VisionARRIThe Biannual International Magazine from the ARRI RENTAL & POSTPRODUCTION ENTERPRISES

6/11 ISSUE 11

AnonymousAnna Foerster discusses workingwith ALEXA on Roland Emmerich’shistorical thriller

The Inbetweeners MovieAward-winning TV comedy makesthe move from the small screen tothe big screen

3D Grading SuiteARRI Film & TV add new state-of-the-artgrading suite for 3D productions

New ALEXA Camerason the WayTwo further cameramodels extend theARRI ALEXA range

ONEDAYBenoit Delhomme, AFC onshooting Lone Scherfig’sromantic comedy

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VisionARRI would like to thank the following contributors:Susanne Bieger, Mark Hope-Jones, Ingo Klingspon, Wendy Mattock, Dylan Michael,Judith Petty, Angela Reedwisch, Andrea Rosenwirth, Michelle Smith, Sabine Welte

Front Cover Photo: Giles Keyte. © 2011 Focus Features LLC and Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

CONTENTS

16 ARRI FILM & TV ADD STATE-OF-THE-ART 3D GRADING SUITENew 3D Lustre suite established by ARRI Film & TVto cater for the needs of 3D productions

18 STORAGE SOLUTIONS FORTHE POSTPRODUCTIONOF TOMORROWARRI Film & TV expand their internal storage inreadiness for handling multiple 3D projects

19 A MODEL WITH A FUTUREARRI Media Worldsales acquire the worlddistribution rights to Colombian film Porfirio

20 KAFTA IN COLOMBIAInterview with Porfirio director Alejandro Landesand his DoP Thimios Bakatakis

22 ALIENS VS HOODIESTom Townend talks about shooting sci-fi comedyAttack the Block

24 THE EVOLUTION OF ARRIRAWUncompromised image quality from theARRI ALEXA CMOS sensor

27 ARRI L-SERIESARRI introduces a new generation of LED-basedFresnel lights

30 BEL AMIStefano Falivene discusses the feature debut ofrenowned theatre directors Declan Donnellanand Nick Ormerod

32 ALEXA PRODUCT UPDATESThe latest developments to the ARRI ALEXAcamera system

34ALEXA WEB TOOLSOnline resources available to those working withthe ARRI ALEXA

35 NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

38 PRODUCTION UPDATE

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4 ONE DAYBenoit Delhomme, AFC discusses working on Lone Scherfig’sadaptation of the romantic bestseller One Day

8 THE UNKNOWN SHAKESPEAREAnna Foerster on shooting Roland Emmerich’s Elizabethanconspiracy thriller Anonymous with the ARRI ALEXA

12 NEW ALEXA CAMERAS ON THE WAYThe ARRI ALEXA range expands with two further camera models

14 ALEXA TAKES A SUMMER HOLIDAY WITHTHE INBETWEENERSThe Inbetweeners Movie shoots with the ARRI ALEXA

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OneDayVisionARRI: What attracted you tothe project?

Benoit Delhomme: It’s an interesting moviebecause each scene takes place in adifferent year – always on the 15th ofJuly – over the course of around 20years. So it was a film in which everyscene required a different visualapproach and style, so as to recognizethe period and to see the changes. Everyscene is a new world, a new era, andthat’s very special.

VA: Lone Scherfig emerged out ofthe Dogme 95 movement; didyou find that she was veryperformance-focused?

BD: My greatest pleasure on a film isworking with the actors; that’s why I

work in the cinema and not in stillphotography. If I want more light for ascene or need more time, but I feel thatthe actors are ready to shoot, then I willaccommodate them. My main goal is toput the actors in a comfortable situationand make them feel free. Working withLone was easy in this regard because

she loves the actors, so they werevery relaxed and enjoyed what theywere doing.

On the other hand Lone was keen ondesigning good shots and transitions totake the audience from one year to thenext. If you’ve seen An Education, it waslit in a classical way, like the Americancomedies of the 1940s or 50s – with theactors very well placed in the frame. Shenever compromised the look of the filmfor the actors; she’ll always find a wayto have both the performance and thevisual excitement.

VA: Did you choose to operate acamera yourself?

BD: Yes I did – it’s something I enjoydoing more and more, operating the

OneDayAward-winning DoP Benoit Delhomme, AFC, has been responsible for some of the most visually strikingfilms of recent years, including the stark revisionist western The Proposition, Anthony Minghella’sBreaking and Entering and Michael Radford’s acclaimed adaptation of The Merchant of Venice. Whilst inAtlanta filming The Wettest County in the World with the ARRI ALEXA, which will see him reunited withProposition director John Hillcoat, he took time out of his busy schedule to discuss his work on theforthcoming One Day, an adaptation by David Nicholls of his own bestseller. Directed by Lone Scherfig, itwas shot with ARRICAM cameras supplied by ARRI Media and a lighting package from ARRI Lighting Rental.

“I THOUGHTA LOT ABOUTWOODYALLEN’S FILMSWHEN I WASSHOOTINGONE DAY...”

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‘A’ camera and designing the shotsmyself. I’ve done a few movies withoutoperating and it was interesting to directmy camera operators, as if they wereactors, but I feel I can give more to thefilm when I’m doing it myself. I’ll tend towatch the actors more closely and I canimprovise during a shot if they dosomething different, whereas a cameraoperator might not be sure if I’d wantthem to do that. I also work with theslider a lot to re-frame and maintain asense of motion; I like to compose shotswith people in movement and it’s easierto do that myself.

VA: Were you often shooting withmultiple cameras?

BD: Yes, a lot of shots were two-camerasetups. Of course the director wants tocapture the couple’s relationship as muchas possible through the main shots, but Itry to use the lighter camera forreactions. I’m always trying to capturesomething else with that camera andsometimes you can be surprised; the shotcan be better because the unpredictablehappens and it gives more life to thefilm. In those situations there’s no ‘A’ andno ‘B’ camera because the actors moveand you get something you didn’t plan.It’s part of the surprise of filmmaking:when you work with two cameras younever know which one will be the best.A really good ‘B’ camera operator willfight to get the better shot and there’s aslight sense of competition; they try toimpress me and show me somethingdifferent, and I think that’s very positive.Having two cameras just makes the setmore exciting.

VA: Was any consideration givento shooting the film digitally?

BD: I really wanted to use film to createthis 80s/90s look, and I didn’t oncethink about shooting digitally. But I’mcurrently shooting The Wettest Countywith the ARRI ALEXA and suddenly OneDay looks like it will be my last movieshot on film! I think with the ALEXA wehave everything we need – it’s sofriendly for a DoP. I thought the texturewas something new: I didn’t realise itbefore, but it’s more interesting than film.However, I don’t regret working with filmfor One Day because it has a quality Ireally love, especially on the close-ups.And I love the grain.�

� BENOIT DELHOMME, AFC

ONE DAY

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Comedies are often shot in a way thatincorporates no shadow, no sky, nocontrast – they seem kind of flat and Ididn’t want that. I thought a lot aboutWoody Allen’s films when I was shootingOne Day – Annie Hall is one of the best-shot comedies – they were lit in aspecial way, taking a lot of risks. I wishpeople would go back to this for comedybecause I think you can convey mood,as well as making the actors look good;you can have both.

VA: What film stocks wereyou using?

BD: I was using the Kodak 500T Vision3and the 250D Vision3, which was newat the time – it’s a beautiful stock. I didall the day exterior and interior shotswith the 250D and all the night ortwilight shots with the 500T.

VA: And what lenses didyou have?

BD: We used a full range of Cooke S4lenses and also three Angenieux zooms:the 15-40 mm, 28-76 mm and 24-290mm. I was using all of them constantly,mixing everything up, because in the DIyou can match anything. The 15-40 mmand 28-76 mm are interesting becausethey’re small and can go on aSteadicam; they’re good for getting theright coverage – not using the zoom asa zoom, but picking up reactions duringa take. Now when I work with the sliderand I’m operating myself, I put on thezoom and can get a lot more adjustmentin one shot. I do like to use primes, but itcan be difficult when directors want todo everything in one take, ending on aclose-up. Sometimes this doesn’t work onset, so I’m using zooms more and more.I’m surprised how many films use the DI

to zoom in; I think it’s better, and nicer,to do it myself.

VA: Were you involved in thedecision about aspect ratio?

BD: We thought that 2.35:1 would givesomething special to the film; we didn’twant it to look too much like real life. Ithink Lone said, ‘I want it to be reallybeautiful, elegant – not like everydaylife, but a bit magic.’ What I really likeabout 2.35:1 is composing throughdoors or parts of the set, putting frameswithin the frame, and I do that a lot inthis film – using the set to re-compose theaspect ratio.

VA: Were there any particularlychallenging sequences?

BD: The most challenging scenes werethose at nighttime and twilight. One ofthese was a long dialogue scene wherethe two main characters go to an

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outdoor swimming pool; we shot all thewide shots in Dinard, France on twodifferent days at dusk, and then I shot allthe close-ups at Pinewood Studios, on astage with a big Translite. This was avery difficult scene and an unusual oneto attempt in a comedy – it was achallenge convincing production to do it,but I insisted. It was something I’d donein the past and it worked very well;I’m really pleased with it.

There was another tricky scene inLondon, where they talk on a rooftop atnighttime. I knew if we were shooting ona real rooftop at night we’d never get an

interesting exposure of the Londonbackground, so we shot the rooftopagainst a greenscreen on a stage andafterwards I shot plates at 6 fps onlocation, which gave me the greatbackground. It’s this kind of thing that Ilike to use visual effects for: the kinds ofthings you know you couldn’t have donefor real as a DoP, but that the audiencenever notices.

VA: How involved have you beenin the postproduction?

BD: I couldn’t make it to the gradebecause of the film I’m doing now, butduring the shoot I was taking very

precise stills of every shot to give thecolorist a guide for the rushes. I alsochose a colorist I knew very well to dothe DI: Adam Glasman at Ascent 142 inLondon. I showed him the Avid versionbefore I left for Atlanta and we talkedwith Lone about what we wanted to do.Adam did the first part of the gradehimself and then I went to a DI facility inNew York, while Lone and Adam werein London, and we spent two daysadjusting things. It was the first time I’dgraded remotely like that; it wasincredible to be in New York and to say,‘Zoom in; go there,’ and see Adamdoing it. I’m very specific about colorsand really enjoy creating a kind ofscenario of colors in order to avoidthings being neutral. I want the colors toprogress and change in a film – that’smy style, in a way. �

Dylan Michael

“WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT 2.35:1IS COMPOSING THROUGH DOORSOR PARTS OF THE SET, PUTTINGFRAMES WITHIN THE FRAME, ANDI DO THAT A LOT IN THIS FILM…”

� BENOIT DELHOMME, AFC

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VisionARRI: How closely do you like to personallycontrol camerawork and lighting on set?

Anna Foerster: Apart from the light, the shot itself is veryimportant to me; I’m always involved in that. Other thanthat, it’s good to give the team some leeway and not tomicromanage, as they say in the US. Doing so only preventspositive things that happen coincidentally when one issurrounded by creative people who develop their own ideas.To me, filmmaking is first and foremost a team effort. It involvesworking with people who don’t just do as they are told, but whomake suggestions; that’s what makes things interesting for me.

