LA Filmmakers Sam Wasserman’s Debut Feature Hits the Festival Circuit Los Angeles-based filmmaker Sam Wasserman’s first feature The Journal a semi-autobiographical short that recounts the story of a young man seeking the courage to read the diary of his long-deceased mother has been widely submitted on the festival circuit. Director of Photography Graham Futerfas shot the project. The Journal premiered at the BendFilm Festival in Bend Oregon and screened at the Hollywood Film Festival last fall.
Futerfas has shot several features including The Beat (Sundance premiere) Blues Zerophilia and The List. A project he shot for Toby Mac’s Boomin’ recently won a Dove Award in Nashville for Best Short Form Music Video. He has also lately shot music videos for the bands Godsmack and Malbec.
“When Sam approached me to shoot The Journal he expressed how important the cinematography was to him ” Futerfas says. “He really wanted the look and feel of 35mm but his budget couldn’t support shooting on film.” They chose Panasonic’s AJ-HPX3000 native 1080p one-piece P2 HD camcorder to shoot the movie. “We considered many cameras including Sony’s F900R the Red One and Panasonic’s HPX2000 and HDX900 in addition to the HPX3000 ” Futerfas says. “The HPX3000’s 10-bit AVC-Intra codec and the full-raster 1920x1080 capture were the big draws along with the affordability of the camera and the P2 workflow. We saved a lot of money using the camera and got maximum quality. Moreover Panasonic’s reputation for exceptional product reliability satisfied Sam’s concerns about down-time on a five-day shoot.”
The production rented the HPX3000 from Birns and Sawyer Hollywood California. The Journal was shot last February in Venice California: the three locations encompassed a 20-foot by 20-foot therapist’s office a home and a cemetery.
“AVC-Intra 100 is an awesome codec ” says Futerfas. “We tested the post workflow carefully before shooting and involved the editor ahead of time. Our data manager discussed how our editor Mike Darrow would like things set up and at the end of the shoot all the footage was organized for him to sit down and start working immediately.”
The short comprises almost all daytime scenes both interior and exterior. The production’s equipment package included a five-ton grip and lighting package generator HMIs Fisher 11 dolly three-foot camera slider Steadicam and 18-foot jib/crane. “We had lots of camera movement dramatic lighting haze and fog ” Futerfas says who had three camera assistants – 1st and 2nd ACs and a digital media manager.
“I’d been extremely concerned about an ‘HD look’ prior to shooting but the HPX3000 impressed me with its clarity of image and filmic rendition of colors even in the raw footage ” says writer/director Wasserman. “We were able to work a lot faster with P2; the camera department was always ready which is so crucial when the actors are ready to perform. Also we were able to watch full-quality footage right after shooting which was great for continuity.”
The production’s camera package included a Canon 21x7.5 Cine Style zoom lens and Canon 11x4.7 ENG lens for Steadicam wide angle and lightweight needs. He also had Panasonic’s BT-LH1700W 17-inch HD monitor on location and Panasonic’s BT-LH900A 8.4-inch HD monitor on-board the camera as well as a Leader 5750 waveform/vectorscope. Futerfas used a Tiffen SoftFX 1 filter along with occasional Pola and ND filters to manage a wide stop for shallower depth of field.
“The HPX3000’s light handling characteristics were very good and our color timer was very impressed with the camera’s dynamic range ” Futerfas says. “I love the highlight falloff when you dial the camera in properly. The most impressive part is the ultra-low amount of noise in the shadows – it's one of the cleanest looking images I've seen from an HD camera.”
”We used the camera’s film-like three gamma with a knee point at 83 percent and a slope in the high 80s ” Futerfas says. “When I used the HPX3000 on a subsequent shoot I switched to Film Rec with 300 percent dynamic level as I find this makes the camera a little faster. I rated the camera around 200 to 250 ASA with those settings but with different gammas and knee settings you can get it to 500 or 640 ASA. Master Ped setting was somewhere in the +6 range with Detail turned down or off. All the color-timing aspects I like to handle in post where I have better control and perspective. On set I like to treat the material like a film negative capturing as much detail as I can. Of course I aim to err on the side of underexposure and don't clip things I want detail from later.”
“I must say that the HPX3000 has a lot of features that make it so much more functional than HD cameras were a few years ago ” he says. “The HD-SDI and down-converted outputs are built-in and it has a menu structure that makes a lot of sense. The little color-monitor on the side with picture and menu is very convenient. There are plenty of user buttons thumbnail proxy support and good ergonomics.
