Digital Video May 2013

X Tech Focus: Blackmagic Cinema Camera, Canon EOS-1D C, Autodesk Smoke 2013

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Game of Thrones The RealiTy of PRoducTion on hBo's fanTasy seRies

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creativeplanetnetwork.com/dv | 05.2013 3

editor’s view

DiamonDs are ForeverJ udging our yearly NAB Best in Show Digital Video

Black Diamond Awards isn’t pretty. We shut our editors, writers and tech experts in a window-

less room, bury them in brochures and spec sheets, and feed them nothing but Twizzlers and diet soda. Despite the Twizzlers hangover, every year I am excited about the discoveries made on the NAB Show exhibit floor and the technological innovations these products reflect. I love the moment when a judge extracts something from a backpack pocket and says, “Can you believe nobody thought of this before?” These are the innovations we think will allow you to work faster and smarter.

We’ll cover each of the Black Diamond Award-winning products in our June issue, but I couldn’t wait to tell you about the tools and technologies we recognized. This year’s Black Diamond Award recipients are:

Editorial Director

Digital Video magazine

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eDitorialeditorial director Cristina Clapp [email protected]

managing editor Katie Makal [email protected]

tecHnical editor Jay [email protected]

Web editor Sarv Taghavian,[email protected]

contributing editors Jay Ankeney, Chuck Gloman, David Heuring, John Merli, Carl Mrozek, Oliver Peters, Geoff Poister, Dick Reizner, Stefan Sargent, Jon Silberg, Ned Soltz, Jennifer Wolfe, Joy Zaccaria

aDvertising east coast sales manager Susan Shores [email protected] 212. 378.0400 Ext. 528

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europe sales director Graham Kirk [email protected] +44 1223 911224

digital video expo sales Contact your Digital Video representative

classified ad sales Susan Shores [email protected] 212. 378. 0400 Ext. 528

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associate art director Walter Makarucha, Jr.

production manager Davis White 703. 852. 4615 [email protected]

advertising coordinator Caroline Freeland [email protected]

circulationgroup director, audience development Meg Estevez

circulation manager Kwentin Keenan

circulation customer service Michele Fonville

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vp sales | group publisHer Eric Trabb

editorial director - video Cristina Clapp

editorial director - broadcast Paul J. Mclane

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videodigital

vol. 21 | no. 5 05.2013

• Adobe Anywhere• AJA Corvid ultra• Angenieux Optimo Anamorphic 56-152mm

2S Zoom lens• Astrodesign 4K Camera System• axle Video axle Gear• Blackmagic Design Blackmagic Pocket

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creativeplanetnetwork.com/dv | 05.20134

05.2013 | vol. 21 | no. 5

feature 18 Game of Thrones

The Reality of Production on HBO’s Fantasy Series

departments 3 Editor’s View

6 Update

80 Company Index

81 Classifieds

81 Advertiser Index

Digital Video (ISSN 1541-0943) is published monthly by NewBay Media L.L.C. at 28 E 28th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY, 10016. Telephone: 212-378-0400. Periodicals post-age paid at New York, New York, and at additional mailing offices. U.S. subscription rate is $29.97 for one year; Mexico and Canada are $39.97 (including GST); foreign airmail is $79.97; back issues $7. Prepayment is required on all foreign subscriptions in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. All rates are one year only. Digital Video, Videography, Digital Content Producer, Millimeter, Digital Cinematography, Cinematographer, 2-pop, Reel Exchange and Creative Planet Network are trademarks of NewBay Media L.L.C. All material published in Digital Video is copyrighted © 2013 by NewBay Media L.L.C. All rights reserved. postmaster: Send address changes to Digital Video, Subscription Services, P.O. Box 221, Lowell, MA 01853. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 255542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Digital Video makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information published in the magazine; however, it assumes no responsibility for damages due to errors or omissions. Printed in the USA.

LOOK26 Oh My God Shooting Louis C.K.’s 360-Degree Stand-Up Special

30 Cinema History and Mystery Seeing The Shining from Every Angle in Room 237

33 Wall of Sound (And Visuals) Barbara Tulliver Edits Phil Spector

36 Philip Roth: Unmasked Documenting the Author’s Life, Literature and Legacy

38 Data Streams and Bad Dreams Inside Hemlock Grove, Eli Roth’s Netflix Series

LUST42 Blackmagic Cinema Camera New Possibilities for Production and Post

48 Package and Platform FxFactory 4 Offers an Innovative

and Integrated Range of Effects

52 Finishing School In the Editing Suite with Autodesk Smoke 2013

56 When Your iPad Is Your Post House Three Apps for Education

and Editing

61 Toolkit Showcasing New Gear

LEARN64 4K Forays First Footage from the Canon EOS-1D C Camera

70 Tips to Clip

71 Instant Expert: Capture, Share, Compare Social Video for Fun and Profit

74 DV101: Filtration Situation Investigating Infrared-Cutting Filters

for ARRI’s Alexa

82 Production Diary: Ch Ch Ch Ch Changes Turn and Face the Strain

26

contents

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The immersive environment for the traveling museum exhi-

bition Spectacle: The Music Video was designed by Alexei Tylevich and creative studio Logan. At the Museum of the Moving Image in Long Island City, New York, until June 23, Spectacle provides a look at the “history-so-far” of the music video, exploring more than 40 years of filmmaking and music with an absorbing collection of physical, web and print components.

Tylevich, Logan’s founder, collaborated with Jonathan and Meg Wells to create the exhibition, devising the show title, classifying and defining the thematic groupings within the show, and determining the best way to display the various videos. Logan was responsible for every aspect of the exhibition design, including 3D installations, projections, displays, typography, signage systems and 2D wall graphics. “This exhibition gives a

fantastic overview of the origins and the history of the medium,” Tylevich says.

“Adapting the three-dimensional design and layout of the show to each location is quite a challenge,” he continues. “The museum venues are all very different in terms of spatial layout, available floor space and available A/V equipment, so it was important that we created an exhibit that could transform and conform to each location but still

retain its defining aspects and look.”

update

Logan Crafts Spectacle: the MuSic Video InstaLLatIon

onlineRead more about Spectacle: The Music Video at creativeplanetnet-work.com/dv/May2013

Re-created environment for the Steriogram video “Walkie Talkie Man,” directed by Michel Gondry, featuring production design by Lauri Faggioni, in the exhibition Spectacle: The Music Video at the Museum of the Moving Image.

photos by eric harvey brown / m

useum of the movin

g image

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Beast, Company 3, method deliver for nike

B east, Company 3 and Method Studios collabo-

rated on postproduction ser-vices for “No Angel,” a Nike commercial for the Los Angeles market directed by Brigg Bloomquist for agency Union Made Creative. The commercial brings together several storylines to create an evocative portrait of an athlete’s life.

Working with Bloomquist and Union Made CCO Keith Cartwright, Beast editor Morgan Bradley unified the narrative into an inspiring look at athletic determination. Method Studios senior Flame artist Bruno Fukumothi joined the project to add touches of drama and emotion to the visuals, and Company 3 colorist Tyler Roth graded the spot, noting, “It was important for us to create a look that felt like Nike but at the same time was distinctly ‘Los Angeles.’ We found that by sneaking hints of sunlight or gradated warmth into the sky, even the darker, grittier scenes took on an L.A. glow.”

yU+co Crafts Titles for Oz the Great and Powerful

D irector Garson Yu’s main and end title sequences for Sam Raimi’s film Oz the Great

and Powerful pay homage to the history of cinema, specifically the techniques and styles found in silent movies. “We wanted to create a tone that was magical—a surreal voyage that used traditional techniques of physical special effects to expose the trickery behind the magic,” yU+co’s Garson Yu explains. “The sequence intentionally shows wires connected to floating bubbles and sticks attached to the levitated objects and typography.”

Opening on the twinkling stars of the Disney logo, the sequence begins as the camera pulls back to reveal the audience is viewing the titles through a 3D diorama—a paper theater. To the music box-inspired score by Danny Elfman, the camera pushes through the diorama set as titles move in concert with ever-changing Oz images, such as floating bubbles, flying monkeys, swirling tornado winds and a crystal ball.

onlineExtended versions of these articles are available at creativeplanetnetwork.com/dv/May2013

Update

B roadcast live to 600,000 fans online, the King of Hammers race combines every off-

road discipline imaginable, from desert racing to rock crawling and short course. This year’s event, held in February, was shot on a combina-tion of eight Sony NEX-FS700, NEX-VG20 and PMW-EX3 cameras. Producer Dan Campbell-Lloyd’s crew recorded segments of the race in the Apple ProRes 422 codec in the field, utilizing an ATV, a helicopter and AJA’s Ki Pro Mini digital

video recorder.The Ki Pro Mini also played an integral

role in the playback workflow, which called on technology including an AJA Io HD, Apple MacBook Pro, Thunderbolt monitor and drive, eSATA drive and FireWire 800 hub. Signals from five satellite microwave dishes in the field were fed to a NewTek TriCaster 850 EX multi-camera production system using a combination of 30 AJA Mini-Converters.

king of hammers 2013 goes off road and online

neWs

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4�@TheAVClub “Before Midnight” trailer: Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are still walking and talking — avc.lu/ZrqExG

4�@PBSAmerMasters Watch a preview for the upcoming #AmericanMasters film, “Mel Brooks: Make A Noise” — to.pbs.org/10BTv4L

4�@documentarysite J.D. Salinger to get the big-screen treatment in a new documentary — usat.ly/WQeEKX

4�@flavorwire Watch Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers Jam with Robots in Teaser for Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” — bit.ly/16Uu3M4

4�@iamcolinquinn “Mad Men” should have a “future” episode where Don dreams about having to do a “viral campaign.” Then he wakes up in a sweat. What a dream!

4�@akstanwyck Why Filmmakers Should Think Beyond Facebook — dlvr.it/3Cvxvk

4�@filmcourage The Biggest Mistake Filmmakers Make Marketing Their Films, by Sheri Candler — bit.ly/YLPfOE

4�@DigitalDuckInc Through the Lens — Conversations with Cinematographers — ow.ly/jliH9

4�@R1chardBentley 10 months of HARD slog. World’s first sci-fi-lapse? — fb.me/16s0ncIc8

4�@simondumenco Syfy Bets on Social TV with Suite of Interactive Shows — j.mp/10WlzPm

Twitter Feed

onlineDigital Video’s Twitter feed is at twitter.com/DigitalVideomag

Update

Gordon Lonsdale, ASC, shoots Fox’s Bones with ARRI Alexa cameras, Angenieux

Optimo zooms and Leica primes, with Lonsdale’s two operators using OConnor 120EX fluid heads supplied by Otto Nemenz. Lonsdale often puts his cameras in challenging positions, especially on shots where the lead actors are investigating a grisly death. The cinematogra-pher explains, “This is often where the strength of the heads allows us to use the long lenses and to put my Z-plate on the head and hang

it upside down with the camera, complete with zoom, skimming across the ground for many shots.

“I’ve gone to other extremes, putting the camera eye level with water in a stream or lake and have put down a tripod and the OConnor head—all underwater,” Lonsdale continues. “I knew the head would continue to work and that my camera would be supported.”

C lick 3X provided editing, graphics, visual effects and color grading for

a four-spot campaign promoting this year’s MTV Movie Awards. Featuring 2013 VMA host Rebel Wilson and actor Channing Tatum, the campaign spoofs Tatum’s upcoming White House Down with spots portraying the action star outrunning his attackers in a bullet-riddled SUV, with an obliviously lovestruck Wilson as his passenger.

To create the scenes, Click 3X transformed a windshield-less SUV shot on rollers on a greenscreen stage into a fast-moving battle-scarred escape vehicle with the help of moving light rigs, stock and custom elements, and

greenscreen comps melded to background footage from White House Down. Click 3X creative director Mark Szumski then applied a color grade that emulates the feel of a blockbuster action film.

Click 3X Delivers Action-Packed VMA Promos

NEWs

Bones GEts support from oCoNNor

Brennan (Emily Deschanel) examines a skull found at a murder scene in the Bones episode “The Maiden in the Mushrooms.”

Director of photography Gordon Lonsdale, ASC

photo by ray mickshaw

/fox

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On the Creative Planet Network

4��New York MiNute StretcheS iNto New York hour Artist James Nares’ film Street, screening at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art through May 27, transforms three minutes of real-time video into an ethereal art piece. Using a Vision Research Phantom camera, Nares recorded material on the streets of Manhattan in six-second bursts. He then greatly slowed his source material and edited the results to 61 minutes of steady, continuous motion.

4��traciNg the Life of tiM hetheriNgtoN Shortly after the release of his documentary Restrepo in 2011, photographer and filmmaker Tim Hetherington was killed by mortar fire in Libya, where he’d been covering the civil war. Illuminating the risks of the combat journalist’s profession, the documentary Which Way Is the Front Line from Here? is directed by Hetherington’s friend and frequent collaborator, Sebastian Junger. “Tim was very brave, not only in combat but in life,” says Junger. “The artistic choices he made were incredibly risky, but he was very sure of himself and wound up completely reinventing his craft.”

onlineGo online to read more and view additional images and video: creativeplanetnetwork.com/dv/May2013

Update

Bad Robot Productions, the production company behind the new Star Trek fran-

chise, including the upcoming Star Trek Into Darkness, invested in an SGO Mistika conform and stereo 3D system. The system is installed in Bad Robot’s in-house production services

operation, Kelvin Optical. According to Bad Robot production executive Ben Rosenblatt, Mistika has “opened up an entirely new world of workflow efficiency and quality control to us by bringing high-end finishing capabilities inside our facility.”

Bad RoBot SelectS MiStika foR Star trek Into DarkneSS

G reg Barker’s documen-tary Manhunt follows

the decade-spanning journey toward the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden. The film debuted to positive reviews at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. To augment the story, The Mill L.A. created graphic elements that included lay-ers of research data, Al Qaeda network information and CIA documents. “I read all of the source material and some dense historical books that allowed me to understand the history of the manhunt,” says Mill L.A. creative director and designer Manija Emran.

She adds that her collaboration with “the director, editor, archive researcher and producers of the documentary enabled the titles to be even deeper and more layered, as the graphics needed to emphasize the key moments in the complex story.”

NeWS

tim hetherington (left) and Sebastian Junger

Spock (Zachary Quinto) and captain kirk (chris Pine) in Star Trek Into Darkness

photo by zade rosenthal

The Mill Adds Graphic Texture to Manhunt

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3Our NixON: The ArT of The ArchiveThroughout Richard Nixon’s presidency, three of his White House aides documented their experiences with Super 8

cameras; this visual record was seized by the FBI during the Watergate investigation, then filed away and forgotten

for almost 40 years. The documentary Our Nixon from director Penny Lane, constructed entirely of archival material,

presents these movies for the first time, along with other rare footage, creating a complex portrait of the Nixon presidency.

The WhiTney To PresenT hockney video insTAllATionThis spring, New York’s Whitney Museum presents the “The

Jugglers, June 24th 2012,” artist David Hockney’s first video installation. Filmed with 18 fixed

cameras, the piece follows jugglers as they move in a procession across a grid of eighteen

screens. Curator Chrissie Iles explains, “David Hockney surprises us once again, exploring

how multiple perspectives can transform our experience of the moving image.”


SXSW StreamS With NeWtek triCaSter

The 10-day South by Southwest Festival (SXSW), held in Austin, Texas, in March,

used NewTek TriCasters to broadcast events, including music showcases, keynote speakers and convergence panels, on the festival’s live stream page at www.sxsw.com/live.

“Fans of SXSW want more live content,” says Russ Hull, pro media tech producer with SXSW. “By using three TriCaster systems, our production team made some of the top festival content available to our loyal community members who weren’t able to make it to Austin this year.”

“SXSW is one of the most elite festivals of its kind and its increasing popularity makes it more important than ever to expand the show through live streaming,” says Philip Nelson, senior vice president of artist and media relations at NewTek.

Gentleman Scholar Goes Wild for Spring Breakers

D irector Harmony Korine collaborated with creative studio Gentleman Scholar on the opening title

sequence for his film Spring Breakers, and together they devised a testament to hallucinatory visual excess. The designers found inspiration in the day-glo aesthetics of their own Los Angeles surroundings. Recalls GS creative William Campbell, “We went to a Santa Monica beach and explored around there, drawing on the kitschy local beach community ‘look.’ We had illustrators and artists on the boardwalk create little things that we eventually drew from for the titles.”

Mixing a neon color scheme with lettering that recalls both designer Lisa Frank and old-school Las Vegas, the Gentleman Scholar creatives worked with Korine to match the tone of the title sequence to the film’s story. Says GS creative Will Johnson, “This is the kind of work we love to do.”

Trending Online (Links at creativeplanetnetwork.com/dv/May2013)

Update NeWS

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Q&A

B est known for his portrayal of larger-than-life Baltimore mom Edna Turnblad in John

Waters’ Hairspray, Divine, née Harris Glenn Milstead, spent two decades as Waters’ muse, collaborator and “leading lady.” The documen-tary I Am Divine, produced and directed by Jeffrey Schwarz, offers a tender look at the life of an artist who was committed to an in-your-face style, and also committed to his friends, family and the sweet side of life.