VA: You have collaborated with Roland on anumber of occasions; how would you describethe working relationship?

AF: Roland always knows exactly what he wants, even if weend up going about it in a different way. Sometimes therewill be discussions on set about how to change things inorder to achieve what we wanted to accomplish originally.That happens even though there are storyboards andprevisualization images. It requires a certain flexibility, whichRoland has and expects from the people around him – torealize that even on set there might be a better way to arrive

THE UNKNOWNSHAKESPEARE

The media flurry following producer-director Roland Emmerich’s announcement in Berlin last year of hislatest film, Anonymous, was enormous. Known more for action-packed blockbusters such as 2012,Emmerich declared that his new feature was to be a subtle literary-political thriller, set in ElizabethanEngland, offering a revisionist account of the authorship of William Shakespeare’s body of work. The filmwas also a milestone for ARRI, as it was the first international feature film to be recorded digitally in itsentirety with the ALEXA camera system. After the completion of physical production, VisionARRI had achance to speak with DoP Anna Foerster in the Lustre suite at ARRI Munich about her experience workingwith ALEXA on the set of Anonymous.

DoP Anna Foerster talks about working with the ARRI ALEXA onRoland Emmerich’s historical thriller Anonymous.

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at something. That’s not a catastrophe, but something positive:you’ve simply found a new solution.

VA: This was your first feature film shot entirelyon a digital camera; were you skeptical inthe beginning?

AF: Luckily I got around the entire issue surrounding digitalrecording in the last couple of years because I workedexclusively with 35 mm, so I was spared the tiring transitionphase during which digital seemed to stand for low budget.Now the discussion has changed and takes place on a verydifferent level than even four years ago. Today’s digitalcamera systems such as the ALEXA – a leader in this field –are in my opinion a true revolution for filmmaking.

As for me personally, the switch was exciting, more thananything. Sure, I was nervous; that’s normal when you leavesomething behind that you’re very familiar with. But the qualitymeets such high standards that it was very convincing. Inretrospect, it was more like using a new film stock and testingits limits. I do have to admit that I always worked with a lightmeter and never relied on what I saw on the monitor, eventhough that was pretty exact most of the time.

VA: How did you decide upon a visual approach tothe story?

AF: Early on, before we went into production, we determinedthe look of the dailies on the Lustre. Digital colorist Florian“Utsi” Martin worked closely with us, giving us advice andsupport. Altogether we created six lookup tables (LUTs) fordifferent day and night shooting situations, and for things likeflashbacks. On set I had these LUTs on the monitor and wasable to refer to them. For me they were like printer lights,showing me how far I had pushed the light away from theintended parameters.

Prior to that, we spent a lot of time thinking about the overalllook. We finally agreed on a “naturalistic” one; not in thesense of a documentary style, but naturalistic in the sense ofbeing lit with natural light. In other words, it shouldn’t look likeit’s been lit. That presented the challenge of only working withnatural light sources – candlelight, open fires and daylight.

We looked at many paintings of that time, such as Georges dela Tour’s nocturnes, in which one or two candles light an entirescene. ALEXA has an incredibly large dynamic range and if youcan shoot with 1200 or 1600 EI, you get results that used to beunthinkable; you can now capture the effect of a single candle,torch or open fireplace, meaning you can actually use itsreflection on the wall or on the faces in your shot without gettingany noise in the blacks – just like the human eye perceives it.�

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VA: Did having the ALEXA therefore mean you usedlights differently?

AF: I did have to light differently, but that had less to do withthe fact that we shot digitally and more with the type of lightwe wanted to use. Generally, you need less light using acamera such as the ALEXA: you can possibly get away with5 kW where you’d usually need 10 kW, but it would be agreat misconception to believe that you need less lightingequipment. You still have to set your lights and create yourshadows just like in the past, except that you need only halfthe intensity and therefore half the power.

We lit a lot with HMIs, because we wanted that daylight look,even in situations when candlelight and daylight come togetherin the interiors. We also had scenes that needed to be mixedwith greenscreen shots, which meant it was really important forus and the visual effects people to keep the light identical sothat we wouldn’t start out lighting something with HMIs thatwould have to match up to something that was lit withartificial light.

VA: Did portraying 16th century London involve a lotof VFX shots?

AF: The exteriors and all the wide panorama shots flying overthe River Thames and the Tower of London are visual effectsshots, of course. Roland didn’t want to forgo the spectacularworld in which the story we are telling takes place. In terms ofset extensions of interiors, I can only remember one shot forwhich we later created a ceiling.

VA: How did working with ALEXA affect theworkflow between filming and postproduction?

AF: Mostly, it’s the speed of the workflow that has changed.Shots landed on the desks of the visual effects people just afew hours after we shot them; they could immediately roll uptheir sleeves and check if something didn’t work. Plus, we wereable to look at dailies in the evenings, 20 minutes after wefinished shooting the last setup.

We purposely didn’t use color timing on the set, even thoughpre-grading is very much in vogue these days. During the 64days of shooting that we had, it would have been hard toaccomplish, time-wise. For the DoP on set it’s often hard toknow exactly where he or she is with the shots if there’ssomeone sitting right there correcting everything.

THE UNKNOWN SHAKESPEARE

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ANNA FOERSTER�IN THE GRADING SUITE: Anna Foerster with Colorist Florian ‘Utsi’ Martin

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An essential aspect was quality control and ARRI was veryhelpful in that regard as well. We always knew very quickly ifthere were any defects in the image data. In other words, nomore waiting around for negative reports from the lab in orderto find out if there were problems or not. We were working intwo shifts: in the evening we got the results for what we hadshot that morning, and in the morning for what we deliveredthe evening before – always about six hours later. A workflowthat includes quality control can really save you a lot of time.

VA: What lenses were you using?

AF: Surprisingly, we shot almost 80 percent of the film with thenew ARRI Lightweight Zoom LWZ-1. Initially, I was quiteskeptical about these extremely small and light zoom lenses,until I compared test shots using a projector. I was impressedby the image quality of such a small zoom lens. We hadMaster Primes, which were mostly used for visual effect shots,because these lenses deliver the sharpest edges for keying.

The LWZ-1 gave us an enormous amount of flexibility becausewe could quickly change the focal distance by a fewmillimeters without having to exchange the entire lens; wecould also use the zoom on the Steadicam. About half of thefilm was shot with a 17.5 mm focal length; that’s pretty wide.It was one of the elements of the look that I had discussed atlength with Roland prior to shooting. In terms of the lighting itdid create some problems, because you saw a lot in eachframe and you couldn’t just quickly add a light sourcesomewhere. That was a real challenge sometimes.

VA: What has changed for you, as a DoP,with digital acquisition?

AF: This reminds me of an anecdote involving Dean Semler(ACS, ASC), the Australian DoP of 2012. I was shootingaerials from a helicopter for that film and I asked Dean whyhe shot digitally so much. His answer was: “It’s better for theheart.” Back then I laughed and took it as a light quip.Now I know it’s true – you sleep better; the panic worryingabout what the dailies will look like the next day is gone. Inthe past you always went there with sweaty palms, worried ifyou’d pushed it too far in some places. You now have so muchcontrol on the set, especially thanks to the wavelength monitor,which shows you where you can get even more out of a shot.That’s a big relief.

VA: Looking back, was there anything you missedabout working with 35 mm film?

AF: Not really. I do sort of understand people who mourn thebygone times out of nostalgia, but camera work is a technicaljob and when you use the new digital camera systems as a toolfor your work then you don’t have those kinds of feelings. �

Ingo Klingspon

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“ALEXA HAS AN INCREDIBLYLARGE DYNAMIC RANGE ANDIF YOU CAN SHOOT WITH1200 OR 1600 EI, YOUGET RESULTS THAT USED TOBE UNTHINKABLE.”

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ALEXA camerasThe ARRI ALEXA is not just a camera; it is an advanced technology platform from which ARRI isderiving a comprehensive line of cameras for every production need. In late 2011 the currenttwo models, ALEXA and ALEXA Plus, will be joined by a new and unique camera, the ALEXAStudio. As the top-of-the-line model, ALEXA Studio will have an optical viewfinder and a 4:3sensor. Soon afterwards a fourth camera will be added to the lineup, the ALEXA M – a flexibleand compact solution consisting of separate camera head and body.

ALEXA M is custom tailored to 3Dproductions, action photography andtight corner shots where the physicalspace available on set or on location islimited. Despite its diminutive size,ALEXA M does not necessitate anycompromise when it comes to imagequality; being based on existing ALEXAtechnologies, it outputs the sameexceptional and cinematic images thathave quickly boosted ALEXA to thepinnacle of digital production tools.

The ALEXA M camera head is optimizedfor small size and low weight, offeringgreat flexibility when used on compactand lightweight 3D rigs; multiplemounting points on the top and bottomof the camera allow for an easy setup

with many of the 3D rigs now inwidespread use. Head and body areconnected with a fiber optic cable thatcan also be used for powering the head,depending on distance. The backendprovides various recording options, justlike the standard ALEXA; images, soundand metadata can be recorded to SxScards or external recording devices,offering many different kinds ofworkflow. ALEXA M has a PL mount andworks perfectly with all existing 35 mmlenses. It will also be compatible with awide range of ARRI accessories.

ARRI is currently planning to presentworking prototypes of the ALEXA M atIBC 2011.

ALEXA M Main Features

• ALEXA image quality

• Separate head and body

• Perfect for 3D, tight corner shotsand fast action

• Compact and lightweight head

• Full 3D sync functionality

• Fiber optic interface between frontand back end

• Power via fiber cable or localpower supply

• Multiple 3/8-16 and MAmounting points

• Fixed PL mount

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on the way

Both its name and its feature-set clearlyshow this camera’s heritage. On the onehand, the ALEXA Studio is equipped witha quiet mirror shutter and an opticalviewfinder like the ARRICAM Studio.On the other hand, it has the samecontrol panel and buttons as the ALEXAPlus, which has been praised for itssimplicity of operation.

The viewfinder is a completely newdevelopment, which allows it to acceptboth 435 and ARRICAM style eyepiecesand viewfinder extensions. Operatorscan look forward to a high resolution,high contrast image with true colors andlittle geometric distortion. If need be, theoptical viewfinder can be removed and

replaced with the ALEXA ElectronicViewfinder EVF-1.

Using the full 4:3 area of the ALEXAsensor allows plug-and-play use of 2xanamorphic lenses on the ALEXA Studio.Aside from the D-21, which also has a4:3 sensor, this is an area that has beenoddly neglected by digital cameras inthe past. Anamorphic lenses create aunique image quality that has beenappreciated by directors throughout filmhistory and that cannot be created inpost. Some highlights of anamorphiccinematography include ApocalypseNow, Blade Runner, Chinatown, theIndiana Jones films, Alien, The LastSamurai and the latest Star Trek film,

which delved very deep into theaesthetic of anamorphic flares. Theoptical viewfinder is equipped with aspecial anamorphic element that canbe swung into the optical path tode-squeeze 2x anamorphic images.When the electronic viewfinder isused, special software takes care ofthe de-squeezing.

