NAB 2002 Roundup
May 16, 2002
The annual conference of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is the largest electronic media show in the world and provides an opportunity to see in one place what is new in production and post. Attendance was off about 16% this year, but no surprise given the Internet bust, 9-11, and the recession. All in all the mood was reasonably upbeat with plenty of new products and announcements. In this article I covered some of the highlights from the show held April 7-11 in Las Vegas.
The sections of the original article were broken up into the following posts: Digital Projection | Viper | Apple Shakes | Digital Cinema Summit | Film Gamma | FireWire | 24P for the rest of us | Cinema Tools | Odds and Ends.
This post is a section from the article “NAB 2002 Roundup†published in the New York Independent Film Monitor, Vol. 7, No. 7 (May 2002)
NAB 2002: Odds and Ends
May 15, 2002
There is a new compact 10-40mm T3.95 zoom lens available from Fujinon specifically designed for the A-Minima. More and more films are using digital intermediate (DI), the days of film opticals are numbered, yet the little A-Minima comes at a good time when you can shoot Super16 and go to DI as an alternative to either 35mm or HD.
Sony’s Cine Alta screenings at NAB showed off the creative potential of high definition, however, the presentation was marred by low quality of the Christie DLP projector introducing jaggies and a visible grid into the image.
Zeiss introduced their DigiPrimes prime lens set specifically designed for high definition cameras and offer optimum performance wide open.
Quantel iQ’s has the ability to take any format (SD, HD, 2K) in and output any format in real time, for now, it’s the ultimate real-time finishing machine.
Panasonic, Hitachi, LG Electronics, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, and Thomson Multimedia are working together to establish the “Blu-ray” disk format using blue-violet laser to store over 2-hours of digital high definition video recording on a 12cm diameter disk the size of an DVD.
With advances in hard drive and semiconductor storage, and the evolution towards always-on high speed internet access to the home, will the ultimate delivery vehicle for digital media content be the internet or shiny silver disks? Fear of piracy may encourage another physical format for the delivery of HD movies to the home, but convenience and consumer demand may eventually force the industry to accept the internet as a viable media distribution medium. Look at the development of cascading media delivery schemes coming from several startups where peers on the internet help distribute media to other peers, reducing the load on central servers and making internet media delivery more efficient. The next five years will tell.
This post is a section from the article “NAB 2002 Roundup†published in the New York Independent Film Monitor, Vol. 7, No. 7 (May 2002)
NAB 2002: Digital projection takes a leap forward
May 15, 2002
While the performance of DLP based projectors in theatrical settings is impressive, we still have a ways to go before digital projection is ready for prime time, all the hype and George Lucas’ dream not withstanding. JVC was screening a variety of clips using their new D-ILA (Digital Direct Drive Image Light Amplifier) projector and my impression was the image is better than the images I’ve seen from DLP projectors. At 2048 x 1536 pixels the D-ILA offers higher resolution than current DLP projectors but more importantly, there is less visibility of the pixels. The image was bright, had good contrast, and gradations had an analog quality. The clips they showed from Amelie did justice to the image compared to the film print. Unlike DLP projection (with its annoying characteristic “grid” effect) I had to walk right up to the screen in order to see the pixels of the D-ILA images. A very impressive device and quite small for what it can do. This is the technology Kodak is using in their digital projection venture, and will give Christie, another player in the digital projection space, their run for the money.
This post is a section from the article “NAB 2002 Roundup†published in the New York Independent Film Monitor, Vol. 7, No. 7 (May 2002)
NAB 2002: Viper offers view of cinematography’s future
May 15, 2002
By far the coolest thing on the show floor was the Viper camera, which according to David Bancroft of Thomson Multimedia, “transfers every detail from CCD to post.” The camera puts out an uncompressed digital signal that’s simply a digital version of the analog data coming direct from the CCDs without any video image processing. It offers a choice of aspect ratios: 16:9 or ’scope (2.35:1) without the need to use an anamorphic lens or cropping. Other cameras being sold for high end digital cinematography are really disguised video camera originally designed for high definition news gathering. The Viper, on the other hand, was designed from the ground up for digital cinematography.
