| |
Folks around here are nervous about another crippling Entertainment Industry strike, but even if there is no official Screen Actors Guild work stoppage, production has slowed down significantly in the U.S., since Producers were reluctant to take the chance of getting shut down in the middle of a production. If there is one good thing that can come of this forced “hiatus,” it is that it allows us to catch up on some DCS business. We now have three meetings scheduled in the Los Angeles area; we will take a look at the Sony F35 in July, explore Accessories for Digital Cinema Cameras in early August, and are firming up plans for a D-21 meeting towards the end of August. Meanwhile, our Northern California chapter will hold a meeting hosted by Adobe, that will look at Workflow for both the XDCAM EX and RED. You’ll also find a listing of events other groups are holding all across the globe which may be of interest.
After many months of research, James Mathers has finally had a chance to write an essay on the subject of 3-D, and the timing is quite appropriate, with the notable live action release of “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” which starts this weekend. Look for us at the movies; we’ll be the ones wearing the 3-D glasses.
| | Upcoming Digital Cinema Society Events |
| | Sony F35 at World Wide Digital on July 26th |
Saturday, July 26, 2008, 10am-12pm
Sony and Band Pro will team up to bring us the new 35mm-sized Singe Sensor F35 Digital Cinema Camera. We are now confirmed for Saturday, July 26th from 10AM to Noon at World Wide Digital Services in Burbank. RSVP with F35 in the subject line to save your place and get more details. Mathers@DigitalCinemaSociety.org
| | Accessorizing Your Digital Cinema Camera |
DCS will explore what it takes, and what is available, to build a highend Digital Cinema Camera Package. We’ll look at everything from filters, matte boxes, follow focus, handheld rigs, and Break-out Boxes. Manufacturers invited to participate include ARRI, Schneider Optics, Zacuto, RedRock Micro, Toys4RED, and Element Technica. Vendors who are involved include Abel Cine Tech and Birns and Sawyer. The exact date and venue are still subject to change, but we want to start taking RSVPs, to guage interest and see how big an event we are looking at. We are tentatively planning for Saturday, August 9th, 10AM to Noon at Upstage in Van Nuys, CA. Details will be confirmed, but in the meantime, please RSVP with “Digital Cinema Camera Accessories” in the subject line. Mathers@DigitalCinemaSociety.org
| | DCS Northern California Chapter to Meet at Adobe August 5th |
On the evening of August 5, 2008, 6:30-9:00 pm the Digital Cinema Society Northern California Chapter will come together to examine workflows for both the Sony XDCAM EX and RED One Cameras. Adobe will present their native XDCAM EX editing workflow using Premiere Pro and Production Premium software and give the latest details on their Cinema DNG initiative. Other featured presenters include Adam Wilt and Art Adams who will share some of their findings after rigorous tests of these cameras and workflows for their website www.ProVideoCoalition.com click here.
Location: Adobe Systems Inc. San Francisco office at 601 Townsend St, San Francisco CA. 94103. RSVP to Trudi@DigitalCinemaSociety.org and check the DCS Forums Northern California page for updates.
| | Digital Cinema, One DP’s Perspective |
by James Mathers
Here “D” Comes To Save The Day?
The last time I wrote about this subject was November 2005, with the release of “Chicken Little.” I’m revisiting it now because after the success of the Hannah Montana concert film and a slew of projects in the hopper, there seems to once again be a growing interest in the area of 3-D. 3-D confabs have been held with samples screened and insights shared at industry gatherings such as the HPA Tech Retreat, NAB, and the Projection Summit. This renewed interest in 3-D, however, seems mostly to be coming from the Studios and Filmmakers, not so much from Exhibitors; and only time will tell if the movie going public is going to be excited about it.
The Studios are ready to deliver content; this week will see the release of “Journey to the Center of the Earth” starring Brendan Fraser, but since such a relatively small number of theaters are 3-D capable, the film will sadly, also be extensively shown in it’s 2-D version. On it’s heals will be Summit Entertainment’s “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Monsters vs. Aliens” from DreamWorks Animation, (who have vowed that all of their future releases will be 3-D.) Pixar’s “Toy Story III” is also in the pipeline, and they are also rendering the first two Toy Story movies in 3-D, as is George Lucus for any future releases of his Star Wars flicks. James Cameron is in post on his 3-D epic, “Avatar,” for a 2009 release, and Peter Jackson is bringing the children’s book character Tintin to the screen in 3-D, with Robert Zemeckis busy on a 3-D version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”
Filmmakers are naturally excited by another tool in their storytelling arsenal, and some argue that we shouldn’t waste the opportunity to enhance our filmic communication in this way. They’re not talking about the gimmicky shock value of things jumping out from the screen, but techniques that can subtly draw audiences into the content for a more immersive experience. For example, just as varying focal lengths can make a subject feel closer or further away, varying the inter-axial distance in conjunction with camera height, can help emphasize the feeling that the viewer is larger or smaller than the subject.
The thinking goes, that since we see in stereo, shouldn’t we also exhibit in stereo? After all, it is very unusual for a movie to be presented in Black and White or without a very sophisticated sound mix, now that those technical hurdles have been overcome; so why not the same for stereo vision? As Sean Fairburn points out; nobody calls them “Color Talkies;” we simply take these attributes for granted, and in much the same way, future movie goers may expect the added perception of a another visual dimension.
Presently, I liken it more to the use of Scope; and just as some projects can benefit from the Anamorphic format, 3-D can also sometimes add to the viewing experience. Some projects seem to scream for Scope, such as Westerns with vast scenic horizons, or epic period pieces with casts of thousands, but it is not right for every project; and neither I think is 3-D. Given that the art and science of 3-D have still to mature, I sometimes find certain techniques distracting, and instead of an immersive experience, it can take me completely out of a story; but that’s just regarding narrative work.