Due for release before the end of theyear, the ALEXA Studio – with its 4:3sensor, optical viewfinder and otherhigh-end features – is positioned tobecome the premium camera forspherical and anamorphic feature filmsand commercials. �

Optical viewfinderadvantages

Operators see a brightand sharp, full color imagethrough an opticalviewfinder, allowing themto accurately judge focus.Relying only on light comingthrough the taking lens,optical viewfinders havezero delay, require no powerand are less fatiguing to theeye than electronicviewfinders; they are alsofully orientable and canbe used with eyepieceextensions without anyloss of image quality.

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The film will follow the fortunes of theshow’s four adolescent protagonists(Will, Neil, Jay and Simon), now 18and on holiday in Malia, Crete, withno parents, no teachers, no money andlittle chance with the ladies.

The Inbetweeners Movie was shoton location in the UK and Magaluf,Mallorca, which doubled for Malia,with ARRI ALEXA cameras supplied byARRI Media. Shortly after his return fromshooting in Magaluf, cinematographerBen Wheeler spoke to VisionARRI abouthis experiences working with ALEXA.

VisionARRI: What made ALEXA theright choice for this particularproduction?

Ben Wheeler: We knew we were going toshoot digitally, partly because the serieshad always been shot digitally and itwas what everyone was used to workingwith: being able to see everything liveand to play back very quickly – that kindof thing. It ended up being a choicebetween the ALEXA and the RED ONEMX. I was very keen to use the ALEXA,to some extent because I’m an ARRI fan,but mainly for its latitude. I knew we

were going to be shooting our daylightscenes in very bright Spanish sun andmoving at an incredibly fast pace, sothere wouldn’t always be time to controleverything; I just felt the ALEXA would beable to handle that well. We took acamera over to Greece last year andshot lots of tests, and I was astounded bywhat I saw – the way it was holdinghighlights as well as lowlights. It justseemed to be miles ahead of anythingelse I’d worked with. We were alsogoing to be shooting predominatelyhandheld and I found the ALEXA to bevery ergonomic and lightweight.

Following three highly successful TV series, award-winning hit comedy The Inbetweeners isset to make a bold move from the small screen to the big screen in UK cinemas this summer.

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about continuity or any sort ofperformance issue; we could view rushesincredibly quickly.

VA: So the ALEXA’s workflow reallyhelped to facilitate the speed atwhich you needed to work?

BW: Absolutely, that was the amazingthing; it was all happening so quickly.We shot the film in six weeks and thepost schedule is very tight – principalphotography wrapped at the end ofMarch and the release date is set formid-August. With the edit suite at ourhotel, the editor was able to cut whilewe were shooting, so at the end of theday we would often get back and viewa sequence of something we had shotthat morning. The director was able toreturn at the end of the shoot with halfof the film rough cut on an iPad – theturnaround is phenomenal.

VA: The Inbetweeners is a verysuccessful TV comedy makingthe transition from the smallscreen to the big screen.How did you approach thattransition stylistically?

BW: I think a lot of it came from thecamera and the lenses, in terms ofgiving it a more cinematic look, but alsofrom our compositions and the scale andquality of the locations. For me, theALEXA looks the closest to film of anydigital camera I’ve worked with and theset of Cooke S4s I used helped as well.I’m a big fan of Cookes and whencombined with the ALEXA they produceda beautiful, slightly softer, more filmicimage than I’d experienced before withdigital cameras. And there was no needfor any softening or low contrast

filtration. We also used camera moves abit more to introduce scenes and astransitional shots within the story. Wehad a rough rule of shooting handheldwhen things weren’t going so well forthe boys and using Steadicam or dollymoves when things were looking up. Thecamera acts like the fifth friend in thegroup, putting the audience in the scenewith the characters. There is quite a finebalance really: you don’t want the movieto just feel like a TV special – like anextended version of the series – but atthe same time you’ve got to maintain abit of the look that people are used to:as it’s partly what helped to make theshow so successful.

VA: Do you think that by the endof the shoot you had proved yourcase for choosing ALEXA overother camera options?

BW: It didn’t take long actually. I thinkthe cinematic look we were producingconvinced the producers pretty quickly,and financially we could use smallerlight sources, reducing hire anddistribution costs. The speed that wecould move at didn’t go unnoticed either.I had a fantastic crew and I thinkeveryone was very happy; the directorBen Palmer was particularly happy withthe results and I feel it was definitely theright camera for the shoot.

I’m currently shooting a comedy serieswith David Cross and Will Arnett, a co-production between IFC in the US andRDF Television, on the ALEXA and wecontinue to be amazed by the results!

The Inbetweeners Movie will be releasedin the UK on 19 August 2011.�

Michelle Smith

VA: You were shooting in brightdaylight, but I understand youalso shot a number of nightscenes where the characters areout on the town experiencing thenightlife of Malia?

BW: That was another reason forchoosing the ALEXA: because of itssensitivity. Before we did the tests weknew that we couldn’t really afford tolight a vast street or huge areas, so wewere relying on the neons and otherpractical lights of the surrounding nightlifeto give us a fair bit of ambient light.Being able to shoot at 800 EI helped alot and we very rarely went above thatrating, as I found it gave us enough.With ALEXA the detail held at both ends.

VA: Your recording solution wasLog C 4:4:4 to SxS cards; can youdescribe your workflow and howyou were viewing rushes?

BW: We had a brilliant DIT called MarkPurvis, who dealt with the ALEXA andsetting up a quick way for us to work.He would transcode to Avid DNX 36,the preferred codec of editorial, on aFrameCycler DI system with a LUTapplied. The material was then importedinto an Avid project and synched on set,so it was delivered to editorial, which wason location at our hotel, ready to cut.We’d also get an iPad at the end of theday which we were viewing dailies on, orwe would go and view in the edit suite,and occasionally we did projections. Withthe iPads, the speed of the process wasfantastic. We would do a number of takesand maybe by the seventh or eighth takewe could be looking at the first take, justto double check things if we were worried

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“Basically, we designed the entire suiteand the technology that went into it sothat we are prepared for futuredevelopments,” Harald Schernthaner,ARRI Head of Digital Filmworks, pointsout. As well as a Lustre 2012 systemwith the latest 3D features, the designincludes a RealD 3D system withZScreen, an audio system and a light-intensive Barco projector. “We went withRealD, not only because it’s the mostwidely used 3D system in Germany andthe United States, but also because

the passive glasses with their circularpolarization are comfortable to wear,”explains Schernthaner.

One flaw of 3D color grading is that itcurrently has to work with less lightcompared to traditional 2D colorgrading. The luminance of a projectionis generally measured in foot-Lambert (fL).This does not measure the luminance ofthe projector, but instead the reflectionoff the screen. The SMPTE standard forthe luminance of a 2D cinema is 14 fL.“Currently there’s no binding 3D

standard with regards to luminance.”says Schernthaner. “All we have is asuggested reference point of 4.5 fL,which is about two thirds less than iscustomary for 2D. The reason being,available 3D systems currently used incinemas swallow a lot of light due toZScreens or filters in front of theprojector and so do the 3D glasses.”

ARRI therefore opted for the light-intensive Barco projector with, accordingto its specification, 32,000 ANSI-Lumen.“The great advantage of this projector is

Recently, ARRI Film & TV Services, Munich,set up a new infrastructure to cater for theneeds and requirements of 3D productionsby establishing a brand new 3D gradingsuite. The former Studio B, a 100-square-meter space, was converted and fitted withstate-of-the-art equipment to create theideal working environment. grading suite

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that you can work with relatively smallwattage, in our case 3 kW, whichmeans the light won’t flicker as it doeswith higher wattage,” Schernthanerstates. “Plus, we have enough leewayshould the luminance standard go up.In other words, we are prepared for thefuture.” In addition, the projector worksin the so called Triple-Flash modus,meaning each image is reproducedthree times for each eye (meaning144 Hz), whereby each flicker isdramatically reduced.

The highlight of the suite is a unique,six-meter-wide exchangeable screenconstruction. Behind the mounted 3Dsilver screen is a white screen of thesame dimensions, which, using a radialrotating construction, can be brought tothe front. This means the screen is notrolled down, which could affect theprojected image due to creases, etc.,but is kept up like a mounted screen ina frame using a system of chains.

The advantage for the customer is thatthey don’t have to change locations.Everything can be graded in the samesuite, 3D on the silver screen and 2D onthe white screen, and it takes only twominutes to switch screens.

In particular, the still rather youngdiscipline of depth grading – for theZ axis of the image – benefits from thissix-meter-wide screen. Initial feedbackfrom customers seems to prove that.Florian Maier, CEO of Stereotec andstereographer on Wickie and theTreasure of the Gods (Rat Pack, Director:Christian Ditter), commented: “The newARRI grading suite is perfect for depth

grading of 3D films. The size of thescreen, the flicker free and light intensiveRealD 3D projection and, last but notleast, the comfortable seats make thissuite a pleasant and most effectiveworkspace.” The suite’s equipment alsoincludes two rows of movie theaterseating and a third row consisting of a“beautiful leather couch for our clients,which is quite the hit,” says Schernthanerhappily. And on a side note: thewellbeing of the clients is also tended toin a separate lounge.

Schernthaner continues, “A crucial partof our design is the new central storagesystem from DDN (integration partnerSGI), which allows us to play several3D projects at once and in real time.With this platform we created a basis foradditional and increased requirements interms of data volume and data transfer.It seems that 3D is heading towards 48fps recording. In which case, the in-house storage system will have to beable to handle a data volume that hassuddenly doubled.” This prediction is inline with what James “Avatar” Cameronsaid in a podium discussion atCinemaCon 2011 in Las Vegas. For hima higher frame rate of 48 or 60 fps andthe previously mentioned brighterprojections are key ingredients for thefuture success of 3D cinema.

The 3D suite has been well receivedsince its completion. In April the first testsfor Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters(Paramount, Director: Tommy Wirkola),an action adaption of one of the mostpopular and probably goriest fairytale ofthe Brothers Grimm, were conductedthere. In May two productions tookadvantage of the new suite: Wickie andthe Treasure of the Gods and the 3Dversion of The Three Musketeers(Constantin Film, Director: Paul W.S.Anderson). The teaser, trailer and thepromo reels for which had already beencompleted there. Even commercialproductions are jumping on the 3D trainat ARRI, with first theatrical spots forOpel, Microsoft and Red Bull. �

Ingo Klingspon

� PRODUCED IN 3D: productions that havealready taken advantage of the new 3Dgrading suite include The Three Musketeersand Wickie and the Treasure of the Gods

“THE NEW ARRI GRADINGSUITE IS PERFECT FOR DEPTHGRADING OF 3D FILMS.”

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VisionARRI: What’s the goal of themassive expansion of networkcapabilities at ARRI?

Gerald Freundl: The goal was to create ahigh-performance platform that ensuresoptimal working conditions for 3Dfeature films and is capable of executingseveral such projects at the same time,which hadn’t been possible until now.It is also part of an effort to consolidateour data storage, which had previouslybeen spread across several departments.

Digital film is becoming more and moreof a storage issue. For 3D and 24 fpsframe rates we need storage systemswith a much higher efficiency. We are inthe midst of a paradigm shift. Many ofthe processes used in the past are beingthrown overboard and, as a result, haveto be redefined.

