I N T H I S I S S U E UP, Michigan! Shows the Spirit of 24P Jason C. Morgan produces independent feature shot in 24P HDTV – Then, Now and Tomorrow A brief history of HDTV’s progression and challenges N A B 2 0 0 1 100 Centre Street Takes HighDef to Court Sidney Lumet directs this rawly emotional dramatic series using multiple 24P cameras “The familiar look and feel of HDW-F900 HDCAM 24P CineAlta™ High Definition camcorder. The digital movie camera.* motion picture film are here.” — GEORGE LUCAS If you want to see a movie pro get future,” says Chuck Barbee, the We shot Star Wars: Episode II excited, ask George Lucas, Chuck director of photography. “The in 61 days in 5 countries in the Barbee, or Mike Figgis about Sony whole process was surprisingly Digital Electronic Cinematography. good. And compared to film, raw rain and desert heat averaging Each is using Sony tools to explore tape stock costs next to noth- new creative possibilities. 36 setups per day without a ing. This really lowers the cost “Star Wars: Episode II is our last giant of getting it in the can, which single camera problem. We have DVW-790WS Digital Betacam® camcorder. step toward Digital Cinema,” says means that more projects The gold standard found the picture quality of the in Widescreen George Lucas, describing his decision can get made.” Standard Definition. to shoot principal photography 24P Digital HD system to be with Panavision-modified Sony Mike Figgis challenges our most indistinguishable from film. HDCAM® 24P camcorders. “The basic conventions of narrative in familiar look and feel of motion Timecode, the movie that follows – George Lucas and picture film are present in this four simultaneous storylines in Rick McCallum digital 24P system. And the picture four unbroken 93-minute takes. The quality between the two is indistin- production demonstrates the quality guishable on the large screen.” (not to mention the recording Can Sony Digital Electronic Warm Blooded Killers is a dark time) of Sony DVCAM acquisition. Cinematography really be all that comedy shot on Digital Betacam® Says Figgis, “There's no way they say? Some of the proof is tape and printed to 35mm. we could have done this with already on display at a theater “I truly believe digital is the traditional techniques.” near you. DSR-500WS DVCAM camcorder. Affordable, light and fast on its feet. 1-800-472-SONY ext. DCH www.sony.com/professional ©2001 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Features and specifications subject to change without notice. Sony, Betacam, CineAlta, and HDCAM are trademarks of Sony. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. *On the set of Jaffe Braunstein Films with A&E's 100 Centre Street Series. Contents HighDef.Org NAB 2001 6 On the Set of 100 Centre Street 24 Houston Producer Sees a Vision for HDTV Sidney Lumet brings his expertise to a new episodic Michael Adrian teams up with Barry Corbin and other series based on New York City’s night court. The talented people to create a media demo for New Horizons. crew creatively overcame challenges to show 24P HD by William Conner videos flexibility. by Jay Ankeney 26 Bundy’s Great HD Adventure 12 UP, Michigan! Shows the Spirit of 24P Executive Producer, Larry Zetlin chose HighDef for this This independent feature produced by Jason C. Australian documentary because he sees it as the future Morgan is purportedly the third feature to date, shot of television documentary making. in 24P in the U.S. by John Austin by Laura Nielson 16 HDTV – Then, Now and Tomorrow A brief history of HDTV’s progression from 1970 to 5 Production News today and the challenges it has faced. HD at Sundance and Digidance by Rupert Stow NATPE Features HD ASL Expands to Florida 20 Chinese Shoot First HighDef Action Film Internet HDTV Meeting/Workshop Manhattan Midnight is the first Chinese produced Fujinon Provides Lenses for Extreme Deep Exhibit motion picture in the world shot and finished on Sony HD Center Unveils 24P Edit Suite Sony’s new CineAlta 24P HDCAM digital system. QuVIS to Debut New Servers at NAB by Joanna Or Enterprise Opening Digital Cinemas 23 TVS Introduces Four Dynamic HDTV Series TVS has teamed up with White Mountain Entertainment and its global co-producers to provide HD program packages that can play in any language and any country. by Bob Yde Volume 2, Issue 7 Publisher: American Press Services Photos: HighDef still grabs Distribution: HighDef.Org is A Publication of Editor: Laura Nielson Display Advertising: Call David distributed to professionals in AMERICAN PRESS SERVICES Assistant Editor: David Thompson Thompson at HighDef.Org – all areas of video and film 1-888-282-1776 for a current rate production nationally. Office: 2247 Fifteenth Avenue West Design/Layout: Gina Griffin Hanzsek