As expected, there weren’t a lot of major technology introductions at this year’s National Association of Broadcasters convention held in April in Las Vegas. But there were large crowds of people from all over the world in attendance and, especially in the areas of cinema production and post-production there were several interesting product innovations on display. What follows is our list of what we believe were the top digital cinema related new products at the show. We’ll have more comprehensive coverage of the rest of the show in our next Report.
Production Products
As film production makes the transition to digital 4K acquisition, which has roots in both post-production and exhibition, has emerged as a growing trend. Several camera manufacturers are vying for market share in the space and they were all on display at NAB. The goal is to make the entire workflow process as seamless as possible from acquisition through exhibition and, the thinking of many in Hollywood is, the best way to start is in 4K. Here are our picks for the best production products at the show.
Sony CineAlta F23 Camera
Sony showcased its long-anticipated F23 camera, which supports 4:4:4 1920 by 1080 RGB imaging. It is the newest member of Sony's high-end CineAlta line of acquisition products for digital television and motion picture content creation. It uses three 2.2 megapixel, 2/3-inch type progressive CCD imagers and a 14-bit A/D converter. The system will support 1080/23.98P, 24P, 25P, 29.97P, 50P, 59.94P, 50i and 59.94i formats. In order to be film user-friendly, the camera body is compatible with a variety of film camera accessories, including bridge plates, matte boxes and follow focus units. These can be attached to the unit without modification. The F23 system is expected to be available late this spring. It will be offered for sale by Sony and through its CineAlta Premier reseller, Band Pro Film & Digital. Sony www.sony.com
Dalsa Digital Cinema Evolution
The Evolution is the latest in Dalsa Digital Cinema’s growing line of 4K cameras. It has a smaller form factor model than its predecessor the Origin and incorporates the company’s latest generation frame transfer CCD image sensor.The new camera, which uses cine-lenses and has a real optical viewfinder, also includes a new live HD/SDI output feature for enhanced on-set monitoring and direct HD recording if desired. It will be available early next year. Dalsa www.dalsa.com
OConnor 120EX Extended Capacity Fluid Head
Large cameras require large support and to that end OConnor introduced the 120EX Extended Capacity Fluid Head. Based on Oconnor’s proprietary “EX-technology”, this patented head features a new stepless counterbalance system and ultra-smooth pan and tilt fluid drag custom designed for film-style shooting. The 120EX can deliver full counterbalance to a camera package up to 120 pounds at full +/- 90 degrees forward and backward tilt, and in EX-mode, up to 240 pounds at a reduced +/- 60-degree tilt.
heavy payloads. Oconnor www.ocon.com
Post-Production Products
For the foreseeable future, post houses will continue to have to deal with a wide range of formats and resolutions and the technology at NAB reflected that reality. Here are our picks for the best post-production products at NAB 2007.
Thomson Grass Valley’s Spirit HD Telecine
With the markets for HD movie transfers and HD post-production continuing to grow, Thomson has launched a new version of its film scanning platform: the Grass Valley Spirit HD telecine. The new machine shares all its optical and mechanical components with the Spirit 4K film scanner, allowing the Spirit HD to be upgraded on site with a minimum of downtime as a user’s requirements move from HD to digital intermediate post-production. The new Spirit HD scans at all standard and high definition formats, in both 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 color resolutions. Outputs are available as SDI, HD-SDI, dual link HD-SDI and as data, allowing the Spirit HD to be used as the input to 1920 x 1080 digital intermediate post production. Gates are available for both 35mm and 16mm film. With prestige productions for television continuing to be shot on film, post-production facilities need a cost-effective route to scan to high definition, as do those facilities charged with giving a new life in the HD era to classic television series and movies.The list price for the Grass Valley Spirit HD starts at $698,000. Thomson Grass Valley www.thomsongrassvalley.com
Bright Systems BrightDrive Pro16
