Aerial America by David Royle

Dereck and Beverly Shooting Zsigmond takes aim Joubert and the Dirty Politics on HD Dailies P2 HD HPX3000 by John McDougall by Bob Fisher by Brian Cali contents

Feature Derek and Beverly Joubert and the HPX3000 6 by Brian Cali

6 GlobeRiders, Indochina Expedition 12 by Sterling Noren

Beautiful Darkness in HD 14 by David Heuring

HDTV: The Consumer Front 16 by Dale Cripps 12 HD Tips: The Fairburn Workflow Test 18 by B. Sean Fairburn

Weird Connections 19 by Andrew Scafetta

Aerial America 20 by David Royle 20 Makeup Rendering in a Digital Age 22 by Bradley M. Look

Easy Money and HD 23 by Buddy Sampson

Shooting Dirty Politics 24 by John McDougall 24

HDTV Forum: FED: The Latest in Display 26 by Steve Sechrist

Canon XH G1 HD Guiding Light 27 by Jennie Taylor

Zsigmond Takes aIM on HD Dailies 28 28 by Bob Fisher

World’s Toughest Fixes 30 by Licet Ariza

Front Cover: Aerial view of the Na Pali Coast on the island of Kauai. Photo by Greta Pittard, courtesy of the Smithsonian Channel.

Vol. 10, Issue 5 | HighDef Magazine is published bi-monthly, free for professionals in all areas of video and film production, nationally by American Press Services, 2247 15th Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119. PUBLISHER: Conrad W. Denke EDITOR: David W. Thompson PRODUCTION: Gina Griffin Hanzsek DISPLAY ADVERTISING: Call David Thompson at 1-888-282-1776 or e-mail [email protected]. Deadline for advertising mechanicals is fifteen(15) days prior to publication date. Current and back issues and additional resources, including subscription request forms, are available on our website: www.HighDef.com. Address changes can also be done online at www.HighDef.com/subscribe or mail changes to: HighDef Magazine, 2247 15th Ave. West, Seattle, WA 98119. PRINTER: RR Donnelley, www.rrdonnelley.com Publication: HighDef Magazine Ship Info: HighDef Magazine IO #: None 2247 15th Ave West RDA International - 286708 Issue: 08/Sep/Oct Seattle , WA 98119 Project: Sony August ad releases Ad Type: P4CB Attn: David Thompson Campaign: Pro Media bleed = 8.5 in X 11 in t: 888.282.1776 f: None Creative: 4064 Pro Media trim = 8.25 in X 10.75 in AE: Scott Lifschin safety = 7.5 in X 10 in

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NEWS & PRODUCTS

in an entry-level solution that enables gives us no problems related to the broadcasters to make a smooth and weather or the conditions.” During the cost-effective transition to HD trans- production, the XDCAM HD camcord- mission. With the addition of the Mach ers are encased in protective rubber- HD to its product line, Snell & Wilcox ized tape and still continue to perform now addresses broadcasters’ full range flawlessly, shot to shot, he said. of HD conversion requirements with solutions ranging from the Alchemist Ph.C - HD, which represents the gold standard in conversion technology, to Scripps Howard to HD with the compact and cost-effective HD over 100 Fujinon lenses CVR700 linear frame-rate converter. Scripps Howard Broadcasting Company recently purchased an extensive complement of Fujinon HTs18X4.2 Panasonic’s New BERM lenses with 2X extenders. The AG-HMC150 AVCCAM more than 100 lenses are being used to Panasonic’s new AG-HMC150 outfit Scripps 10 broadcast TV stations, professional handheld AVCCAM including six ABC-affiliated stations, camcorder is based on the proven three NBC affiliates and one indepen- design and advanced functionality of dent. The lenses were designed for use the highly popular DVX100. This new with JVC GY-HD250 cameras. Canon HD lenses for camcorder will offer both 1080 and Beijing 720 HD recording with solid-state SD Canon U.S.A.’s Broadcast & memory card recording. It also provides Media that makes HD happen. Communications division was the the flexibility of high-quality 1080/720 exclusive provider of HD lenses to NBC AVCHD recording at bit rates up to Olympics for its coverage of the Games 24Mbps and a simple, solid-state SD Whether you shoot high deﬁ nition tape, optical, hard disk or ﬂ ash, Sony Professional Media makes