card. Deadline for advertising Seattle, WA 98119 Contributing Writers: Jay Ankeney, Cover: HighDef still grab from confirmations and mechanicals is John Austin, William Conner, Joanna 100 Centre Street (206)282-1776 FAX: (206)282-3535 15 days prior to publication date. e-mail: [email protected] Or, Rupert Stow, Bob Yde HD at Sundance and Digidance Internet HDTV Meeting/Workshop The 2001 Sundance Film Festival saw a significant A meeting to further the development and use of “extreme- increase in interest in HD and Digital Cinema. Featured quality internet video” was held in Seattle on Thursday, January EWS were panels on digital issues and a Digital Center where 25. The group, headed up by University of Washington research- N HD technologies were shown by companies including ers, explored ways to transmit HD over the internet. Fletcher/Chicago, Sony, Panavision, Roland House, Avid, Zenith, DLP and Enron Network. NICOLAS and Swim- Fujinon Provides Lenses for Extreme ming Upstream, two 24P features were premiered at Deep Exhibit Digidance, a festival spin-off from Sundance. Visitors to the Liberty Science Museum in New Jersey can Editor’s Statement NATPE Features HD now take a journey into the depths of the ocean with a new interactive exhibit, Extreme Deep: Mission to the Abyss. Fujinon Just this morning I received two emails This year’s NATPE convention saw a large increase in HD HA5.2x10EVM lenses were utilized with Sony HDC-750A cam- reporting the opening of two new HD editing presence. NATPE provided an HD pavilion which was supported eras for the underwater HD video on display within the exhibit. by Sony, Panasonic, American Production Services, HD Vision, suites in Tennessee and Florida. The High Dr. David Gallo, Ph.D., Director of Special Projects, Woods Hole Plus 8, Colossalvision, Bennett-Watt Enterprises, Ackerley Com- Definition fever is spreading. Almost two Oceanographic Institution said, “Because of this new imaging munication, Post magazine, and IBC. Standing room only crowds years ago now, I had to scramble for stories. It technology, specifically High-Definition products, we’ve made participated in the panel discussions on subjects ranging from wasn’t easy finding the pioneers bravely using incredible discoveries that change the way we think about life international distribution to Dolby sound to HD Post. HD. I could easily allot five or six pages to one on earth and other planets.” story. Now the HD revolution is bombarding ASL Expands to Florida my office with streams of paper. These are Sony HD Center Unveils 24P Edit welcomed attacks from producers and Air Sea Land Productions Inc. based in Astoria, New York, Suite directors, some of the hundreds who have has expanded, opening up a new facility in the Ft. Lauderdale Sony Pictures HD Center in Culver City, CA opened its 24P now joined the army of HD users. What a joy area, serving the Southern Florida and Caribbean region. The edit suite, adding to its other services including 24P telecine, it is to write about these forward thinking acquisition of the SONY HDWF900 High Definition camera and color correction, digital image restoration, and digital-to-film re- creative talents. Our magazine is truly a the Amphibicam Marine Video housing, uniquely positions ASL cording. as a leader in underwater production, production support, and showcase for the beauty of HD and 24P and digital cinematography. the lunimaries who use it. QuVIS to Debut New Servers at NAB Just in case you are a new reader it is Enterprise Opening Digital Cinemas QuVIS from Topeka, Kansas has announced that it will be important to note that all the photos in our introducing a number of new HD motion image servers designed Enterprise Broadcasting Corporation is planning to open magazine are actually HD grabs. This is the to address the needs of the Digital Cinema, Fixed Display and digital/commerce theaters across the country in 2001. These definition of an HD grab: a still taken off an Post Industries. QuVIS became well known after Disney used theaters, called Network Event Centers, will be equipped with HD or 24P property, put on a DDR (Digital their servers to show Toy Story II with DLP projection - which seat terminals that are linked to the EBC fiber/satellite network helped trigger the Digital Cinema revolution. Disk Recorder), sent to photoshop and printed. and synchronized with the broadcast center. Each one has a 23' So… as you look at the images, remember, High-Definition Screen, approximately 50 luxurious seats, plenty they are HD grabs, not 35mm stills or photos! of aisle room and Dolby 8.0 sound. Primary locations will be May all your shoots be in HighDef. shopping malls where specialty programming will be shown, connecting viewers with services and products.