For event entertainment like sports or concert coverage, it seems to be a no-brainer. Even though I’m not a huge sports fan, being on the floor of an NAB basketball game or right on the scrimmage line with the NFL players is really exciting. And when row upon row of crowd cascades in front of you “flicking their Bics” or clapping along at a concert, 3-D can really make you feel like you’re right there. I saw one of my favorite performers in concert recently, Eric Clapton, but even with reasonably good seats, I had to depend on video projections to really get a decent look at him, and the fidelity of the live music bouncing around the huge auditorium designed for sporting events wasn’t all that great. I kept thinking that a well produced 3-D event, like the U2 Concert film would have really been a better overall experience. And the promise of live broadcast of such events is not very far off. In fact, there have already been several successful demos; and Vince Pace has built a truck from the ground up specifically for this purpose.
In so far as production and post are concerned, there are added complexities, which equate to higher costs, (estimated to be about 20% of a studio picture’s budget,) that have to be weighed. However, the process is getting easier and the quality is constantly improving. In addition to Pace, several other DCS members such as Steve Sklair and Max Penner are constantly pushing live action capture to new and better heights, while others, such as Neil Feldman and his In-Three company are perfecting their Dimensionalization® process which can add 3-D to material that was originally created for 2-D. Great strides are are also being made in the workflow now that companies like Iridas, Quantel, Assimilate, and Baselight can seamlessly handle realtime stereo color correction.
On the Exhibition side, IMAX has been distributing 3-D films on its network giant screens since 1986 and still relies on film-based projection, but will move to a digital system next year. All the while, companies like Real D and Dolby are working to outfit digital 3D exhibition venues, but there still aren’t that many out there; only about 800 in North America. In fact, even though we are a few years into the “Digital Cinema Roll Out,” less than 15 percent of the screens are digital, which is a precondition of both the Real D and Dolby systems, and even less, about 3.5%, are able to project 3-D.
"Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" was a huge success breaking a Box Office per screen income record at $45,000 per screen. So why aren’t Exhibitors chomping at the bit? Sure, a lot of preteens, like our 8-year-old daughter Meghan, would have dragged their parents to see the tremendously popular Miley Cyrus no matter what the format; (but the 3D certainly helped me to enjoy it a lot more.) With the premium price of $15 per ticket, the per screen average was quite high, but the overall gross could have probably been much higher had it opened wider; but that was just not possible in 3-D.
The slow growth of 3-D suffers from the same dilemma as the overall lethargic Digital Cinema Rollout; while it is the Studios who stand to save millions not having to create and physically distribute celluloid prints, it is the Exhibitors who have traditionally been asked to front the cost of projection equipment. It can cost up to $150,000 per screen to convert a traditional celluloid projection system to digital with 3-D capability, and many Exhibitors have balked. Add to that the cost of 3-D glasses, with the Real D relying on cheap disposables, while Dolby requires $40 a pair reusable glasses and risks the potential loss to customer theft. Either way, it can be a significant expense, and is another reason for Exhibitor’s reluctance.
The answer seems to be at hand with Access Integrated Technologies working in conjunction with Disney, Fox, Paramount, and Universal Pictures, to finance and equip screens in return for a larger portion of each ticket sale, called a “Virtual Print Fee.” Others, including Digital Cinema Integration Partners, a joint venture of AMC, Cinemark and Regal are also working similar schemes, but with the current difficulties in credit markets, agreements have been slow to materialize.
3-D proponents point out that although Exhibitors are taking in higher grosses each year, that this is due in large part to higher ticket prices, and that actual admissions are down 12.5%. They suggest 3-D may be just the ticket to pull audiences out of their living rooms and plant their backsides in theater seats. However, if Exhibitors are going to capitalize on this draw, they had better do it quickly. 3-D will soon be coming to the home theater near you. Samsung, Mitsubishi, and Philips are bringing “3-D Ready” home theater displays to market.
It also will not be long before gamers are playing in 3-D. Check out Carnegie Mellon Grad Student, Johnny Lee’s trick for taking off-the-shelf Wii gaming components and creating a Head Tracking VR device that seems to make images jump from the screen and move in relation to the viewer’s movement. He explains in detail in this fascinating YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw click here
I know I’ll be out to see “Journey to the Center of the Earth” in 3-D this weekend and I hope enough others will join me to demonstrate that this is not just another short lived wave of 3-D enthusiasm, as in the 1950’s with “House of Wax” or the ‘80s with “Jaws 3-D.” I may not want to see every movie I view in 3-D, but I would like to see the technology prosper and succeed for the kind of projects that it can truly enhance.
James Mathers, President and Cofounder, The Digital Cinema Society
All comments are welcome:Mathers@DigitalCinemaSociety.org
| | Spotlight on Lifetime Members |
Steve Young is a senior producer at VideoGrafix in San Jose, with almost 25 years industry experience, specializing in corporate & industrial video. He has been actively involved in video production and computer graphics since the mid eighties, attending numerous NAB and SIGGRAPH shows to keep abreast of the latest advances in visual technology. Steve is keenly interested in the potential of Digital Cinema as both a Producer and consumer of content.
Andreas Schwantner, MAS, MSC, MPOS, Med, Dipl Paed is Managing Director of Experts4you ltd, a Media Analysis and Design company, as well as the founder of the Digital Media Research Society in Vienna. He is a published Author on the subject of fear and media consumption. Current research focuses on the psychoanalytic construction of digital characters, and anlysis of German television in relation to the Nazi era.
We very much appreciate the extra support from members who elect Lifetime DCS membership.
| | Renewing Your DCS Membership |
We count on your dues and contributions to continue our mission and maintain our services to members. So, if your membership has expired, or will soon, and provided that you value our services and can afford to offer support, please take a few minutes to renew your membership at the $30 annual level or $100.00 for a Lifetime Membership. You can follow the convenient Paypal links, (using any major credit card, and you don’t need to be signed up for Paypal), or you can send payment to our offices at P.O. Box 1973 Studio City, CA 91614.