of the XXIX Olympiad. NBC used the memory card workflow. AVCHD, the HD happen. Only Sony media is co-engineered for optimal performance with Sony camcorders, so T:10.75 in B:11 in S:10 in Canobeam DT-150 HD Free Space industry’s new MPEG-4 / AVC Hi Profile you get bit-for-bit data integrity for those once-in-a-lifetime shots. Sony’s hybrid recording options ™ ™ Optics video transceiver system for compression format, provides a near with fast fi le transfers and instant access make HD more effi cient than SD. Sony LTO and AIT transmitting “beauty shots” of Beijing doubling of bandwidth efficiency with data cartridges can back up your fi le-based operations. And Sony supports you with trained media back to NBC’s Olympic broadcast facil- improved video performance over the specialists, unique recovery services and the Rewarding Recording® loyalty program. The choice Panasonic’s New AG-HPX170 ity. Canon also provided on-site techni- older MPEG-2 compression used in for HD is Sony Professional Media. The #1 brand in professional media. The Panasonic AG-HPX170 is a fully cal support for NBC Olympics through- HDV formats. solid-state P2 HD handheld camcorder out the duration of the 2008 Olympic which will list for $5,695. It includes a Games. “It was our seventh consecu- click: sony.com/promedia 16GB P2 card in the box along with tive Olympics where NBC entrusted The HVX and HPX Book by Barry Canon to be our exclusive lens pro- Green. Fully solid-state, the two-slot vider,” stated Dave Mazza, senior vice HPX170 is an ultra-mobile HD/SD president, engineering, NBC Olympics. camcorder that offers the compelling The Canobeam DT-150 HD video advantages of P2 technology and the transceiver provides bi-directional, ability to operate in harsh environ- uncompressed 1.5 Gbps transmission ments with resistance to tempera- of embedded digital HD video, audio, ture extremes, shock and vibration. and camera-control signals on a single Century Accessories for Providing exceptional, independent- HD-SDI stream with no delay. Sony HVR-Z7U frame compression in 20 HD and SD History Series & Sony’s formats, the HPX170 records in a vari- Schneider Optics introduces a full array XDCAM HD System ety of 1080i/1080p and 720p formats in of professional Century HD lens acces- DVCPRO HD, 480i in DVCPRO50 and In season two of Ice Road Truckers, sories to complement Sony’s HVR-Z7U DVCPRO, and 480i in DV. It is switch- the show heads to the town of Inuvik, and HVR-S270OU camcorders. These able between 16:9/4:3 aspect ratios. more than 100 miles north of the Arctic 72mm lightweight optical attachments Circle, where the challenge is getting provide high resolution image clarity, Snell & Wilcox Mach HD equipment and supplies to natural gas while enabling the camera to go wider, Standards Converter exploration sites and remote villages reach further, and move in closer than Snell & Wilcox introduced the Mach in and around the area. “Tape-based the lens alone will allow. New Century HD, a compact HD/SD motion- systems would not be practical for accessories for the HVR-Z7U include compensated standards converter us at all,” Gavin Brennan, the series’ the .6X HD Wide Angle Adapter equipped with up/down/crossconver- director of photography said. “Tape (#HD-06WA-Z7U), Fisheye HD Adapter sion and synchronization capabili- can get too brittle in the extreme cold MKII (#HD-FEAD-Z7U), .3X HD Ultra ties. The Mach HD packages Snell & and clog up the heads. The more mov- Fisheye Adapter (#HD-FE3X-Z7U), and Wilcox’s state-of-the-art motion- ing parts you have, the more problems 1.6X HD Tele-Converter (#HD-16TC- compensated standards conversion you can run into. The XDCAM system Z7U). U.S. MSRP starts at $490.00. HD

© 2008 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Features and speciﬁ cations are subject to change without notice. 4 Sony, AIT, Rewarding Recording, HDNA and the HDNA logo are trademarks of Sony. LTO is a trademark of Quantum, HP and IBM. Professional Hard Disk Drive shown with optional battery.

4064_SPM_HiDefM_P4CB.v1.indd 1 8/8/08 2:33:29 PM

Contact Chris DelVecchio with any questions regarding these materials ph: 973.602.3365 email: [email protected] Dereck and Beverly Joubert and the HPX3000

nternational wildlife cinematographer Dereck Joubert and his producer wife Beverly Joubert, Through their films, largely on the big cats of Africa - including Living with Big Cats and are currently in production shooting a feature film on lions in the wilds of Botswana. The Eye of the Leopard, which both aired on the National Geographic Channel - they show a side An avid Panasonic VariCam I(as-yet-untitled) feature film, slated for theatrical release early next year, is being shot with of the natural world that is often hidden and explore the relevance of the natural world to user, Dereck Joubert chose AJ-HPX3000 native 1080p one-piece Panasonic P2 HD camcorders. humanity. The upcoming feature is a joint production of National Geographic Films and the to shoot in high-quality AVC- The Jouberts are acclaimed (Emmy, Jackson Hole Festival, Jules Verne Festival honors, Jouberts’ company, Wildlife Films. Intra with the solid-state among scores of accolades) filmmakers, photographers, writers and conservationists. Working As an HPX3000 owner, Joubert chose to shoot in AVC-Intra 100, the industry’s most AJ-HPX3000 P2 HD camcorder. with National Geographic and based out of Botswana, the Jouberts have influenced policy and advanced compression technology that delivers master-quality, 10-bit intra-frame encoding and people’s perceptions of the wild for more than 25 years. full 10-bit, at full 1920 x 1080 4:2:2 video quality. He is shooting in run-and-gun style with two of 6 7 FNI-4575 HDCine 8.25x10.75 4/28/08 12:29 PM Page 1