VA: What exactly did the systemexpansion entail?

GF: We chose a system from DataDirectNetworks (DDN) that Silicon Graphics(SGI) implemented, which means thatour postproduction here at ARRI has themost powerful system currently availableon the global market at its disposal. Asfor its technical configuration, it’s thefastest storage system out there, not justin terms of the storage itself, but also interms of linking terminals to the mainstorage unit. We made a considerableinvestment to ensure we were creating aplatform that was a qualitative leapforward and had the resources andreserves left for the future in regardsto performance.

VA: How do customers benefitfrom this investment?

GF: The benefit for the customer lies inthe feasibility of projects that requiretechnological leadership. To ensure thequality that ARRI stands for, and whichwe want to offer our clients, it isnecessary to have state-of-the-artequipment at our disposal.

In addition, we have again returned tothe one-stop shop idea with thisconsolidation. This system allows us toinclude not only the Lustre, but also theNucoda, for example, and we canservice projects cross-departmentally,which reduces the copy and lead times.These are synergistic effects that wewant to increasingly utilize in the future.

This also means that ARRI Rental will bemore involved in the process. A digitalcamera system such as the ALEXArequires adequate computer systems tosave the acquired image data and tomake them available for subsequentpostproduction processes. The goal is tobe – in tandem with Rental – a completesystem provider for 3D, from hardwareall the way through postproduction.

VA: What exact data volume perfeature film are we talkingabout here?

GF: Up to 200 Terabytes. This includes ofcourse, not only what ends up in movietheaters, but also the raw material,copies and various stages ofpostproduction – especially when severaldepartments here at ARRI are involved.

VA: What happens to the dataonce a project is completed?

GF: We have an archive here at ARRI,a large data robot with 1.3 Petabytestorage capacities and about 1,500LTO4 tapes that can be stored there.That’s the end of the line for projects thatwe have completed but have to store forour customers for the long-term.

VA: Have the topics of datastorage and archiving emergedin the filmmaking communityas issues?

GF: That’s an important point. Customersare currently more often than not,overwhelmed by the mere data volumeof digital camera projects – especially inthe 3D arena. Often, there is no ITsupervisor on set because challengessuch as storage capacities andcompatibility of systems aren’t evenperceived as issues by productions.In situations like these, we are glad tojump in and solve problems that arisefor the customer.

The camera teams in particular areenthusiastic about the digital technology,which they consider a means to increaseefficiency. If they used to shoot two orthree hours with analogue technology,they now want to shoot five hours.It’s difficult to explain to them theenormous data volume they are therebygenerating, and how long it will actuallytake to save, archive and process it. �

Ingo Klingspon

Storage solutions for thepostproduction of tomorrowARRI Film & TV Services has expanded its grading capabilities with a new 3D Lustre suite – an importantstep in preparing the company’s postproduction for the challenges of the coming years. Equally important,although less visible, was the expansion of the internal Storage Area Network (SAN) in order to transportthe enormous amounts of data generated by feature length digital 3D productions to the variouspostproduction workstations, while making it possible to carry out several projects simultaneously.

VisionARRI spoke to Gerald Freundl, IT Operations Manager at the ARRI Group, about the significance ofefficient storage systems for ARRI’s postproduction in the ALEXA era.

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On September 12, 2005, a small man ina wheelchair carrying two hand grenadeshijacked an airliner with 20 passengerson board in the airport of Bogotá,Colombia. His demand: statecompensation for the stray police bulletthat left him paralyzed and a meeting withthe Colombian president. Once hereceived confirmation that his demandswould be granted, the wheelchair-boundPorfirio Ramirez released his hostages,handed the grenades over to the policeand turned himself in to the authorities.No one was hurt.

It was this short news item that got theattention of LA-based Latin Americanjournalist and filmmaker Alejandro Landes;he developed a screenplay and spent thefollowing years trying to raise money forhis project, Porfirio. By the fall of 2009,Landes had managed to attract enoughinvestors and co-producers from Spain andseveral Latin American countries to almostmake Porfirio a reality, but he still lackedthe funds that would afford the film thetechnical quality international distributorswere looking for. The fact that theproduction was to be shot on location atthe edge of the jungle in southernColombia, where no feature film had everbeen shot, didn’t make things any easier.

In September 2009, a possiblecollaboration with ARRI was consideredfor the first time. In LA, ARRI representativeThomas Nickel sat down with executiveproducer Maja Zimmermann, who waslooking to secure technical support for theproduction. After reading the script, Nickelcontacted Angela Reedwisch, Key AccountManager of International Sales at ARRIFilm & TV Services. Once the project hadbeen approved by Wolfram Skowronnek,a consultant at ARRI Media Worldsales,the contractual details were worked out.Several meetings were held between

Skowronnek, producer Francisco Aljureand ARRI Head of Worldsales, AntonioExacoustos, to reach an agreement thatwould benefit all involved and serve as amodel for future deals.

The contract that was finally signed in July2010 stipulated that ARRI would apply therental and postproduction services towardsthe sale of the world distribution rights toARRI Media Worldsales. “A win-winsituation,” Angela Reedwisch affirms.“The production was able to work at astate-of-the-art level without having tomake compromises. And for ARRI,obtaining the world distribution rights toart house films of a convincing qualitymeans that markets we are currentlynot represented in open up.”

Thomas Nickel believes this businessmodel is a door opener: “Findingprojects that we believe have potentialand helping them circumvent budgetarybottlenecks through innovativecollaboration models creates anopportunity for ARRI to play an importantrole as a partner and facilitator.”

Physical production of Porfirio took placeover the course of seven weeks. The filmwas shot with 35 mm Moviecam camerasfrom ARRI Rental and Hawk anamorphiclenses from Vantage. Porfirio Ramirez isplayed by himself, rather than an actor,lending authenticity to this deeply movingstudy of a victim of fate who sees no othersolution than to become a criminal himself.In the end, however, he doesn’t succeed.Although Porfirio does receive a check for40,000 USD, it bounces; the courtsentences him to eight years of house arrestand he never gets to meet the president.

The world premiere of Porfirio took placeat the 64th Cannes Film Festival 2011, aspart of the Directors’ Fortnight. �

Ingo Klingspon

ARRI Media Worldsales acquires the world distributionrights to Porfirio

A model with a futureDeveloping innovative cooperation models for international productionshas long been at the top of ARRI’s agenda. A perfect example of such acollaboration is the recently completed Colombian film Porfirio, whichinvolved the resources of ARRI Rental and ARRI Film & TV Services, as wellthe acquisition of world distribution rights by ARRI Media Worldsales.

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VisionARRI: When and why did you decide to make afilm about Porfirio Ramirez?

Alejandro Landes: I came across a short news report aboutPorfirio in LA while I was prepping my documentary(Cocalero, 2007) about the first indigenous president ofBolivia, Evo Morales. Something about this story captivatedme, what exactly I can’t explain, but it got me to hop on aplane to Colombia to meet the man personally. The screenplayis the result of the first impressions I brought back afterspending four days with Porfirio and the people around him.That was in 2005.

VA: Was it the Don Quixote element of thistragicomedy that attracted you?

AL: Yes, a little. Plus the story of Porfirio Ramirez reminded meof No One Writes to the Colonel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez,which has a similar plot – a retired colonel waits in vain toreceive the pension he was promised years earlier. I found theidea of a story in which a lot happens without leading to anychange or a real catharsis fascinating. I believe that ifsomeone had gotten hurt or if Porfirio had landed in jail thenthe whole story, a true story, wouldn’t have interested me asmuch as it did. It would have lacked that Kafkaesque cynicism,the fact that it ends where it started as if nothing had happened.

VA: You’re a well-known political TV and newspaperjournalist in the United States as well as inLatin America. In which sense is this film alsoa political statement?

AL: The core of the story is cyclical. The last setup of the film isthe same as the first. Like Sisyphus, no matter how hardPorfirio tries, no matter what he does, he can’t get ahead –not even an inch. That’s more than a narrative arc: it’s a circle.To me it’s a metaphor for the phenomenon of violence, whichgoes around in circles. That’s its nature, creating the samething over and over and never arriving anywhere. That’sprobably what is political in this story, but I didn’t have apropagandistic agenda.

VA: Wasn’t it rather daring to cast real people in thelead roles?

AL: Thimios was slightly nervous, wondering if Porfirio wouldbe able to pull it off. I spent a lot of time with him, not to makean actor out of him but to get him used to the set and thecamera, and to make him forget that I, as the director, wasstanding next to him. That paid off in the end, because hispresence in the film is remarkable. At some point, as he wasdoing what he was doing, he forgot we were there.

During one of the final technical approval screenings at ARRI’s cinema in Munich, VisionARRI hada chance to speak to Porfirio director Alejandro Landes and his DoP Thimios Bakatakis about thegenesis of this unusual film and the difficult conditions it faced.

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Thimios Bakatakis: Porfirio settled in incrediblyquickly. During the last setup I had acompletely different person in front of thecamera than at the beginning of the shoot.

VA: Were you approaching this as ifit were a documentary?

AL: Most films based on true events tendto cut original, documentary footage into the

film. That’s exactly what I didn’t want to do. We shotall the images you see in this film. The documentary aspect isthat we used real people and original locations. The dialogueand the settings are, however, the result of an artistic process.It looks real and sounds real, but in a narrow sense it is fiction.Only Porfirio tries to be himself in front of the camera.

VA: How does a Latin American director, bornin Brazil and raised in Ecuador, end up with aGreek DoP?

AL: I wanted to shoot in CinemaScope because I found thisstretched format ideal to tell Porfirio’s story from his perspective– sort of at eye level – because he’s sitting in a wheel chair.Often we enhanced this effect, keeping the camera so low thatthe heads of the people Porfirio is talking to get cut off at thetop. Thimios’ work on his last film, Dogtooth (Greece, 2009,Director: Giorgos Lanthimos), which won the Prix Un CertainRegard and was nominated for a Foreign Language Oscar thisyear, caught my attention. Coincidentally, we had the samedistributor in Spain; that’s how I ended up with a DVD of thefilm. I decided to get in touch with Thimios, which wasn’t easybecause neither he nor I had an agent and we aren’t onFacebook or anywhere else for that matter. When I finally gothold of him I was already in Colombia. I called him from thereto ask if he would like to make this film with me.

VA: So it was the specific look of his work thatattracted you?

AL: The look, the CinemaScope format and the way he dealswith the physical presence of an actor in a given room. It’s thisfeeling that the body is the prison of the soul, which hecommunicates with the camera in an almost physically painfulway. In the case of Porfirio even more so, because he’sparalyzed. Plus, there’s a strong element in the Catholictradition, which I too come from, to free the self by castigatingthe body. This resonates in Thimios’ work and convinced methat he was the right DoP for my film.

VA: You used a Moviecam and anamorphic Hawklenses on Porfirio. What was the look you weregoing for?

TB: A realistic one. Not in the sense of ‘documentary stylerealistic,’ but as close to reality as possible. In a way, I wantedto communicate the truth of the body in which Porfirio iscaught and in which he has to find his way around the roomshe is in.