Paypal Annual Renewal Link - $30US: click
here
Paypal Lifetime Renewal Link - $100.00: click
here
Checks should be sent to: The Digital Cinema Society, P.O. Box 1973, Studio City, CA 91614, USA. Check payments must be in US dollars.
Please note that if you are a student, or otherwise cannot afford the dues, just send a note and we will be happy to extend your membership.
| | Recommend DCS to a Friend |
There is strength in numbers and we are always eager to grow our membership. So, in order to make it easy for you to spread the good word about DCS, we have created a link that will allow you to personalize a short letter which describes some of the benefits of the group and offers a free trial membership. Please visit the site and send this offer to all your friends & colleagues who might be interested in joining us.
http://www.digitalcinemasociety.org/join/invitefriend.php
click here
| | Events of Interest to DCS Members in Los Angeles |
| | DCS Members Invited to 4K DI Demo/Reception |
July 15, 2008, Demo: 5:30-6:30 pm / Reception: 6:30-8:30 pm at Filmlight in Los Angeles
Digital Cinema Society members are invited to join FilmLight along with partners Avid, Keycode Media And Sony at a special evening reception where you can experience an exclusive one hour demonstration of the BASELIGHT 4k non-linear color grading solution.
Meet DI colorist Corinne Bogdanowics from Post Logic and see for yourself how Baselight8 was used to grade and confirm "Reach for Me" the first feature to be shot and posted entirely in 4K resolution.
Then join them for a drink where you can meet and mix with industry peers and discuss the advantages of new collaborative ways of working. If you are unable to attend this special demonstration, you are more welcome to join them for a drink at 6.30pm. Filmlight, 3255 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Suite 301, Los Angeles, CA. Please RSVP to attend. http://www.filmlight.ltd.uk/openhouse click here
| | HPA Awards Call For Entries |
The HPA Awards Committee has announced the Call For Entries for the HPA 2008 Engineering Excellence Awards. This prestigious award showcases and rewards inventors, manufacturers, vendors and/or peer post production companies for outstanding product or technology application offerings. Entries now being taken through August 1, 2008. The Third Annual HPA Awards will take place on the evening of Thursday November 6th, 2008, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. For further information about the Engineering Excellence Award, the HPA Awards or the Hollywood Post Alliance, visit http://www.hpaonline.com/mc/page.do click here, call 213.614.0860, or email ekramer@hpaonline.com
| | Final Cut Pro Classes from Weynand Training |
Shake for Final Cut Pro - July 19&20, 2008, Los Angeles, CA
This class is part of the Weynand Training Series and is taught by DCS Lifetime Member and master trainer, Steve Wright, a twenty year industry compositing veteran of over sixty motion pictures and author of the definitive book on the subject, Digital Compositing for Film and Video and the just released Compositing Visual Effects: Essentials for the Aspiring Artist. It is designed for those who are already funtional on Final Cut Pro 6, but are unfamiliar with Shake.
Final Cut Pro 6 (Level 101) - August 8-10, Los Angeles, CA
If you use Final Cut Pro on the job, at home or in your classroom, this three-day hands-on class will have you using Final Cut Pro 6 like a pro!
For more information and to enroll in these classes visit: http://www.weynand.comclick here
Thursday, July 24, 2008 at TV Pro Gear, Inc.
Join JVC & TV Pro Gear, Inc. at their HD Production Seminar featuring the JVC ProHD GY-HD250U HD Camera. Morning and Afternoon sessions available. Admission is free. TV Pro Gear, Inc., 1630 Flower Street, Glendale, CA 91201. You must RSVP. For more information or to rsvp, visit: http://www.tvprogear.com/pages/JVCHDProductionSeminar.aspx click here
| | ”Route 30” To Screen in Los Angeles |
Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 8 p.m., Laemmle Sunset 5
Don’t forget to check out Director and DCS Member John Putch’s latest film ROUTE 30 which will screen as an opening night premiere at the 2008 DANCES WITH FILMS Festival. The comedy was shot using a Panasonic HVX200 in 24pn mode. Laemmle Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046. The Filmmakers and cast will be in attendance. Details about the movie and a link to view the video podcast can be found at : http://www.route30movie.com/PODCAST/Entries/2008/6/15_EPISODE_20_-_THE_CAMERA_EYE.html click here For more information or to buy tickets, visit: http://laemmle.com/viewtheatre.php?date=07242008&thid=2 click here
| | NATPE LATV Festival - Hollywood |
July 30 – August 1, 2008
The LATVFestval at the Highlands and Renaissance hotel in Hollywood brings together nearly 1000 content creators, agents, studio, network and new media executives to celebrate the art and commerce of video content. This high impact three-day event held in the entertainment capital of the world includes a Digital Day, Content Industry Forum, Producer’s Pitch Pit and select product showcases, sessions, workshops and screenings. For more info. or to register, visit: www.natpe.org/latvf click here
| | AVS TO SPONSOR PRO VIDEO SWAP MEET |
August 9th from 1:00pm to 7:00pm, San Fernando Valley, CA
Advantage Video Systems is hosting a pro Video Swap Meet and BBQ. Come by and bring your old equipment or buy someone else's gear. 10% goes to the house to pay for food, marketing, tables and other expenses. Space is limited so sign up quickly. For more info. contact: Jeff@advantagevideosystems.com or visit http://www.advantagevideosystems.com click here
| | Applications Now Being Accepted For The 2008 James A. Lindner Film Preservation Prize |
The James A. Lindner Prize, awarded jointly by the South East Asia Pacific Audio Visual Archives Association (SEAPAVAA), The Association for Moving Image Archivists (AMIA), and the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA) will be awarded to an individual, group of individuals or an organization for research, which by its originality, breadth and scope, is having or may potentially have a major impact on the technology of the preservation of moving images and/or recorded sound. The 2008 James A. Lindner Prize will be presented at the 2008 AMIA Annual Conference in Savannah, Georgia, USA. Application deadline: August 15, 2008. For more information and an application, visit the AMIA website at: http://www.amianet.org/events/awardlindner.php click here
Conference: Monday, 11 August - Friday, 15 August, 2008. Exhibition: Tuesday, 12 August - Thursday, 14 August, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California
Over the past 35 years, SIGGRAPH has evolved to become the premier event for the latest and most advanced innovations in computer graphics and interactive techniques. It has remained at the forefront of the computer graphics community since its introduction, bringing leading minds from around the globe to one place to explore and inspire the future direction of the products, systems, techniques, and ideas of this industry. For more information, or to register, visit: http://www.siggraph.org click here
October 29-30, 2008, Burbank Marriott, Burbank, CA
http://www.hdexpo.net/october/index.html click here
Certification Training: November 4-6 / Conference: November 4-6 / Exhibits: November 5-6, 2008, Los Angeles Convention Center
If you are a videographer, cinematographer, director, producer, camera operator, editor, post supervisor, sound editor, motion graphics designer, web video producer, corporate video producer or documentary filmmaker ... THIS IS YOUR EVENT! Digital Video Expo is your one stop for certification and training opportunities November 4-6, 2008 in Los Angeles. More than 45 conference sessions and top industry exhibits showcasing hundreds of new products await you and your questions. These three days will be packed with education and information you won't get anywhere else! Event Highlights Include: Presentation Theater on the show floor. All sessions scheduled here are FREE to all attendees, featuring association and vendor sessions including those from Panasonic, Sony and Avid.