“Another great thing about P2 is the ability to review takes immediately in HD especially when shooting with Steadicam where you're using a wireless video assist that has lots of drop-outs and static.”
”We loaded the camera with 32GB P2 cards swapping as frequently as possible usually every camera setup ” Futerfas says. “This kept the media manager continually importing and transferring material throughout the day. We used a Duel-Systems adapter with a MacBook Pro and drag-and-dropped the 'Contents' and 'LastClip.txt' from each P2 card onto two separate 1GB hard drives (for backup) then used Log and Transfer in Final Cut Pro to make ProRes HQ files.”
These ProRes HQ files were edited in Final Cut Pro then when finished output to D5 HD via HD-SDI card color-corrected on a DaVinci 2K in HD and mastered to another D5 HD deck with sound then laid back.
“The HPX3000 is great for features commercials music videos corporate/industrial and broadcast and it's less expensive to use than competitive cameras ” says DP Futerfas. “You have to commit to a data-based workflow and be comfortable with that. I have clients who need some convincing but I'm working to convert them.”
“As with any HD camera you have to know how to tune and play the instrument to get beautiful music out of it and that takes practice training and experience ” he added.
The Journal www.thejournalfilm.com ,764
A Conversation with Andrew Robinson,2009-02-26,Managing Director Harkness Screens As the exhibition industry makes the move to 3D the demands on the actual physical screen in a theatre are changing. Digital Cinema Report spoke with Andrew Robinson of Harkness Screens to get his insights on the subject. Digital Cinema Report: Please give us a short history of Harkness Screens. Andrew Robinson: Harkness Screens was founded in the 1920s in London in the UK. It is now an international company with manufacturing operations in the UK France USA and China. The main activity is manufacturing screen surfaces for cinema. Every year thousands of screens are supplied all over the world. Screens are also supplied for special events custom AV applications and theme parks etc. In fact Harkness is very much a specialist for large custom screens and cinema is the main application. We are a medium-size privately owned business employing approximately 100 people in total worldwide. DCR: What is your role with the company and how long have you been there? AR: I am the managing director as well as running the group; I take an active role in meeting customers all over the world. I attend all the main cinema conventions around the world and from time-to-time get asked to speak on screen-related topics. I have worked for Harkness for 10 years. During my time at Harkness the business has greatly expanded its international presence and market share. DCR: Film digital 2D and digital 3D are all here for the foreseeable future in most markets. What is the ideal kind of screens for exhibitors to consider when showing all three types of content? AR: Harkness cinema screens can be used for film or digital projection. We also have specific screens for 3D polarized light technology. We also make screens with different gain levels. The important point is that the right gain level of screen should be used in relation to the size of the screen and the power of the projector. With digital projection there are usually savings in operating costs (essentially lamps and power costs) in using higher gain screens than one would normally use with an equivalent sized film projector. These savings can be significant and could easily pay for the replacement of a screen in a couple of years. DCR: How critical is the screen to a successful 3D experience? How much brightness can a screen add to 3D projection? Is that true for all size venues? AR: The screen is critical to the 3D experience. All 3D technologies lose a lot of light. Up to 85 percent of the light available in 2D mode is lost. Big lamps and gain screens are needed to get an acceptable brightness level. On screens that measure around 50 feet very high gain levels will be necessary. Polarized light 3D systems require silver screens – white screens will not work because they depolarize light. For other 3D technologies white screens can be used but the gain level must be high enough. The screen is therefore critical to the brightness and also to a successful 3D presentation. DCR: Cost is always a critical factor in exhibition. Can theatre owners compete in 3D with their existing screens? AR: With a 3D system the screen may need to be changed. Silver screens are needed for polarized light systems which is the most popular 3D technology. Many new cinemas are fitting two to three silver screens as standard equipment. You can show 2D movies on silver screens and actually any 3D technology. In retrofits polarized light 3D requires a screen change. Other technologies may need upgrades to higher gain screens depending on what gain level was installed originally. DCR: What cost-effective steps can they take to maximize the effectiveness of their existing screens when projecting 3D? AR: It is likely cinemas will need to change screens depending on whatever 3D technology they use. Certainly having the right gain level is important. Cinemas showing 3D movies also show 2D movies. In this situation the screen may be too bright for 2D so changing the lamp is recommended. This can itself bring significant operating cost savings. ,765