Did you make specific choices for production equipment based on a look you were going for?Jeffrey Schwarz: This being an indie documentary, we filmed the interviews catch-as-catch-can with various cameras and different DPs over several years. I worked with some excellent cinematographers in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Baltimore and bow down to their expertise. Our online and color maestro, Michael Garber, helped unify the look of the interviews and made them warm and hospitable.

Where did the film’s archival footage come from?That material came various archives around the country. Footage was taken on the set of Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble by Steve Yeager. Home movies were given to us by Divine’s mother. Many, many photographs came from various friends and professional photographers. Divine loved being photographed, so we had plenty to choose from. John Waters conducted a lengthy interview with Divine for his book, Shock Value, and the audio has survived, so we used that liberally. Whenever it was possible for Divine to tell his own story or comment on it, we used it.

What did you find most challenging in terms of the production process?Certainly the fundraising. Our producer, Lotti Pharriss Knowles, spearheaded an online fundraising drive—the entire film was funded by Divine’s fans from around the world. We spent

two years cultivating a lively community on Facebook, and now we have over 20,000 fans. We used Indiegogo and Kickstarter and provided some unusual incentives. We wanted fans to feel they had a stake in making sure the film got finished. The campaign was

a way for people to give back to Divine and feel personally connected to something special.

What does this film mean to you?As a teenager, Divine was bullied mercilessly. When he met John Waters, he was able to take that trauma and channel it into the Divine character. With all the talk of bullying today, I wanted to show young people someone who was able to overcome all that and live an authentic and happy life by accepting and loving himself. It’s kind of the ultimate “it gets better” story. He’s a poster child for misfit youth. dv

Spotlight:

Jeffrey SchwarzProducer/Director I Am Divine

Update NewS

JOY ZACCArIA

Divine

photo by lynn davis

photo by robyn beeche

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Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) in Littlefinger’s office photo by helen sloan

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GAME OF THRONES


David Heuring

The Reality of Production on HBO’s Fantasy Series

T he television phenomenon that is HBO’s Game of Thrones premiered in April 2011 and enjoyed immediate critical and fan praise. Filmed in exotic locales in Northern Ireland, Malta, Croatia, Iceland, Morocco and elsewhere, Game

of Thrones features compelling characters, bravura production design and the feature-quality cinematography viewers have come to expect from HBO productions. Medieval fantasy never looked so good on television.

Among the series’ many accolades are two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Drama Series, among more than two dozen nods from the Television Academy in its first two seasons. The show looms large in the vibrant fantasy subculture, but has crossed over into mainstream success—through season two, it is considered the third most-watched show in HBO’s illustrious, awards-strewn history.

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With the launch of season three in March 2013, the contributions of three new cinematographers will hit TV screens: Anette Haellmigk, Robert McLachlan, ASC/CSC, and Chris Seager, BSC. They paid fealty to the cinematic look in earlier episodes created by cinematographers Jonathan Freeman, ASC, and Kramer Morgenthau, ASC (Morgenthau earned an ASC Award for his work), but inevitably added their own personal touches through their visual strategies and decisions, made in light of the new scripts and situations. Other cinematographers who have contributed in previous seasons include Alik Sakharov, ASC, Marco Pontecorvo, AIC, Sam McCurdy, BSC, P.J. Dillon and the late Martin Kenzie, BSC.

The production is scheduled in an unusual way. At the start of prep, at least ten scripts were ready to shoot. Actors are apt to stay with certain locations, while cinematographer-director teams work concurrently and fly between the various far-flung locales. At any given time, as many as five teams are prepping, shooting or rehearsing. A “decent” amount of prep time helps, as does two weeks, roughly, of shoot time per episode. Occasionally a shot made by one team will show up in an episode

credited to a different cinematographer, but the resulting efficiency is “miraculous,” according to McLachlan and Haellmigk.

“Christopher Newman came up with this remarkable schedule,” says McLachlan. “It’s absolutely genius. You’ve got five episodes shooting concurrently. You bounce around a lot, and your 16 days per episode are spread over four months. It’s very impressive.”

To maintain a degree of consistency, producer Greg Spence distributed Apple iPads loaded with frame grabs from seasons one and two. As the season progressed, images from season three were added. The basic style of the show had been established, with naturalistic lighting, a sometimes-palpable atmosphere with shafts of daylight, and lots of firelight as a primary source.

Anette Haellmigk (Bunheads, State of Mind, The West Wing, The Nine) says that she was working on Big Love when she first saw Game of Thrones. She responded to the material and immediately wanted to work on it. “It touched me,” she says. “In a weird way, I know what to do with this. I was very familiar with mythical sagas. I thought that the look established over the first two seasons was

very befitting of the show, and rather than change things, I wanted to enhance. Kramer’s episodes were the most inspirational to me.”

Haellmigk describes the look as naturalistic, but with a bit more romance or harshness, depending on the needs of the scene. For the former, she emulates the warmth of Caravaggio, and for the northern, colder world, she tries to shoot in overcast conditions or block the sun out.

Both cinematographers praise the production design and art direction. “When I first walked on, what impressed me were the sets,” she says. “The way they were built, and the way the textures and colors worked. I’ve never seen anything like it, not even on big feature films. It was just so tasteful, and the detail was amazing.”

Haellmigk came onto Game of Thrones with director Alex Graves, with whom she has a long professional history. She also had a working relationship with producer Bernadette Caulfield dating to Big Love.

“The camera style of the show, especially in interiors, includes more tableau shots,” she says. “It’s not like The West Wing, where you do it with long walk-and-talks. The tableau approach is good

Robb Stark (Richard Madden)

photo by helen sloan

DV_05_13_v5.indd 20 4/18/13 1:01 PM

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because, while you give up some movement, you gain a lot of ability to make beautiful compositions and create beautiful lighting. For some action scenes we went more handheld, and exteriors in general gave us opportunities for more camera movement.”

Haellmigk says her episodes played more with shards of light angled through scenes and sometimes bounced onto actors. These shards worked well with the established smoky

atmosphere justified by the many flame and fire sources. The show often mixes cooler daylight and warmer tungsten or firelight. “I love to do that anyway, and I think that gives it a realistic look,” she says. “Even though we might not be aware of it in our world, that is the reality. I don’t like it when all the lights are the same color.”

The cameras were ARRI Alexas. In season one, Game of Thrones became the first hour-long HBO series to be shot digitally. For season three,

the images were recorded using Codex Digital recorders via fiber optic cable. The ARRIRAW file format was deemed too data-intensive given the large number of units working. Simultaneously, the images are recorded to the camera’s onboard SxS cards as a backup. Standard LUTs are used for basic situations, but the cinematographers are free to adapt them to the particular needs of a given scene. The images are finalized at Modern VideoFilm in Santa Monica with colorist Joe Finley.

“The ALEXA is an absolute workhorse,” says Haellmigk. “We took that camera from Morocco to Iceland and shot in rain and sun and all types of conditions. The cameras we had never failed us, ever. In terms of the dynamic range, I was able to do everything that I wanted to. You still have more dynamic range on film, but it’s getting really close now. You see a very good image. You can judge your exposure on a monitor and that allows you to paint a little more. Because of this format, I think I have become more daring, because I know how far I can push it and still get an acceptable image.

Clockwise from upper left: Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer, center); Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) in Dragonstone map room; Melisandre (Carice van Houten)

photo by keith bernstein



DV_05_13_v5.indd 22 4/18/13 1:02 PM

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You have to make sure that you make the post department happy, and find a happy medium in terms of exposure. But I was very happy with the camera.”

McLachlan (Human Target, Harper’s Island, The One, Final Destination 3) had worked with director David Nutter in the late 1990s on the visually innovative series Millennium. They reteamed for episodes nine and ten, the final installments of season three.

“The wonderful episodes that Jonathan and Kramer had done lingered on elegantly composed and lit frames,” says McLachlan. “After looking at the episodes David had done in season two, I realized quickly that his style of shooting was much less static and much less ‘proscenium’ than Game of Thrones generally.”

That’s not to say that they weren’t careful about composition. “David is much more about getting lots of pieces and telling the story that way,” says McLachlan. “Because we were doing the final

episodes of the season, we had comparatively massive scenes, including a wedding that has oodles of extras, a lot of dialogue, and not much time to shoot it. We had three cameras, and I had to light in way that worked from any angle. Stylistically, it will look different.”

McLachlan recalled a dungeon scene shot amid the ruins of an old castle. “David’s feeling was that if it’s going to be completely dark, why are we in this location?” says the cinematographer. “You could do it on stage with black duvetyn. So I pushed a little bit of extra light in from a window at the end of a tunnel. It felt as if maybe it was bouncing off the ocean in front, so we got a bit of texture in the bricks, and added a couple of torches. We certainly didn’t bring in any more electric lights. The wonder of the Alexa is that you can actually do that. I just love that camera. You take it out of the box, turn it on and it works perfectly—just like a film camera, and unlike some other video cameras.

We tried to shoot at 800 ASA as much as possible, but it would depend on the situation.”

For most scenes, McLachlan took the edge off a bit with Schneider Optics Hollywood Black Magic filters, which combine diffusion and softening

Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), Bronn (Jerome Flynn) and Podrick Payne (Daniel Portman); Inset: Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley)

photo by keith bernstein


DV_05_13_v5.indd 24 4/18/13 1:03 PM


effects. “I think they’re terrific,” he says. “They’re my favorite for shooting digital. I had very, very light ones on most of the time, and occasionally I went a tiny bit heavier if there were cosmetic issues.”

Each shooting unit is equipped with a full set of Cooke S4 prime lenses and Optimo short, medium and long zooms. “Basically that’s what I carry myself when given a choice,” says McLachlan. “I’ve got some of those same lenses in my own package, so I was very happy to work with familiar tools. David wants the flexibility to adjust the focal length between takes very quickly, so the Angenieux zooms were on a fair bit.”

One troublesome set was a council room carved into the rocks overlooking the ocean far below. The cave ceiling offers no opportunity to hang lights. Torch and candlelight work for night scenes, but daytime was another story. A sky/sea horizon backing didn’t work. “When I had a scene that took place at sunrise, I decided to make it look like a J.M.W. Turner painting,” says McLachlan, who is the son of an artist. “So I threw a bit of blue light on the backing and then stuck a 5K ARRI Fresnel right smack in the shot, where it could light the whole cavernous set. We put a couple of Lee CTO gels on it and then added enough smoke to hide the stand. The Alexa was able to give a clean image without any more flaring than the filters and smoke created, and even held detail in the area around the ‘sun.’ It was a last-ditch effort to not repeat what we had all done and been vaguely unhappy with. It worked perfectly for the scene, where a critical piece of information was handed over and the situation was seen in a new light.”

In another scene that can’t be described in detail due to the tight secrecy HBO maintains, McLachlan came up with a simple yet brilliant lighting strategy to foreshadow a dramatic turn of events. The scene begins with a relatively high-key interior, with twice as many candelabras and torches as was customary. McLachlan says the extra light coaxes the audience subconsciously to let their guard down. At a natural turning point, the cast

picks up most of the light sources and walks out, dropping the light level significantly, just in time for the darker, dramatic story point.

“It worked really, really well,” he says. “I get goose bumps thinking about it because it’s been a long time since I had a forum with drama as good as this show, along with the terrific art direction, not to mention adequate time to think about it and plan it.”

“The whole experience of working on Game of Thrones reminded me of why I wanted to be a filmmaker,” says McLachlan. “When we got to Morocco, we were standing on locations where they shot Lawrence of Arabia and The Man Who Would Be King. When I saw that film as a kid, it just swept me away. We were absolutely transported. Just the thought of working on a project like this was beyond my wildest dreams.” dv

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T he HBO special has become the top of the heap for stand-up comedians, a sign of true success. This April, Louis C.K. will

appear in his fourth such stand-up comedy spe-cial, titled Louis C.K.: Oh My God. Topics dissected for humor reportedly will include the food chain, animals, divorce, morality, murder and mortality.

Louis C.K. is indeed a hot commodity. Last year his insightful writing won two Emmys: one for his FX series, Louie, and another for Louis C.K. Live at the Beacon Theatre. He also won a Grammy last year for his comedy album Hilarious.

Four live performances over two nights at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix were shot and edited to make up the HBO presentation. The venue features a “theater in the round” layout and was chosen in part as an homage to George Carlin, whose 1978 performance at the venue was recorded and broadcast as George Carlin: Again!

C.K.—an English approximation of his actual surname, Szekely—is savvy about the filmmaking process, serving as writer, director and sometimes editor on his FX show. He demands complete control over the script. He owns his own RED EPIC camera and three sets of lenses: Cooke Panchros, ARRI/Carl Zeiss Ultras and Bausch & Lomb Super Baltars. Cinematographer Paul Koestner, who shoots the series as well as the stand-up shows, says that C.K. is knowledgeable about visual subtleties, and concerned about whether image quality will be adequate for tomorrow’s distribution and display standards.

These considerations were factored into the decision to shoot in Phoenix with ARRI Alexa cameras, a switch from the series, which is generally shot with RED EPICs. A 4K shoot was considered but abandoned due to the additional recording gear required and the challenges of recording and processing that much data, as well as related costs and schedule limitations. Eventually the team decided on shooting with a 4:2:2 HQ codec onto 64

OH MY GODShooting Louis C.K.’s 360-Degree Stand-Up Special

DAvID HEURInG

Look Louis C.K.: oh My God

Louis C.K.

DV_05_13_v5.indd 26 4/18/13 1:03 PM


photo by kevin mazur

Louis C.K. finishes the show to yet another standing ovation.

Paul Koestner leads a pre-shoot strategy session.

photo by denn

is scullyphoto by den

nis scully

DV_05_13_v5.indd 27 4/18/13 1:04 PM


GB SSD cards. Higher-capacity 128 GB cards were attractive, but new and unproven.

Eight Alexas were configured around the room and set for exposure at 800 ASA. Each camera had an operator and an assistant to pull focus. Three were in a closer ring around the stage and three more were arrayed in a larger ring. These six were more or less stationary, mounted on tripods, and placed to minimize dead seats. The last two cameras were situated closer to the back of the house, fitted with zooms and mounted on small cranes—one on a Jimmy Jib and the other on a CamMate.

During the scout, Koestner measured distances from various potential camera placements and used an iPhone app called pCAM Film+Digital Calculator to get an idea of what a particular lens would cover given the sensor size. The app was developed by David Eubank, a well known camera assistant, and earned an Emmy Engineering Plaque in 2010. “Ultimately I decided to get six 24-290mm Optimo zooms,” says Koestner. “I knew we probably didn’t need all that range, but that was the easiest thing, and we could sure get a really tight close-up if we wanted one.”

With the Alexas, the big Optimos were too heavy for the jibs. The Jimmy Jib camera was equipped

with an 18-70mm Optimo, and the CamMate was paired with a 25-250mm Angenieux zoom. “Louie is not a big fan of what we call the ‘big Emmy swoops,’” says Koestner. “But it was nice to be able to hover at eye level. In Louie’s opinion, staring up a performer’s nose from the orchestra pit is not an ideal perspective, and I tend to agree.”

To create options for the editing room, the closer ring of cameras generally stayed a little tighter, catching facial expressions and maybe backing out to a waist-up shot. The outer ring framed for medium shots and “cowboys”—from the mid-thigh up—with at least one camera maintaining a head-to-toe composition.

“We did change things up from time to time because I wanted to keep the guys fresh,” says Koestner. “You don’t want to say to a camera operator, ‘Follow that guy head-to-toe for two days.’ So the guys had some flexibility to follow their instincts. With six stationary cameras, I thought we should let the jib operator play with his arm a bit, open up some and let it breathe, and get a sense of the place and the audience if there’s a big round of applause. He was also good at tracking with Louie—I found it a very pleasant effect, like you were taking a walk with him.”

The show was not live-switched; each camera

recorded the entirety of all four shows. Koestner sat before a large screen with an eight-way split, whispering occasional instructions to his operators via radio. “We amassed a great bunch of guys,” he says of the crew. “They all seemed tickled to be working together. The trick was figuring out how to place the cameras and make assignments so that no matter where Louie roamed on the stage, we had a suitable shot. It’s much more straightforward in a proscenium situation, where you know he is essentially going to be looking out in one direction.”

Koestner enlisted the help of digital imaging technician Clint Litton and lighting designer Tom Beck, who brought experience in theater-in-the-round situations. “I was amazed with what Tom did,” says Koestner. “He came with a sizable crew, pulled everything down off the existing grid, and put up modern stuff he could remotely control on the fly. That made things interesting. He kept the audience light off our camera operators, which helped keep them hidden.”