Apple Certification Training Workshops on Color, Final Cut Pro 6, and motion graphics and effects in Final Cut Studio. User group meeting, networking events and film screenings. Thriving Exhibit Hall floor with new product introductions daily! Registration available soon. Register by October 3 and save 15% on full conference rates. For more information or to register visit: http://www.dvexpo.com/ click here
November 5-12, 2008, Santa Monica, CA.
http://www.ifta-online.org/afm/about.asp click here
| | Events of Interest to DCS Members - Other USA Areas |
| | ”Route 30” To Pemiere in New York |
Don’t forget to check out Director and DCS Member John Putch’s latest film ROUTE 30 which will have its world premiere on July 19, 2008 at the Stony Brook Film Festival in NY. The comedy was shot using a Panasonic HVX200 in 24pn mode. Details about the movie and a link to view the video podcast can be found at : www.Route30movie.com click here For more information or to buy tickets, visit: http://stonybrookfilmfestival.com/ click here
| | Final Cut Pro Classes from Weynand Training |
If you use Final Cut Pro on the job, at home or in your classroom, this three-day hands-on class will have you using Final Cut Pro 6 like a pro!
Final Cut Pro 6 (Level 101) - July 21-24, Indianapolis, IN
For more information and to enroll visit: http://www.weynand.comclick here
September 23-25, 2008, Center for the Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
For years, filmmakers associated with the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival have sought to build collaborative partnerships with non-broadcast distributors. Meeting that demand, this autumn, from September 23rd to the 25th, the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science are co-presenting the first-ever conference that brings content creators together with media execs from NGO's, museums, parks, aquariums, zoos and other public institutions.
As digital media becomes more accessible, even the smallest of these institutions can identify relevant applications - and can afford to put them in place.
The appetite of this important distribution pathway is as varied as it is broad. From high end, large format and 3-D programming, to gallery installations and interactive kiosks, to handheld videopodcast and web-distributed media, the Jackson Hole Symposium will explore the latest technology applications as well as promote innovative opportunities for educational outreach in exhibits and on the web. Early Bird discount rates end on July 15th. For more information or to register, visit: http://www.jhfestival.org/jhsymposium/index.htm click here
October 13-16, 2008, Orlando World Center Marriott, Orlando, Florida
For over 15 years, ShowEast has been the only convention and trade show for the cinema exhibition and distribution community on the East Coast. Cinema Exhibition professionals come to ShowEast for exciting film screenings of major studio and independent feature films slated for holiday release as well as product reel presentations, exciting special events with Hollywood’s hottest stars, educational seminars and to find the latest products, services and technologies at the trade show. For more information, or to register, visit: http://www.showeast.com click here
| | HD World Conference & Exposition |
October 15-16, 2008, Javits Convention Center, New York, NY
The Digital Transition, February 17, 2009 is almost here! Are you completely ready? Attend over 40 sessions, workshops and tutorials, visit over 200 exhibitors and network with the who’s who from broadcast, cable, media & entertainment. For more information or to register, visit: http://www.hdworldshow.com/ click here
| | Events of Interest to DCS Members - International |
| | Australian Broadcast Exhibition 2008 |
July 22-24 at Sydney's Manly Pacific Hotel
The Australian Broadcast Exhibition is designed to compliment the annual engineering conference of Free TV Australia, providing the Australian Broadcast Exhibition with a hands-on update for technology users from the converging worlds of broadcast and IT. While the Free TV conference is a members-only affair, ABE is open to all comers and is designed to showcase solutions that reflect the technical concerns of the free-to-air broadcast sector.
For more information or to register, visit: http://www.abeshow.tv/abemain/ click here
IBC returns to the RAI Centre in Amsterdam this year, with the conference opening on 11 September and the exhibition running from 12 to 16 September.