C-Series Digital Cinema Lenses

the HPX3000 shoulder-mounts on location in with the cameras,” Joubert said. “At the Botswana’s Duba Plains. onset, it rained solidly for two months while “We believe our project will show lions we were following lions, getting bogged in, Filmmaking duo Dereck for the first time as they truly are, probably getting drenched, and generally fighting the and Beverly Joubert as you will never be allowed to see them on elements. This is an electronic camera, and television. It is raw and gritty and wild,” he yet I have felt more confident with it, not less, shooting upcoming FUJINON Super Cine E-Series rentals available at: National Geographic Film said. “We are following one pride of lions and because of its tapeless mechanics. The fewer feature in Botswana. showing their conflict with one herd of about moving parts to take on moisture the better. Big Vision • Cinequipt • Clairmont Camera 1,000 buffalo. But this war doesn’t always go When it isn’t raining, it is 120 degrees in the Dalsa Digital Cinema • Fletcher Chicago Page 10: Based in the expected way.” shade. If any camera really and truly wanted a Koerner Camera • Panavision • Plus8 Digital • Sim Video Botswana, the Jouberts A fan of the Panasonic VariCam HD test, these would be the conditions to do that are renowned for their Cinema camera, Joubert recalled his search in. The HPX3000s have held up very well.” work as filmmakers, for the right camera for this project. “I “As a veteran film cameraman, with every photographers, writers searched long and hard through my various HD camera I use, I try to set it up as much like and conservationists. camera options for our current shoot. And a film camera as possible,” Joubert explained. given my experience with the VariCam in con- “In my mind, the HPX3000 is an electronic film FUJINON INC. sidering a 1080 choice for the larger screen, I camera: I expose for the highlights and most- first looked at what Panasonic could offer.” ly let the dark areas take care of themselves, 2621 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach, CA 90278-1604 “I tested all the cameras I could get my because in film terms the camera’s latitude Phone: (310) 536-0800, Fax: (310) 536-0022 hands on and decided on the HPX3000 for its can handle it.” FUJINON INC. 10 High Point Dr., Wayne, NJ 07470-7434 quality, which is breathtaking, and its ease of “I am finding a tolerance, latitude or Phone: (973) 633-5600, Fax: (973) 633-5216 use, which even improves upon the VariCam,” dynamic range of around 13 stops out here. 1-324 Uetake, Kita-Ku, Saitama City, Saitama 331-9624 Japan Joubert said. The HPX3000 has a far better light handling Phone: 81-48-668-2152 “We have worked in terrible conditions feature than other HD cameras I have used www.fujinon.com 8 even twins have their own per s onalit ies. so far, and on the white balance settings, with Tungsten light simulation, I can get exactly what I am seeing with the naked eye. In some cases I may want to vary that, but now I want a perfect rendition of what I am seeing because I am not sure exactly what look we will end up with; I want it neutral for now.” “I add a minimal amount of black stretch but I do like higher contrast settings to give me that full light,” Joubert continued. “At one point, I had a male lion on a mound at 6 p.m. front lit against a sold dark blue/grey stormy sky. It was heart stopping. I checked the image as I was exposing, again for the highlights, and the images I finally made were as beautiful. I wouldn’t want to mess with that. I find that with these cameras, you really don’t want to overexpose. I find that the HPX3000’s ability to go into the menus and lift any underexposed shadow gives me the freedom to work in a film philosophy realm.” For this shoot, the HPX3000s are equipped with Fujinon 44x, and 25 x 16.4 HD zoom lenses. “The HPX3000s fit right into our established production milieu,” Joubert said. “All the mounts work, the cases that I use in camera cars fit, the Steadicam doesn’t change, and the jibs and cranes all keep the same balance.” In terms of location workflow, Joubert said he downloads the AVC-Intra files and mirrors them on two 1TB RAID hard

Photo by Mark Thiessen ©2008 National Geographic drives. “If there is something I want to review, I do it from the P2 card either before or after transferring to the hard drive and before reformatting,” he noted. The feature will be edited in Final Cut Pro and finished on DERECK & BEVERLY JOUBERT an Avid system for digital intermediates. Filmmakers, Photographers and Writers “The HPX3000 bridges the divide between film and video partisans,” Joubert said. “I expose the same way as with film, I use short depths of field because I think we see in shorter Relentless Enemies* (2006) depths of field, and movie audiences expect that.” Jeremy Irons, Narrator “I need a camera that allows me to create my images the Whispers: An Elephant’s Tale* (2000) way I want them, not a creative ‘partner’ in the process, so I Voices provided by: Angela Bassett, Joanna enjoy that honest and uncomplicated relationship I have with Like twins, Panasonic’s new AG-HPX170 and AG-HVX200A full production Lumley, Anne Archer, Betty White, Joan Rivers the HPX3000,” he added. “I have tended to shoot it all clean quality P2 HD handheld camcorders are as alike as they are different. They and others or neutral and add grades or NDs on the lens, just as I would both offer a 13X Leica Dicomar zoom lens; 1080i/p and 720p and 4:2:2 Reflections on Elephants** (1994) in film. So, in the end, what I have is a video camera that independent-frame recording; variable frame rates; a new, advanced 3-CCD performs exactly like a film camera and that looks as good or Stacy Keach, Narrator progressive imager with spectacular quality; and the reliability and fl exibility arguably better than film. And I achieve all that without sweat- of a fast, fi le-based workfl ow. “National Geographic Specials” ing over the techno details.” Eternal Enemies: Lions and Hyenas (1992) “I would suggest that the HPX3000 is the best-quality Why might you prefer one over the other? The HVX200A features a DV Powers Boothe, Narrator 1080 HD camera for both theatrical and TV that is still in tape drive in addition to two P2 card slots, allowing you to move easily AG-HVX200A AG-HPX170 a moveable (camcorder) configuration,” Joubert added. Zebras: Patterns in the Grass (1991) from SD to HD and from tape to solid-state. If you have already transitioned “Certainly, from an image capture, quality, and workflow sVARIABLEFRAMERATES sVARIABLEFRAMERATES Brian Dennehy, Narrator to a solid-state fi le-based workfl ow, the two-slot HPX170 offers additional standpoint, this camera is as good as it gets, and takes the high-end features, including HD-SDI, metadata input, Dynamic Range sMMnMM sMMnMM serious cinematographer into account. In fact, the images *Directed by Dereck Joubert Stretch and a 5-year limited warranty (upon product registration). s,IGHTWEIGHTnLBS s,IGHTWEIGHTnLBS we can make with the HPX3000 give us converted films guys **Emmy award winner, Outstanding Individual HD smIP OUT,#$ s7AVEFORM6ECTORSCOPE something new to be snobbish about.” The HVX200A and HPX170. Distinctly different, yet uniquely alike. Achievement - Informational Programming s($AND3$FORMATS sFOCUSASSISTFUNCTIONS Learn more at www.panasonic.com/p2hd.