Post was handled at Running Man in New York. Louis C.K. encountered some difficulty in switching from Apple Final Cut Pro to Avid Media Composer for his editing. Koestner found that the color needed only slight tweaks. “We had to cover

DIT Clint Litton synchs eight cameras while ACs take focus marks. Paul Koestner at monitor

photo by denn

is scully

photo by denn

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him with neutral light—because his front light in one shot will become his back light when he turns around,” says Koestner. “The trick was to let it fall off at times so he’d be a little contoured. Tom and his guys followed Louie with three spots, but they also ringed the place so they could fill in the holes with white light. Tom’s lights were reading about 5,000° Kelvin, so you figure it’s going to be a warm look, and a color the cameras enjoy. Later, we could put it where we wanted it, but Louie seemed fine with it. I didn’t get any notes from him, which is often the case with his intense schedule, so I’m sure hoping he likes the look of the show when it airs.”

Oh My God premiered on HBO on April 13. Meanwhile, Louie, the FX Network television series, is slated to go on hiatus until 2014. “I

want the show to keep getting better,” C.K. has been quoted as saying. “I want season four to go somewhere new.” dv

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Louis C.K. assesses camera shots and lighting from the stage with a wireless monitor, with lighting designer Tom Beck looking over his shoulder and Paul Koestner at right.

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Room 237look

A monument to complexity, Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece The Shining has so many layers and cultural points

of reference that it practically invites the viewer to read his own subconscious directly into the film. In the decades since its release, a cult of devotees has emerged, fans who claim to have decoded the movie’s secret messages addressing everything from the genocide of Native Americans to a range of government plots, including a cover-up of the purportedly faked 1969 Apollo Moon landing.

In a deconstruction of Kubrick’s still-controversial Stephen King adaptation, director

Rodney Ascher’s conspiracy documentary Room 237 explores five of the most widely held theories via interviews with cultists and scholars alike. Interview voiceover is juxtaposed with footage from The Shining and other Kubrick films, along with maps, diagrams and floor plans. The results distinctly evoke the Kuleshov effect, a film editing effect famously demonstrated by Russian filmmaker Lev Kuleshov in the 1910s and 1920s by which he established montage as a basic tool of the art of cinema.

Following its debut at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, Room 237 made festival headlines at

Cannes, Toronto, New York, Chicago, AFI and Fantastic Fest, and received the IDA Documentary Award for Best Editing. The film began its limited theatrical release under the IFC Midnight banner in March, followed by a national rollout that included cable VOD, iTunes and other digital outlets.

The poster art, designed by CalArts graduate Carlos Ramos, who also created the animations in the film, echoes the eye-catching Saul Bass design for The Shining’s film poster, a yellow sheet that remains a landmark of simple, effective design. The disclaimer on the Room 237 poster alone is worth the price of admission.

CINEmA HISToRY AND mYSTERYSeeing The Shining from Every Angle in Room 237

JENNIFER WOLFE

The daughters of the Overlook’s former caretaker (Lisa and Louise Burns) in a scene from The Shining Director Stanley Kubrick and Jack Nicholson on the set of The Shining

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Ascher went into the project unsure of what the final result would be. “We didn’t know if this would be a full-length feature, or a short film or a series of shorts, but over the course of about eight months of research and development of the project, we decided that we wanted to do this multiple-perspective thing that explored all the different symbolic metaphorical analyses of The Shining that we could find, and see what happens when we compared and contrasted them,” he says. “Would it be a demolition derby? Would they become mutually exclusive? Will they reinforce each other, or will one rise to the top?”

Working alongside Room 237 producer Tim Kirk, Ascher made the decision early on to avoid the use of “talking heads,” just as he had done with his previous short film project, “The S from Hell.” “I liked the stripped-down aesthetic. There were no talking heads in the short, and I liked the way that worked, and the way that it made me work harder to

find visuals to complement things,” he explains. “Sometimes the visuals would illustrate things very literally, or sometimes in a more roundabout way, in a more subjective way, or from another point of view. Sometimes the film’s point of view might be entirely different from the speaker’s point of view.”

Ascher edited material converted to Apple ProRes 422 format at 1080p in Final Cut Pro 7. While doing so, he sought ways to overcome the challenges of creating the visuals for the film, which, in addition to Kubrick’s footage, include various diagrams and architectural plans. “It became a very interesting game for me, finding how far I could stretch the material and still get the

Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance in The Shining

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The Room 237 film poster, designed by Carlos Ramos, echoes the work of Saul Bass in the original poster for The Shining.

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audience to go along,” he says. “It seems that the audience is already doing a lot of work for you—it’s helping you make connections. So if a narrator off-screen is saying something about himself, and there’s a character on the screen, and he’s not talking about that character, then the assumption is therefore that the character represents him.

“It’s like the Kuleshov effect, the Russian idea that the audience can see the same image differently in a different context, which is great, because in a way that’s exactly what we’re doing with The Shining,” Ascher continues. “Different people see The Shining differently, and then we’re able to get the audience to see scenes from The Shining or scenes from other movies differently because we’re putting them in a new context.”

Another significant challenge for Ascher was deciding how to weave together the various theories and competing explanations about Kubrick’s film. “For each interviewee, I put together 10 or 12 two- to three-minute sections,” he says. “We tried to organize these things in a way that added up to something bigger. Ultimately we were able to group these sequences into three acts divided into the nine chapters of the film.”

“Each of these people represents countless others who may have experienced the same thing,” Ascher concludes. “It’s less about these people being exceptional or unusual and more about them being representative.” dv Room 237 uses floor plans to illustrate features of The Shining’s production.

An animation from Room 237

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Phil SPector look

P hil Spector became famous as a music industry icon. The legendary producer, who originated the “wall of sound” pro-

duction technique of densely layered musical arrangements, worked with a wide range of acts, including the Ronettes, the Righteous Brothers and the Beatles. Unfortunately, fame can also have its infamous side. Spector abruptly returned to pub-lic notice through the circumstances of the 2003

death of actress Lana Clarkson and his subsequent criminal trials, culminating in a 2009 conviction for second-degree murder.

The story of his first murder trial and the relationship between Spector (Al Pacino) and defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden (Helen Mirren) form the basis for the new movie by HBO Films. Phil Spector, which is executive produced by Barry Levinson (Rain Man), was directed by

celebrated screenwriter/director David Mamet (The Unit, The Shield, Hannibal, Wag the Dog). Rather than treat it as a biopic or news story, Mamet chose to take a fictionalized approach that chronicles Spector’s legal troubles as a fall from grace.

One key member of the production team was editor Barbara Tulliver (Too Big to Fail, Lady in the Water, Signs), who has collaborated previously

WAll oF SoUND (AND ViSUAlS)Barbara Tulliver Edits Phil Spector

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with Mamet. She started as a film editor working on commercials in New York, but quickly transitioned into features. According to Tulliver, “I assisted on David’s first two films and then cut my first feature as an editor with him, so we have established a relationship. I also cut Too Big to Fail for HBO and brought a lot of the same editorial crew for this one, so it was like a big family.”

As with most television productions, Phil Spector was shot and completed in a timeframe and with a budget akin more to a well funded independent feature than a typical studio film.

Tulliver explains, “Our schedule to complete this film was between that of a standard TV project and a feature. If a studio film has six weeks to complete a mix, a film like this would have three. The steps are the same but the schedule is shrunk. I was cutting during the 30-day production phase, so I had a cut ready for David a week after he wrapped. HBO likes to see things early, so David had his initial cut done after five weeks instead of the typical ten-week timeframe. Like any studio, HBO will give us notes, but they are very respectful of the filmmakers, which is why they can attract the caliber of talent that they do for these films. At that point we went into a bit of a hold because David wanted some additional photography and it took awhile until HBO approved it.”

The production itself was handled like a film

shoot, using ARRI Alexa cameras in a single-camera style. An on-set DIT generated the dailies used for the edit. Although you wouldn’t consider this a visual effects film, it still has its share of effects shots. Tulliver says, “There were a lot of comps that are meat-and-potatoes effects these days. For instance, the film was shot in New York, so in scenes when Spector arrives at the courthouse in Los Angeles, the visual effects department had to build up all of the exteriors to look like L.A. There are a number of TV and computer screens, which were all completed in post. Plus a certain amount

of frame clean-ups, like removing unwanted elements from a shot.”

Mamet wrote a very lean screenplay, so the length of the cut didn’t present creative challenges for Tulliver. She continues, “David’s scripts are beautifully crafted, so there was no need to rearrange scenes. We might have deleted one scene. David makes decisions quickly and doesn’t overshoot. Like any director, he is open to changes in performance, but the actors have such respect for his script that there isn’t a lot of embellishment that might pose editing challenges in another film. Naturally with a cast like this, the performances were all good. The main challenge we had was to find ways to integrate Spector’s songs into the story, to use the music to open up scenes in the film and add montages. This meant all of the songs had to

be cleared. We were largely successful, except with John Lennon’s Imagine, where Yoko Ono had the final say. Although she was open to our using the song, ultimately she and David couldn’t agree to how it would be integrated creatively into the film.”

Phil Spector was cut digitally on Avid Media Composer. Like many feature editors, Barbara Tulliver started her career cutting film. She says, “I’m one of the last editors to embrace digital editing. I went into it kicking and screaming, but so did the directors I was working with at the time. When I finally moved over to Avid,

it was pretty well established as the dominant nonlinear edit system for films. I do miss some things about editing on film, though. There’s a tactile sense of the film that’s almost romantic. Because it takes longer to make changes, film editing is more reflective. You talk about it more, and often in the course of these discussions you discover better solutions than if you simply tried a lot of variations. In the film days, you talked about the dramatic and emotional impact of these options. This is still the case, but one has to be more vigilant about making that happen—as opposed to just re-cutting a scene 20 different ways because it is easy and fast, and then not knowing what you are looking at anymore.”

“Today, I cut the same way I did when I was cutting film. I like to lay out my cut as a road map.

Phil Spector (Al Pacino) and defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden (Helen Mirren)

photo by phillip v. caruso

photo by phillip v. caruso

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I’ll build it rough to get a sense of the whole scene rather than finesse each single cut as I go. After I’ve built the scene that way, I’ll go back and tweak and trim to fine-tune the cut. Digital editing for me is not all about the bells and whistles. I don’t use some of the Avid features, like multicamera editing or ScriptSync. While these are great features, some are labor-intensive to prepare. When you have a minimal crew without a lot of assistants, I prefer to work in a more straightforward fashion.”

Tulliver concludes, “Although I may be nostalgic about the days of film editing, it would be a complete nightmare to go back to that. In fact, several years ago one director was interested in trying it, so I investigated what it would take. It’s hard to find the gear anymore, and when you do, it hasn’t been properly maintained because no one has been using it. Not to mention finding mag stripe and other materials that you would need. The list of people and labs that actually know how to handle a complete film project is getting smaller each year, so going back would just about be impossible. While film might not be dead as a production medium, it has passed that point in post.” dv Editor Barbara Tulliver and director David Mamet during postproduction on the film Redbelt

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PHILIP ROTH: UNMASKEDlook

P ulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning novelist Philip Roth has remained elusive and controversial since his entrée

on the literary scene more than 50 years ago. He’s granted relatively few interviews for someone of his stature. In the closest he’s come to a mem-oir, the deceptively titled The Facts: A Novelist’s Autobiography, he lays out the story of his life. Then, in a long epilogue in the voice of alter ego Nathan Zuckerman, he assaults the validity of the narrative.

Literary journalist Livia Manera, who co-directed (with documentarian William Karel) Philip Roth: Unmasked, had her work cut out for her when she set out to interview Roth. The 90-minute film, an episode of PBS’ American Masters, premiered on March 29 in honor of the novelist’s 80th birthday. She had interviewed Roth a number of times for print publications and had developed a friendship with him, but she’d found that even with no cameras rolling, the writer could be a less than ideal interview subject. “He would let you know after maybe 45 minutes or an hour that he’d had enough,” she recalls of her previous sit-downs with Roth. “Maybe you could stay and chat about something else for awhile and he might be very open and funny, but he’d make it very clear he’d had enough of being interviewed.”

Unknown to her, the on-camera interviews she conducted along with director of photography François Reumont and sound recordist Theo Caris, were with a Philip Roth easing into the idea of retirement. “As he says in the film,” she recounts, “whenever he was between books, he tended to be depressed and anxious. So he was not an ideal interviewee. And when he was writing a book, he wanted to concentrate, and something like an interview was just a nuisance that came between him and serious work.”

But when she sat down with the writer, first for ten hours over a five-day period in his Connecticut home and then for five hours over three days in

PHILIP ROTH: UNMASKEDDocumenting the Author’s Life, Literature and Legacy

JoN SILBeRg

Philip Roth is interviewed in his Manhattan apartment for American

Masters Philip Roth: Unmasked.

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his New York apartment, she was dealing with a Philip Roth who had completed what he says is his last book, Nemesis, and no longer felt his normal compulsion to start another. “Who would have guessed that he was at a moment of his life—even he didn’t know—in which he could really take pleasure in remembering and talking about the past?” the interviewer muses.

Initially produced in a shorter form for French production company Cinétévé, the project was picked up by PBS’ American Masters and expanded to include interviews with Roth’s friends, including the actress Mia Farrow, and young American writers including Jonathan Franzen and Nicole Krauss.

While the author famously mixes autobiography and fiction in ways designed to obscure his true nature, Manera insists that the man captured in her documentary is, in fact, the “real” Philip Roth. “I’ve known him for many years,” she explains, “and I always noticed the difference between Philip Roth the ‘professional writer’ and Philip Roth the person with whom I would have dinner around the corner from his apartment. The professional writer is very controlled. Cold. Hard. He’s always interesting but often impatient. The friend is very talkative and generous and unguarded.

“And that,” she declares, “is the person I was lucky enough to get in front of the camera for this documentary.” dv

Left: Philip Roth and co-director and co-writer Livia Manera during filming for American Masters Philip Roth: Unmasked; Right: Philip Roth poses next to a photo of author Franz Kafka, whom he resembles in appearance and whom he owes much in the way of inspiration as a writer.

Philip Roth revisits areas where he grew up in Newark, New Jersey. (Archival photo seen in American Masters Philip Roth: Unmasked.)

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Hemlock Grovelook

N etflix wasted no time in the wake of its highly publicized (and reportedly quite successful) launch of House of

Cards as an exclusive original series in February. Its next original series, the 13-episode Hemlock Grove, debuted on April 19. Like the earlier Kevin Spacey vehicle, all episodes of Hemlock Grove were released for streaming simultaneously (and com-mercial-free) to Netflix’s 30 million subscribers in

North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, Brazil and Scandinavia.

The eerie mystery thriller from Gaumont International Television and executive producer Eli Roth (based on a Brian McGreevy novel) co-stars Famke Janssen (X-Men), Bill Skarsgard (Simon & The Oaks) and Dougray Scott (Mission: Impossible II). The series focuses on the eccentric residents of a ramshackle former Pennsylvania

steel town and the murder of teenager Brooke Bluebell. Through the investigation, the town’s seamier side is exposed, revealing that nothing is what it seems.

Fernando Arguelles, series director of photography, says his main camera was an ARRI Alexa. His second unit typically deployed the Alexa and a Canon EOS 5D, and the crash camera was a GoPro.

DATA STreAmS AND BAD DreAmSInside Hemlock Grove, Eli Roth’s Netflix Series

JOHN MERLI

Roman Godfrey (Bill Skarsgard) and Peter Rumancek (Landon Liboiron) in Netflix’s Hemlock Grove

photo by sophie giraud for netflix

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“I had used the Alexa before while working on Breakout Kings for A&E, and I decided it was best for me on this project too,” Arguelles says. “I think it’s the best camera around to emulate film—I come from a film background. I like the texture that film provides, and I think the Alexa has the most ‘forgiveness’ of cameras—meaning mixing different lighting colors and highlights—as well as its overall range.”

The fast-emerging consumer option of accessing all the episodes of a season at once—via download or streaming on televisions and various devices—instead of watching one per week over the course of a season is enabled by subscription services like Netflix. Reportedly viewers binged on marathon viewings of Netflix’s previous original series, House of Cards, when it became available on February 1. Did the potential of viewers watching episodes back-to-back affect Arguelles’ approach to directing Hemlock Grove?

“No, not at all. Each episode picks up exactly where the last one ended, and however frequently one choses to view them, it all works out in the end,” he says. “More importantly, on this type of production we are not pressured in any way into

producing any particular type or look … or have anyone telling us that something may or may not be suitable for this type of viewer or that type. We had none of that. That’s a very important factor and I believe it really helps the show,” Arguelles says.

Chris Pare’s job as digital management tech is to collect and manage all the production’s digital content on a daily basis. “Once the cameras fill out their cards, I’m called down to the set. I remove the cards and bring them to my computer, load all the footage—always three copies for safety—and then color correct it to look like the final product,” says

Pare. “Then I would transfer stills of the video to my iPad and bring it to Fernando [Arguelles] to be either okayed or changed.”