For more information or to register visit: www:ibc.org click here
September 30, 2008-October 4, 2008, Makuhari Messe, Japan
CEATEC JAPAN - Cutting-edge IT & Electronics Comprehensive Exhibition
www.ceatec.com click here
| | Broadcast India Show 2008 |
Conference: 15-16, October, 2008 / Exhibition: 17-19, October, 2008, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India
www.saicom.com/broadcastindia/2008/ click here
| | Our Home, The Digital Cinema Society: |
http://www.digitalcinemasociety.org
click here
The End
"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change." Charles Darwin
Folks around here are nervous about another crippling Entertainment Industry strike, but even if there is no official Screen Actors Guild work stoppage, production has slowed down significantly in the U.S., since Producers were reluctant to take the chance of getting shut down in the middle of a production. If there is one good thing that can come of this forced “hiatus,” it is that it allows us to catch up on some DCS business. We now have three meetings scheduled in the Los Angeles area; we will take a look at the Sony F35 in July, explore Accessories for Digital Cinema Cameras in early August, and are firming up plans for a D-21 meeting towards the end of August. Meanwhile, our Northern California chapter will hold a meeting hosted by Adobe, that will look at Workflow for both the XDCAM EX and RED. You’ll also find a listing of events other groups are holding all across the globe which may be of interest.
After many months of research, James Mathers has finally had a chance to write an essay on the subject of 3-D, and the timing is quite appropriate, with the notable live action release of “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” which starts this weekend. Look for us at the movies; we’ll be the ones wearing the 3-D glasses.
| | Upcoming Digital Cinema Society Events |
| | Sony F35 at World Wide Digital on July 26th |
Saturday, July 26, 2008, 10am-12pm
Sony and Band Pro will team up to bring us the new 35mm-sized Singe Sensor F35 Digital Cinema Camera. We are now confirmed for Saturday, July 26th from 10AM to Noon at World Wide Digital Services in Burbank. RSVP with F35 in the subject line to save your place and get more details. Mathers@DigitalCinemaSociety.org
| | Accessorizing Your Digital Cinema Camera |
DCS will explore what it takes, and what is available, to build a highend Digital Cinema Camera Package. We’ll look at everything from filters, matte boxes, follow focus, handheld rigs, and Break-out Boxes. Manufacturers invited to participate include ARRI, Schneider Optics, Zacuto, RedRock Micro, Toys4RED, and Element Technica. Vendors who are involved include Abel Cine Tech and Birns and Sawyer. The exact date and venue are still subject to change, but we want to start taking RSVPs, to guage interest and see how big an event we are looking at. We are tentatively planning for Saturday, August 9th, 10AM to Noon at Upstage in Van Nuys, CA. Details will be confirmed, but in the meantime, please RSVP with “Digital Cinema Camera Accessories” in the subject line. Mathers@DigitalCinemaSociety.org
| | DCS Northern California Chapter to Meet at Adobe August 5th |
On the evening of August 5, 2008, 6:30-9:00 pm the Digital Cinema Society Northern California Chapter will come together to examine workflows for both the Sony XDCAM EX and RED One Cameras. Adobe will present their native XDCAM EX editing workflow using Premiere Pro and Production Premium software and give the latest details on their Cinema DNG initiative. Other featured presenters include Adam Wilt and Art Adams who will share some of their findings after rigorous tests of these cameras and workflows for their website www.ProVideoCoalition.com click here.
Location: Adobe Systems Inc. San Francisco office at 601 Townsend St, San Francisco CA. 94103. RSVP to Trudi@DigitalCinemaSociety.org and check the DCS Forums Northern California page for updates.
| | Digital Cinema, One DP’s Perspective |
by James Mathers
Here “D” Comes To Save The Day?
The last time I wrote about this subject was November 2005, with the release of “Chicken Little.” I’m revisiting it now because after the success of the Hannah Montana concert film and a slew of projects in the hopper, there seems to once again be a growing interest in the area of 3-D. 3-D confabs have been held with samples screened and insights shared at industry gatherings such as the HPA Tech Retreat, NAB, and the Projection Summit. This renewed interest in 3-D, however, seems mostly to be coming from the Studios and Filmmakers, not so much from Exhibitors; and only time will tell if the movie going public is going to be excited about it.
The Studios are ready to deliver content; this week will see the release of “Journey to the Center of the Earth” starring Brendan Fraser, but since such a relatively small number of theaters are 3-D capable, the film will sadly, also be extensively shown in it’s 2-D version. On it’s heals will be Summit Entertainment’s “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Monsters vs. Aliens” from DreamWorks Animation, (who have vowed that all of their future releases will be 3-D.) Pixar’s “Toy Story III” is also in the pipeline, and they are also rendering the first two Toy Story movies in 3-D, as is George Lucus for any future releases of his Star Wars flicks. James Cameron is in post on his 3-D epic, “Avatar,” for a 2009 release, and Peter Jackson is bringing the children’s book character Tintin to the screen in 3-D, with Robert Zemeckis busy on a 3-D version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”
Filmmakers are naturally excited by another tool in their storytelling arsenal, and some argue that we shouldn’t waste the opportunity to enhance our filmic communication in this way. They’re not talking about the gimmicky shock value of things jumping out from the screen, but techniques that can subtly draw audiences into the content for a more immersive experience. For example, just as varying focal lengths can make a subject feel closer or further away, varying the inter-axial distance in conjunction with camera height, can help emphasize the feeling that the viewer is larger or smaller than the subject.
The thinking goes, that since we see in stereo, shouldn’t we also exhibit in stereo? After all, it is very unusual for a movie to be presented in Black and White or without a very sophisticated sound mix, now that those technical hurdles have been overcome; so why not the same for stereo vision? As Sean Fairburn points out; nobody calls them “Color Talkies;” we simply take these attributes for granted, and in much the same way, future movie goers may expect the added perception of a another visual dimension.
Presently, I liken it more to the use of Scope; and just as some projects can benefit from the Anamorphic format, 3-D can also sometimes add to the viewing experience. Some projects seem to scream for Scope, such as Westerns with vast scenic horizons, or epic period pieces with casts of thousands, but it is not right for every project; and neither I think is 3-D. Given that the art and science of 3-D have still to mature, I sometimes find certain techniques distracting, and instead of an immersive experience, it can take me completely out of a story; but that’s just regarding narrative work.
