innovate even more on Chappie. They soon began designing an ACES color workflow to weave VFX, dailies, editorial and color grading together, giving everyone greater creative control across the production, along with more secure data management. SKYLAB calls its philosophy “meaningful color” because accurate creative color decisions can be made at any point during production, and the approach offers significant time- and money-saving efficiencies.

Chappie is set in the near future where crime is controlled by an oppressive mechanized police force. The title character--realized entirely in VFX, based on a motion capture performance by Sharlto Copley--is stolen and loaded with experimental software which allows it to think and feel for itself. But it’s not just the central character that relies on VFX: armies of robots, new cityscapes and some impressive battles also needed to be created in post, so the majority of the movie is comprised of VFX shots.

Principal photography took place in South Africa, with a Baselight grading system on set to create proxies for editorial and to prepare the full resolution content for transport. SKYLAB, working as a digital version of the traditional lab, managed the entirety of the media, as well as color metadata, on behalf of the studio. Background plates were delivered to Image Engine and other VFX houses as OpenEXR files, using ACES to ensure consistency between viewing environments and BLG files to manage technical grade information in a non-destructive way. SKYLAB was then able to leverage Image Engine’s own Baselight grading system to harmonize color throughout the VFX process. The same result can also be achieved using any of the BLG-enabled products from FilmLight, including Baselight Editions, FLIP and Daylight.

Using Baselight’s color grading and finishing tools, creative director and colorist Andrea Chlebak began to develop the look before and during the shoot. This created enormous efficiencies in the finishing process and provided a context for other departments to make their decisions. “Crafting the final look from the start of VFX–in a movie where practically every frame has some effects in it–was really valuable,” she said. “They were able to preview the full gamut of a shot on Baselight, and see where we were going to take it in grading on the fly.”

SKYLAB’s technical director Chris Davies also developed a range of custom LUTs to be applied automatically to particular scenes and VFX layers to ensure each element would work well together in the final grade.

“When a project involves as much VFX as Chappie, it is far better for editorial, effects and grading to take place in parallel to avoid the pressures that mount up at the end of a typical DI,” commented Davies. SKYLAB’s ACES workflow blends the portability of BLG metadata files into their own MULTIVERSE conform architecture.

This highly evolved workflow has profound implications for boosting productivity. “In the past, visual effects companies and DI laboratories all had their own internal color pipelines,” added Davies. “Now we are finally at the point where we can link technologies together and produce an overall workflow that allows everybody to work with one unified system. FilmLight’s BLG-supported systems, combined with ACES, are invaluable in helping us achieve that.”

SKYLAB CEO James Tocher explained, “We are not your usual ‘DI house’--we are more of a ‘finishing company’ with a holistic approach. It just makes sense that the company who has to finish the movie works backwards from the DI, through dallies, VFX and editorial, to deliver a system that actually makes color meaningful for everyone.”

“One of the best ways to improve post workflows, particularly in this era of high dynamic range cameras, is by starting with a good look, capturing it on set and refining it all the way to the final grade,” said Wolfgang Lempp, CEO of FilmLight. “We have built our BLG strategy to allow next generation postproduction company such as SKYLAB efficient and flexible control of the look at every stage of the color pipeline.”

Chappie premiered in the USA on March 6, 2015.

At NAB, the team at SKYLAB and FilmLight will be participating in the ACES panel discussion “Coming To You Live: ACES 1.0” on Tuesday, April 14, at 3pm, room S220, with other filmmaking experts.

Thursday, Mar. 26, 2015

Rohde & Schwarz to showcase enhanced R&S VENICE 4K at NAB

R&S VENICE 4K production server.

HANOVER --

At NAB from April 13-16, Rohde & Schwarz DVS will be demonstrating how TV studios can efficiently realize production workflows in 4K--from ingest to studio playout--with the help of the ingest and production server R&S VENICE 4K. NAB visitors will be able to experience a 4K studio production workflow with R&S VENICE at booth SL1105.

With the launch of the new R&S VENICE 4K server, which gets its preview at NAB 2015, Rohde & Schwarz DVS is meeting the increasing demand for production of 4K content. The ingest and production server enables TV studios to set up file-based studio production workflows in 4K which resemble HD workflows in their simplicity. R&S VENICE 4K allows direct recording in 4K without any time-consuming stitching processes. The material is synchronously converted to HD-SDI and saved as a file. This parallel generation of both HD and 4K content provides TV studios with a feasible transition option until content is broadcast entirely in 4K.

With its ingest and production server, Rohde & Schwarz DVS is laying a solid foundation for successful 4K production and helping broadcasters meet today’s challenges. On the one hand they want to meet their customers’ demands for 4K content while at the same time producing content fast and economically--without having to settle on any specific workflow requirements. Here, the multi-format capability of R&S VENICE 4K comes into its own: It offers production freedom as workflows can easily and flexibly be adjusted to meet changing needs. Since external storage solutions can be addressed directly without any gateway hardware, R&S VENICE 4K creates the ideal opportunity for workflows to be as fast as in HD production.

Timo Klages, product manager broadcast solutions at Rohde & Schwarz DVS, stated, “It is and will remain our primary goal to set new studio-production standards with our ingest and production server VENICE. Never before has 4K production been as easy as with VENICE 4K. The ingest and production server is a tremendous help to broadcasters, enabling them to migrate to 4K production without them having to completely reorganize their workflows.”

News Section Main Menu

Toolbox

MySHOOT Company Profiles

About SHOOT

Info

Subscribe

News Section Main Menu