AL: Thimios‘ compositions have a Christian-Byzantine quality tothem. Always centered, from the front, almost two dimensionaland without perspective.

VA: What was the technical collaboration withARRI like?

AL: It would have been impossible for us to complete the filmwithout ARRI because there’s no lab in Colombia. We sent thenegatives, accompanied by quick prayers, via DHL to ARRIand waited for the call that everything was all right. Of course,something did go wrong. When 40 closed cans arrive fromColombia any customs agent gets suspicious. We had x-raydamage, which cost us half a week’s work, but it was ratherreassuring to have such a strong, technologically well versedpartner such as ARRI on your side. They viewed the materialpromptly and got back to us right away, telling us thateverything was okay and we could keep going. Technologically,we were at the end of the world. The first dailies, for example,arrived about one and a half weeks after we started shooting.

VA: What do you expect from your distributionpartner, ARRI Media World Sales?

AL: Naturally, we have high expectations. We already have apreliminary sales agreement with Colombia. ARRI believed inour film when it was still in the screenplay stage and we’revery thankful for that. Porfirio is definitely a difficult film, butthere’s also something fresh about it and that’s why we believeit’s worth watching. �

Ingo Klingspon

� ALEJANDRO LANDES � THIMIOS BAKATAKIS

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Attack The Block, directed by Joe Cornish (The Adam and Joe Show) and starring Nick Frost (Paul, Shaunof the Dead) and Jodie Whittaker (Venus, St Trinians) is an alien invasion tale with a twist – instead of theusual LA or New York setting, these aliens touch down in a council estate in South London. Bad move.

Shot by DP Tom Townend, cameraequipment was supplied by ARRI Media,while the lighting package came fromARRI Lighting Rental.

When Townend met first-time director JoeCornish to discuss Attack The Block, theyfound a common affection for a certaingenre of 1980s American movies thatwould influence the look of the shootand lead to some creative challenges.

“Joe and I discussed the way films likeThe Terminator and The Warriors looked,particularly in street scenes at night, andwhy British films of that era lookcompletely different,” says Townend.

There was a big discussion right at thestart of the process about whether or notto shoot anamorphic. “Almost every film

Joe mentioned as a visual reference wasshot either anamorphic or spherical1:85:1, which were the two mainoptions in the 1980s era. Plus, I hadshot a commercial in anamorphic in anight setting that had caught Joe’sattention and was the reason he’dapproached me in the first place,”Townend explains.

“However, I argued against it for thisproject. To shoot anamorphic wouldhave required a much bigger budget;we’d have needed more lighting, moresoft focus shots; we’d have been playingwith half the depth of field. For me, itwasn’t an acceptable risk for the budget,and with the results we achieved I standby that.”

Townend opted for two ARRICAM Litesfor the main camera package, plus anARRIFLEX 235. “Early on it was decidedwe’d run ‘A’ and ‘B’ cameras, soARRICAM Lites made sense,” he says.“It’s a fairly fast-paced film and they arelightweight, so Julian Morson [the ‘A’camera operator] and I could easily liftthem onto our shoulders to move about –although Joe wanted to avoid ‘shakycam syndrome’ which has becomesomething of a trope, and it’s a bit lazyas you can get away with more becausethe geography is not clear. Some of thepraise we had from early screenings isthat you can see what’s going on evenduring fast-paced action sequences.”

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The film was closely storyboarded forclarity and budgetary purposes, with theintention of getting most of the boardedshots with the ‘A’ camera, while usingthe ‘B’ camera (operated by Townend)only when appropriate to getsupplemental material. However it soonbecame clear that, with a tight shootingschedule, having two cameras availableto shoot from different angles wasnecessary to get all the shots required inthe time available, and would also addmore interest to the storytelling.

The ARRIFLEX 235 was used on exteriorlocations mainly for action sequences.Townend explains, “It seemed like anatural choice, as someone often had torun around or shoot from vehicle tovehicle. We stripped right down tobasics and often operated off a monitorfor these scenes.”

There was also a section in the scriptthat Cornish had simply marked,‘This sequence in slow motion.’

“This was the dramatic climax of the filmand it was an area where we reallydidn’t want to scrimp,” says Townend.“All credit to the line producer JamesBiddle who understood that it would lookso much better if we spent some moneyon a proper second unit.” The secondunit filmed the sequence mainly usingan ARRIFLEX 435 shooting 100 fps.“We had five setups and seven shots,”continues the DP. “All were meticulouslyplanned out because they involvedpyrotechnics, live creature effectsand some greenscreen effects to becomped in – it was very complexand time consuming.”

A set of Cooke S4 lenses was Townend’schoice for the shoot. “I’ve been a fan ofCookes since I first started out; I love thelook they give,” he says. “I’m also veryfamiliar with them so didn’t have to thinkabout them, they just did what they weresupposed to do.”

Townend mainly used focal lengthsranging from 25-75 mm, with 16 mmand 18 mm used for one or two studioshots and a short zoom for a couple ofnight shoots. One small snag was thatCornish wanted plenty of lens flare…“And of course the main selling point ofCookes is that you can shoot into lightwithout any flare! But I believe if youwant something, you should make ithappen rather than just let it happen,”says Townend.

The lighting of those 1980s Americanfilms presented a further challenge,especially with a limited budget andspace restrictions. “The street lighting in1980s America was mercury vapour,which gives off a cold blue-green light,in comparison to the UK with its orangeglow of sodium vapour light,” explainsTownend. “Much of our film is set on aSouth London council estate at night,and I rashly promised Joe that I wouldgive him the blue-green light – but asit turned out it was impossible tocompletely avoid the orange, so wehad to embrace it.”

The production wasn’t able to use cherrypickers on the estate due to cost andspace, so Townend and the gaffer,Julian White, installed 18K lights onARRI MaxMover stirrups on somerooftops of the blocks of flats. “The factthat we could remotely control and anglethem was a lifesaver, as it meant wecould shoot in several directions,” saysTownend. “Otherwise there was very

little in the way of traditional lightingfixtures. We had a selection of ARRIlamps – both sodium and mercury – butthere was no point using gels. If you wanta street light, why not use the street lightthat’s there? We wanted a gritty, real lookso we decided to make it authentic in aheightened way, and bring out theoranges and blues that were there.”

Creating the sinister alien creaturesthemselves led to some interestingexperiments, as Cornish was determinedthat they should be achieved mainly onthe screen rather than with CGI. “Hehad this great idea that we would makethem jet black and non-reflective, so thatall you can see is the outline,” saysTownend. “How we were going to dothat was up for grabs at that point!Several different ideas were tested,including a material that could be keyed,but it was a struggle because theyneeded to be shot under differentlighting conditions and colors. In the endwe kept the light off them as best wecould – in a few instances we heavilybacklit them, particularly if they wereagainst a black background. Thisinfluenced a lot of shooting and lightingdecisions as they had to look good.” Thecreatures were refined in post to paintoff reflections and achieve the matte lookthat Cornish wanted.

The DI grade was completed atTechnicolor by Asa Shoul. “He did agreat job and we didn’t tamper with ittoo much after his first pass,” saysTownend. “The look of the film wasalways going to be dictated by the wayit was lit; we didn’t alter the contrast orcolor much, it was just a case ofbalancing everything out. It was only mysecond experience of grading a film andputting a version out to film, and it wasa very smooth, pleasant experience –much like the shoot as a whole.”

Attack The Block was released in the UKon 11 May 2011. �

Wendy Mattock

� XX xxx

�ON SET: Joe Cornish (left) discussesa scene with Tom Townend (right)

Since a successful first test phase inJanuary, filmmakers have come torealize that ARRIRAW delivers the bestpossible image quality from theARRI ALEXA CMOS sensor, selectingthe format for several major motionpicture and commercial productionsthis year. Additionally, mostpostproduction facilities now havetools in place to support an ARRIRAWworkflow, making it the naturalselection for delivering uncompromisedimage quality, cost-effectively.Nevertheless, some people still askthe following…

The evolution of

ARRIRAW

24

What’s the point of ARRIRAW?

We all know that ALEXA already recordsgreat-looking images, and there isclearly a measureable cost benefit ofrecording in-camera with ProRes 4444.So what is the real advantage incapturing with ARRIRAW?

Some camera formats compress theRAW sensor image down to amanageable file size to allow recordingin-camera. Once recorded, the image isdecompressed and reconstructed (de-Bayered) as part of the postproductionprocess. This procedure results in visibleartifacts and the inaccurate rendering ofcolors. ALEXA ARRIRAW recordings aredifferent in that they are uncompressed,uncompromised and compressionartifact-free, making it the perfect choicefor high-end cinematic applications.

The ARRIRAW image needs to berecorded in a special way, using ARRI’sTransport Link (T-link) interface to acertified recorder – capable of recordingat a data rate almost 10 times higherthan ALEXA’s in-camera recordingtechnology. ARRIRAW footage can thenbe reliably transported on datamagazines and easily ingested intopostproduction systems for real-timequality control and cost-effective dailies.The original ARRIRAW files can bearchived for use at a later date – aprocess entirely analogous to traditionalfilm capture, where film negative isprocessed, scanned into a DI pipelinefor dailies and then archived forfuture use.�

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VISIONARRI

THE EVOLUTION OF ARRIRAW

26

ARRIRAW compliant recorders

T-LINK

CERTIFIED FOR

ALEXA

Who can work with ARRIRAW files?

The same advancements in image processing, viewing andstorage media that revolutionized the digital stills industryhave unlocked the potential for manipulating RAW imagesin the broadcast and movie industries. ARRI is openlyworking with over 30 software and hardware partners tobring creative and efficient digital workflow tools to themarket. Almost any postproduction facility in the world nowhas the ability to work with ARRIRAW files, with newfeatures and increased levels of performance becomingavailable every day. A full list of partners can be found at:www.arridigital.com/contacts/partnerprogram

What’s the benefit of ARRIRAW for visualeffects applications?

ALEXA’s ProRes in-camera recording system produceswonderfully clean 1920 x 1080 HD images, ideal for mostvisual effects (VFX) applications. Recording with ALEXA inARRIRAW mode will allow the full 16:9 sensor resolution ofup to 3072 x 1728 to be recorded, and currently a 2880x 1620 image is captured in compatible recorders. WithARRIRAW, VFX teams can now choose to work with eithera downscaled HD or 2K image, or for optimum qualitya 3K ARRIRAW image, increasing flexibility in imagemanipulation and improving finished quality inVFX-heavy applications.

Why shoot ARRIRAW?

• It delivers the best possible digital alternativeto capturing on 35 mm film

• It is uncompressed and unencrypted – all theway from scene to screen – guaranteeing thepurity of the image

• It does not ‘bake-in’ any camera settings, sofeatures such as White Balance can be adjustedin post

• The ARRIRAW image capture and archivalprocess follows a more traditional,film-like workflow

These key attributes make the transition from film to digitala much more transparent process for cinematographersand directors, who place a high value on preserving imagequality, retaining creative flexibility and working withrepeatable production processes. Based on the purity ofimage and simplicity of workflow, and the speed at whichthe format has been embraced, the future of ARRIRAWfor major motion pictures and high-end commercialsseems assured. �

ARRI continues to work with recorder manufacturers and partners onARRIRAW T-link compliance testing. The Codex OnBoard was the firstrecorder to be certified, and is already being used on ARRIRAW productionsworldwide. The OB-1 recorder from S.two is also now certified.