A Monster Move,2009-02-26, Odeon and UCI Cinema to Triple Number of 3D Screens Odeon and UCI Cinemas Europe’s largest cinema operator is currently installing dozens of new 3D screens as it further extends its network of DCI-compliant Digital Cinema screens in the UK Spain Portugal Italy Germany and Austria. The effort is designed to take advantage of the release of Monsters vs Aliens. Sound Associates the UK‘s leading cinema equipment integrator is installing the 31 systems for phase 1 in the UK. As part of the strategy Odeon and UCI will triple its coverage of 3D digital screens in response to the wealth of 3D blockbusters due for release in 2009. By the end of March over 100 sites across Europe will be equipped for 3D with 52 screens in the UK alone more than any other UK exhibitor. Following its site survey of each location Sound Associates assembled configured and tested each system at its facility in West London prior to installation. A system consists of an NEC NC1600 projector Qube or Doremi server RealD 3D system and appropriate network and ADSL hardware and cabling – all housed in the specially adapted Sound Associates SA DigiBase. Drew Kaza executive vice president of digital development for Odeon and UCI Cinemas says “The installs have been going incredibly smoothly. We are pleased that the vast majority of upgraded screens are actually running ahead of schedule at this stage enabling us to unveil the benefits of 3D even sooner to our film fanatics across the UK. This is the next important step as we accelerate our moves into digital in 2009.” Graham Lodge managing director of Sound Associates says “We are delighted to be working with Odeon and UCI on this groundbreaking project and I am particularly pleased that our engineers are managing to keep up with the demanding install schedule. Odeon and UCI have been able to show 3D films ahead of the planned date – this has to be good for the cinemas and for the customers.” “3D digital provides the total cinematic experience. You feel the drama literally unfolding all around you ” says Kaza. “We wanted the best for our 3D digital projection and so over the last two years we have vigorously put NEC’s technology through its paces. It definitely hit the mark with superb image quality and unsurpassed reliability. NEC has equipped Odeon with a ground-breaking digital cinema projection system and we anticipate a resultant jump in per seat revenues.” NEC’s NC1600C is an integrated DLP cinema projector which houses both the lamp power supply and projector head in the same unit. It has been specifically developed for medium-sized screens delivering high quality output and offering ease of operation. Delivering 17 000 Lumens and precise 2K (2048x1080) resolution the NC1600C offers one-touch operation and memory functions for lens position and lamp output.
Simon Jackson vice president Northern Europe for NEC Display Solutions says “Our display solutions provide an affordable and trusted way to introduce the new must have cinema media technologies so our customers are first to tap into a new and growing audience. This major European deployment with Odeon is testament to that and underpins our core principles of high reliability performance and outstanding build quality.”
NEC Display Solutions Europe www.nec-display-solutions.co.uk ,769
The Letus35 B4,2009-02-26,Zacuto Offers Affordable Depth of Field Adapter for 2/3-Inch Cameras To date 2/3-inch cameras have been primarily used for news broadcast sports and corporate work but have been too expensive for most independent filmmakers. The Letus35 2/3-inch B4 compact relay lens kit now available from Zacuto promises to give independent filmmakers all of the components for an affordable depth of field shooting system on a 2/3-inch camera. The kit components include: the Letus35 2/3-inch B4 relay lens Letus35 DOF adapter (extreme elite and ultimate) Zacuto 2/3-inch camera kits (docu cine or indie)
and Zeiss ZF optics. The kit is universal and quick releasable. The kit is essential because of the weight and size of the Letus35 B4 relay lens Letus35 adapter and lenses. The kit also serves as a platform for mounting your follow focus matte box and lens support. “For about 25 years or so shooting corporate industrials I have been begging for a device like this mainly because a lot of the situations I have been in put in rooms that were small with ugly backgrounds. If I had had this it would have been perfect to throw the backgrounds all out of focus and get them film feel. Finally I have some tools to shoot like a filmmaker ” Jens Bogehegn DP and Zacuto co-owner “I talked to Hien Letus35 owner over a year ago about the idea of creating a cost effective way to attach his popular Letus35 DOF adapters to 2/3-inch camera. Up until now you really only had one option for shallow Depth of Field and that was the P+S Techniks which is really out of most people’s price range. I prefer working with an ENG camera because of better audio control monitor outputs durability balance expanded menu options better control of the color plus a whole lot more. What’s amazing now is that you can get all of the components you need including four Zeiss ZF prime lenses for $9-$11 000 complete. That’s less than the cost of one HD lens and really affordable ” Steve Weiss director and Zacuto co-owner. See Steve Weiss Jens Bogehegn and Scott Lynch discuss the overall benefits of using their new Zacuto 2/3-inch DOF kits and how broadcast cameras are now an affordable options to independent filmmakers in their new HD video Introducing 2/3-inch B4 Cinematography. http://store.zacuto.com/Letus-2/3-B4-Compact-Relay-Lens.html Zacuto www.zacuto.com ,770