For event entertainment like sports or concert coverage, it seems to be a no-brainer. Even though I’m not a huge sports fan, being on the floor of an NAB basketball game or right on the scrimmage line with the NFL players is really exciting. And when row upon row of crowd cascades in front of you “flicking their Bics” or clapping along at a concert, 3-D can really make you feel like you’re right there. I saw one of my favorite performers in concert recently, Eric Clapton, but even with reasonably good seats, I had to depend on video projections to really get a decent look at him, and the fidelity of the live music bouncing around the huge auditorium designed for sporting events wasn’t all that great. I kept thinking that a well produced 3-D event, like the U2 Concert film would have really been a better overall experience. And the promise of live broadcast of such events is not very far off. In fact, there have already been several successful demos; and Vince Pace has built a truck from the ground up specifically for this purpose.
In so far as production and post are concerned, there are added complexities, which equate to higher costs, (estimated to be about 20% of a studio picture’s budget,) that have to be weighed. However, the process is getting easier and the quality is constantly improving. In addition to Pace, several other DCS members such as Steve Sklair and Max Penner are constantly pushing live action capture to new and better heights, while others, such as Neil Feldman and his In-Three company are perfecting their Dimensionalization® process which can add 3-D to material that was originally created for 2-D. Great strides are are also being made in the workflow now that companies like Iridas, Quantel, Assimilate, and Baselight can seamlessly handle realtime stereo color correction.
On the Exhibition side, IMAX has been distributing 3-D films on its network giant screens since 1986 and still relies on film-based projection, but will move to a digital system next year. All the while, companies like Real D and Dolby are working to outfit digital 3D exhibition venues, but there still aren’t that many out there; only about 800 in North America. In fact, even though we are a few years into the “Digital Cinema Roll Out,” less than 15 percent of the screens are digital, which is a precondition of both the Real D and Dolby systems, and even less, about 3.5%, are able to project 3-D.
"Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" was a huge success breaking a Box Office per screen income record at $45,000 per screen. So why aren’t Exhibitors chomping at the bit? Sure, a lot of preteens, like our 8-year-old daughter Meghan, would have dragged their parents to see the tremendously popular Miley Cyrus no matter what the format; (but the 3D certainly helped me to enjoy it a lot more.) With the premium price of $15 per ticket, the per screen average was quite high, but the overall gross could have probably been much higher had it opened wider; but that was just not possible in 3-D.
The slow growth of 3-D suffers from the same dilemma as the overall lethargic Digital Cinema Rollout; while it is the Studios who stand to save millions not having to create and physically distribute celluloid prints, it is the Exhibitors who have traditionally been asked to front the cost of projection equipment. It can cost up to $150,000 per screen to convert a traditional celluloid projection system to digital with 3-D capability, and many Exhibitors have balked. Add to that the cost of 3-D glasses, with the Real D relying on cheap disposables, while Dolby requires $40 a pair reusable glasses and risks the potential loss to customer theft. Either way, it can be a significant expense, and is another reason for Exhibitor’s reluctance.
The answer seems to be at hand with Access Integrated Technologies working in conjunction with Disney, Fox, Paramount, and Universal Pictures, to finance and equip screens in return for a larger portion of each ticket sale, called a “Virtual Print Fee.” Others, including Digital Cinema Integration Partners, a joint venture of AMC, Cinemark and Regal are also working similar schemes, but with the current difficulties in credit markets, agreements have been slow to materialize.
3-D proponents point out that although Exhibitors are taking in higher grosses each year, that this is due in large part to higher ticket prices, and that actual admissions are down 12.5%. They suggest 3-D may be just the ticket to pull audiences out of their living rooms and plant their backsides in theater seats. However, if Exhibitors are going to capitalize on this draw, they had better do it quickly. 3-D will soon be coming to the home theater near you. Samsung, Mitsubishi, and Philips are bringing “3-D Ready” home theater displays to market.
It also will not be long before gamers are playing in 3-D. Check out Carnegie Mellon Grad Student, Johnny Lee’s trick for taking off-the-shelf Wii gaming components and creating a Head Tracking VR device that seems to make images jump from the screen and move in relation to the viewer’s movement. He explains in detail in this fascinating YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw click here
I know I’ll be out to see “Journey to the Center of the Earth” in 3-D this weekend and I hope enough others will join me to demonstrate that this is not just another short lived wave of 3-D enthusiasm, as in the 1950’s with “House of Wax” or the ‘80s with “Jaws 3-D.” I may not want to see every movie I view in 3-D, but I would like to see the technology prosper and succeed for the kind of projects that it can truly enhance.
James Mathers, President and Cofounder, The Digital Cinema Society
All comments are welcome:Mathers@DigitalCinemaSociety.org
| | Spotlight on Lifetime Members |
Steve Young is a senior producer at VideoGrafix in San Jose, with almost 25 years industry experience, specializing in corporate & industrial video. He has been actively involved in video production and computer graphics since the mid eighties, attending numerous NAB and SIGGRAPH shows to keep abreast of the latest advances in visual technology. Steve is keenly interested in the potential of Digital Cinema as both a Producer and consumer of content.
Andreas Schwantner, MAS, MSC, MPOS, Med, Dipl Paed is Managing Director of Experts4you ltd, a Media Analysis and Design company, as well as the founder of the Digital Media Research Society in Vienna. He is a published Author on the subject of fear and media consumption. Current research focuses on the psychoanalytic construction of digital characters, and anlysis of German television in relation to the Nazi era.
We very much appreciate the extra support from members who elect Lifetime DCS membership.
| | Renewing Your DCS Membership |
We count on your dues and contributions to continue our mission and maintain our services to members. So, if your membership has expired, or will soon, and provided that you value our services and can afford to offer support, please take a few minutes to renew your membership at the $30 annual level or $100.00 for a Lifetime Membership. You can follow the convenient Paypal links, (using any major credit card, and you don’t need to be signed up for Paypal), or you can send payment to our offices at P.O. Box 1973 Studio City, CA 91614.