ARRI

Versatility meets efficiencyAt NAB 2011 ARRI introduced a new generation of LED-based Fresnellights. The ARRI L-Series represents a major step forward in theintegration of LED technology into the film and broadcast industries.�

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VISIONARRI

28

Familiar functionality,breakthrough performance

Whereas other LED fixtures have takenforms that demand sacrifices in thequality of lighting designs, the L-Seriesis unique in that it fits perfectly intoestablished working practices. Thismeans that lighting designers will nothave to adapt their creative techniques,nor will studios have to change theiroperating procedures; conventionalFresnels can be exchanged forL-Series Fresnels on a like-for-like basis,achieving substantial and immediate costsavings with minimal disruption.

Three models, 12 configurations

Launching the L-Series are three LEDFresnel units that are comparable inintensity to a conventional 1K Fresnel.The L7-D, L7-T and L7-C all share thesame basic housing and the same 7”Fresnel lens. They differ in terms of colortemperature, with the D model outputtinga daylight-equivalent 5600 K, the Tmodel a tungsten-equivalent 3200 K,and the top-of-the-range C model offeringtotal color control.

A secure, upgradeable investment

One of the key attributes of the L-Seriesis that it is an expandable systemplatform. Not only will further modelsbe released as technology advances,but all models employ a future-proofarchitecture with upgradeable lightengines, controls and opticalaccessories. Investment in theL-Series is therefore a safe, long termstrategy for keeping up with the latesttechnological innovations.

The versatility of a true fresnel

Fresnel lights are workhorses of theindustry and the L-Series fixtures are thefirst LED-based units to truly match theirperformance and versatility. Withcontinuous focusability from spot to floodand defined, single shadow rendition,the L-Series produces an even light fieldthat is exceptionally smooth andhomogenous.

Barndoors and flags can be used to cutand shape the light in exactly the sameway as with conventional Fresnels,giving designers the creative options

they depend on. Color distribution isconsistent and uniform, while high colorrendition ensures pleasing, true-to-lifeimages. On the L7-T and L7-D models,the broad spectrum white light ensuresexcellent rendition of skin tones andcolors, while the L7-C allows precisemanipulation of intensity, colortemperature, green-magenta point,hue and saturation.

The efficiency of LED

L7 fixtures consume 75% less power thanconventional tungsten Fresnels. The lackof forward heat makes for a morepleasant work environment, but it alsovastly reduces the need for airconditioning, further minimizing energyconsumption. In addition, the highlydurable LED light engine is resistant topower fluctuations and rated to lastaround 200 times longer than atraditional tungsten lamp. Taken togetherwith other attributes such as built-indimming, these efficiencies add up toextremely significant cost savings.

ARRI L-SERIES

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VISIONARRI

On-board control options

All of the L-Series models can beconfigured with or without an on-boardcontroller. In studio setups, lights arelikely to be controlled remotely by DMX,whereas on location, manual on-boardcontrols will be of tremendous benefit;this will especially be the case with colortuneable models such as the L7-C. Presetbuttons allow a look to be stored in thefixture and recalled later, and since twoindividual presets can be stored, anoperator can easily switch between twodifferent looks.

Cooling options

The other configuration option is thecooling assembly, again directedprimarily at catering to location andstudio applications. To satisfy the

rigorous sound requirements of modernbroadcast studios, the unique L-Seriespassive cooling system incorporates nomoving parts or fans and is thereforecompletely silent; it can be used inambient air temperatures of up to 35°C.Alternatively, the active cooling systemuses an extremely quiet (<20 dB) fanand provides a compact and lightweightoption for location shoots intemperatures of up to 50°C.

ARRI quality

All three L7 fixtures embody ARRI’s75 years of experience in manufacturingFresnel lights for film and broadcastprofessionals. Like other ARRI productsthey are rugged, reliable and builtspecifically for the most demandingenvironments, with an IP54 ratingearned for resistance to sand, dust,rain and spray. �

30

VisionARRI: What was it like working with first-timefilm directors who were coming from the worldof theatre?

Stefano Falivene: It actually wasn’t hard because they had astrong idea of what they wanted. Perhaps they weren’t able toexpress it in technical terms, but they made it clear enough.Also, the script was very well written and it was easy foreveryone to understand what was required. Unfortunately Ijumped onto the movie rather late so I had no time to prep withthem, but they were both very kind and very precise. It wasespecially helpful that they started each day by rehearsing withthe actors on set, because it gave me time to understand whatatmosphere they wanted for the scene. Obviously we wouldpre-light the day before, but the real lighting would be adjustedafter the rehearsal, which made it much easier for me.

VA: Was Georges Duroy’s upward journey throughsociety mirrored with any transitions in thevisual approach?

SF: In the first part of the movie, when he is poor, we tried tomake the images seem dirty. Then during his passage tobecoming rich you start to notice that something is changingwith the picture. In the beginning we see him in a brothel inold Paris, surrounded by prostitutes; it’s very cold, very dirty,and you feel that the people around him are bad people.His journey upwards begins when he meets another soldierthat has become rich and after that the picture becomesgradually warmer.

We really just did it with the lighting. Declan and Nickreferenced Toulouse Lautrec when we were speaking aboutwhat kind of atmosphere they wanted for the brothel. To getthat look I felt we needed strong shafts of light providingbacklight and a lot of contrast. The scene was shot at an oldpumping station in the East End of London; we lit it from abovewith ARRI T12 and Source Four lights, giving us as muchfreedom to move the camera as possible. There was anexisting metal grid in the roof so we had a lot of light comingthrough that to create strange shadows on the ground and itlooked really good.

Based on the 1885 novel by Guy deMaupassant, Bel Ami is the featuredebut of renowned theatre directorsDeclan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod,who founded the highly successfulinternational theatre company Cheekby Jowl in 1981. The film stars teenheartthrob Robert Pattinson asGeorges Duroy, a humble Parisianclerk who rises to socialprominence by manipulating andseducing a succession of powerfulwomen. Filming took place inLondon and Budapest, wherecinematographer Stefano Falivenemade use of camera equipmentsupplied by ARRI Media and alighting kit provided by ARRILighting Rental.

BelAmi

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VISIONARRI

VA: Aside from reflecting Duroy’ssocial ascendance, did youdevelop different looks for otherthemes or locations?

SF: There was a lot of discussion at thestart about whether we could incorporateelectric light fixtures as practical sources,because the book was published at thevery beginnings of electricity being usedto light buildings. We did use bulbs forthe richer houses, but there were also alot of flame-based sources, so mysolution was generally to keep the lightquite warm. An exception to that was inthe apartment of a character calledMadeleine Forestier; the directors feltthat she was a very cold person whocontrols everybody around her and theywanted her apartment to feel cold. Sothe lighting at that location is colder thanthe rest of the movie.

VA: Were there difficultieslighting real locations inLondon and Budapest?

SF: For the last scene in the film, in achurch, the directors wanted the churchdoors to open and everything to becomeoverexposed, with the movie finishing onthe white light. The ending is completelydifferent now, but that was the ideawhen we shot it. Unfortunately there wasa misunderstanding about where wewere allowed to position lights, but wefound a solution by putting a couple ofARRIMAX 18Ks just around the corner.We carried two ARRIMAX lights with usfor the shoot and they were very useful

for a hard sun highlight or nice rim lightfrom a distance. At another location inLondon – an old factory – we had threebig windows and there was only roomfor one cherry picker, so we did it with asingle ARRIMAX.

John Colley, the gaffer, was brilliant;he was a really good man and hesupported me a lot. I do have anothergaffer that I use all the time and whoknows me very well, but it wasn’tpossible to get him on this film becauseit had already started shooting. I hadn’tworked with John before but after justtwo days we understood each othercompletely – he was a real professional.

VA: Were you content to beshooting with the ARRICAMStudio and Lite when you joinedthe production?

SF: Absolutely – I use the ARRICAMsystem in Italy whenever I can, and ifthere is no budget then I might choosethe ARRIFLEX 535, but it will be an ARRIcamera. The only thing I changed when Ijumped on the movie was the lenses – Ibrought in Cooke S4s. I’ve been usingCookes for a long time and traditionallythey are associated with a warmer, moreromantic look, so they were the rightchoice for this film.

VA: Did you operate a camerayourself?

SF: Normally I operated the secondcamera, and I brought Stuart Howellonto the production to operate A-camera

and Steadicam, though Robert Patzelttook over for the last week. Stuart helpedme a lot because he had a goodrelationship with the directors and if Iwas lighting a complicated setup then hewould think about the scene and break itdown with them.

VA: Was there a lot of cameramovement and Steadicam work?

SF: I love to shoot Steadicam whenSteadicam is really necessary; if it’s notnecessary then I prefer the dolly. Therewas a love scene between Robert andKristin Scott Thomas where we decidedto turn around them two or three timeson a long lens and the only way to shootit was with Steadicam. We had a lot ofSteadicam shots but we used a lot oftrack too. We weren’t trying to be cleverwith the camera, but it’s not a staticmovie either – we moved only when wereally needed to move.

VA: How has the postproductionbeen; have you done the grade?

SF: I just finished the grade and I’ve seenthe first tests on film, which were donewith an ARRILASER. The grade was onlytwo weeks, which is quite quick,because I prefer to do things in thetraditional way as much as possible.I didn’t change a lot in the DI because Ihad enough time on set to prepare eachscene as I wanted it and the color wasvery good, so two weeks was enough. �

Mark Hope-Jones

32

The latest developments to the ARRI ALEXA camera systemTruly cinematic image quality in combination with efficientworkflows has resulted in a blindingly fast adoption of ALEXAin the industry. The camera’s unique features and greatflexibility have seen it shine not only on major 2D and 3Dfeature films, but everything from international television series,commercials and soap operas to music videos, documentariesand video art. Crews everywhere appreciate the fact thatALEXA is a true ARRI camera – robust, reliable, and tailored tothe demanding requirements of a professional set.

With hundreds of cameras in the field, ARRI is receiving anenormous amount of positive feedback from customersworldwide, including many suggestions on how to furtherimprove ALEXA. These suggestions, combined with ARRI’sinternal list of new features, have led to a number of productupdates that will make the ALEXA system an even moreversatile toolset.

UPDATESPRODUCT

Audio Playback

Playback of audio (in addition toimages) from SxS PRO cards through theheadphones jack and embedded in theHD-SDI stream for HD-SDI and ARRIRAWT-link output.

Peaking

A focus check for the viewfinder andMON OUT output.

Auto White Balance

In addition to the wide range of whitebalance options already available, thenew Auto White Balance canautomatically determine the red/bluewhite balance and green/magenta CCvalues when the camera is pointed at awhite surface.

RETURN IN

The RETURN IN connector can accept avideo signal that will be shown at thepush of a button on the viewfinder andon the MON OUT output.

Fan Low Mode

When this mode is on, the fan will runslower during recording, to reduce thenoise in hot environments.

Test Signals

SMPTE color bars and a number ofother test signals will be available,including 1 KHz audio tone, directlyfrom ALEXA outputs.