PBTS-0190_Twins_Ad_HD.indd 1 8/11/08 3:13:35 PM Photo courtesy Helge Pedersen, GlobeRiders

GlobeRidersIndochina Expedition by Sterling Noren

started producing films for a Seattle cling adventure and cultural exploration – a based motorcycle touring company called documentary series that follows motorcyclists IGlobeRiders in 2001. Since then, we’ve traveling around the world and interacting covered thousands of miles in dozens of with local people in far away places. Filming countries and produced a growing series of from the back of a motorcycle is the most programs about motorcycle adventure touring. dramatic part of the job but the best material I made the leap into highdef in 2005 comes from interacting with ordinary people when I shot the Silk Road Adventure, a four in far away places. hour travel series that has since been picked Being able to shoot a motorcycle docu- up for international broadcast. mentary in HD is an incredible opportunity Our latest project was the Indochina that requires careful planning. Its a significant Riding during the rainy Expedition, a 70-day, 8000-mile trip from challenge to come up with a kit that gets the season in Cambodia Saigon to Singapore that took us on a back job done right but is still small enough to pack requires waterproof gear road adventure through Vietnam, Laos, onto a motorcycle, a feat that’s now possible for both riders and camera Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia. My part- thanks to the affordability of small, lightweight equipment. ners in this project were Helge Pedersen, the cameras and production gear available in founder of GlobeRiders and Chris Poland, a today’s market. pharmacist from Seattle. We filmed the trip In the end, the real challenge becomes last fall and we are currently wrapping up the telling the story of the adventure - the high- postproduction. The result will be a six-hour lights and hardships, and the people and plac- HD series available for broadcast along with a es that are encountered along the way. HD shorter version on DVD. Sterling Noren is a Seattle based filmmaker and Like all GlobeRiders projects the the owner of Wide World HD Productions. www. Indochina Expedition is a blend of motorcy- wideworldhd.com 12 Photo courtesy of Oscar Oboza and Dave Sweet of Pixel Farm. Beautiful Darkness in HD by David Heuring

n a recent series of commercials for The HD transfer was done on an URSA the clothing manufacturer Carhartt, telecine at Pixel Farm in Minneapolis. The OJeff Stonehouse, a veteran of more dailies timer was Oscar Oboza. “In the mine, than 100 national television spots, encoun- we had to move fast, so I wasn’t able to react A scene from the tered a lighting situation like none he had to what I was getting all that much, but what Carhartt spot shot ever faced. The spots portray a series of I found in the dailies was a lot of beauty by Jeff Stonehouse. tough guys at work. Stonehouse and direc- that I hadn’t counted on,” says Stonehouse. tor Andrew Walton of Good Films, Inc. found “The flesh tones of the miners’ faces had a themselves a mile and a half underground gorgeous, creamy, pastel quality that I thought in a West Virginia coal mine. The remote, was beautiful. I expected to see just teeth cramped spaces and black mine walls made and eyes, given the extremely low-light levels. lighting difficult. But the results completely exceeded my “It was important to capture some detail expectations.” in order to place the miners in this environ- He scoffs at the antiquated notion that ment,” says Stonehouse. “If I had lost that Super 16 is inadequate for HD display. “That detail, it would just be a face in the blackness.” is a myth,” he says. “Two years ago I shot a The mine was a perfect place to test the new Super 16 spot with Martin Granger from Moxie KODAK VISION3 500T 7219 film. “In spite of Pictures for Combos snacks, and it’s won just most of the images being three stops underex- about every award you can win in advertising. posed, the film rendered the mid-tones beauti- These Carhartt spots are finished and aired in fully, and I couldn’t believe the grain-free detail HD, and the image quality is fantastic.” HD I was getting out of the black coal.” 14 HDEC-Sony-HighDef 8/25/08 10:05 AM Page 1

A Winning Combination

THE CONSUMER FRONT by hdtvDALE CRIPPS

For a Clearer Future

It’s been argued for years that consumers of the time” when they do watch TV. of television don’t watch technology; they A Debate Still Playing at A Studio Near watch programs. This debate is often punctu- You: Does a program have to be in HD for a ated with other weak excuses for not shoul- high-def owner to watch it? dering the cost of producing in HDTV. From At least 20 percent of HDTV owners the first hours of HDTV Magazine (ten years identified in the CTAM study said they make ago) the readers’ feedback channel made it a point of watching a highdef show “every clear to us that when a program is available time” they watch any TV. Not all industry in both HDTV and the executives care to believe this ‘vital statistic’: old standard, the view- “It may not matter if the show is in HD -- if ers will watch the HDTV it’s a quality program”, argues NBC CEO Sony F23 CineAlta™ camera docked to SRW-1 HDCAM SR™ recorder, shown with Canon ACV-235 Anamorphic Converter and Canon HD-EC Cine Prime Lens. version every time. Jeff Zucker. HDTV owners shake their heads This anecdotal in disbelief at such claims. Dale Cripps is the observation is given some sea legs in a The survey also touched on the new publisher of HDTV newly published survey from CTAM, the digital front and showed that a scant 14 Magazine, the first cable industry’s marketing arm. The report percent of TV viewers watch TV via desktop publication in the Sony’s F23 CineAlta Camera and Canon’s HD-EC Lenses left little doubt that HDTV viewers are loyal computers and only nine percent watch on world dedicated to Sony’s 2/3-inch F23 CineAlta camera outfitted of its HD-EC Prime and Zoom lenses ensure to their HDTV viewing experience. The 1200 laptops. Just six percent catch their TV clips the consumer of High with one of Canon’s cost-effective HD-EC Prime full exploitation of the F23’s extraordinary respondents on mobile phones and five percent do so Definition programming or Zoom lenses provides DP’s with a winning exposure latitude, sharpness, and tonal and and hardware, and from around using portable video players. Viewers said combination. The F23 was specifically devel- color reproduction attributes. Focus breathing the founder and the nation they preferred shorter content when they do president of the High revealed that watch TV online. Movie trailers ranked first oped for cinematographers seeking superior on these lenses is remarkably low. Canon’s Definition Television forty one among this hand-held crowd (53 percent) digital image origination. Canon has ACV-235 Anamorphic Converter, meanwhile, Association of America. percent of with user-generated videos close behind at a long history in making motion-picture lenses, fully utilizes the F23’s 16:9 imagers to capture hdtvmagazine@ highdef own- 45 percent. An immediate second to user- and the very high MTF, excellent relative light overall spatial resolution that carries through ilovehdtv.com ers subscribe generated videos are music videos and distribution, and superb black reproduction to final 2.35:1 35mm film-out. to an HDTV news, scoring 37 percent. program- So, my question to you is this: “What ming service. program would you want to produce that Some 45 per you don’t want to be seen by the HDTV Will Smith (Robert Neville) cent said they loyalists?” Oh yes, and this just in: Dish in I am Legend. make a point has announced its first 1080p channel and For more info: of watching a invites you to “Watch the box office smash Call 1-800-321-HDTV high-def pro- I Am Legend in 1080p HD for only $2.99.” (In Canada: 905-795-2012) HD Photo courtesy © Bros. Pictures Warner gram “most The future is clear and getting clearer. http://www.canonhdec.com