The Viper offers image resolutions of 1920 x 1080 progressive, 1920 x 1080 interlaced, and 1280 x 720 progressive (all at various frame rates). Output choices including YUV video over an HD-SDI (1.5 Gbps) link and full resolution RGB video (4:4:4) over a dual HD-SDI link (almost 3 Gbps). While the huge data rates of the camera will limit it to use in special effects and commercials, it certainly offers a view of cinematography’s future as storage devices increase in capacity and performance.
You might be wondering how you take this huge amount of data and put it in a usable form. The post chain demonstrated at the show was to take the raw data out of the camera and record it using a hard disk based recording system developed by Director’s Friend. Then from hard disks the data is taken into Thomson’s Spectre datacine to do a color correction transfer session much like the film to tape telecine transfer done today. Sony’s CineAlta system finally faces some competition.
The camera at the show was an engineering prototype, so not too many people have had an opportunity to shoot with the camera. Cinematographer Geoff Boyle convinced the Thomson folks to let him take the camera out Tuesday morning to shoot the sunrise. The images were impressive, with gentle compression in the highlights and clean shadow details (this was after the images were graded on the Spectre). When I asked Geoff how the Viper compared to the film cameras he’s used to working with, he replied the Viper was “the first machine I would use without serious complaints,” and in terms of image quality, the Viper provides “absolutely unf*%#ed with images.” High praise indeed coming from a serious commercial cinematographer. There will be a Viper dog and pony show at the Cannes film festival. I would expect more footage will be available for show at that time.
This post is a section from the article “NAB 2002 Roundup†published in the New York Independent Film Monitor, Vol. 7, No. 7 (May 2002)
NAB 2002: Apple Shakes up Mac effects capabilities
May 15, 2002
At the show Apple was demonstrating a preview of Shake (a popular cross-platform compositing system for high resolution visual effects) on OS X. In February Apple acquired NothingReal, the developer of Shake. This package has earned an impressive reputation as a creme de la creme effects and compositing tool and has been used on numerous feature film projects including Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Tomb Raider, and Pleasantville. Now that Shake is an Apple product, what will become of the non-Mac versions? It looks like the Irix and Linux versions will be developed at least through next year but version 2.5 is expected to be the last release on Windows (sorry to all those who support the fortunes of the illegal monopoly). Before the acquisition NothingReal was working on a delayed Mac OS X port, I suspect now the port will receive a lot more attention with Steve Jobs in the mix.
This post is a section from the article “NAB 2002 Roundup†published in the New York Independent Film Monitor, Vol. 7, No. 7 (May 2002)
NAB 2002: Digital Cinema Summit charts future of digital cinema
May 15, 2002
NAB, SMPTE and Digital Cinema Magazine hosted a two day Digital Cinema Summit exploring the technologies, methodologies and standards for digital motion pictures. SMPTE is playing a key role in documenting digital cinema standards. Members of the SMPTE DC28 committee presented progress reports from their working groups on mastering, compression, content protection, transport, audio, theater systems and projection systems. Chaired by Curt Behlmer, the DC 28 committee was formed a little over two years ago to define the requirements for digital cinema and to identify areas that could be standardized. The rest of the summit consisted of panel discussions providing perspectives on digital cinema from cinematographers, editors, directors, post facilities, vendors, standards bodies, theater owners, etc.
Sunday’s keynote address featured Scott Billups, well-known director and visual effects artist, who provided an entertaining and personal history of the evolution of digital film production and post. Billups reminded attendees that digital cinema is “a work in progress” that will “undergo revision.” There are conflicting definitions of digital cinema. Some people are trying to push high definition video standards while others encourage higher standards. Brad Hunt, chief technology officer of the MPAA, reminded attendees that “digital cinema is not HDTV on a big screen” and “not a television broadcast service,” urging us to “not be constrained by the television standards of the past.” One issue of contention is picture quality standards for digital cinema. Steven Poster (president, ASC) claimed that the picture quality tests done to date have been fraught with problems and done without the participation of cinematographers. The DC 28.3 working group on compression is developing a test methodology using expert viewers.