ALEXA Software Update Package 4.0Some major updates and significant improvements compriseSoftware Update Package 4.0, here are the most important features:

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VISIONARRI

In development: ALEXA High Speed

ALEXA & ALEXA Plus regular speed mode

• ProRes 422 (HQ) and lesser codecs: 0.75 to 60 fps

• ProRes 4444: 0.75 to 40 fps

ALEXA & ALEXA Plus High Speed mode

• ProRes 422 (HQ) and lesser codecs: 60 to 120 fps

Enabling the High Speed mode involved reworking thecamera’s image processing; as a result, there are somedifferences between the two speed modes. In High Speedmode, the traditional REC OUT output is not available, and thesignal from the MON OUT output will be routed to REC OUT.

Additionally, an Auto White Balance can only be set inRegular Speed mode, although it can then also be used inHigh Speed mode. ALEXA High Speed mode is expected to beavailable by IBC 2011. �

In order to properly view the image whenshooting with 2x or 1.3x anamorphic lenses, ade-squeeze function for the ALEXA viewfinderand the MON OUT output can be activated viaa license. It is now possible for the operator toindependently switch between four differentmodes for the viewfinder and MON OUT whenshooting with anamorphic lenses:

• Anamorphic de-squeeze off(in record and playback modes)

• Anamorphic de-squeeze 2x(in record and playback modes)

• Anamorphic de-squeeze 2x and magnify(in record mode only)

• Anamorphic de-squeeze 1.3x(in record and playback modes)

All four modes are available with or without surround view

ALEXA anamorphic de-squeeze

An exciting feature currently in development is the new ALEXA High Speed mode. When switched to HighSpeed mode, ALEXA and ALEXA Plus cameras can run from 60 to 120 fps; in order to make this possible,ARRI has created a method of pushing full sensor images through the ALEXA hardware at higher framerates. This does not involve windowing, but instead uses the full size of ALEXA’s 35 mm format sensor.Depth of field and angle of view are therefore exactly the same for Regular and High Speed modes.

ALEXA LUT Generator

Lookup tables, or LUTs, transform inputdata into a more desirable output format.When shooting with ALEXA, this typicallyinvolves applying conversion values tomaterial captured in Log C in order tomake corrected images available both onset and in postproduction. Without theLUT, Log C images recorded by ALEXAwould bear little relation to the world aswe see it.

LUTs can also be created in order to givea production a unique look, or multipleunique looks. The ALEXA LUT Generatorwebpage allows productions to select orgenerate standard conversion LUTs out ofthe many available combinations anddownload those that are suitable totheir needs.

These LUTs are provided as supportingtools for ALEXA productions. As specificneeds vary on a project-by-project basisand third party LUT formats are subject tochange, ARRI recommends that LUTs aretested before being used on a production.

The LUT files can be created in morethan 20 different formats for a widerange of software and hardware systems.For Log C images, they are dividedinto four categories:

• Preview of Log C images on set

• Conversion of Log C images for dailies

• Color correction of Log C images witha conversion LUT in the display path

• Round trip conversion of Log C to lineardata in a VFX workflow

The Log C to video conversion LUTs mimicthe color processing in the ALEXA camera.Hence, Log C images converted orpreviewed with these LUTs will look likethe Rec 709 (video) output of the camera.

Visitors to the webpage will need toregister before accessing the LUTs.This allows ARRI to inform users of anyupdates or improvements to imageprocessing tools.

www.arridigital.com/technical/luts

ALEXA Camera Simulator

The ALEXA Camera Simulator is aninteractive training tool for operators whowant to familiarize themselves with themenu navigation of the ARRI ALEXAdigital camera. The simulator’s main userinterface shows an identical simulation ofthe ALEXA side panel, with currentsoftware version.

Using a mouse to move the cursor overALEXA’s buttons and jog wheel allowsevery menu option to be accessed, whilefor those with a touchscreen display thesimulation is even closer to the real thing.In this way anyone with internet accesscan quickly learn the straightforward andlogical ALEXA menu system, before theyeven get their hands on the camera itself.

www.arridigital.com/technical/simulator

ALEXA Frame Line Composer

A standard set of frame lines is providedin each camera by default. As of ALEXAsoftware version 3.0, there are extendedpossibilities inside the camera for theuser to create individualized framelines in accordance with theirpersonal preferences.

The ALEXA Frame Line Composer allowscustomized frame lines to be createdonline. These frame lines can bedownloaded and saved not only in thenecessary file format, but also as afull-size image that can be used lateras a frame leader in editorial andpostproduction. �

www.arridigital.com/technical/aflc

ALEXAwebtoolsThe Digital Workflow Solutions group within ARRI has developed a number of online web tools to improvethe knowledge and resources available to cinematographers, camera operators, DITs, editors, colorists andVFX supervisors involved in ARRI ALEXA workflows.

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VISIONARRI

35

The APA is a trade association that represents theinterests of UK production and post-productioncompanies making commercials. One of the servicesit offers to members is the Masterclass program,a 13 week training course aimed at youngproduction managers and production assistants whowish to become producers. Competition for thecomprehensive course is fierce as it guides traineesthrough the entire production process of acommercial, from conception with the clientand creatives, through the shoot, and finally topost-production.

ARRI Media’s product evening provided the 70students with a unique opportunity to learn moreabout the equipment that they would encounter on ashoot. They were split into four groups that rotatedbetween four mini-classes covering digital camerasystems, film camera systems, lighting, andgrip equipment.

As well as ARRI Media’s expert camera technicians,the company also brought in a couple of freelancetechnicians to convey their wealth of practicalexperience. Oliver Loncraine explained the role ofthe DoP in the making of a commercial and JemMorton the role of a grip. The lighting session wasled by ARRI Focus, which specialises in short termlighting hire for commercials and promos.

“We think that the ARRI Media event is an essentialpart of the Masterclass program,” says RebeccaGlover, Production Training Co-ordinator, APA. “Thepractical production knowledge on offer fills in somany gaps for young producers, and allows them toask the questions they don’t have time for on shoots.”

Harriet Cannon, Business Manager, ARRI Media,says, “We feel it is very important to support trainingprogrammes like this in order to provide continuingeducation to people progressing through the industry.The APA evening was a great success and we lookforward to welcoming the next set of trainees.”

For more about the APA visit www.a-p-a.net

In March 2011 ARRI Media hosted an event for the Advertising ProducersAssociation (APA).

ARRI Media hosts the APA

�

�

News from around the world

�OLIVER LONCRAINE (left) talks about the role of the DoP, supportedby Paul Swann (right) from ARRI Media

�GEORGE MARTIN from ARRI Focus gives an overview of lightingequipment

36

�� HARRIET CANNON

� RUSSELL ALLEN

NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

�

The new team officially stepped into their roles atthe beginning of the year. Allen has taken onresponsibility for the day to day operation of thecompany, whilst also continuing to oversee hisprevious role of managing ARRI Media’s feature anddrama work. Cannon will provide support, workingalongside Allen to assist in the smooth running ofthe business.

As devoted employees for many years, both have awell-regarded reputation with ARRI Media’s existingclients and between them bring over 40 years ofindustry experience to their new positions. Together,they will play a fundamental role in ensuring thecompany continues to deliver for its clients, both nowand in the future.

“I am looking forward to the challenges that lieahead,” says Allen. “The industry has undergone

significant change in the last year with the emergenceof new and exciting technologies. In order to makesure we continue to meet the changing needs of themarket, ARRI Media has invested in cutting-edgeproducts such as the ARRI ALEXA camera system and3ality Digital’s stereoscopic 3D shooting systems.”

On the new management structure, Allen comments,“Harriet and I will be working closely together toensure we operate effectively and efficiently at alllevels, providing the products, service and supportthat our customers demand.”

ARRI Media3 Highbridge, Oxford RoadUxbridge UB8 1LXTel: +44 1895 457100Email: rallen@arrimedia.com

hcannon@arrimedia.com

News from around the world

ARRI Media appoints new management teamARRI Media has made two new managerial appointments; Russell Allen has beenpromoted to General Manager and Harriet Cannon to Business Manager.

� JOSEF REIDINGER

“We are delighted to have Josef Reidinger back onboard,” says Franz Kraus, Managing Director ofARRI. “He possesses an incredible wealth ofexperience in all aspects of postproduction and inmany areas of filmmaking in general. Clients andstaff alike hold him in high regard.” Dr. MartinPrillmann, also Managing Director of ARRI, adds:“I am convinced that Mr. Reidinger will lead andadvance the postproduction arm of our company –a realm that is currently undergoing massive changeseverywhere – with foresight and understanding.”

Reidinger moved up through the ranks on the lab sideof the business and during his previous time withARRI led the staff, first in his capacity as the head ofthe lab and later as the head of postproduction, inthe transition from analogue to digital. The experiencehe gained in production on the client side over thecourse of the past two years at Constantin Film will beinvaluable in his new role.

Commenting on his appointment as General Manager,Reidinger says, “I’m looking forward to collaboratingwith the management and staff to meet the challengesinvolved in strengthening and expanding ARRI Film &TV’s position as the leading postproduction house inGermany. The main items on the agenda includeissues such as Stereo 3D, the switch from analogueto digital acquisition and distribution, and thetechnological changes in postproduction. It is my goalnot only to work even more closely and in a moreproject-oriented manner with our current clients, butalso to tap into new markets.”

ARRI Film & TV Services GmbHTürkenstrasse 89D-80799 MunichTel: +49 89 3809 2244Email: jreidinger@arri.de

ARRI Film & TV Services bring Josef Reidinger back onboard as General ManagerJosef Reidinger has assumed the role of General Manager at ARRI Film & TVServices GmbH as of May 1, succeeding Thomas Till who departed in early 2011.He returns to Türkenstrasse in Munich, the place he called his professional homefor many years, after departing in early 2009 to head postproduction at theConstantin Film Group. In his new capacity as General Manager of ARRI Film & TV,he will be responsible for Munich, Berlin and Cologne.

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VISIONARRI

�News from around the world

The move, driven by ARRI Rental Berlin’s continuingcommitment to customer service, means the companynow has more space than in its previous location.Ute Baron, Branch Manager, explains: “Our primarygoal was not to expand, but to modernize andstreamline in order to offer our clients the bestpossible service.” ARRI Rental Berlin now has farbetter testing and loading capabilities at its newpremises, where up to five productions can easilybe serviced and supported simultaneously.

Clients are not the only ones to benefit from thenew location; employees are also much morecomfortable in the bright, modern surroundings.The room layouts are tailored to daily workprocesses and logistics.

As well as supplying camera, lighting and dolly gripequipment, the largest branch of ARRI RentalGermany, in close collaboration with ARRI Film & TVBerlin, specializes in providing complex solutions for2D/3D formats and offers production-relatedservices for all major digital recording formats. Forexample, Paramount Picture’s Hansel and Gretel:Witch Hunters at Studio Babelsberg relies on ARRIRental's comprehensive 3D expertise.