Paypal Annual Renewal Link - $30US: click
here
Paypal Lifetime Renewal Link - $100.00: click
here
Checks should be sent to: The Digital Cinema Society, P.O. Box 1973, Studio City, CA 91614, USA. Check payments must be in US dollars.
Please note that if you are a student, or otherwise cannot afford the dues, just send a note and we will be happy to extend your membership.
| | Recommend DCS to a Friend |
There is strength in numbers and we are always eager to grow our membership. So, in order to make it easy for you to spread the good word about DCS, we have created a link that will allow you to personalize a short letter which describes some of the benefits of the group and offers a free trial membership. Please visit the site and send this offer to all your friends & colleagues who might be interested in joining us.
http://www.digitalcinemasociety.org/join/invitefriend.php
click here
| | Events of Interest to DCS Members in Los Angeles |
| | DCS Members Invited to 4K DI Demo/Reception |
July 15, 2008, Demo: 5:30-6:30 pm / Reception: 6:30-8:30 pm at Filmlight in Los Angeles
Digital Cinema Society members are invited to join FilmLight along with partners Avid, Keycode Media And Sony at a special evening reception where you can experience an exclusive one hour demonstration of the BASELIGHT 4k non-linear color grading solution.
Meet DI colorist Corinne Bogdanowics from Post Logic and see for yourself how Baselight8 was used to grade and confirm "Reach for Me" the first feature to be shot and posted entirely in 4K resolution.
Then join them for a drink where you can meet and mix with industry peers and discuss the advantages of new collaborative ways of working. If you are unable to attend this special demonstration, you are more welcome to join them for a drink at 6.30pm. Filmlight, 3255 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Suite 301, Los Angeles, CA. Please RSVP to attend. http://www.filmlight.ltd.uk/openhouse click here
| | HPA Awards Call For Entries |
The HPA Awards Committee has announced the Call For Entries for the HPA 2008 Engineering Excellence Awards. This prestigious award showcases and rewards inventors, manufacturers, vendors and/or peer post production companies for outstanding product or technology application offerings. Entries now being taken through August 1, 2008. The Third Annual HPA Awards will take place on the evening of Thursday November 6th, 2008, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. For further information about the Engineering Excellence Award, the HPA Awards or the Hollywood Post Alliance, visit http://www.hpaonline.com/mc/page.do click here, call 213.614.0860, or email ekramer@hpaonline.com
| | Final Cut Pro Classes from Weynand Training |
Shake for Final Cut Pro - July 19&20, 2008, Los Angeles, CA
This class is part of the Weynand Training Series and is taught by DCS Lifetime Member and master trainer, Steve Wright, a twenty year industry compositing veteran of over sixty motion pictures and author of the definitive book on the subject, Digital Compositing for Film and Video and the just released Compositing Visual Effects: Essentials for the Aspiring Artist. It is designed for those who are already funtional on Final Cut Pro 6, but are unfamiliar with Shake.
Final Cut Pro 6 (Level 101) - August 8-10, Los Angeles, CA
If you use Final Cut Pro on the job, at home or in your classroom, this three-day hands-on class will have you using Final Cut Pro 6 like a pro!
For more information and to enroll in these classes visit: http://www.weynand.comclick here
Thursday, July 24, 2008 at TV Pro Gear, Inc.
Join JVC & TV Pro Gear, Inc. at their HD Production Seminar featuring the JVC ProHD GY-HD250U HD Camera. Morning and Afternoon sessions available. Admission is free. TV Pro Gear, Inc., 1630 Flower Street, Glendale, CA 91201. You must RSVP. For more information or to rsvp, visit: http://www.tvprogear.com/pages/JVCHDProductionSeminar.aspx click here
| | ”Route 30” To Screen in Los Angeles |
Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 8 p.m., Laemmle Sunset 5
Don’t forget to check out Director and DCS Member John Putch’s latest film ROUTE 30 which will screen as an opening night premiere at the 2008 DANCES WITH FILMS Festival. The comedy was shot using a Panasonic HVX200 in 24pn mode. Laemmle Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90046. The Filmmakers and cast will be in attendance. Details about the movie and a link to view the video podcast can be found at : http://www.route30movie.com/PODCAST/Entries/2008/6/15_EPISODE_20_-_THE_CAMERA_EYE.html click here For more information or to buy tickets, visit: http://laemmle.com/viewtheatre.php?date=07242008&thid=2 click here
| | NATPE LATV Festival - Hollywood |
July 30 – August 1, 2008
The LATVFestval at the Highlands and Renaissance hotel in Hollywood brings together nearly 1000 content creators, agents, studio, network and new media executives to celebrate the art and commerce of video content. This high impact three-day event held in the entertainment capital of the world includes a Digital Day, Content Industry Forum, Producer’s Pitch Pit and select product showcases, sessions, workshops and screenings. For more info. or to register, visit: www.natpe.org/latvf click here
| | AVS TO SPONSOR PRO VIDEO SWAP MEET |
August 9th from 1:00pm to 7:00pm, San Fernando Valley, CA
Advantage Video Systems is hosting a pro Video Swap Meet and BBQ. Come by and bring your old equipment or buy someone else's gear. 10% goes to the house to pay for food, marketing, tables and other expenses. Space is limited so sign up quickly. For more info. contact: Jeff@advantagevideosystems.com or visit http://www.advantagevideosystems.com click here
| | Applications Now Being Accepted For The 2008 James A. Lindner Film Preservation Prize |
The James A. Lindner Prize, awarded jointly by the South East Asia Pacific Audio Visual Archives Association (SEAPAVAA), The Association for Moving Image Archivists (AMIA), and the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA) will be awarded to an individual, group of individuals or an organization for research, which by its originality, breadth and scope, is having or may potentially have a major impact on the technology of the preservation of moving images and/or recorded sound. The 2008 James A. Lindner Prize will be presented at the 2008 AMIA Annual Conference in Savannah, Georgia, USA. Application deadline: August 15, 2008. For more information and an application, visit the AMIA website at: http://www.amianet.org/events/awardlindner.php click here
Conference: Monday, 11 August - Friday, 15 August, 2008. Exhibition: Tuesday, 12 August - Thursday, 14 August, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California
Over the past 35 years, SIGGRAPH has evolved to become the premier event for the latest and most advanced innovations in computer graphics and interactive techniques. It has remained at the forefront of the computer graphics community since its introduction, bringing leading minds from around the globe to one place to explore and inspire the future direction of the products, systems, techniques, and ideas of this industry. For more information, or to register, visit: http://www.siggraph.org click here
October 29-30, 2008, Burbank Marriott, Burbank, CA
http://www.hdexpo.net/october/index.html click here
Certification Training: November 4-6 / Conference: November 4-6 / Exhibits: November 5-6, 2008, Los Angeles Convention Center
If you are a videographer, cinematographer, director, producer, camera operator, editor, post supervisor, sound editor, motion graphics designer, web video producer, corporate video producer or documentary filmmaker ... THIS IS YOUR EVENT! Digital Video Expo is your one stop for certification and training opportunities November 4-6, 2008 in Los Angeles. More than 45 conference sessions and top industry exhibits showcasing hundreds of new products await you and your questions. These three days will be packed with education and information you won't get anywhere else! Event Highlights Include: Presentation Theater on the show floor. All sessions scheduled here are FREE to all attendees, featuring association and vendor sessions including those from Panasonic, Sony and Avid.