With the ability to deliver up to 48 streams of 2K real-time video to any post-production application attached to the network, the BrightDrive Pro16 is particularly suitable for very large-scale data-centric post projects and facilities. Using the BrightDrive Pro16, up to 48 operators can access, share and work on the same media files concurrently, thereby bringing higher levels of efficiency and collaboration to the post-production workflow. This means that even with the most complex projects, facility managers no longer need to spend time copying files between applications or waiting for individual processes to be finished before media can proceed through the workflow. BrightDrive Pro16 is shipping now and is available direct from Bright Systems and from Bright’s international network of resellers and business partners. Bright Systems www.4bright.com
Avid Media Composer with ScriptSync
The top film editing systems invariably start with the letter A. Long dominant in the higher end of the market, Avid has maintained its leadership position by continuing to offer new features such as ScriptSync. Simple in concept, ScriptSync seems destined to become a much-used editing tool. Powered by next-generation phonetic speech recognition technology from Nexidia, the ScriptSync tool advances the functionality of Avid's script-based editing by automating the task of synchronizing scripts or transcripts with their respective media files, and eliminates the labor intensive process of manually inserting sync points. Once the script and media are matched, editors, directors and producers can quickly and easily review multiple line readings and select individual takes. With ScriptSync, script-based editing is significantly more accurate and more practical for everyday use. Avid www.avid.com
Apple Final Cut Studio 2
Not to be outdone, the other A-word in editing, Apple unveiled Final Cut Studio 2. The upgrade includes Final Cut Pro 6, which introduces Apple’s ProRes 422 format for uncompressed HD quality at SD file sizes and support for mixed video formats and frame rates in a single timeline. It also comes with a long list of new features but the one that attracted the most attention at the show was “Color,” a professional color grading and finishing application for ensuring consistent color and creating signature looks. The primaries in Color include advanced color correction tools such as gamma, lift and gain adjustments, as well as custom R, G, B and luma curves. The secondaries provide the ability to isolate specific areas of an image with soft-edged mattes and custom-shaped vignettes, which can be tracked with ease. Final Cut Studio 2 will be available in May for a suggested retail price of $1,299. Registered users of the current version of Final Cut Studio can upgrade for $499 and registered users from any previous version of Final Cut Pro can upgrade for $699.Apple www.apple.com/finalcutstudio
And The Red One?
What to say about the Red One camera from Red Digital Cinema? Last year large crowds of people waited in line for the privilege of entering the Red Digital Cinema booth and were able to see … nothing. Inside there were brochures and lots of promising talk. This year the crowds were even larger and the lines were longer and once inside people could watch a short film shot on the Red One by Peter Jackson. Yes, that Peter Jackson. People also learned that the camera itself will be shipping soon. Very soon. I know more than one well respected working professional cinematographer in this industry who believe in the camera. They clearly know more about this than I do. One Hollywood friend in particular has already invested in the Red One and is counting the days till he gets his camera. It’s his money so I truly hope that he is right about this and that I am wrong. Maintain your cynicism. Red Camera www.red.com
Sony showcased its long-anticipated F23 camera, which supports 4:4:4 1920 by 1080 RGB imaging. It is the newest member of Sony's high-end CineAlta line of acquisition products for digital television and motion picture content creation. It uses three 2.2 megapixel, 2/3-inch type progressive CCD imagers and a 14-bit A/D converter. The system will support 1080/23.98P, 24P, 25P, 29.97P, 50P, 59.94P, 50i and 59.94i formats. In order to be film user-friendly, the camera body is compatible with a variety of film camera accessories, including bridge plates, matte boxes and follow focus units. These can be attached to the unit without modification. The F23 system is expected to be available late this spring. It will be offered for sale by Sony and through its CineAlta Premier reseller, Band Pro Film & Digital.
The Evolution is the latest in Dalsa Digital Cinema’s growing line of 4K cameras. It has a smaller form factor model than its predecessor the Origin and incorporates the company’s latest generation frame transfer CCD image sensor.The new camera, which uses cine-lenses and has a real optical viewfinder, also includes a new live HD/SDI output feature for enhanced on-set monitoring and direct HD recording if desired. It will be available early next year.