As a system provider for this production, the Berlinbranch is supplying a package that includes up toten ALEXA digital cameras, three stereo camerarigs and all the necessary on-set 3D playback andviewing systems. The uncompressed ARRIRAW datastream is recorded to Codex OnBoard recorders.ARRI Rental Berlin is also providing the 3D

production with a full package of lighting and gripequipment, including telescopic camera cranes andremote heads. ARRI Film & TV Services is on setwith its self-contained 3D On-set Service Trailer,allowing data transfer and archiving, qualitycontrol, daily grading, screening and rendering tobe handled in the immediate vicinity of the shoot.

The Berlin branch offers its clients the latesttechnology, maintained by well-trained andqualified employees, and clients can rely on thecompany’s vast experience in working with filmproductions of all sizes. The focus is always oncustomer service and continuous improvement ofsupport and services. A variety of workshops arealso available or being developed.

Ute Baron adds: “The main benefit of this move isthat it enables us to better serve our clients andallows us to meet any future challenges that the filmindustry may hold in store for us. The ARRI RentalBerlin team looks forward to them.”

ARRI Rental Germany GmbHBerlin BranchGaussstrasse 1710589 BerlinTel: +49 30 346 8000www.arri-rental.com

At the beginning of the year ARRI Rental Berlin moved to new3000-square-metre premises in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin.

ARRI Rental Berlin moves to new premises

38

PRODUCTION UPDATE

ARRI CSCTitle Production Company DoP/Lighting Director Gaffer Equipment Serviced by

Tooth Fairy 2 Fox US Productions Levie Isaacks ASC Drew Davidson ARRI ALEXA ARRI CSC FLThe Finder (Pilot) TCFTV Productions Sid Sidell ARRI ALEXA ARRI CSC FLThe Glades TVM Productions Inc. Lloyd Ahern, ARRI ALEXA ARRI CSC FL

Jaime ReynosoAbraham Lincoln: 20th Century Fox Caleb Deschanel ASC Paul Olinde ARRI ALEXA ARRI CSC NJVampire HunterMen in Black III Columbia Pictures Bill Pope ASC Bill O’Leary ARRICAM with HD-IVS, ARRI ARRI CSC NJ

ALEXA 2nd Unit, Lighting, GripNew Year’s Eve New Line Cinema Charles Minsky ASC Ken Shibata ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Grip ARRI CSC NJExtremly Loud and Warner Brothers Chris Menges ASC, BSC Bill O’Leary ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Grip ARRI CSC NJIncredibly CloseArtemis Lionsgate Tom Stern ASC, AFC Ross Dunkerley ARRICAM 3-Perforation Illumination

with HD-IVS Dynamics NCWe Bought a Zoo 20th Century Fox Rodrigo Prieto ASC, AMC Randy Woodside Conventional Lighting & Illumination

Cable Distribution Dynamics LAThe Voice Mark Burnett Oscar Dominguez Sam Barker Automated Lighting Illumination

Dynamics LA

ARRI RENTALTitle Production Company Director DoP Equipment

Hansel and Gretel: 17. Babelsberg Film/ Tommy Wirkola Michael Bonvillain ARRI ALEXA, Stereotec Mid Size 3D Rig,Witch Hunters Paramount Pictures Freestyle 3D Rig, Lighting, GripFünf Freunde SamFilm Mike Marzuk Bernhard Jasper ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, GripMister Pip Mr. Pip Ltd. Andrew Adamson John Toon ARRI ALEXARussendisko Black Forest Films Oliver Schmitz Tetsuo Nagata ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, GripTitanic Mid Atlantic Films Jon Jones Adam Suschitzky ARRI ALEXA, GripTürkisch für Anfänger Rat Pack Filmproduktion Bora Dagtekin Benjamin Dernbecher ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, GripZettl Diana Film Helmut Dietl Frank Griebe ARRICAM Studio & Lite 3-Perforation,

Lighting, GripThe Raven Pioneer Productions James McTeigue Dany Ruhlman ARRICAM Studio & Lite, ARRIFLEX 435

& 235 3-Perforation, GripHenker & Richter Eikon Media Joseph Orr Günter Handwerker ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, GripÜberleben an der Ziegler Film Titus Selge Frank Blau ARRI ALEXA, LightingWickelfrontDie Fischerhäuser die film Johannes Fabrick Helmut Pirnat ARRIFLEX 416, Lighting, GripTatort – Ein ganz TV60Filmproduktion Torsten C. Fischer Hagen Bogdanski ARRIFLEX 416, Lighting, Gripnormaler Fall

ARRI LIGHTING RENTALTitle Production Company Director DoP Gaffer Best Boy

Jack the Giant Killer Warner Bros. Pictures Bryan Singer Newton Thomas Sigel Eddie Knight Stewart MonteithDark Shadows Warner Bros. Pictures Tim Burton Bruno Delbonnel Chuck Finch Billy MerrellGambit Shabandar Productions Michael Hoffman Florian Ballhaus Paul McGeaghan Will KendalThe Iron Lady Iron Lady (DJ films) Phyllida Lloyd Elliot Davis Mark Clayton Benny Harper360 360 Films Fernando Meirelles Adriano Goldman Andy Long Mark HanlonDoc Martin (Series 5) Buffalo Pictures Paul Seed Simon Archer BSC John Walker Mark KeelingSilent Witness BBC Keith Boak John Conroy Alex Scott Rob Osbourne(Series 15)Spooks (Series 10) Kudos Film & Television Bharat Nalluri James Welland Stuart King Russell TannThe Hour Kudos Film & Television Harry Bradbeer, Chris Seager BSC Stuart King Steve Anthony

Coky Giedroyc, Jamie PayneWhat to Do When Sally Head Productions Tim Fywell Tony Miller Steve Blake Tom McGinleySomeone DiesLost Christmas Impact Film & Television John Hay Graham Frake Tom Gates Phil HurstHim & Her (Series 2) Big Talk Productions Richard Laxton Rob Kitzmann Fritz HenryMongrels (Series 2) BBC Adam Miller Jamie Cairney Colin Thwaites Darren HarveyFast Freddie STV Productions David Richards Chris Seager BSC Pat Sweeney Martin ConwaySpy Hat Trick Productions Ben Taylor Magni Agustsson John Colley Vince Madden

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VISIONARRI

ARRI FILM & TV - POST PRODUCTION SERVICES - COMMERCIALSClient Title Agency Production Director DoP

Adelholzener Alpenquellen Active 02 Heye & Partner Hager Moss Chris Patterson Chris PattersonGmbH Commercial GmbHMcDonald’s Deutschland Inc. Danke dafür Heye & Partner Hager Moss Jörgen Lööw Frank Griebe

Commercial GmbHMcDonald’s Deutschland Inc. Grand Royal Heye & Partner Hager Moss Jörgen Lööw Kjell Lagerroos

Commercial GmbHMcDonald’s Deutschland Inc. Prime Chicken Heye & Partner e+p commercial Jan Bonny Nicolai von

Graevenitzplaymobil playmobil 2011 e+p commercial Reiner Holzemer Peter AichholzerTriumph Global Sales AG Shape Sensation Bloom Project Lüthje Schneider Hörl Jan Voss Nik SummererWort & Bild Verlag Apothekenumschau made in munich Mark Seydlitz Christoph Cico

2011 NicolaisenBMW One Origin. Serviceplan Hamburg GAP films Marco Grandia Sebastian

Two Originals PfaffenbichlerHipp GmbH & Co. Vetrieb KG Hipp Combiotik Serviceplan München embassy Susanne Dittrich Jens MaasboelRobert Bosch GmbH Powertool Interone PI_group Jaques Stein Jaques SteinAudi Q3 Qube Barcelona KMS Lucie_p

ARRI MEDIATitle Production Company Director DoP Equipment

Jack the Giant Killer Warner Bros. Pictures Bryan Singer Newton Thomas Sigel 3ality Digital S3D Rigs, Ultra Primes,Cranes, Remote Heads

Sinbad Impossible Pictures Andy Wilson Gavin Finney BSC ARRI ALEXAGambit Shabandar Productions Michael Hoffman Florian Ballhaus Codex Onboard Recorders, Camera

Support, GripGravity Warner Bros. Pictures Alfonso Cuaron Emmanuel ARRI ALEXA, Grip, Cranes

Lubezki ASC, AMC

360 360 Films Fernando Meirelles Adriano Goldman ARRICAM Lite 3-Perforation,ARRIFLEX 416, Ultra Primes, Grip

Doc Martin (Series 5) Buffalo Pictures Paul Seed Simon Archer BSC ARRIFLEX 416Downton Abbey Carnival Film & Television Andy Goddard, Gavin Struthers ARRI ALEXA, Grip(Series 2) Brian Kelly,

Ashley PearceThe Jury ITV Studios Michael Offer Tim Fleming ARRI ALEXA, GripThe Hour Kudos Film & Television Harry Bradbeer, Chris Seager BSC ARRIFLEX D-21, Grip

Coky Giedroyc,Jamie Payne

The Inbetweeners Movie Bwark Productions, Ben Palmer Ben Wheeler ARRI ALEXA, GripYoung Films

Wild Bill 20ten Media Dexter Fletcher George Richmond ARRI ALEXA, GripLaw & Order: UK Kudos Film & Television David O’Neill Jean-Philippe Gossart ARRIFLEX D-21(Series 3)Scott and Bailey Red Production Company Ben Caron, Tony Slater-Ling, ARRIFLEX D-21, Grip

Sarah Pia Anderson Fabian Wagner

ARRI FILM & TV - POST PRODUCTION SERVICES - FEATURESTitle Production Company Director DoP Services

Anleitung zum Unglücklichsein Desert Flower Sherry Horman Wojciech Szepel Lab, DI, HD-Mastering, VFX, SoundConfessions d’un enfant Integral Film Sylvia Verheyde Nicolas Gaurin Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering, Labdu siècleDer Schrei des Adlers Aethos Pictures Otmar Penkar Gerald Salmina Lab, DI, HD-MasteringFünf Freunde SamFilm Mike Marzuk Bernhard Jasper Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering,

VFX, Sound, LabHansel and Gretel: 17. Babelsberg Film/ Tommy Wirkola Michael Bonvillain On Set Dailies 3D/2DWitch Hunters Paramount PicturesJesus Loves Me UFA Cinema Florian David Fitz Stefan Unterberger Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering,

Sound, LabKleine Morde Steelworx Adnan G. Köse James Jacobs Lab, DI, HD-Mastering

Film ProduktionThat’s All 23/5 Filmproduktion Hans-Christian Schmid Bogumil Godfrejow Lab, DI, HD-Mastering, VFX, SoundThe Domino Effect The Domino Effect B.V. Paula van der Oest Guido van Gennep DI, HD-Mastering, LabTürkisch für Anfänger Rat Pack Filmproduktion Bora Dagtekin Benjamin Dernbecher Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering,

VFX, Sound, LabZettl Diana Film Helmut Dietl Frank Griebe Lab, DI, HD-Mastering

Published by the ARRI Rental Group Marketing Department. 3 Highbridge, Oxford Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1LX United KingdomThe opinions expressed by individuals quoted in articles in VisionARRI do not necessarily represent those of the ARRI Rental Group or the editors. Due to our constant endeavour to improvequality and design, modifications may be made to products from time to time. Details of availability and specifications given in this publication are subject to change without notice.

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