CineAlta™, HDCAM SR™, and Sony™ are trademarks of Sony. ©2008 Canon U.S.A., Inc. All rights reserved. Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and may also be a 16 registered trademark or trademark in other countries. IMAGEANYWARE is a trademark of Canon. Tips b y hB. Sean Fairdburn SOC The Fairburn Workflow Test

With new cameras and the tape format, hard drive, whizbang program should be recording mediums now DVD, film, whatever medium able to handle the job in 5 available and gaining ground and record these simple num- minutes and make an output to in the market, let me make a bers out of order. finished, polished HD Master simple suggestion that often Go through the entire and film-out should you need unveils a myriad of woe in a process of digitizing, upcon- to go that far. project’s workflow and will verting, or downconverting, I can’t tell you how valu- help you correct it before the transferring, cloning, dubbing, able this simple exercise is in Photo courtesy of Getty Images actual shoot. whatever the footage will do determining the facts of what Any format and cam- along with every department WILL work from the mythol- era and edit workflow will and person that will touch ogy of what someone says will Weird be greatly enhanced by this your footage and audio. work. Any camera rental house simple exercise: Shoot ten Ask for it back edited in and post house worth their salt Connections B. Sean Fairburn, SOC numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and your business should be Director of Photography, proper numeric order in a fin- by Andrew Scafetta Role Model Productions, 8, 9, 10 out of order. Record ished form just as you would a happy to perform this test for LLC. rolemodel@ those numbers (Audio) also in final deliverable and every form you. earthlink.net a random order. On Camera, along the way, including dailies Call it the “Fairburn cience uses logic and order to explain research inspired other scientists to replicate Seanfairburn.com Off Camera or both along in whatever form you require Workflow Test”. Most know my the world around us. It is the fundamen- the bug’s anti-collision abilities in comput- 818-621-3912 with timecode. This can be and elements to hand to VFX reputation for extensive testing. tal basis for some of the greatest discov- ers and robots. What resulted is the future of Local 600, S Golden Mantella frog done with a dry erase board in proper format and medium. “It’s better to insure success eries in human history – earth’s round shape, automobile technology – a computer powered Agent Steve Jacob, or post-its or flash cards or a The editor with his new than to hope for it.” HD gravity, E=MC2, the speed of light, etc. collision warning system where cars are auto- perching on a leaf. 323-460-4767 slate. It doesn’t matter. I prefer But other truly innovative scientific matically guided by a sixth sense or “locust a resolution and framing chart moments – unexpected discoveries that will sense.” The system could prevent 6.5 million with exact aspect ratio and have a profound effect on human life 10, car accidents and save thousands of lives in numbers in the middle. This 50 or 100 years from now – happen strictly the United States each year. lets me also see where I am by accident, coincidence or plain chance. To capture these and other seemingly losing picture and resolution On Weird Connections, Science Channel peculiar experiments, the filmmakers primar- along the way. examines the experiments that lead to those ily used the Sony XDCam HD camera. The If you are considering moments. It’s a world where, in the name of camera allowed producers to see shots prior frame rates for slow motion science, researchers trip old ladies so that to edit, and record in slow motion and play or interlace vs. progressive or skyscrapers do not topple; or use gravity- back at slow motion speed without sometimes mixing formats, shoot every defying frogs to help mankind colonize Mars; costly and lengthy tape transfers. The film- option you think you will use or where locusts help to develop safer cars. makers also used Canon EOS digital SLR stills and test them to insure they Knowing that locusts fly in swarms of cameras to shoot a number of scene-setting will work. Then use whatever thousands but never manage to collide, time-lapses. means of recording you intend University of Newcastle biologist Claire Rind What resulted is a series that magnificently to employ on the shoot: all unlocked the creatures’ amazing ability to encapsulates the possibility and uniqueness of cameras you intend to use and avoid mid-air collisions. The outcome of her research featured in Weird Connections. HD 18 19 Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Channel Aerial America Photo by Greta Pittard, courtesy of the Smithsonian Channel by David Royle