Once content is approved, Pare says, he saves it in his project files and sends the footage to Technicolor in Toronto. “I use basically a ‘data management kit’ that we rent from Technicolor that rolls around like a big coffin on wheels. It opens up with a 26-inch monitor, a computer, a color correcting panel and all the hard drives for backing up. The only equipment I bring to the production myself is the iPad for

showing the [dailies] stills to Fernando.”Color correction can be the most difficult part of

his job, Pare says. “Some days everything is perfect, but on other days it can get complicated, especially when we’re shooting outside. It’s very hard to keep a scene consistent when one part was shot in the sun and then suddenly it gets cloudy. But it helps when you have a great DP like Fernando to help you out,” Pare continues. “As far as the unique look of it being a dark show and other-worldly, most of those effects are done in-camera on the set, along with [skillful] lighting, so I didn’t have to make huge color changes.” dv

Above: Director of photography Fernando Arguelles, Penelope Mitchell and Bill Skarsgard

Right: Fernando Arguelles, Dougray Scott and director T.J. Scott

Famke Janssen as Olivia Godfrey

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40

In light of shrinking production budgets, it is common to hear of three- or even two-man crews, but life-style photographer and videographer Kristen Jensen recently took to Africa to shoot a short documentary for Build Tanzanian Family Futures, a non-profit orga-nization that supports the illiterate and poor families and children of Northern Tanzania. She had no crew. It was just her, a Canon EOS 7D, some equipment, and a couple of new rigs, which she had the opportunity to test during her two-week shoot.

The Ready Rig ChallengeBecause she had to interview people while also shooting, it was critical that she be self-sufficient, so she chose to bring along the Ready Rig, an upper body mounted cam-era support system to help her handle it all.

“The great thing about the Ready Rig is that you can shoot with the camera, lighting, sound and monitor on one rig. You are pretty much a one-man show. You can be the cameraman, the producer, the gaffer, the lighting guy, sound guy and assistant all at once.”

Jensen shot with the Ready Rig for the first five days of the trip. On it, she mounted the following:

• CanonEOS7D• 24-70f/2.8lens• Lilliput5”monitor

• LedgoLEDlight(colortemperature3,200°K-7,500°K)• ZoomHandyRecorderH4n• Audio-Technicalavaliermic“I shot all day long and did not get tired because

the way the Ready Rig is designed, the weight is evenly distributed, and its unique vest design makes it very comfortable to use.

“The Ready Rig also provides so much flexibility, range and freedom in the field. I can lock focus, look at the person I’m interviewing, and actually have an engaging conversation, which you typically cannot do without having the help of a crew. But with the Ready Rig, I can adjust my lighting while I’m talking. I can even experiment with different angles. All in all, it gave me much more confidence in being able to shoot all by myself.”

That said, when it came to trekking and flying from village to village all across Tanzania, the Ready Rig was much too cumbersome for the task.

ShooTing wiTh The dougmonFor the second half of the trip, Jensen was travelling seven hours a day for seven days, so she wasn’t able to bring all of her equipment, but she did bring the new Dougmon handheld rig.

“What I loved about the Dougmon is that it is so compact, quick and easy that I can have it on my lap, jump out of a plane and start using it right away. It’s very intuitive based on how your hand actually works. It has a support bar that goes along the inside of your arm. You grip the handle, and with a slight turn of the wrists, I can make it turn left, right, and even do circular motions. Plus, the Dougmon has a quick release button so you can get out of it quickly if needed, which is ideal when you are moving from location to location.”

Jensen preferred using the Dougmon while traveling from village to village and

visiting different tribes because she said that it was unobtrusive and much less intimidating than the Ready Rig. According to Jensen, most people in Tanzania, especially in the remote villages, are not comfortable with people filming them, but the Dougmon was so inconspicuous, they didn’t think much of it.

“The Dougmon is far and away one of the best handheld support rigs I’ve ever tried. It really felt like an extension of my own hand.”

The Dougmon is designed to support up to 7 lb. in weight, so Jensen used the following equipment with the Dougmon:

• CanonEOS7D• 24-70f/2.8lens• ZoomHandyRecorderH4n• Audio-Technicalavaliermic• SlingmonThe Slingmon is a support sling that allows for

two-handed operation of the camera, for use with slightly heavier cameras.

“When used with the Slingmon, I was also able to set the Dougmon up as a monopod, rest it in the sling, and go from shooting video straight to stills. It was extremely versatile in the field and allowed me to do much more than I thought I would be able to with such a small rig. I would definitely recommend the Dougmon for shooting news, documentaries, weddings and other events that require guerilla-style shooting.”

AdvertorialCAmERA SuPPORT BuYER’S guIDE

A One-WOmAn ShOWVideographer Kristen Jensen taKes on tanzania with the help of two new rigs

InternAtIOnAl SupplIeS preSentS

Kristen Jensen shooting an interview with the ready rig

Videographer Kristen Jensen


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41

Advertorial

The Dougmon is the brainchild of 30-year vet-eran cameraman Doug Monroe, who specializes in documentary and reality television shooting and is the current DP on the TLC show Sister Wives. After ten years of research develop-ment and a string of prototypes, he developed a rig for small video cameras and DSLRs that actually mimics how the hand, wrist and arm work together so operators can have the flex-ibility and support they need to easily produce smooth and steady shots, while also reducing hand and arm fatigue.

The camera sits on a patented adjustable friction ball head system that, when held in the center of the palm, imitates the movement of the wrist, so users can twist slightly to the right or left or up or down. The arm of the Dougmon adjusts to fit the length of the user’s arm, and

a padded cuff with adjustable straps secures it in place.

“I like to call the Dougmon the Swiss utility knife of handheld camera support systems because it is simple yet functional,” says Monroe. “The Dougmon allows the camera to go wherever the user’s hand or arm goes, so there is a higher range of motion. Users can shoot high, low, over the shoulder, or even use it as a monopod.”

Used with the Slingmon, a support sling Monroe designed for the Dougmon, users can set up the rig into monopod mode and then use both hands to operate the camera. The Dougmon weighs 28.5 oz., supports cameras up to 7 lb. and comes with a Manfrotto 577 style quick release head. Street price for the Dougmon is $530, while the Slingmon, which is sold separately, costs around $200.

Veteran cinematographer and director Mario Di Leo, whose credits include shows such as Miami Vice, Baywatch and The Untouchables, came up with the idea for an upper body mounted camera support rig trying to shoot on a boat. His shoulder rig could not capture the handheld shots he envisioned, so he made a rig out of a car seat belt, bungee cords and pieces of aluminum. Not only did it work, but his son, Alessandro, also a filmmaker, eventually decided to further develop his father’s idea and take it to the next level. Together they created what is now known as the Ready Rig.

The Ready Rig is composed of two adjustable sliding rods attached to a spring-loaded back support, a camera mount with an almost 180° tilt head and hand grips, monitor and accessory mounts, and an adjustable corset that distributes all of the camera’s weight evenly over the user’s upper body. It balances and completely eliminates camera weight, while offering users

total hands-free operation of the camera.It allows users to quickly adjust a camera’s

positioning, while still ensuring smooth and stable footage. Users can switch angles instantaneously, push out or pull in, drop low, shoot high, pan from left to right, tilt and rotate, and even pull focus and zoom simultaneously, while the camera stays centered and balanced.

The Ready Rig can support up to 17 lb. and is designed for use with both HDV and DSLR cameras. It is made of high strength aluminum, weighs 10 lb. and can be assembled in less than two minutes. All Ready Rig products and parts come with a one-year w a r r a n t y . Street price is $1,999.99.

Dougmon Rig ShootS foR function & flexibilityCameraman/Inventor Doug monroe Calls It HIs swIss utIlIty KnIfe of HanDHelD rIgs

fatheR & Son cinematogRapheRS builD ReaDy Rig togetheRfrom Bungee CorDs anD Car seat Belts to an upper BoDy Camera support system

alessandro Di leo with the ready rig he and his father developed

Inventor/Cameraman Doug monroe with the Dougmon

ContaCt

for more information about the Dougmon and/or the ready rig, please contact:International supplies(800) 999-1984 www.internationalsupplies.com


DV_05_13_v5.indd 41 4/18/13 1:07 PM


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Bottom Line: It’s a winner in its market space and a product that makes high production values more accessible to a wider range of filmmakers.

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videodigital

Excellence Award

let’s get right to the elephant in the room. Blackmagic design is having problems delivering the Blackmagic Cinema Camera. the camera was announced at last year’s NAB Show and slated for shipment 90 days after that, though defects in the sensor (from a third-party manufacturer) set deliveries back months. Now, a year later, shipments are beginning to catch up with the backorders. It is my opinion that the user rage directed against Blackmagic on the forums (where you can say anything you want without your mother telling you to mind your manners) is unwarranted and unfair. Blackmagic worked earnestly to solve the sensor manufacturing problems and to be as transparent as possible to its customers during this process.

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My final word to those still awaiting their cameras: the wait is well worth it.

OverviewBlackmagic stunned at the 2012 NAB Show, announcing a 2.5K camera that would shoot 12-bit raw, ProRes HQ and 10-bit DNxHD. In addition to its recording prowess, the camera would be bundled with a full version of Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve and Blackmagic UltraScope. And all of this for $3,000. Initially Blackmagic announced the camera would ship with a Canon EF mount capable of electronic control of Canon EF lenses. Several months later Blackmagic revealed a second version, with a Micro Four Thirds mount, albeit without electronics.

The camera is based on a 15.81mm x 8.88mm sensor—larger than a Micro Four Thirds sensor but smaller than the APS-C or Super 35 sensors in many DSLRs and dedicated digital cinema cameras. Blackmagic advertises 13 stops of dynamic range, and the results of some very loose tests in my favorite camera torture chamber (Times Square at night) give me no cause to dispute that figure. (Test charts are wonderful for exact metrics, but I am much more the real-world empirical tester who prefers images to specs.)

A great deal of this camera’s charm—and its limitations—stem from the utter simplicity of the design. Pushing the iris button auto-exposes; exposure on non-aperture ring lenses is adjusted by pushing the iris button followed by transport

buttons to open or close iris. The focus button turns peaking on or off for focus assist.

The large viewer includes a sunshade, but that often isn’t enough for bright outdoors work. I’ve seen users actually put their jackets over their head and camera, much like early photographers with 4x5 view cameras! That screen also displays menus that are limited but adequate.

Camera menus allow setting of camera name, date/time, ISO and shutter angle. ISO is limited to 200, 400, 800 and 1600. The camera itself is rated at ISO 800. Color temperature settings have presets for 3,200°, 4,500°, 5,000°, 5,600°, 6,500° and 7,500° Kelvin. There is no auto white balance option, but when shooting raw, color temperature is far less an issue. Finally, shutter angle defaults to 180 degrees,

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera under glass at the 2013 NAB Show

photo by mary ellen daw

ley

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with slow and fast shutter settings as well as a 172.8-degree shutter that optimizes 24p shooting in 50 Hz lands.

Audio settings control channels and levels. Note that this camera has no audio metering, meaning that external meters are necessary unless you simply want to guess. (I don’t.) I hope that Blackmagic will address this in future firmware updates.

The recorder settings menu controls recording format, frame rate and time lapse as well as what Blackmagic calls “dynamic range.” There are two options in dynamic range: film and video. “Video” means Rec. 709 color space, “film” means log. These are available only for ProRes HQ or DNxHD formats. Raw defaults to film mode.

Display settings control brightness, zebras, SDI overlays and dynamic range. Another note: the only camera metering consists of zebras, which do not go below 75 percent. Exposure control is the weakest part of the camera. But there is an amazing feature hidden in non-standard terminology. As noted above, dynamic range presents “film” and “video” choices. What this means is that when recording in film (log) mode and viewing in video, you are applying a Rec. 709 LUT to the image for more accurate viewing.

Tap the viewscreen twice and it zooms for expanded focus. Tap once and get a slate with mini

keyboard. And anything you enter gets written to clip metadata.

The camera writes to SSD drives inserted into a slot. SSDs have limited insertion/removal cycles and a more permanent caddy mount would prolong SSD life. Blackmagic has a list of qualifying SSDs, but more about that in the real-world test.

I/O ports include BNC SDI out, Thunderbolt, headphones and two audio channels. Note that

audio inputs are phono plug rather than XLR.The camera’s internal battery is rated at 90

minutes. Based on several cycles of use and discharge, I agree with that rating. It also has a connector for AC power or external batteries.

Real-WoRld TesTFar too often I end up testing cameras by shooting sleeping cats, skittish squirrels in my yard or tourists in Times Square. When I tested this camera in Times Square, I was approached by no fewer than four people who knew of the camera, one of whom offered me a considerable premium over list price to buy it and take it back to Brazil with him. I told Blackmagic I could have sold more cameras that night than the neighboring vendor’s I Love NY T-shirts.

For this real-world test, I connected with Josh Apter (@PJmakemovies) of Manhattan Edit Workshop, who is working on a promo to fund “Lando and Lobot’s Spin-Off Star Wars Movie” on Kickstarter. Our project for the day was a bathtub scene with Lando, Lobot and the cult-favorite Ice Cream Man in a parody of a bathtub scene from Girls.

Shooting in a bathroom with a single China ball skirted with duvetyn plus a reflector didn’t constitute a dynamic range test, but it certainly showed the advantage of a compact camera in very

tight quarters.DP Peter Olsen showed his professionalism

by reading the manual and everything he could find online to learn the camera prior to shooting with it.

Peter, Josh and I brought an assortment of lenses including Tokina 11-16, Tamron

17-50 VC, Sigma 8-16, Nikon 24-70 and several Zeiss Nikon-mount lenses

with Canon EF adapters. The crop on the sensor is approximately a factor of 2, meaning we were concerned about wide shots in the small bathroom. But we found the Tamron adequate for the job.

The Sigma at 8mm distorted, and the 17mm (=34mm) seemed to be

perfect. We had to turn off the image stabilization on the Tamron because the

shotgun mic was picking up the noise.We shot both Lando and Ice Cream Man

before getting into the tub, an exact parallel of the Girls scene. They were lit with a single Litepanels 1x1 and a single reflector.

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera is the logical next step for DSLR users. It’s actually less expensive than many DSLRs. A wonderful entrée into the world of raw shooting, with all of its possibilities in post in addition to powerful internal 10-bit codecs that can be shot log or Rec. 709. This camera could be a trendsetter and the beginnings of a giant-killer.

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My test camera came with a Kingston 120 GB SSD, qualified by Blackmagic for raw recording. That card would hold about 15 minutes of raw footage. We recorded perhaps 10 minutes for the first scene before switching to a SanDisk Extreme 480 GB SSD that I own.

Exposure, audio and power were the challenges. We mounted the camera on a Zacuto mini-baseplate and attached rear rails for my Zacuto cheeseplate with Anton/Bauer battery mount. I brought two DIONIC 90s and a charger with me; between internal battery and one DIONIC, we shot all day and still had charge remaining in the first DIONIC battery. This camera is a real power miser.

Audio is an issue. For this shoot, I borrowed from Wooden Camera their A-Box ($199), a dual XLR to phono plug adapter. The A-Box attaches to rods, which was convenient. Note that the A-Box provides no pre-amp or phantom power. Mic for the shoot was a Sennheiser MKH 416 with external power supply on a K-Tek pole.

But what to do about exposure and levels? I connected the camera to my MacBook Pro Retina with a Thunderbolt cable and used Divergent Media ScopeBox ($99) to set exposure and monitor audio levels. Blackmagic recommends that its log footage be exposed to 40 IRE on an 18 percent gray card, and this is how we set up each shot on ScopeBox’s waveform. Additionally, I monitored audio and video levels during each take.

What do you do when your set

doesn’t have the luxury of scopes and meters? I strongly recommend Adam Wilt’s $4.99 Cine Meter app, now for iOS and soon to be available for Android. Cine Meter turns your iPhone into a waveform monitor with tons of options. (See review in the March 2013 issue of Digital Video magazine.)

The Blackmagic Camera can get hot—so hot that I burned my fingers removing the SanDisk SSD after about 30 minutes of continuous power on and a number of takes during that period. The camera did not shut down, but heat is nobody’s friend.

Peter found the camera a bit awkward in its form factor, but nothing that

A still from my real-world test of the camera, a Kickstarter promo for “Lando and Lobot’s Spin-Off Star Wars Movie”

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impeded his workflow. We all agreed that the smaller-than-Super 35 sensor combined with f/2.8 lenses meant that depth of field was not as shallow as we would have liked for the two living room shots. While shooting indoors, the large screen was easily visible. It was easy to achieve focus with the camera’s peaking and zoom functions.

We shot raw only to test workflow, image quality and usability of the raw format—and it was here that we encountered problems.

Throughout the day I transferred footage from the SSDs to an external drive for the editor. (Transfer on the Mac is best achieved using Imagine Products ShotPut Pro for faster-than-finder transfer and more accurate error checking.) We viewed clips only on the camera. By the time we wrapped, I had transferred everything to the drive for my work and then later to make a copy for the editor.