Apple Certification Training Workshops on Color, Final Cut Pro 6, and motion graphics and effects in Final Cut Studio. User group meeting, networking events and film screenings. Thriving Exhibit Hall floor with new product introductions daily! Registration available soon. Register by October 3 and save 15% on full conference rates. For more information or to register visit: http://www.dvexpo.com/ click here
November 5-12, 2008, Santa Monica, CA.
http://www.ifta-online.org/afm/about.asp click here
| | Events of Interest to DCS Members - Other USA Areas |
| | ”Route 30” To Pemiere in New York |
Don’t forget to check out Director and DCS Member John Putch’s latest film ROUTE 30 which will have its world premiere on July 19, 2008 at the Stony Brook Film Festival in NY. The comedy was shot using a Panasonic HVX200 in 24pn mode. Details about the movie and a link to view the video podcast can be found at : www.Route30movie.com click here For more information or to buy tickets, visit: http://stonybrookfilmfestival.com/ click here
| | Final Cut Pro Classes from Weynand Training |
If you use Final Cut Pro on the job, at home or in your classroom, this three-day hands-on class will have you using Final Cut Pro 6 like a pro!
Final Cut Pro 6 (Level 101) - July 21-24, Indianapolis, IN
For more information and to enroll visit: http://www.weynand.comclick here
September 23-25, 2008, Center for the Arts, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
For years, filmmakers associated with the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival have sought to build collaborative partnerships with non-broadcast distributors. Meeting that demand, this autumn, from September 23rd to the 25th, the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science are co-presenting the first-ever conference that brings content creators together with media execs from NGO's, museums, parks, aquariums, zoos and other public institutions.
As digital media becomes more accessible, even the smallest of these institutions can identify relevant applications - and can afford to put them in place.
The appetite of this important distribution pathway is as varied as it is broad. From high end, large format and 3-D programming, to gallery installations and interactive kiosks, to handheld videopodcast and web-distributed media, the Jackson Hole Symposium will explore the latest technology applications as well as promote innovative opportunities for educational outreach in exhibits and on the web. Early Bird discount rates end on July 15th. For more information or to register, visit: http://www.jhfestival.org/jhsymposium/index.htm click here
October 13-16, 2008, Orlando World Center Marriott, Orlando, Florida
For over 15 years, ShowEast has been the only convention and trade show for the cinema exhibition and distribution community on the East Coast. Cinema Exhibition professionals come to ShowEast for exciting film screenings of major studio and independent feature films slated for holiday release as well as product reel presentations, exciting special events with Hollywood’s hottest stars, educational seminars and to find the latest products, services and technologies at the trade show. For more information, or to register, visit: http://www.showeast.com click here
| | HD World Conference & Exposition |
October 15-16, 2008, Javits Convention Center, New York, NY
The Digital Transition, February 17, 2009 is almost here! Are you completely ready? Attend over 40 sessions, workshops and tutorials, visit over 200 exhibitors and network with the who’s who from broadcast, cable, media & entertainment. For more information or to register, visit: http://www.hdworldshow.com/ click here
| | Events of Interest to DCS Members - International |
| | Australian Broadcast Exhibition 2008 |
July 22-24 at Sydney's Manly Pacific Hotel
The Australian Broadcast Exhibition is designed to compliment the annual engineering conference of Free TV Australia, providing the Australian Broadcast Exhibition with a hands-on update for technology users from the converging worlds of broadcast and IT. While the Free TV conference is a members-only affair, ABE is open to all comers and is designed to showcase solutions that reflect the technical concerns of the free-to-air broadcast sector.
For more information or to register, visit: http://www.abeshow.tv/abemain/ click here
IBC returns to the RAI Centre in Amsterdam this year, with the conference opening on 11 September and the exhibition running from 12 to 16 September.
For more information or to register visit: www:ibc.org click here
September 30, 2008-October 4, 2008, Makuhari Messe, Japan
CEATEC JAPAN - Cutting-edge IT & Electronics Comprehensive Exhibition
www.ceatec.com click here
| | Broadcast India Show 2008 |
Conference: 15-16, October, 2008 / Exhibition: 17-19, October, 2008, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India
www.saicom.com/broadcastindia/2008/ click here
| | Our Home, The Digital Cinema Society: |
http://www.digitalcinemasociety.org
click here
The End
"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change." Charles Darwin
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