hen audiences viewed the land- is an L.A. cameraman who has directed and over five of the Hawaiian islands, filming people who say it’s harder to work with HD. mark series, Planet Earth, they were shot everything from life on board an aircraft everything from big wave surfers to pineapple Although he says that HD allows no toler- Wwowed by the richness of the visual carrier for Smithsonian to Extreme Makeover pickers, from cascading waterfalls to the ance for soft focus, he likes the latitude it experience and especially by the astonishing Home Edition for ABC to crocodiles in Costa solemnity of Pearl Harbor. “Shooting in HD,” allows for exposure. “I had a shot of a sunset Eric Cochran (Aerial The downhill seventh hole aerial sequences. It was a series that really Rica for National Geographic. “For this show says Smithsonian field producer Greta Pittard, on Vesuvius. All Vesuvius was black. I said to America: Hawaii of the famous Pebble Beach delivered on the promise of HD. we used the Cineflex to get the rock solid “allowed us to fly longer distances and shoot the editor ‘it’s kind of black but the sky looks Director) and Tom Miller golf course. At only 106 Now an ambitious new project is under- focal lengths in order to get sequences, close longer sequences without constantly having great.’ He just raised the chroma and there it (photographer) taking a yards it’s one of the course’s way to film America on a scale and from a ups, mediums etc.” to reload the mags, which would have been was. In SD, you’d have so much gain in it.” break with the chopper. shortest holes, but also perspective that has never been achieved Sudden changes in weather always make nigh impossible, given the few flat surfaces Mervyn’s company, Skyworks, has shot one of the most difficult, before. Using the same camera rigging as aerial cinematography tricky. Yet Eric says that and the remoteness of the islands of Hawaii.” HD aerials all over the world. But he says with fierce ocean winds and Planet Earth, an elite camera and helicopter wasn’t the most difficult hurdle: “The big- The next stage of this epic journey will the opportunity to shoot the Smithsonian bunkers all around. team will criss-cross America over the next gest challenge with aerials and HD is simply start in Arkansas and move northeast in time Networks’ series across America is a dream nine months, filming every state from the air. keeping the lens clean from bugs and ocean to capture the fall foliage in New England. he’s had for thirty years. “Flying is much easier Their goal: to capture the wonders of the spray!” British aerial director and cinematographer in this country. It’s just wonderful. It’s a society continent – both natural and man-made – in Like all good directors, Eric knows that Richard Mervyn will be leading this part of the that welcomes helicopters. People wave at extraordinary detail and to tell the story of planning and preparation is key to success. expedition. He is one of the most experienced you here, whereas they make rude remarks America from a bird’s eye view. But then you need a little luck as well…such aerial filmmakers in the world. “My first flight elsewhere. The challenge is the enormity, to The Smithsonian Network’s 50 part series, as a volcano erupting. “The live volcano was with Marc Wooff, an American pilot who really find what makes each state tick. We’re entitled Aerial America is already underway, shots on the big island are extraordinary. And had flown in Vietnam. As soon as I went into going to offer people views they’ve never and the results from shooting California and we were right on top of it and nearly in it.” the air, I knew that was what I wanted to do.” seen before.” HD Hawaii are stunning. Director Eric Cochran In just five days, Eric and his team flew Mervyn says that he disagrees with 20 21 Makeup Rendering in a Digital Age by Bradley M. Look

ot too long ago, the time honored the sketch and tried to picture it on the actor. way to show a director your concept It’s the very same problem we makeup artists Nfor a character makeup was with the have when showing a director a life cast with use of a pencil and a drawing tablet. It was sculpted features in gray clay. Invariably, they called, rendering. Some makeup artists would will touch the sculpture and say, “The finished even use acetate overlays taped to an actor’s makeup won’t be that color and the prosthet- headshot to show what they had in mind in ic will be softer?” Of course the answer we an effort to help the director visualize. patently respond back is “yes” to both. But with the advent of the personal While working on Enterprise, Michael computer and software like the widely used Westmore asked me what a zombie Vulcan Adobe Photoshop, makeup artists now have would look like, as we had an episode that a powerful tool that makes the old presenta- centered on just that. I went home and with- tion look downright antiquated. Perhaps the in three hours had a Photoshop rendering biggest shortcoming with the old rendering complete. The next day, Michael took that method was the director’s problem of trans- photo to the executive producer and we got lating the drawing to that of the actor’s face. the go ahead. HD They would squint their eyes while looking at Easy Money and HD

by Buddy Sampson

auren Marie Pena, an up-and-coming All of Lauren’s projects are now shot producer, director and actress, created in HD. With the advent of the Panasonic La short film Easy Money, a funny, enter- AG-HVX 200, shooting in high quality with taining and bizarre piece that is capturing a a high degree of flexibility has become the The true moment where this lot of attention. Recognized as Best Female norm. “Because of HD technology, you can film becomes a ‘coming-of- Director for a Student Short for Easy Money go out and shoot a decent short on a week- age story’. Jaylin lies down by the Cinema City International Film Festival end. Being able to turn an idea into some- and questions her own (CCIFF), Lauren also was the Grand Prize thing real in a short time is now a possibility. conscience and innocence. Winner for the Project Breakout Filmmaker All I have to do is call up my friend with the Competition for her short film Christmas camera and we’ll shoot it.” HD enables pro- Confessional. “If your film gets accepted ducers with low budgets the ability to go out into the first round of the competition, with a camera and produce a quality project. then you have to submit another film within “A lot of film festivals now are accepting HD two weeks,” said Lauren of how Christmas formats,” Lauren explained. “You’re seeing Confessional was originated. “So I had to better stories being filmed. Talented people come up with an idea, cast the actors, shoot, that previously didn’t have the resources, now When asked what a zombie Vulcan would look like Using the Adobe Photoshop program, Brad was edit and get it ready in time.” Her grand have the ability to create wonderful stories for an up-coming episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, able to generate a makeup concept. Later this was prize earned a trip to the United Kingdom with incredibly low budgets with quality that Brad started with a photo of a makeup he did earlier shown to the executive producer, Rick Berman, for to participate in a one-week internship with holds up on the big screen. These new cam- on the series. This was the basis for the Photoshop an approval so that the makeup department could Academy Award Winner David Parfitt and the eras have created a new world of production rendering. proceed with the prosthetic construction. Trademark Films Production. possibility.” HD 22 23 Shooting Dirty Politics by John McDougall

n the summer of ’07 my long-time friend the format further with the right lenses and and filmmaking partner Steve Esteb, equipment. Iapproached me to do a small budget We would be shooting two timecode feature with him. He pitched me this incred- synced 250s running Ziess speed primes Billy (Judd Nelson) ibly funny concept about a lovable but very mounted via the JVC PL-mount adapter. We talking to campagin flawed presidential candidate from Louisiana knew that in all situations we would not be manager in hotel bar. who has the misfortune of having a dead girl able to shoot with the primes, so the lens we in his hotel suite just as he is entering the pri- leaned on to handle the other shots was the maries with a 20-point lead. Fuji Th13x3x.513BRMU wide-angle zoom. The key to pulling off this production was There was a lot of movement and focal length designing the script and locations around changes in some of the scenes and relying on the dollar limitations. Steve’s script was so the zooms saved us time. strong that we attracted the attention of Judd Although we were low budget, we decid- Nelson, Melissa Peterman (of the Reba show), ed to shoot all the hotel scenes on a sound Beau Bridges and Howard Hesseman to star stage instead of an actual hotel. This proved in the film. to be a huge time saver. We shot as many Steve, having seen my footage from a as 11 pages in a day and that’s saying a lot small urban feature I shot earlier in the year, based upon the amount of dialog in this film. felt strongly to support this going to HD. I The set photographed beautifully and played had already worked with the JVC HDGY250U as the real deal on film. Sandra McDougall on the other production and felt I could push was our art director and set designer and her