I first looked at clips from the SanDisk 480 through DaVinci Resolve. Thumbnails came up properly in the viewer window and everything moved nicely into Resolve’s Media Pool.

Next, the establishing shots from the SanDisk. Nothing but folder icons. That means dropped frames. Opening the folders showed a number of DNG files and the separate audio .wav, but they

had to be imported as individual DNGs rather than as an assembled clip. Several more tests (sleeping cats) with the SanDisk revealed dropped frames after 10 seconds of shooting.

As I later learned from the forums (and not in Blackmagic’s documentation), the record light should be solid red when recording. A blinking red light indicates dropped frames. As much as we had read about the camera, none of us knew this

on set, so we were not looking for it. Furthermore, anecdotal reports online revealed numerous failures with this SSD after a week or more of use.

Fortunately, the editor was able to reconstruct

When I tested this camera in Times Square, I was approached by no fewer than four people who knew of the camera, one of whom offered me a considerable premium over list price to buy it and take it back to Brazil with him.

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the scene from several takes and we ended up with useable footage. Be warned that using consumer-level SSDs to write the high data rates and massive quantity of raw footage pushes the technology to its limit. Anecdotal reports of the SanDisk 480 have revealed it to be rock solid and I have yet to hear of a failure.

And the images? Brought into Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve. Superb skin tones. Almost no noise at ISO 800 and very little at ISO 1600. In short, it’s hard to imagine that a $3,000 camera can produce images like this.

SummaryThe Blackmagic Cinema Camera is revolutionary in its technology and price point. It is the next level beyond the DSLR and I strongly recommend it for those graduating from DSLR work. It should not be compared to a RED, Sony F3/F5/F55 or cameras costing many multiples of $3,000. Use it for the same jobs you would use a DSLR. Use it for documentary work with one of the many rigging options available. Be wary of SSD drives and watch

for dropped frames, particularly when recording raw format. Carry a spare SSD. Be prepared to spend more for rigging, monitoring and other

options. Blackmagic has an aggressive firmware development program and it’s likely that many or all of these issues will be addressed. dv

Editing Blackmagic Cinema Camera footage in Blackmagic DaVinci resolve

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FxFactory 4.0.2 supports Apple Final Cut Pro 7 and X, Apple Motion 4 and 5, and Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro CS6. Although After Effects has been supported for a few versions, the 4.0 upgrade to FxFactory extended support to Premiere Pro CS6. (FxFactory Pro 4.0.2 is a free upgrade for owners of FxFactory Pro 3.x versions.)

When editors install the free FxFactory application, it functions as a central control point to purchase, install, license and manage all of the filters. Most of the

plug-in installers are included with the package and are available as trial versions, plus there are links to tutorials for each effect. FxFactory enables users to activate or deactivate products at will.

The FxFactory Pro filter set adds 176 filters, generators and transitions for Final Cut Pro 7, Motion, Premiere Pro and After Effects, and 160 effects for Final Cut Pro X. If you purchased only FxFactory Pro, you would have a well rounded set of filters to tackle many creative challenges, but the beauty of the FxFactory platform is

Noise iNdustries FxFactory 4lust

PacKaGe aNd PLatForMFxFactory 4 Offers An Innovative and Integrated Range of Effects

OlIvEr PETErS

Noise Industries collaborates with a variety of partner developers, including Ripple Training and Luca Visual FX. This image shows a combination of Luca’s Lo-Fi Look filter, FxFactory Pro Neon Edges and a Ripple 3D Text title.

Noise Industries was one of the first plug-in developers to leverage the power of the GPU by tapping into the core image component of Mac OS X. This approach took off when Apple added the FxPlug architecture to Final Cut Pro. From this start, Noise Industries has been able to develop its FxFactory product into both a powerful filter package and a platform to add filters from partner companies.

Product: Noise Industries

FxFactory 4

Pros: Purchase only the

filters you need based on

style and budget. Filters are

available in a trial mode.

The FxFactory application

offers centralized license

control, help documentation

and tutorial links.

Cons: Filters are available

only for Max OS X. Avid

support is no longer

available.

Bottom Line: This is

an eclectic collection of

filters that solves many

creative challenges. A

single installation covers

a wide spectrum of hosts.

Real-time performance is

typically above average.

MSRP: FxFactory Pro

$399, other plug-ins priced

individually

Online: www.

noiseindustries.com/

fxfactory

Quick Take

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in its extension through partner companies, whose plug-ins tie into this application.

Current partners include Yanobox, Ripple Training, Stupid Raisins, SquidFX, Tokyo Productions, Luca Visual FX, idustrial revolution, Nattress Productions, Boinx Software, SUGARfx, PHYX, CineFlare, Dashwood Cinema Solutions, Sheffield Softworks, DVShade, CrumplePop, Futurismo, Aquafadas and nVeil. Depending on the company, some or all of their products are available though FxFactory, and supported hosts vary with each product. Some of the newest additions that are built as Motion templates are available only within Final Cut Pro X.

Purchasing FxFactory Pro and augmenting it with a number of these add-ons gives you a very powerful set of filters. On the other hand, if you only wanted to use Ripple Tools, Yanobox Moods or Luca VFX Lo-Fi Look, for example, then simply purchase the individual filters you need and run

FxFactory provides central license control for installed plug-ins.

The FxFactory application provides explanations and examples for each effect, plus links to help documentation and tutorials.

The FxFactory Pro Synthesizer effect reacts to light values. By placing an FxFactory Pro Spot Lights filter ahead of the Synthesizer filter, the settings in the first filter can be adjusted to change the displacement map in the second.

The Luca Visual FX Lo-Fi Look filter lets users adjust filter variables, plus add custom texture or pattern images to create a grunge layer based on different images than the preset.

Apple Final Cut Pro X allows developers to add their own on-screen controls when slider adjustments aren’t appropriate. Yanobox Moods is a color-wheel-style grading tool with a heads-up display to facilitate a familiar color correction process.

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them under the free version of FxFactory. This way you can grow your inventory of effects as budgets permit.

FxFactory developers have been rapidly adding to the options, due in part to the ability to create FCP X effects as Motion templates, along with an increased user demand for Premiere Pro plug-ins. Noise Industries has brought on board some of the popular plug-ins from the old FxScript days of Final Cut. These include Nattress and Sheffield, which offer updated versions of their looks and grading tools. New developers not previously known as plug-in creators have joined the fold to offer FCP X-specific effects. These include Ripple, Tokyo, SquidFX and Stupid Raisins. Some

of the long-time FxFactory partner developers, like Luca, Yanobox and idustrial revolution, are bringing out new products as well.

As a whole, this group represents one of the most eclectic sets of filters and transitions available anywhere. Because these products are not developed by a single team of programmers, you get different styles that don’t all look like they came from a single company. It would be very difficult, within a reasonable amount of time, for a talented editor to re-create from scratch the sort of transitions you get from packages like XEffects, Slide Pop, FxTiles or Punchline—even using a

powerful NLE like Smoke or a compositor like After Effects.

As a working editor who uses these products, I appreciate that Noise Industries spends a lot of time making sure their tools work with the changes Apple brings about. They are fast with fixes and I’ve found that their filters tend to be more stable than some other packages as NLE or OS updates come down the line. This is especially true with Final

Cut Pro X, which is still a moving target, as Apple tweaks AV Foundations with each update.

FxFactory Pro and partner filters run well within the application and provide reasonable real-time performance when left unrendered. If you are running variations of Final Cut, Motion, Premiere Pro and After Effects, then you’ll appreciate that one price covers the plug-in installation for all of these hosts. dv

FxFactory developers have been rapidly adding to the options, due in part to the ability to create FCP X effects as Motion templates, along with an increased user demand for Premiere Pro plug-ins.

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Now that it’s finally out in the wild, I’ve had a chance to work with the release version, both on my own system and at a client site where Smoke 2013 has been deployed. Both of these installations are on recent model Apple Mac Pros. Although Smoke 2013 is a very deep application, I would offer that the learning curve for this new version is a mere 25 percent of what it used to be. That’s a significant improvement.

GettinG Set UpThere are several ways to install and operate Smoke 2013. Most users will install the application in the standalone mode. The software is activated over the internet and works only on that licensed machine. Facility users can also purchase license server software, which allows them to float the Smoke license among several machines. Only one at a time is activated, but any of the machines can run the software, based on the permission assigned by the license server application over the internal LAN.

Smoke 2013 operation is tied to the media storage, so the first thing to do after software installation is run the Smoke setup utility, which defines the drives that are accessible to Smoke. You can grab media files from

any connected drive, but specific locations must be assigned as library locations for media caches, proxies, render files and so on. These can be internal drives, SAN volumes or externally connected drives. The key is that when you create or launch a project, it is tied to a specific library location. If that drive is unmounted, any projects associated with it won’t show up and are not accessible (even in an offline mode) to the operator.

You should approach Smoke operation with a media strategy in mind. Smoke 2013 handles more native codecs and file formats, and in a more straightforward fashion, than Smoke 2012. If you are working with

Autodesk smoke 2013lust

FINIsHING sCHooLIn the Editing Suite with Autodesk Smoke 2013

OLIver PeTerS

Autodesk attracted a lot of attention last year with the revamped version of Smoke for Mac OS X. I had originally been working on a review with the earlier version (Smoke 2012) but held off when I found out Smoke 2013 was just around the corner. Indeed, the more “Mac-like” refresh wowed 2012 NAB Show attendees, but it took until December to come to market. In that time, Autodesk built on the input received from users who tested it during this lengthy public beta period.

Product: Autodesk

Smoke 2013

Pros: easier to use than

previous versions. More

Mac-friendly user interface.

Ability to work with native

camera codecs and use

Apple proRes codecs for

internal operations.

Cons: Steep learning

curve for effects creation.

Opaque file structure for

projects. Hardware i/O

limited to AJA products.

Bottom Line: this is

one of the most powerful

finishing tools available

within the range of

affordable desktop software

tools. Solid integrated

operation for editing, effects

and color correction in a

single application.

MSRP: From $3,495. trial

downloads available.

Online: usa.autodesk.

com/smoke-for-mac/

Quick Take

Smoke 2013 offers access to help links right on the project launch screen.

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ProRes media, for instance, no conversion is necessary to get started in Smoke and files can be rendered as ProRes HQ instead of the previous default of uncompressed DPX files. This means drive performance requirements are less stringent than in the past, but it’s still a good idea to use fast RAID arrays. Even two 7,200 rpm SATA drives striped as RAID 0 will give you acceptable performance with ProRes media. Naturally, a faster array is even better. Smoke will let you render

intermediate proxies for even better performance, but if you want to simply drag in new media from the Mac Finder, then Smoke 2013 performs on par with other desktop NLEs.

The last hardware concern is monitoring. External video I/O requires an AJA unit (KONA, Io XT, etc.). Smoke 2013 will not work with cards from other manufacturers. This presents a conflict for users who want to run Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve on the same machine as Smoke 2013. The

applications can coexist, but since each requires a different I/O card, you’ll have to choose which gets broadcast monitoring.

Smoke uses OpenGL and not CUDA or OpenCL acceleration, so performance from AMD and NVIDIA cards is on even footing. If you run a dual-monitor system, like my setup with two 20” Apple Cinema Displays, you can enable dual-screen preview. This will let you mirror the UI or display a selected viewport, which is most often the current clip but can also be the ConnectFX schematic.

You are best off with two 1920 x 1080 or 1920 x 1200 screens. The scaling function to reduce the full-screen viewer to fit my 1680 x 1050 resolution screen introduced artifacts and affected the performance of the card. Smoke 2013 can function with screen resolutions starting at 1440 x 900, but it’s better to stick to one higher-resolution screen, like a single 27” or 30” Apple Cinema Display or iMac screen. It’s best to run a broadcast monitor connected to an AJA KONA card or Io XT. In that configuration, you can’t use a second computer display to extend the real estate of the Smoke user interface, but you could display the UI from another open application, like Adobe Photoshop.

The ediTing experienceThe reaction to Apple Final Cut Pro X kicked up interest in Smoke. Users who wanted a 64-bit, track-based application that didn’t stray too far from FCP 7’s operational style felt that Smoke 2013 might be the hypothetical “FCP 8.” Autodesk Smoke indeed sports an editing workspace that is closely aligned with the look and feel of Final Cut Pro “legacy,” as well as Adobe Premiere Pro. It even defaults to FCP 7 keyboard shortcut commands. If you can edit in Final Cut (before FCP X) or Premiere Pro, then you can be productive on Smoke with little relearning.

The user interface is divided into three panes: a browser, a viewing area and a workspace. Across the bottom are four tabbed interface pages or modes: MediaHub, Conform, Timeline and Tools. MediaHub is where you search drive locations for files. It is analogous to Adobe’s Media Browser within Premiere Pro. Locate files and drag or import them into the editing browser window. Conform lets you reconcile imported media with edit lists and is also a place to relink media files. Timeline is the standard editing workspace. Tools holds clip tools and utilities such as deinterlacing, pull-down, etc. Each pane changes the information displayed based on the context of that mode. In the Timeline mode, you see viewers and a timeline, but in the

The Timeline mode includes single, double and triptych viewers. The single viewer toggles between the selected source clip and the playhead’s position on the sequence.

in the dual-window source/record view, the Smoke 2013 layout presents a traditional track-based editing interface.

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MediaHub mode, each pane shows completely different information.

Editors will spend most of their day in the Timeline mode. This interface page is organized into the standard editing view, with player windows at the top and a track-based timeline at the bottom. Smoke always loads at least two timelines: the edited sequence and the selected source clip. Effects can be applied to the source clip as well as to clips on the timeline. The viewer pane can display clips on a single, toggled viewer (like FCP X) or traditional source/record windows (like FCP 7). There’s also a thumbnail and a triptych view. The latter is helpful during color correction if you want to display previous/current/next frames for shot matching.

The browser displays all imported source clips for a project. It can be placed on the left, on the right or hidden entirely. Within it, clips can be organized into folders. You may have more than one sequence in a project, but only one project can be open at a time. As you select a clip, it immediately loads into the viewer and timeline window. No double-clicking required.

Smoke is a good, fast editor when it comes to making edits and adjusting clips on the timeline. There are some nice touches in Smoke that are overlooked in other NLEs. For example, Smoke uses track-based audio editing with keyframeable real-time mixing. There is a set of audio filters that can be applied, and the output has a built-in limiter. Formatting for deliverables is built into the export presets, so exporting a 1080p/23.976

sequence as 720p is as simple as picking a preset. The edit commands include the standard insert, overwrite and replace functions, but also some newer ones, like append and prepend. Ripple and snapping are simple on/off toggles.

While editing performance is solid, I would still categorize Smoke 2013 as a finishing tool. You could edit a long-form project from scratch in Smoke, but you certainly wouldn’t want to. It lacks the control necessary for narrative long-

form editing, like detailed custom bin columns, a trim tool, multicamera editing and more. On the other hand, a scripted short-form project, a TV commercial, for example—especially one requiring Smoke’s visual effects tools—could be edited exclusively within Smoke.

The better approach is to do your rough cuts in another desktop NLE and then send the project to Smoke for the remainder. You can import various edit list formats: EDL, XML, FCPXML and AAF. Cut on Final Cut Pro 7/X, Premiere Pro or Media Composer and export an edit decision list in one of these formats for the sequence. Then import and link files in Smoke and you are ready to go. In my testing, XMLs from both FCP 7 and FCP X worked really well, but AAFs from Media Composer were problematic. Typically, Smoke had difficulty in relinking media files when it was an Avid project, most likely due to issues in the AAF.

Come for the effeCtsThe visual effects tools are the big reason most editors would use Smoke 2013 over another NLE. There are four ways to apply effects. The first and easiest is the effects “ribbon” that flies out between the viewers and the timeline. It contains eight standard effects groups: Timewarp, Resize, Text, Color Correction, Spark, Blend, Wipe and Axis. (Spark is the API for third-party filters. GenArts Sapphire is the first effects package for Smoke 2013.) The “ribbon” effects are always applied in the same

A triptych view can be set to display previous/current/next clips for easy shot matching during color correction.

smoke 2013 includes a selection of audio filters, as well as built-in output limiting. on-the-fly automation mixing is also possible.

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order and some are multiple purpose tools. For instance, the Resize effect is automatically applied for format correction, such as a ProRes 4444 clip in a ProRes HQ timeline. When these effects are added to a clip on the timeline, a reduced set of parameters appears in a fly-out panel at the top of the timeline. You can immediately apply and adjust effects in the timeline without having to step deeper until you’ve mastered the simpler methods.

The last effect, Axis, is a “super tool.” It’s the 2.5/3D DVE effect, but you can enter its effects editor and do a whole lot more. Axis lets you add text, lighting and 3D cameras, plus adjust surface properties and surface deformations. Once you enter any of the effects editors, the mode changes and you are in a new user interface specific to the context of that effect. The controls flow left to right and change options according to the selections made. For instance, picking “object” within the Axis effect editor gives you controls to adjust the scale, position and rotation of the clip. Pick “lights” and the control parameters change to those appropriate for lighting.