Large cameras require large support and to that end OConnor introduced the 120EX Extended Capacity Fluid Head. Based on Oconnor’s proprietary “EX-technology”, this patented head features a new stepless counterbalance system and ultra-smooth pan and tilt fluid drag custom designed for film-style shooting. The 120EX can deliver full counterbalance to a camera package up to 120 pounds at full +/- 90 degrees forward and backward tilt, and in EX-mode, up to 240 pounds at a reduced +/- 60-degree tilt.
With the markets for HD movie transfers and HD post-production continuing to grow, Thomson has launched a new version of its film scanning platform: the Grass Valley Spirit HD telecine. The new machine shares all its optical and mechanical components with the Spirit 4K film scanner, allowing the Spirit HD to be upgraded on site with a minimum of downtime as a user’s requirements move from HD to digital intermediate post-production. The new Spirit HD scans at all standard and high definition formats, in both 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 color resolutions. Outputs are available as SDI, HD-SDI, dual link HD-SDI and as data, allowing the Spirit HD to be used as the input to 1920 x 1080 digital intermediate post production. Gates are available for both 35mm and 16mm film. With prestige productions for television continuing to be shot on film, post-production facilities need a cost-effective route to scan to high definition, as do those facilities charged with giving a new life in the HD era to classic television series and movies.The list price for the Grass Valley Spirit HD starts at $698,000.
With the ability to deliver up to 48 streams of 2K real-time video to any post-production application attached to the network, the BrightDrive Pro16 is particularly suitable for very large-scale data-centric post projects and facilities. Using the BrightDrive Pro16, up to 48 operators can access, share and work on the same media files concurrently, thereby bringing higher levels of efficiency and collaboration to the post-production workflow. This means that even with the most complex projects, facility managers no longer need to spend time copying files between applications or waiting for individual processes to be finished before media can proceed through the workflow. BrightDrive Pro16 is shipping now and is available direct from Bright Systems and from Bright’s international network of resellers and business partners.
The top film editing systems invariably start with the letter A. Long dominant in the higher end of the market, Avid has maintained its leadership position by continuing to offer new features such as ScriptSync. Simple in concept, ScriptSync seems destined to become a much-used editing tool. Powered by next-generation phonetic speech recognition technology from Nexidia, the ScriptSync tool advances the functionality of Avid's script-based editing by automating the task of synchronizing scripts or transcripts with their respective media files, and eliminates the labor intensive process of manually inserting sync points. Once the script and media are matched, editors, directors and producers can quickly and easily review multiple line readings and select individual takes. With ScriptSync, script-based editing is significantly more accurate and more practical for everyday use.
Not to be outdone, the other A-word in editing, Apple unveiled Final Cut Studio 2. The upgrade includes Final Cut Pro 6, which introduces Apple’s ProRes 422 format for uncompressed HD quality at SD file sizes and support for mixed video formats and frame rates in a single timeline. It also comes with a long list of new features but the one that attracted the most attention at the show was “Color,” a professional color grading and finishing application for ensuring consistent color and creating signature looks. The primaries in Color include advanced color correction tools such as gamma, lift and gain adjustments, as well as custom R, G, B and luma curves. The secondaries provide the ability to isolate specific areas of an image with soft-edged mattes and custom-shaped vignettes, which can be tracked with ease. Final Cut Studio 2 will be available in May for a suggested retail price of $1,299. Registered users of the current version of Final Cut Studio can upgrade for $499 and registered users from any previous version of Final Cut Pro can upgrade for $699.Apple 
What to say about the Red One camera from Red Digital Cinema? Last year large crowds of people waited in line for the privilege of entering the Red Digital Cinema booth and were able to see … nothing. Inside there were brochures and lots of promising talk. This year the crowds were even larger and the lines were longer and once inside people could watch a short film shot on the Red One by Peter Jackson. Yes, that Peter Jackson. People also learned that the camera itself will be shipping soon. Very soon. I know more than one well respected working professional cinematographer in this industry who believe in the camera. They clearly know more about this than I do. One Hollywood friend in particular has already invested in the Red One and is counting the days till he gets his camera. It’s his money so I truly hope that he is right about this and that I am wrong. Maintain your cynicism.