skills and design influence brought a high I ran Tiffen antique suedes for filtration much level of production design to this film. The of the time and I also reset all the internal set- set was built at Hooperwood Studios in Baton tings for gamma and color to a more desatu- Rouge where we ended up basing all our pro- rated look. The cameras were also affixed with Campaign scene of Jimmy duction offices and equipment. Cavision follow focus units and matte boxes Breaux (Johnny Valdetero) When it came to shooting, we had two and much of the time we ran the DR-HD100 being escorted by Security cameras running at all times and we were get- on camera hard drives along side tape. Agent. Steadicam operator ting a massive amount of coverage on the For anyone who is considering 720P HD is Blake Palmentier. actors (establishing, two shots and singles). We on a budget, and can afford to work with the were concerned how to handle this in the edit JVC 250U camera body, it should prove to be to be able to see all the great performances. a strong format to shoot on. The key as with Steve solved this in a truly creative manner by any production lies more in the skills of the isolating the singles within their own frames DP and your lighting crew. The camera can and using multiple images at one time. deliver an amazing image, but lens selection We maximized the use of the JVC cam- is as critical as exposure. HD eras to deliver the highest quality image. A John McDougall is a Louisiana based filmmaker lot of our shots took place in low light and (Producer/Director/DP) and he and Steve Esteb with a great deal of movement by the talent. premiered Dirty Politics August 16th. 24 25 Forum by hdtvsteve sechrist

FED: The Latest in Display Photo © George De Sota/jpistudios.com From the ash that’s settling over the news analyst Aldo Cugnini said of that display of the demise of one LCD market up-start, demo “…there was no difference discern- then holiday sales leader Syntax-Brillian and able between the FED and CRT monitors. Of Canon XH G1 HD its Olivia brand LCD-TV, comes yet another course, this is to be expected, as the FED dis- display technology resurrection FED (field play utilizes phosphor-based light generation emission displays). We are told that Pioneer from the emission devices.” is to sell its PDP Plant to the Sony Spin-off, FET said they plan to produce a line of Guiding Light Field Emission Technologies Inc. (FET) for full-HD monitors that target the high-end production of that technology for the price broadcast market, medical and other niche of $200M. According to reports, the plant will markets as replacements for broadcast quality by Jennie Taylor begin to manufacture 26-inch FED panels. CRTs. Back in October 2007 we got a good The company is a spin-off of Sony who look at the Field Emission Technologies FED first invested then purchased Candescent uiding Light , the longest-running of these characters’ lives in a way they haven’t panel at the CEATEC show in Japan. There Technologies in the late 1990’s. They have scripted series in broadcast history, been before.” Springfield, Guiding Light’s fic- Steve Sechrist is the company showed its nano- (FED) display, been working on high-voltage field emission strategically enhanced its “look” tional locale, is portrayed by a suburban New an editor/analyst G a 20-inch prototype high definition FED panel display technology as a replacement to CRTs earlier this year by becoming the first series Jersey town several miles west of the series’ Gina Tognoni as Dinah at Insight Media, a that draws as little as five watts in dark scenes, and may have a slight edge over LED backlit of its kind to be filmed exclusively with small, Manhattan studios. Marler of Guiding Light on technology based and less than most LCD screens in the bright- LCD-TVs with their contrast and image lag hand-held, highly portable digital camcorders, “In our old production model [using ped- location in Peapack, NJ. media firm specializing which enable the show to be shot inside actu- estal-style cameras to shoot actors performing est scenes. The company said that in addi- advantages. HD in large format and tion to energy efficiency, the slim display fea- al homes and offices, or on location practically in traditional three-sided sets] our two studios micro display and tures CRT-like color phosphors, and renders anywhere. The camcorder chosen for this new in Manhattan had room for seven sets at a related industries. 240 frames per second - possibly the fastest production model was Canon’s XH G1, which time.” Morrison added. Now, however, using flat panel speed of any video display type. is engineered with the technology, features, the Canon XH G1 HD Camcorders, produc- At the show, FET had a darkened room and durability necessary for producing five ers of Guiding Light can shoot in as many with an original Sony broadcast quality CRT daily one-hour shows each and every week for locations as they wish. “This has opened up monitor in a side-by-side shoot-out with their an audience of millions of dedicated viewers. our ‘canvas’ in ways we weren’t able to imag- new panel. Even the FET engineer inside The key to Guiding Light’s new produc- ine before. Our writers have so many more was a former Sony CRT production manager. tion model of exclusively using compact, places where scenes can happen. They can Both images were stunning, and viewers were hand-held Canon camcorders is what Janet write people in the park, or at the municipal hard-pressed to discern the flat screen over Morrison, the producer of the show’s digital building, or using cars that actually drive, as the benchmark CRT display. department, described as “Four walls and a opposed to cars that just sit on a studio floor. More recently, at NAB this past Spring, ceiling.” “No one else does that,” she elabo- This new production model has completely FET had an exhibit at the broadcast industry rated. “Its purpose is to make the show more changed the way the show looks and the way HD show with a similar set up to CEATEC. Our intimate for the viewer and to really bring stories can be told.” them into Springfield, so they can be a part 26 27 Zsigmond Takes aIM on