The third way to build an effect is to select ConnectFX. This brings you into Smoke’s world of node-based compositing, where you are presented with a flowchart schematic, a viewer and a set of filter tools. An effect like Color Correction may be applied directly to the timeline as a single filter or as a filter within a ConnectFX build. It’s entirely up to the comfort level of the editor and the number of additional effects that will be applied to that clip for the final look.

One of the tools in the set is Action, which is a separate compositing method. It forms the fourth way to build effects. You can composite multiple media clips in an Action node, such as a title over a background. Once you step into an Action node, you are presented with that node’s own schematic. Instead of a flowchart, the Action schematic shows parent/child links between layers of the composite, such as a light that is attached to a media clip. Action is where you would make adjustments in

3D camera space. Some tools, like the 3D lens flare effect, are available only in Action.

Smoke detractors make a big deal out of the application’s need to render everything. While this is technically true, I found that a single effect applied from the FX “ribbon” menu to a clip on the timeline will play in real time. If you’ve applied more than one effect to a clip, then usually the last one in this string will be displayed live during playback. When rendering is required, the processing speed is pretty quick. If you export a sequence with unrendered effects, then all effects are first processed (rendered) before the finished, flattened master file is exported.

ConClusionSmoke 2013 is likely to be one of the deepest, most

powerful editing applications you will ever encounter. It’s deceptively simple to start using, but it takes a concentrated effort to master the inner workings of its integrated, node-based compositors. Nevertheless, you can start to be productive without having to tackle those until you are ready.

In an editing world that’s gravitating toward an ever-growing number of canned, one-button preset effects, Smoke 2013 unabashedly gives you the building blocks needed for that last 5 percent of finesse not available from a preset effect. You can even build your own presets to be applied on future projects. That takes time and talent to master. Fortunately Autodesk has gone the extra mile with good tutorials available on its Area community site (area.autodesk.com) and the Smoke Learning Channel on YouTube (youtube.com/user/SmokeHowTos).

Smoke is ideal as a finishing tool in a multi-suite facility, the main system in a creative media shop or the go-to system for broadcast promotion production. It is designed to fulfill the “hero” role and is targeted squarely at the Adobe suite of tools. The sales pitch is to stay within Smoke’s integrated environment rather than bounce among several applications. While

Smoke 2013 largely meets that objective, it still comes down to personal preferences—compositing in nodes versus a track-based tool like After Effects.

Installation is easier than it was, but I’d still like to see Autodesk improve on the activation process—especially for those interested in using more than one machine. Smoke uses a Unix-style file structure, so project files (other than media index and render files) are hidden from the user, making it difficult to move projects from one computer to the next. One hopes Autodesk will expand the hardware options to add more I/O card choices. Smoke 2013 lives up to the commitment Autodesk made at the 2012 NAB Show, but now that it’s a released product, Autodesk has a chance to hone the tool to be more in line with the needs of the target user. dv

When you enter the editor for an effect, a contextual toolset opens to give you access to all of the features of that effect.

The Axis effect is a “super tool” that includes DVE controls, text, lighting and surface deformation parameters.

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Dale Grahn ColorThey say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. It is also the greatest way to learn.

Colorist Dale Grahn has collaborated with CrumplePop on a $3.99 app that lets you learn by imitating one of the best. For those who don’t know, Dale Grahn was Steven Spielberg’s color timer and has literally hundreds of films to his credit. His Spielberg collaborations include Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can and Saving Private Ryan. Other high-profile films

he’s worked on include Gladiator, The Lion King and Die Hard.

The Dale Grahn Color app consists of 21 lessons organized into three levels of difficulty. For each lesson, the dual display shows Grahn’s grade on the left and an original image on the right. Your goal is to match Grahn’s grade. I assure you that it sometimes isn’t all that easy.

The greatest value of the app comes not from adjusting parameters but from watching the video

iPad Editing aPPslust

WHEn YOUR iPad is YOUR POst HOUsEThree Apps for Education and Editing

NeD SOlTz

Hardly a day goes by that I don’t find a new way to use my iPad in pro video work. Here are three quality apps that make my professional life a bit easier.

Product: Dale Grahn Color

Pros: a great way to imitate the master. learn from Dale Grahn’s explanations about how he created specific corrections and looks.

Cons: Deals more with looks than corrections. By its nature, the tutorials cannot get into primary versus secondary corrections. But for what it sets out to do, there are no real negatives.

Bottom Line: a must-have for beginners. a fun tool for honing skills and an opportunity to learn from one of hollywood’s best.

MSRP: $3.99 (iTunes app store)

Online: www.dalegrahncolor.com

Quick Take

videodigital

Excellence Award

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accompanying each image in which Grahn explains his process and the color theory behind the grades he is making. The wonder of this app is that it provides the opportunity to learn from one of cinema’s greatest color masters for less than the price of the latte you shouldn’t be sipping around equipment.

We have advanced from the simple color correction tools found in early NLEs to mass accessibility of powerful color correction suites. Few of us could have imagined just a few years ago that we would have the power of DaVinci Resolve for just $1,000 (or a limited version for free). Or that SpeedGrade would come standard as part of the Adobe Creative Suite.

I am always asked whether certain color grading apps are easy to learn. My answer is always, “Turning the dials and learning the program is easy. Getting the artistic skills and keen eye of the colorist requires talent, knowledge and experience.”

Dale Grahn’s app can’t magically give you talent. Sorry, that app hasn’t been written yet. What it can do is teach you how a colorist thinks, what to look for in an untouched image, how to visualize a look and, finally, how to achieve it.

You can even bring in your own still images for practice and export the correction.

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Complete color grading does differ from color timing. We’re able to look at a whole image in this app and create looks and corrections, though color grading a piece of footage will also involve creating masks (power windows) and a whole range of primary and secondary corrections, keys, tracking and matching shots.

Dale Grahn doesn’t do it all, but it’s a great start. With tutorial levels from beginner to advanced, this is an app from which virtually everyone can benefit.

Pixel Film StudioS PRoCutx

I love control surfaces. PROCUTX is a $24.99 app that turns your iPad into a control sur-face for Apple Final Cut Pro X. The app was

designed by Pixel Film Studios and created by LightWORK Solutions.

PROCUTX installation is a multi-step process. First, buy, download and install the app on your iPad. When you launch the app, you’ll get a message asking for an e-mail address to which Pixel Films will send a server-side app. This small app must be installed on each FCP X system on which you wish to use PROCUTX.

Then launch FCP X on your computer. Under the menu Final Cut Pro-> Commands, import the PROCUTX layout. Under that same menu, select PROCUTX Keyboard Set. Launch PROCUTX on your iPad. A window will appear showing available FCP X installations. Choose the machine on which you are working. For this to work, both the host Mac and the iPad must be on the same wireless network.

From that point, use the iPad to control virtually every FCP X function, from menu items to editing to color boards. Having worked with iPad controllers for other applications, I was pleasantly surprised at the responsiveness of PROCUTX. I found only negligible latency, no hang-ups and, most important, it has not crashed.

Of course, an iPad app does not offer the same tactile feedback as a true control surface. Having

used keyboard commands and a mouse to control FCP X, I definitely needed to make an adjustment to switch to a controller panel. Furthermore, it adds one more device to my crowded workspace.

As apps go, $24.95 is on the pricey side. Also I would like to see a Bluetooth option in addition to Wi-Fi. But for those who like control surfaces, PROCUTX represents a stable, responsive and effective way to control FCP X.

Product: Pixel Film Studios PRoCutx

Pros: Fast, responsive, offers complete control of FCP x on macs running oS x 10.7 and 10.8.

Cons: Somewhat pricey. No tactile feedback. depends on Wi-Fi connection.

Bottom Line: A great tool but not at a bargain price. it works well and you should experience no performance problems. if this is the way you like to work, go for it.

MSRP: $24.99 (itunes app store)

Online: http://store.pixelfilmstudios.com/plugin/app-procutx

Quick Take

videodigital

Excellence Award

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Dan LebentaL toucheDit

I saved the best for last. Award-winning editor Dan Lebental, ACE (Iron Man, Cowboys & Aliens, Elf), has produced

what I can categorically state is the coolest pro video app I’ve ever encountered.

At $49.95, TouchEdit is also one of the more costly apps you will find, but in this age of total iPad production, of cloud-based collaboration and storage, and of editing on the run, it can be one of the most useful apps you own.

TouchEdit works with video files that are readable on the iPad, which means H.264 and .mp4 QuickTime movies, .aiff audio and .jpeg images. In short, it is a touch-controlled source/record two-window NLE accommodating up to eight audio tracks. Load a clip into the source timeline and preview window, edit into the record side. Or load a clip into the record side and drag it over to the source (preview) side. Make simple cuts. Execute insert or overwrite edits. Split clips. Perform three-point edits. Add markers with annotations (called

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paperclips in the app). Add audio. Patch audio to any of the eight channels. Then export a completed QuickTime movie or a Final Cut Pro XML.

Media can be brought into the app in a variety of ways. First, through iTunes sharing. Set up iTunes sharing on your host computer and drag footage into the TouchEdit window. (Consult iTunes help if you don’t know how to do this.) That footage will then sync with the iPad via either USB or Wi-Fi. The second option for media import is via Dropbox. Create an Apps folder with a TouchEdit subfolder in Dropbox, then import the footage from this folder into TouchEdit via your iPad’s Wi-Fi or 3G connection. TouchEdit will also use any material in the video library or iTunes library on your iPad.

TouchEdit is project-based. Create a new project and import media from any

of the sources described above. Media can be imported into a collection, which is the same as a bin for those of us who come from an NLE background.

Add a clip to the source/timeline window. Each filmstrip represents eight frames. Scroll with your finger to find the edit point and make your edit using any of the available tools. You can mark in/out points with finger gestures or the scissors tool. Make a cut with the scissors tool and then drag to the record timeline, which shows up in the record window. Dragging the clip to the left of the center

timeline marker performs an insert edit, while dragging to the right performs an overwrite edit.

There are no transitions or other adjustments. This is an editing tool.

When done, touch export. You then have the option of creating a QuickTime movie or FCP XML. That FCP XML and its footage can be synced back to computer via iTunes sharing or uploaded to Dropbox.

Consider this workflow. Shoot your DSLR footage and transfer it to Dropbox or your notebook computer before getting on the plane for your flight home. Once settled down in your business class

seat (your clients pay for first or business class, I hope) on your Wi-Fi-enabled flight, pull out your iPad, retrieve footage and edit. Export the XML to Dropbox and your colleague back in the edit bay has media and a rough cut even before you’ve collected your baggage.

There is a bit of a learning curve with TouchEdit—and by “a bit” I mean maybe 30 minutes.

Don’t say, ”What, this app is $50?!” Say, “You mean this app is only $50?!” If you’re into iApps, get it. dv

Product: Dan Lebental TouchEdit

Pros: A real editor on your iPad with real-world applications.

Cons: Price. Works only with certain media formats. Cuts-only edits.

Bottom Line: There has never been anything like this on the iPad. It revolutionizes on-the-go editing. There is a lot to be said for a real editor creating apps for editors.

MSRP: $49.95 (iTunes app store)

Online: www.toucheditapp.com

Quick Take

videodigital

Excellence Award

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toolkitAJA VideoHi5-4K And Roi Mini-ConVeRteRsAJA’s Hi5-4K Mini-Converter provides a simple monitoring connection from professional 4K devices using four 3G-SDI outputs to new and upcoming consumer 4K displays equipped with 4K-capable 1.4a HDMI inputs. Compatible with HD workflows, Hi5-4K is also a flexible Mini-Converter for HD workflows requiring 3G/HD-SDI to HDMI conversion. Hi5-4K is shipping soon for $595.

The ROI Mini-Converter allows high-quality conversion and real-time scaling of computer DVI-D and HDMI outputs to baseband video over SDI. With extensive audio functionality, quality image scaling, and aspect and frame rate conversion, ROI seamlessly incorporates computer signals into video production. ROI is available now for $995. www.aja.com

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Radiant imagesnovoNovo is a miniature digital cinema camera that Radiant Images is positioning as a competitor to GoPro’s HERO3. Radiant Images collaborated on the design and function of Novo with creator View Factor Studios. Novo is available for rent only exclusively at Radiant Images in the U.S. and P+S Technik in Europe. Key features of the Novo include a C mount lens system and PL mount adapter, back focus adjustment and manual exposure control capabilities, as well as a touchscreen LCD, power backpack and Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless camera control. Novo shoots 2K and 4K resolution, in addition to HD. www.novocamera.com

g-technologyg-dRive PRo with thundeRboltG-Technology’s new external hard drive, G-DRIVE PRO with Thunderbolt, supports high-resolution digital content creation workflows by combining expanded hard drive capacity (2 TB and 4 TB models) and SSD-like performance. The device offers sustained data transfer rates of up to 480 MB/s. Optimal for Thunderbolt-enabled Mac systems, G-DRIVE PRO with Thunderbolt is easily transportable. It provides dual Thunderbolt ports for future external storage expansion and to daisy-chain with other Thunderbolt-enabled devices. It easily supports compressed 4K and multiple streams of 2K, HDV, DVCPRO HD, XDCAM HD, ProRes 4444 and uncompressed SD workflows. The G-DRIVE PRO with Thunderbolt is expected to be available this summer for $849.95 (4 TB model) and $699.95 (2 TB). www.g-technology.com

ikegami and aRRihdk-97aRRi cameRaAnnounced at the 2013 NAB Show, the HDK-97ARRI camera combines an ARRI large-format Super 35mm CMOS sensor with the body of an Ikegami Unicam HD docking-style camera. The result is a broadcast-style production camera with digital cinema characteristics suitable for multi-camera studio and field applications. A 3G transmission system transports video from camera

head to CCU, as well as 3G transmission from CCU to camera head supporting return video in HD, two channels of prompter video in SD and, when using the CCU-970M, one channel of prompter video in HD. www.ikegami.com

maRshall electRonicsQvw-2710 Quad-vieweR monitoRMarshall’s 27” QVW-2710 quad-viewer monitor features 2560 x 1440 (QHD) native resolution. The unit’s four independent 3G-SDI inputs allow users to view four channels at once scaled to the highest resolution, taking advantage of the convenience of an all-in-one monitor without sacrificing the visual quality of the four input sources. Three different quad layouts are available, and the side-by-side mode allows any two consecutive channels to be viewed on the screen at one time. The on-screen display shows embedded timecode and embedded audio presence indicators, and a closed caption presence indicator for 608/708 captions. The QVW-2710 is expected to ship in late summer. www.lcdracks.com

newtek3Play 4800NewTek’s 3Play 4800 is a multi-camera replay server for live sports production. The turnkey system offers sports producers access to redundant capture, sophisticated visual effects, live replay switching, high quality slow motion and social media publishing. Redundant capture of up to four live video sources doubles up ISO recordings and protects all media assets. Users can also choose to simultaneously record all eight inputs as separate camera feeds to add more angles as needed. With live replay switching, users can monitor all angles during replay and transition between them video-switcher style. 3Play 4800 is available now for $39,995. www.newtek.com

ToolkiT

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Sony ElEctronicSPMW-400 caMcordErJoining Sony’s XDCAM HD422 lineup, the PMW-400 shoulder-mount camcorder uses 2/3-inch

Exmor Full HD 3CMOS to deliver images with high sensitivity and low noise ideal for live production or ENG. Noise reduction technology built into the system

processes images to achieve a S/N ratio of 60dB, according to the

company. The camcorder supports MPEG-2 HD422 at 50 Mb/s, HD420 at 35 and 25 Mb/s, MPEG IMX at 50 Mb/s, and DVCAM. The viewfinder features 960 x 540 resolution, with improved contrast and viewing angles.

Via firmware update later this year, the PMW-400 will incorporate an internal Flash Band Reducer to detect and process flash banding inside the camcorder before recording begins. Planned future enhancements include file browsing management, proxy file preview, stream viewing of camera signals, proxy and high-resolution file transfer, metadata input and remote camera control. The PMW-400 is expected to be available in August. pro.sony.com

ToolkiT

rEd GiantBullEtProofBulletProof is an offload, prep and delivery solution for footage designed to simplify the tedious tasks filmmakers face on set every day. Bridging the gap between camera and editor, BulletProof combines all backup, or-ganization, color and delivery tasks while handling footage from multiple cameras and media cards. BulletProof eliminates the process of manually copying media cards to hard drives by including a reliable, check-sum-verified process for backing up footage. Bul-letProof will be released as a free public beta this spring. BulletProof v1.0 is expected to ship this summer for $199, first for Mac OS and later for the Windows platform. www.redgiant.com

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B ack in 1987, Canon chose the EOS acro-nym for its first DSLR camera partially to honor Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn.

In more scientific terms, EOS also stands for “Electro-Optical System.” That first Canon EOS model, the 650 (discontinued in 1989), heralded Canon’s breakthrough microprocessor-controlled autofocus system, which used a fully electronic interface between the lens and the camera in the form of the BASIS sensor that drove the ultrasonic motor system.