There was much contention between film traditionalists and high definition apologists. During the digital cinematography panel Steven Poster (President, ASC) asked Larry Thorpe (Vice President for Acquisitions Systems, Sony), “repeat after me, HD is not a replacement for film,” the audience responded with cheers and Larry Thorpe replied, “that is too definitive of a statement.” Steven Poster claimed that, “Sony has done a disservice to create a phony war,” and that each acquisition format “will exist on it’s own.” Why can we live together? The film vs. high definition debate is getting tedious. Each medium has it’s own special qualities. What I think bothers many filmmakers is we should not settle on high definition video as a standard for digital cinema, the standards for the theatrical experience can be and should be higher.
This post is a section from the article “NAB 2002 Roundup†published in the New York Independent Film Monitor, Vol. 7, No. 7 (May 2002)
NAB 2002: Film gamma upgrade enhances the Panasonic Varicam
May 15, 2002
Panasonic showed a new option for the AJ-HDC27 Varicam HD camera that extends the camera’s usable dynamic range, especially in highlights. “Cine Gamma” provides a closer approximation of film’s ability to gently compress extreme highlights. Filmmakers will be able to control the camera’s gamma transfer function to optimize control over tonality from extreme highlights to the shadow areas. The upgrade also improves the camera’s variable-frame-rate capabilities allowing it to run at any frame rate from 4fps up to 60fps in 1 fps increments. The AJ-HDC27 records high-definition images in 720/60fps progressive scan at 24 frames per second and makes it simple to achieve fast or slow-motion effects in camera, creating a unique look that’s impossible to synthesize in post.
This post is a section from the article “NAB 2002 Roundup†published in the New York Independent Film Monitor, Vol. 7, No. 7 (May 2002)
NAB 2002: DVCPRO and DVCPRO HD video decks will learn to talk FireWire
May 15, 2002
Panasonic and Apple announced they are working together to add FireWire (IEEE 1394) capability to new models of Panasonic’s DVCPRO50 and DVCPRO HD video decks. This will eliminate the need for specialized capture cards. Macintosh systems will be able to ingest full ITU-601 digital 4:2:2 video at 50Mbps and high definition video at 100Mbps via FireWire.
This post is a section from the article “NAB 2002 Roundup†published in the New York Independent Film Monitor, Vol. 7, No. 7 (May 2002)
NAB 2002: 24P for the rest of us
May 15, 2002
Panasonic announced the AG-DVX100 24P mini-DV camcorder. They showed a non-working prototype in the booth. This little critter incorporates three 1/3 inch, 410,000 pixel, progressive-scan CCDs delivering a 480-line progressive-scan image with a 4:3 aspect ratio at either 24fps or 30fps. I’m uncertainty about the quality to expect from the camera as there is speculation that internally it’s a interlaced 60 field camera that converts the signal to 24fps or 30fps progressive. How good will the conversion be? One nice touch is the camera sports two XLR audio inputs (line/mic switchable) with +48V phantom power and independent manual volume controls. Apple said they would support this camera in a future version of Final Cut Pro.
This post is a section from the article “NAB 2002 Roundup†published in the New York Independent Film Monitor, Vol. 7, No. 7 (May 2002)
NAB 2002: Cinema Tools brings 24fps editing to Final Cut Pro 3
May 15, 2002
Apple announced Cinema Tools (the software formerly known as Film Logic) for Final Cut Pro 3 which provides support for 24fps editing, film cut lists, and 24fps video EDLs for both standard and high definition video. With Cinema Tools Final Cut Pro can be used to off-line any film or 24p video project. Apple is touting that Cinema Tools was used to edit Steven Soderbergh’s Full Frontal. Cinema Tools converts video with 3:2 pull-down into native 24fps for editing and then generates a 24fps cut list for negative conform or 24fps EDL for video finishing. With the addition of a Pinnacle Systems CinéWave HD card you can do the final on-line of your high definition project with Final Cut Pro. Hard disks sold separately. Try doing that with a low-end Avid.
This post is a section from the article “NAB 2002 Roundup†published in the New York Independent Film Monitor, Vol. 7, No. 7 (May 2002)