the lighting environment. However, he lit as though it were a black-and-white movie. HD Dailies Peter Sorel, the still photographer on the crew, is Zsigmond’s longtime friend and col- by Bob Fisher laborator. He took digital stills document- ing every scene. “Peter and I used a laptop computer calibrated for the aIM system to desaturate the images as a visual reference ilmos Zsigmond, ASC, explored a Bolden! is an original story set in New for Bruce Goodman, the dailies timer at new frontier during the production of Orleans during the 1890s. It revolves around LaserPacific,” Zsigmond says. “We emailed Bolden! by pioneering the use of the Buddy Bolden, a clarinet player during the those stills to Bruce every evening. He did a V great job of matching dailies to those looks.” accurateIMAGE™ (aIM) system developed dawn of the jazz age. First-time director Dan by LaserPacific in Hollywood. The system Pritzker also wrote the story and co-authored Glenn Kennel, LaserPacific vice presi- utilizes proprietary Kodak image science, the script. He and Zsigmond envisioned dent and general manager of Feature Film the American Society of Cinematographers desaturating colors to create “nearly black- Services, explains that the aIM system is (ASC) Color Decision List, and calibrated HD and-white images” that look and feel right for based on more than a year of research and monitors and projectors to ensure that every- the story, time and place. development and a year of production test- one sees the same subtleties in images from Zsigmond saw a demonstration of the ing. “aIM gives filmmakers pictures that look beginning to end. aIM system during the early stages of pre- like the final film product from the first dai- Zsigmond began working on the inde- production planning in Wilmington, North lies, to the digital intermediate, and through pendent feature on the 50th anniversary of Carolina. He envisioned the possibilities for to all the deliverables to allow filmmakers to his arrival in the United States as a political leveraging that technology to ensure that carry their creative vision from preproduction refugee from communist Hungary in 1957. He everyone on the production and postproduc- to delivery.” has earned an Oscar for Close Encounters of tion team was on the same page from begin- An aIM DailiesPlayer was used to proj- the Third Kind and nominations for The Deer ning to end. ect HD images on a large screen in a hotel Hunter, The River and The Black Dahlia, as Produced in Super 35 film format, room on location. Pritzker and members of well as an Emmy for Stalin while compiling Zsigmond used a range of KODAK VISION2 the crew watched dailies with Zsigmond. The some 80 film credits. color negative on Bolden! depending on aIM system enabled Zsigmond to manipulate colors and contrast to show the director what shots and scenes looked like if the images were brighter or darker with more or less contrast, and more or less saturated colors. “It was wonderful for everyone to be able to see dailies that accurately represented our Writer-director Dan Pritzker intentions,” Zsigmond says. “We also knew (far left) and DP Vilmos that the editor and everyone else watched Zsigmond, ASC (center) the same images with calibrated viewing prepare to shoot a scene devices.” for Bolden! Kennel emphasizes that the aIM system is the first full end-to-end, color-calibrated process for film production. “We burn the film LUTs (look-up tables) into the editorial and video dailies,” he explains. “aIM ensures that what you see on the set, in dailies and in previews, and in D.I. will match the film Photos courtesy of Kodak and digital cinema releases. Starting on day one, what you see is what you will get. And DP Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC shows the before- even more importantly, what you see is what and-after look when using LaserPacific’s everyone else sees, too.” accurateIMAGE™ (aIM) system with a scene Zsigmond gets the final word: “I think from Bolden!, during a slide presentation at Plus it’s fantastic. The director, producer, produc- Camerimage International Festival of the Art of tion designer, and even the actors said they Cinematography in Lodz, Poland. have never seen dailies like this. I think it’s a miracle.” HD Photo by Jon Cornick, courtesy of Kodak 28 29 World’s Photo courtesy © Elizabeth Kanter / NGT Toughest Fixes

by Licet Ariza

hen big industry Kerr. “National Geographic era built of bubble wrap and breaks down, the was able to secure rare and dental floss, and gaffer’s tape Wresults can be costly at times exclusive access to build a harness. Then I and the fixes dangerous: rig- to places the audience has climbed the 2,000-foot tower ging a 9-ton digital television probably never seen before. and tossed it! The result is a antenna onto a 2,000-foot We selected specific crews two-minute shot with a great tower; replacing a 75-ton for each episode depending ground rush in the last 10 sec- nuclear power plant turbine; on the specialty needed, for onds as the camera crashes repairing live 500,000-volt example underwater or heli- directly into a cornfield.” lines from a platform mounted cam photography. We used According to Riley, the camera outside a helicopter. The new Panasonic Varicam and P2 came through the ordeal just National Geographic Channel cameras. We also had a stills fine and is still in service today. (NGC) series World’s Toughest camera and used time-lapse HD Fixes takes you inside some of photography.” The two sneak-peek episodes Above: Sean Riley checks the most daunting repair jobs In one extremely creative premiering Sunday, September out the inside of a cooling imaginable. Each one-hour example of on-the-job guer- 28, are Nuclear Turbine at 9 tower at Susquehanna episode follows engineering rilla filmmaking, Riley rigged p.m. ET/PT and Boeing 767 at Nuclear Power Plant. enthusiast Sean Riley as he up his own camera MacGyver- 10 p.m. ET/PT. Then, beginning pushes himself to the limit style. “I used an Oregon October 1, the series will air Top: Sean Riley dwarfed while working with some of Scientific ATC2K Action regularly on Wednesday nights by the new Siemens high the world’s top mechanics. Camera. It’s small, waterproof at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes will pressure (HP) rotor being “These are real multi- and very durable. To slow include Power Lines, 38-Ton installed at Susquehanna million-dollar problems that the descent and maintain the Engine, Telescope, Cruise Ship Nuclear Power Plant. need to be fixed,” accord- desired orientation, I devised Engine, Quick Bridge Fix and ing to series producer Rob a mini-parachute for the cam- Television Tower Antenna. 30 JVC-4535 HD250 WF 8.25x10.75 4/30/08 5:04 PM Page 1

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