With the release of the Canon EOS-1D C in January, Canon has stepped up to onboard 4K recording at 24p and HD shooting at a wide range of frame rates up to 60p.

“Back in the second half of 2008, when our Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera came out, despite its explosive popularity, we heard a call from the digital filmmaking community for a new line of ‘cinema EOS’ products,” says Chuck Westfall, technical advisor for Canon professional engineering and solutions. “The EOS C300 [“C” for “Cinema”] was launched on Nov. 3, 2011, at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, and that same day we had a prototype of the Canon EOS-1D C under a glass case.”

The final product is the first compact SLR form factor camera that can shoot high resolution raw or .jpeg stills (5184 x 3456) at the same time as 4K (4096 x 2160) video. “Our goal was to make an all-purpose 18.1 megapixel CMOS camera that would combine the best qualities of still and video shooting,” Westfall explains. “Actually, it is based on our Canon EOS-1D X, sharing the same body, sensor and processor. But while the 1D X carries a price tag of $6,800, the Canon EOS-1D C retails for about $12,000. Of course, primary among the half-dozen features justifying the additional cost is 4K capture.”

The EOS-1D C records its 4K signal with YUV 4:2:2 (8-bit) color sampling in Motion JPEG format

4K FORAYSFirst Footage from the Canon EOS-1D C Camera

JAY ANKENEY

Learn CAnOn EOS-1D C USERS

From Philip Bloom’s “Bitten by the Frost” music video for Olly Knights, which was shot in part with a Canon EOS-1D C

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From Michael Sutton’s “4K Aquarium,” which he shot in 4K at the New England Aquarium with a Canon EOS-1D C

Left and below: From Andrew Wonder’s short film “Killing Me Softly,” which he

shot with a Canon EOS-1D C

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to onboard CompactFlash cards. All of the motion imaging formats may be recorded either as normal gamma-corrected video or with Canon Log. The camera’s record start/stop functions can be remotely controlled by EOS Utility Software via a wireless file transmitter (WFT) unit.

Shooters will appreciate that Canon has given the Canon EOS-1D C the ability to exceed the 29 minute 59 second clip limit imposed by the European Union tax regulations on DSLR camcorders. This 4K design is able to record as long as your memory card’s capacity can accommodate, or provide clean HDMI Full HD out to an external recorder until its hard drives are filled.

Andrew wonderSeveral digital cinematographers have been conducting elaborate tests with the Canon EOS-1D C. Andrew Wonder, an independent director/

cinematographer based in New York City, got his hands on one of the first models

last January and has posted some test results online (http://andrewwonder.com/1dctests), with more to come. He’s also shared a short film he shot with the EOS-1D C, “Killing Me Softly,” on Vimeo. Although the video shows

off very interesting pre-color-corrected 4K footage from the EOS-1D C, be warned that you won’t want to go out for a lobster dinner after watching it.

“Whether 4K is actually worth the jump over HD is a really funny question,”

Wonder says. “Canon is using Motion JPEG Canon eoS-1d C

From Andrew wonder’s “Killing Me Softly”

Andrew wonder

Watch Andrew Wonder’s short film “Killing Me Softly”: vimeo.com/58081462

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compression [for 4K video], which is not super efficient. That means the file sizes are huge, up to 4 GB per minute. However, it does give you more grading latitude than the EOS 5D Mark III,” with its 1920 x 1080 HD files recorded with IPB or ALL-I compression.

Wonder has identified three aspects of Canon EOS-1D C video recording that set the camera apart. “First, it records 4K to CompactFlash cards. Second, it has an HDMI mirroring mode, which means we can plug an HDMI cable into an external HD monitor and still see the images on the camera’s own LCD display. Third, the unlimited record time is very convenient, especially for interviews.”

He has had a bit of concern over the Canon Log setting, though. “When you are shooting 8-bit with these heavily compressed images, you simply

don’t have that much latitude for subsequent color correction,” he says. “In an 8-bit color space, you don’t have a lot of bits to play with. Canon Log’s linear curve drops the middle grey down to about 32 percent.”

On the other hand, Canon claims, “When using Canon Log gamma, the EOS-1D C can provide a dynamic range of up to 800 percent at ISO 320 or higher.”

Michael SuttonMichael Sutton is a freelance videographer who also works for Rule Boston Camera, which often receives new cameras before the rest of us.

Right off he praised the long-life batteries of the Canon EOS-1D C that can record up to one and a half hours of video to its CF cards on a single charge. “In addition, I cannot find another

above and below: From Michael Sutton’s “4K aquarium”


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Take 1 Insurance’s specialized DICE Production Package has designed global coverage for independent film and production companies, offering Cast Coverage; Props, Sets & Wardrobe coverage; Negative film and Faulty stock coverage; Third Party Property Damage and coverage for most animals used in filming. In addition, the program contemplates stunts, multi-location shoots and multiple days of principal photography in developing comprehensive all-lines insurance programs.

“The film production industry is cyclical,” Take 1 Insurance Program Director Scott Carroll explained. “For long periods of time the studios are the only ones doing film production on any significant scale. Often, when their schedules become full, the only way an independent filmmaker can get their project off the ground is to produce it him or herself.”

Carroll wants the vast world of independent film producers to remember that there are options for them to get their movies properly insured. Through a major entertainment insurance carrier, Take 1 Insurance offers full feature film production insurance for budgets starting at $1,000,000. Through this program, the independent film maker can feel free to focus on their primary task at hand, which is to create memorable feature films that people want to buy and see.

“The bottom line is this,” he emphasized. “Any independent feature film or content creator who thinks that they cannot afford to protect their product, on their own, the way the studios do when they buy a project is just dead wrong. It is time that this misplaced perception disappear and we’re doing our best to make this community understand that. Since our introduction of specialized DICE production packages, Take 1 Insurance has quoted policies for several independent feature film projects, each with an average production budget of $16-million, and there are many more in the pipeline.”

One of the key strengths offered by Take 1 Insurance, Carroll emphasized, is access to the same coverage for the independent filmmaker usually reserved only for the major studios. This affords a level of expertise in the unique world of production insurance at an affordable price for independent producers, who shouldn’t “roll the DICE” until they talk to Take 1 Insurance.

For more information visit www.take1insurance.com.

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Michael Sutton

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camera with an ISO range up to 6400 that can still bring back a broadcastable image,” Sutton says.

Sutton has found the extended record time invaluable. “Recently we went to the Boston Museum of Science with two 128 GB cards, and we shot up to 32 minutes of 4K on each card without any limitations or overheating. Of course, the clean HDMI 1080p out also lets you feed an external HD recorder like a [Sound Devices] PIX 240, and the quality is impressive.”

When writing for Wide Open Camera (www.wideopencamera.com), where he posts weekly blogs, Sutton has commented on technical issues such as using PL mount lenses on the Canon EOS-1D C with an adapter.

He could recommend some improvements, such as giving this video camera’s LCD display focus peaking or false color options. He also looks forward to a “magnify while recording” feature to aid in focusing.

Of course, you can get several focus assist features with an external monitor, but Sutton says, “I like to use the camera without too many external devices so we can sort of shoot incognito with it. After all, it looks like a compact still camera to casual passers-by.”

But it’s the Canon EOS-1D C’s 4K capability

that really impresses him. Recently he shot a video called “4K Aquarium” at the New England Aquarium set to music composed by Pierre Gerwig Langer.

“They never would have let me take a larger camera like the Canon EOS C500 in there for a whole night,” he says. “But like I said, the size of the Canon EOS-1D C lets you shoot without being obtrusive. You are probably going to get interviews with people who would be intimidated by larger-body cameras.”

Sutton adds, “This is a fantastic camera that puts you in a position that other videographers may not be able to match.”

PhiliP BloomOne of the major voices in the indie film circuit, Philip Bloom, has written a blog and video review of the EOS-1D C camera (philipbloom.net/2013/01/27/1dc/). Bloom recently completed a music video for singer/songwriter Olly Knights titled “Bitten by the Frost” that was shot in part with an EOS-1D C. (Bloom also shot some behind the scenes footage of the project that’s available online: vimeo.com/61211212 and vimeo.com/61182476.)

Initially Bloom was skeptical about the EOS-1D C. “To be honest, I wasn’t interested in getting it due to the cost, the lack of 25p in 4K and my move away from DSLRs as my main cameras,” he recalls. “But I was given the opportunity to try one out by Canon U.K., and unfortunately I fell in

love with it.”It turned out to be a perfect fit as the B-camera

on his run-and-gun music shoot. “For me, it’s

the most compact and easy to use 4K acquisition tool,” Bloom says. “You can throw it in a shoulder

bag and it maintains that whole discreet way of filming which DSLRs brought about. It’s perfect for documentary and filming in places without permission—not that one would ever do that.”

However, with familiarity came recommendations for improvement. “The camera needs video assist functions such as peaking, waveform and digital punch-in while recording,” he says. “Obviously audio is an issue, but that is

a physical problem and common to all DSLRs. I also think the 4K recording desperately needs to be 10-bit as it can be prone to substantial banding, which causes issues needing to be fixed in post. The codec itself isn’t ideal and they should look at licensing something more efficient.”

As an established fan of Canon cameras, does Bloom feel the Canon EOS 1D C is worth almost twice the price of the Canon EOS 1D X? “Because there is no other camera that does what it does, the Canon 1D C is a tricky one to price,” he says. “It’s a few thousand more than a 1D X, which is a great DSLR, but the video features of the 1D C surpass it hugely. And it’s a few thousand less than a C300, which is a superior HD video camera. The best way I can sum it up is that it’s worth the price but costs too much!”

Canon SuPPortAs evidence of its commitment to filmmakers, Canon has established an appointment-only Professional Technology & Support Center at Sunset and Gower in Hollywood, in addition to its online support network (pro.usa.canon.com/support).

Canon has announced its intention to upgrade the Canon EOS-1D C to 25p by the end of April. dv

Shooting “Bitten by the Frost,” Philip Bloom is behind the camera


Philip Bloom

Watch the music video Philip Bloom shot for Olly Knights, “Bitten by the Frost”: http://vimeo.com/61174671

Watch Michael Sutton’s “4K Aquarium”: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxmLhqivGiE

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TIPS TO CLIP DICK REIZNER

InternatIonal rulerTo determine how much cable I need for a project, I use a rolling ruler like those used by police officers at accident scenes. The problem is that camera cables, which are usually made in Japan, are labeled in meters and the roller, made in the USA, measures in feet. To bring peace between the nations, I printed a small label listing the conversions for the most common cable lengths and pasted it on the roller.

82 ft. = 25 m164 ft. = 50 m246 ft. = 75 m328 ft. = 100 m

avaIlable lIghtIncrease the brightness of available light during a field shoot by replacing the bulbs in table lamps and other practical fixtures with photo floods or 300 watt normal lamps. Watch out for overheating.

On the other hand, a low-wattage bulb can be useful in dimming a too-bright desk lamp without the color shift a dimmer would cause.

Bouncing light off the ceiling can also boost the level with a natural soft look, but be sure to look up first. A ceiling painted anything but white can throw off your color balance. I have corrected that situation by bouncing the light off a large white card stapled to the ceiling. The tiny holes in the ceiling made by normal desk staples usually cannot be seen from floor level.

SwItchIng the tall oneSA short length of AC cable with a male on one end, a female on the other and a switch in the middle can be used to control a lighting instrument when its switch is out of reach.

locatIon locatIonMany generic locations can be simulated by shooting in the display area of a furniture sales warehouse. Both interior and exterior locations can be found at a housing tract’s model homes after hours. Office supply companies often have a range of setups that look like anything from the CEO’s office to a cubicle.

Remember, “It doesn’t have to be. It just has to look like it is.”

whIch MIc IS whIchColor-coding mics for identification is an old trick, and it’s especially important with handheld wireless mics, which can change positions without warning. David Stroud of San Jose, Calif., says many sound techs use colored tape or windscreens on the microphone. Tape of the same color is applied at the mixer to the channel’s control knob or slider.

With wired mics, I usually put a piece of the colored tape on the microphone end XLR connector during setup. That makes it obvious if the mic is being plugged into the wrong cable.

Learn

babel buSterConducting an interview in which the talent speaks only English and the subject speaks only a foreign language can be simplified with this tip from Paul Surgion of Washington, D.C.

Paul makes use of the four audio tracks available to him by putting the talent on track 1, the subject on 2, the interpreter on 3 and the camera mic on 4 as a backup. In post, he eliminates the translator’s repeat of the questions and mixes the subject’s answer with the translator’s English version.

I used a different method when I worked as a

reporter for the United States Information Agency. Most of my subjects spoke some English, but the agency wanted the entire interview in the foreign language for broadcast overseas.

I would ask the question in English and the sub-ject would answer in their language, then tell me in English what he or she said. I would then formulate the next question and ask it in English, and the pro-cess continued. I also recorded a minute or so of ambient sound.

Later, back in the Washington newsroom, my voice was replaced with that of a native speaker asking my questions, blended with the ambience.

Share Your tIPNow it’s your turn to share a favorite shooting or production tip or question with your fellow professionals. Please send e-mails to [email protected]. All submissions become the property of Reizner & Reizner. None can be returned.

DV_05_13_v5.indd 70 4/18/13 1:15 PM

compiled by ned Soltz

Instant expert CAPTURE, SHARE, COMPARESOCiAl VidEO fOR fUn And PROfiT


iTEM/ COnTACT COMPAnY MSRP wHAT'S nEw & OTHER COMMEnTS

You'll find links to these products at creativeplanetnetwork.com/dv/May2013.

Socialmatic SocialmaticSocialmatic is an instant camera that bridges the gap between virtual and the real world. The hardware will have 16 GB of internal mass storage with Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, together with an SC-HD slot for external mass storage. In addition to shooting stills, applying photo filters and uploading to the Socialmatic network or other social networks, Socialmatic will also print photos like a Polaroid camera. The company expects to launch the Socialmatic camera in early 2014.

TBA

Koozoo Koozoo iPhone app that invites users to shoot videos and create a network of virtual cameras in a given area. Currently it’s active in San Francisco and Austin. Koozoo has social networking uses for sure, but it’s also a great way to promote an event or drive traffic to a showing. Just a start-up now, Koozoo is slated to include more cities in the future.www.koozoo.com

Free

Viddy Viddy Inc. Another video sharing app. Shoot videos up to 30 seconds with an iOS device, add pre-baked musi-cal tracks and effects, then share on social networks. New in version 2.3, users can pull multiple clips from the camera roll, use new filters, edit thumbnails and tumble the best content. Viddy is a fantastic marketing and promotion tool beyond its consumer appeal.www.viddy.com

Free

youtube capture

YouTube This free app enables live video capture from your iOS device and uploads directly to your YouTube account. Never minimize the power of YouTube to get your name and product out there! Features include automatic image enhancements, including color correction, stabilization and trimming.

www.youtube.com/capture

Free

icinegraph ShiftPix Representative of a class of apps that creates animated photos (“cinegraphs,” in which some things in the frame are in motion and some are still) from a still or video and then uploads to social sites. Users may also save the cinegraph to use in other productions. Select a segment of an image and apply the animation you desire.www.icinegraph.com

$0.99

live photo HP HP Live Photo is a free app that lets users share glimpses of their life with Facebook friends by creating photos that launch short personal videos. The app uses augmented reality to make live photos spring to life. Use HP Live Photo to share special moments, create unique invitations and send personalized messages.www.hp.com/go/livephoto

Free

Wmt live iphone App

Mobile ViewpointWMT Live turns your iPhone into a live broadcast camera capable of sending HD-quality video to Mobile Viewpoint’s cloud server, which can deliver it to any broadcaster as an SDI or streaming feed. The app is part of the WMT family of products, which use bonded mobile networks to send high quality video from anywhere. Besides live, the client can record the video (.mov) and send to WMT server and FTP server. Crosses into the newsgathering and broadcast worlds.www.mobileviewpoint.com

Free

Socialcam 5.0 Autodesk Socialcam is a video sharing platform from Autodesk that supports 720p HDR video and offers filters and color correction capabilities. Videos are stored in the cloud and are viewable from any device. It hooks into most social networking sites. With Socialcam, some of the renowned technol-ogy of Autodesk is available in a free iOS app.socialcam.com

Free

Vine Vine Labs We mention Vine despite the fact that this app had some early issues with inappropriate content being blasted by its users. Consider it a case study in the pros and cons of video sharing. Vine is basically a video version of Instagram. Envision how you as a pro could leverage it.

vine.co

Free

Vimeo 3.01 Vimeo Not to be outdone by YouTube, Vimeo offers an app both for viewing and creating videos. I prefer Vimeo for its more “pro” features, and this app provides a convenient gateway to your Vimeo account.

vimeo.com

Free

www.social-matic.com

DV_05_13_v5.indd 71 4/18/13 1:16 PM

Untitled-4 1 2/14/13 10:28 AM

Untitled-4 1 2/14/13 10:29 AM


DV101

L ast month in DV101 I examined the issue of infrared contamination. I discussed the problems of IR radiation with digital cameras, especially when light is severely attenuated with neutral density filters. A couple

months ago I spent a day at CamTec Motion Picture Cameras with cinematog-raphers Christopher Probst, Phil Holland and Jesse Brunt to test a number of infrared-cutting filters on both the RED EPIC and the ARRI Alexa. Last month I shared the results of tests with the RED EPIC; this month we’ll revisit that test and see how our filters worked on the Alexa.

Filters tested■ Tiffen ND 1.8

Traditional neutral density filter in 1.8 (-6 stop) density with no additional infrared filtration. Used as a control to provide a basis of comparison.

■ Tiffen Full Spectrum IRND 1.8Combining an infrared filter and 1.8 ND filter, this offering cuts down wavelengths equally until 680 nm, at which point it cuts off sharply to cut IR contamination.

■ Tiffen Hot MirrorIntroduced in 2008, the Hot Mirror filter cuts only IR radiation and does not affect light. These filters start at 700 nm and continue to block IR all the way through the 1,000 nm range.

■ Tiffen T1An IR-cutting filter that incorporates a slight green hue that helps to reduce oversaturated reds that can bleed and cause trouble in standard definition signals.

■ Formatt Hitech Prostop IRND 1.8Introduces a slight blue cast to a neutral density and infrared-cutting filter.

JAy HoLBEN

FILTRATION SITUATIONInvestigating Infrared-Cutting Filters for ARRI’s Alexa

Learn

the control image. this is how correction should look if it’s working properly and eliminating ir contamination. refer to this reference when interpreting the quality of the filtration being used.

DV_05_13_v5.indd 74 4/18/13 1:16 PM

Untitled-3 1 2/11/13 3:33 PM


Formatt states that this design is intended for outdoor photographers to optimize the image while reducing IR contamination.

■ Formatt Hitech Hot Mirror ND 1.8A neutral density and Hot Mirror combined in a single filter.

■ Schneider Optics ND 1.5Classic ND without IR filtration. Used as a control.

■ Schneider Optics True-Cut IR-750Schneider’s version of a Hot Mirror, this filter lets light through but blocks wavelengths starting at 750 nm, allowing more red wavelengths through before cutting infrared.

■ Schneider Optics Platinum IRND 1.5With a cut starting at 700 nm, Schneider’s premium line of IRND filters incorporates IR filtration into standard ND.

Although our tests show that some of these filters are more effective than others on either the EPIC or the Alexa, it’s important to note that every sensor reacts to IR differently—you need a different filter or filter combination for each camera in order to best eliminate the contamination in your image. While one filter might not work for one camera, it’s probable it will work well for another.

We shot the Alexa to SxS cards in ProRes 422 to simplify our workflow.

The test scene was lit with a tungsten 1K Fresnel to a stop of f/16 at 500 ISO. We then incorporated various ND and NDIR filters, cutting the exposure down to T2 or T2.8 (depending on the strength of the ND available) to find the best combination for this camera.

As I discussed last month, the key for the EPIC was to incorporate a Hot Mirror filter. Any manufacturer’s IRND filter in combination with a Hot Mirror or a True-Cut 750 produced amazing results, although we found that the Tiffen IRND + Hot Mirror combination yielded the best results.

ARRI has incorporated a very effective IR cut filter on the Alexa that acts the same as a Hot Mirror on the sensor’s filter stack, so the Alexa already deals with IR contamination extremely well. If you look at the EPIC with ND only compared to the Alexa with ND only, you see that the EPIC’s image is severely compromised, while only the reds in the Alexa image are biased; the rest of Alexa’s image retains its color fidelity and contrast. Because the Alexa already incorporates an effective Hot Mirror, adding a second Hot Mirror in front of the lens has no effect. If anything, it slightly desaturates the reds, but it is an extremely subtle result.

As with the EPIC test results, I’ll simplify here and just look at the bottom left of the test image, which includes the black nylon material and the

X-Rite ColorChecker Classic color check target.The next two frames show the results of using

only basic ND, which stops the light but allows the

Using traditional ND filters, without additional IR control, we easily see the effects of the IR contamination in the image from the EPIC camera (top left and right) and the considerably less, yet still noticeable, contamination with the Alexa.

Four Formatt filter combinations.

DV_05_13_v5.indd 76 4/18/13 1:16 PM


infrared radiation through. You can see the ugly bias not only in the blacks but in all the colors in the image. The IR cut filter inside the Alexa does a considerably better job at dealing with infrared contamination even without additional filtration. The blacks in the image are still compromised, but the overall contrast and color fidelity are much more sound.

We’ll start with select combinations from the Formatt line of filters. All three of the Formatt Prostop filter iterations had excellent results on the Alexa. The T1 adds green to the image, deliberately, and I don’t see an immediate benefit to that. Perhaps in an environment with a lot of red, the additional green can help balance out the image, but that’s purely supposition and not evidenced in our test here.

The Prostop IRND alone does very good work with the IR, and the addition of the True-Cut has no discernible effect on the IR or overall color. The clear winner here is the Formatt Prostop IRND filter.

Interestingly, the T1 plays a strong role in the first iteration. With just straight Schneider ND and the T1, we see there’s a deeper loss of light (we should have opened up another 1/3 stop), but the T1 cleans up the red in the blacks pretty well. The Schneider straight ND with the True-Cut 750 filter

doesn’t get the job done. We still see quite a bit of red contamination in the image. Basically the True-Cut is cutting the same range as the Alexa’s internal IR filter, so it’s ineffective as an additional tool here. We get a significantly better result with Schneider’s Platinum IRND filter, which clears up the red, trues up the colors and is an exceptional filter for use with the Alexa. Finally, combining the T1 with the Platinum IRND puts too much green in the image for my taste. Although this is correctable, it’s not necessary. The Platinum IRND does the job fine by itself and doesn’t need additional help.

When it comes to Tiffen, the results are pretty clear. The Hot Mirror and True-Cut 750 have no effect. The T1 puts green into the image, and I can’t see any benefit to that with Alexa. The clear winner with Tiffen is the IRND filter, which cleans up the contamination beautifully.

The key to EPIC filtration was to use an IRND in combination with a Hot Mirror or a True-Cut 750. With the ARRI Alexa, an additional Hot Mirror is of no benefit, nor is a filter like the True-Cut 750; it needs a wider range of IR/red cutting to eliminate the contamination.

The various Schneider filters on the ARRI Alexa.

(continued on page 80)

DV_05_13_v5.indd 77 4/18/13 1:17 PM

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HDR-TD30V3D Flash Memory HD Camcorder

• Dual 1/3.91 back-illuminated Exmor-R CMOS sensors

• Record to SD/SDHC/SDXC MS PRO-HG Duo & XC-HG media

• 1920 x 1080 Full HD 24p/60p video• Sony G series wide 10x 17x extended zoom lens• 3.5" (16:9) LCD screen & Color viewfinder • 5.1-ch recording • Optical image stabilizer with Active mode• Watch 3D on 3.5" (16:9) LCD without special glasses• Built-in GPS • Microphone & headphone input

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Digital Video 05-2013 JN130324.indd 2 4/4/13 10:51 AM

80

Adam Wilt..................................................45Adobe ............................................48, 53, 57AJA Video ........................................8, 52, 61AMD ..........................................................53Andrew Wonder ........................................66Anton/Bauer .............................................45Apple ....8, 20, 28, 31, 39, 48, 52, 56, 62, 63, 71Aquafadas .................................................50ARRI ........................10, 22, 26, 34, 38, 62, 74Autodesk.................................... 8, 51, 52, 71Avid ......................................................28, 34Bad Robot Productions ............................12Beast ............................................................8Blackmagic Design .............................42, 57Boinx Software ..........................................50California Institute of the Arts .................30CamMate Systems ....................................28CamTec Motion Picture Cameras ...........74Canon Inc. .....................................38, 43, 64Carl Zeiss .............................................26, 44CineFlare ...................................................50Cinétévé ....................................................37Click 3X ......................................................10Codex Digital ............................................22Company 3 ..................................................8Cooke Optics .......................................25, 26CrumplePop ........................................50, 56Dan Lebental ............................................59Dashwood Cinema Solutions ..................50David Eubank............................................28Divergent Media .......................................45Dropbox.....................................................60DVShade ....................................................50Facebook .............................................16, 71

Formatt Hitech ..........................................74FOX ............................................................10Futurismo ..................................................50FX Network ...............................................26G-Technology ............................................62Gaumont International Television ..........38GenArts .....................................................54Gentleman Scholar ...................................14GoPro ...................................................38, 62HBO ...............................................19, 26, 33HP ..............................................................71idustrial revolution ...................................50IFC Midnight .............................................30Ikegami ......................................................62Imagine Products .....................................46Indiegogo ..................................................16Instagram ..................................................71Jimmy Jib ...................................................28K-Tek ..........................................................45Kelvin Optical ...........................................12Kenko Tokina Corp. ..................................44Kickstarter .................................................16Kingston Technology Corp. .....................45Koozoo .......................................................71Lee Filters ..................................................24Leica ..........................................................10LightWORK Solutions ..............................58Litepanels ..................................................44Logan ...........................................................6Luca Visual FX ..........................................50Manhattan Edit Workshop .......................44Marshall Electronics .................................62Method Studios...........................................8Metropolitan Museum of Art ...................12

Microsoft ...................................................63Mobile Viewpoint .....................................71Modern VideoFilm ...................................22Molinare ....................................................82MTV ...........................................................10Museum of the Moving Image ...................6Nattress Productions ................................50Netflix ........................................................38NewTek ............................................8, 14, 62Nikon .........................................................44Noise Industries ........................................48nVeil ...........................................................50NVIDIA ......................................................53OConnor ...................................................10Otto Nemenz .............................................10P+S Technik ...............................................62Paramount Studios ...................................64PBS .............................................................36Philip Bloom .............................................68Philips ........................................................82PHYX .........................................................50Pixel Film Studios .....................................58Radiant Images .........................................62RED Digital Cinema .....................26, 47, 74Red Giant ...................................................63Ripple Training .........................................50Rule Boston Camera .................................67Running Man ............................................28SanDisk Corp. ...........................................45Schneider Optics ................................24, 76Sennheiser ................................................45SGO ............................................................12Sheffield Softworks ...................................50ShiftPix ......................................................71

Sigma .........................................................44Socialmatic ................................................71Sony Electronics .............................8, 47, 63Sound Devices ..........................................68South by Southwest Festival ....................14SquidFX .....................................................50Stupid Raisins ...........................................50SUGARfx ....................................................50Tamron ......................................................44TEAC Corp. ...............................................82Technicolor ...............................................38Thales Angenieux .........................10, 25, 28The Mill L.A. ..............................................12Tiffen ..........................................................74Tokyo Productions ....................................50Tumblr .......................................................71Union Made Creative .................................8Viddy Inc. ..................................................71View Factor Studios ..................................62Vimeo ..................................................66, 71Vine Labs ...................................................71Vision Research ........................................12Walt Disney Studios ....................................8Whitney Museum .....................................14Wide Open Camera ..................................68Wooden Camera .......................................45X-Rite .........................................................76Yanobox .....................................................50YouTube ........................................68, 71, 82yU+co ...........................................................8Zacuto ........................................................45

company Index

The internal IR filter in the Alexa does a great job all by itself; there’s little to no need for additional IR cutting if you’re using ND of 0.9 or less. Above 0.9, you need an additional IRND filter with a wider cut range than the internal one, which cuts off somewhere above 700 nm. ARRI specifically left that cut higher, just outside the visible range, because the higher wavelengths of red light are necessary to obtain pleasing skin tones.

The filters that worked well for the Alexa were the Tiffen IRND, Formatt Prostop IRND and Schneider Platinum IRND. I saw no real benefit in incorporating the T1 with any of those filters.

Across the board, the Alexa handles infrared radiation better than the EPIC because it already has a good IR filter built into the sensor’s filter stack. Only wider-range IRND filters add to that cut to clean up contamination from the use of heavy ND filters.

It’s important to reiterate that the filter combinations that worked well for the ARRI Alexa or RED EPIC may not work as well for other cameras and sensors. Every camera requires its own filtration solutions to combat IR contamination,

and only by testing can tell you what the right combination is. Although some of these filters were less than effective for the Alexa or the EPIC, that doesn’t mean the filters don’t work—they may work wonderfully for another camera system. dv

DV101


(continued from page 77)

The clear winner from Tiffen is the IRND filter.

DV_05_13_v5.indd 80 4/18/13 1:23 PM


Classifieds Marketplace

advertiser index

Adorama 17,49,57 adorama.com

AJA 29 aja.com

Azden 25 azdencorp.com

B&H Photo-Video-Pro Audio 78, 79 bhphotovideo.com

Blackmagic Design 7 blackmagic-design.com

Glidecam 45 glidecam.com

Ikan 9 ikancorp.com

International Supplies 59, 61 internationalsupplies.com

JVC 21 pro.jvc.com

Kino Flo 35 kinoflo.com

Litepanels Inc. 11 litepanels.com

Mac Tech LED 51 www.mactechled.com

Mobile Studios 47 www.MobileStudios.com

Mole-Richardson 63 www.mole.com

Nikon 15 nikonusa.com

Panasonic Broadcast 5 panasonic.com/broadcast

Primera 13 primera.com

Shutterstock 84 footage.shutterstock.com

Take 1 Insurance 67 take1insurance.com

Varizoom 72,73,77 varizoom.com

Videoguys 23 videoguys.com

Zeiss 2 zeiss.com

Company page Web site Company page Web site

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DV_05_13_Class.ID5.indd 81 4/18/13 4:20 PM


production diary

I make a little film—no, I mean video—for Mary. She comes here, sees it once and loves it.

“Put it on our YouTube channel and make me a couple of DVDs.”

“Want to see it again?”“No, it’s perfect. Send me the invoice.”A week later, via e-mail: “Stefan, we all love it but the

general feeling is we should add a title at the start. Ken has written some words....”

How come last week it was perfect and now it needs a title?

“Mary, while making changes in video is easy, YouTube will not let you insert shots into an existing video. I’ll have to replace it with a new video. Oh, and shall I scrap the two DVDs?”

“Sorry Stefan, I thought you could just add a title.”How I hate changes, and who’s this guy Ken? I find his web site. OMG, he’s

a multimedia consultant. Spare me!

Days of Wine anD RosesIt wasn’t always like this. In the good old days of film—yes, I mean film—when finished and client-approved, the whole lot went off to the lab.

The ice froze over and changes were nigh impossible. Yeah!If changes were really necessary, it became a BIG DEAL, with a new quote

and a week of expensive lab work.Those were the days my friend, those were the days.

The Beginning of The enDIn 1980, I build the Moliplexer. It has six projectors with a choice of dissolve modules, a TEAC 4-track 1/4-inch and a Philips LDK33 camera. Using all six projectors, you can change slides at 5p. That’s five frames a second.

It’s a huge, booked-out success. In Molinare’s complex of television studios, edit suites and audio studios, the Moliplexer is the top money-spinner, the undisputed cash cow.

Little do I realize: it’s also the beginning of the end. Finally, clients can make instant changes. No need to wait for the lab.

There you go, Ken—pop in that extra slide. Oh, it’s a title at the start. In it goes. Ping! See if I care....

Jump CuTs aRe CoolAnd then there’s Wayne. No, that’s not his real name—but Wayne rhymes with Pain.

He phones me, tells me he’s fallen out with Neville, one of the interviewees in his video.

“Cut him out. It’s easy.”He phones again. “You know the guy who died last year, Oswald, we’ve still

got his interview. When you take out Neville, replace him with the dead guy.”“But he’s dead.”“I have a signed release. Dedicate the DVD to him.”It isn’t easy. Neville is all the way through and Oswald is saying different

things. Wayne comes over to see the result.“No, no. You’ve still got her (another interviewee) talking about Neville—

cut it out.”“The whole interview?”“No, only his name.”“Just his name? It will jump.”“Don’t tell me. It’s called a jump cut, invented by Jean-Luc Godard. Jump

cuts are cool. Godard won a prize for it. Just do it.”I do it. In the video, she’s about to say the forbidden name and ... the

picture jumps.“Wayne, it looks as though I’ve cut his name out.”“Good. I want the bastard to see it and know he’s been chopped out.

Thank you, Jean-Luc.”Clients! What would we do without them? Hmmm ... not a bad idea.So goodbye Mary, goodbye Wayne.Will we ever meet again? dv

STEFAN SArGENT

Ch Ch Ch Ch ChangesTurn and Face the Strain

Learn

The legendary Jean-luc godard, inventor of the jump cut (so says Wayne)

six Kodak Carousel projectors controlled by either electrosonic or aVl boxes

DV_05_13_v5.indd 82 4/18/13 1:23 PM

Untitled-9 1 4/18/13 3:59 PM

Documents

Digital Video May 2013