What Consumers Think of 3D,2009-02-26,Two new studies strongly suggest that most consumers are embracing 3D enthusiastically and that the need to wear glasses to enjoy 3D content is not a big obstacle for most people. The studies also show that the more people know about 3D the more they like it something that holds true for 3D in movie theatres video games and in home theatre. The first study released jointly by the Consumer Electronics Association and the Entertainment and Technology Center at USC offers a comprehensive history of 3D technology a look at where that technology is going both in movie theatres and in the home and offers the results of a survey that wanted to find out what average consumers think about 3D. That study was supervised by Shawn DuBravac economist for the CEA and an adjunct professor at the George Mason University School of Business and by David Wertheimer executive director of the ETC. The second study comes from the group Meant to be Seen which bills itself as “the foremost authority group on stereoscopic 3D gaming and home entertainment.” Their report which tilts heavily to the gaming community nevertheless dovetails in some ways with the findings from the CEA and ETC. The CEA-ETC study “set out to gain a baseline understanding of consumer interest in and attitudes towards 3D ” with a particular emphasis on how soon people might be introducing 3D technology into home theatres. A national sampling of just over a thousand adults was surveyed by telephone last December. Here are some of the highlights. Overall awareness of 3D is still low; just 40 percent of people in the top 20 media markets reported that they’d seen or heard information about 3D content. But nearly a third of the people who were aware of 3D had already seen a 3D movie in a theatre and of that group more than have say they’ll watch another 3D movie in the next 24 months. While these numbers might b discouraging to some the CEA-ETC study notes that they compare favorably with numbers that were gathered in a 1998 about digital TV; today more than 60 percent of households have digital TV and adoption is proceeding steadily. Of the people who have already seen a 3D movie in a theatre almost 40 percent say they would prefer a movie in 3D compared to the same movie in 2D. And more than half of US adults said wearing glasses is not a problem. In a result that is encouraging for the home theatre market but needs to be fully understood by exhibitors is the fact that of the people who saw a 3D movie in the past year 60 percent said they would pay more to have a 3D television at home and 19 percent said they would spend up to 25 percent more for that television. Finally and not so surprising is that the study found that 18-29 year olds appear to be the prime audience for 3D. The survey concluded “Overall 3D content could be on the cusp of becoming mainstream. Interest grows with each 3D release in theatres.” The complete study is available free to CEA member companies. Non-members may purchase the study for $999 at http://ce.org. The Meant to be Seen study concluded that the majority of misconceptions about 3D are not as rampant as some people have suggested. In the MTBS study customer opinions were captured in two separate online surveys. One was for traditional gamers who don’t yet own 3D display equipment and the other was for experienced stereoscopic 3D gamers and consumers. Each respondent was required to answer 26 multipart questions and there were well over seven hundred surveys collected (60 percent 2D 40 percent 3D gamers) with each taking as long as ten minutes to complete. MTBS chose to promote survey participation to gamers because recent studies demonstrate that over 50 percent of adults play video games. Gamers are also technically savvy enough to understand both cinema and gaming markets equally well and are most likely to be able to answer questions in an informed manner. The MTSB study found that almost 70 percent of the people they surveyed said they would not mind wearing glasses to watch 3D on television. The numbers were even better if 3D games were the activity. For more information on the MTSB study visit http://www.mtbs3d.com/udecide.shtml. ,771
Friends in High Places,2009-02-27, IDA Arqiva Join Forces on Pan-European Digital Cinema Satellite Network International Datacasting Corporation has received an initial order from Arqiva Satellite & Media for infrastructure to support its development of a new pan-European digital cinema satellite network. This IDC enabled platform can be expanded to incorporate IDC's 3D technology for the delivery of 3D live events.
The award to IDC follows the recent announcement that Arqiva had formed a long term strategic partnership agreement with Arts Alliance Media for the satellite distribution of films and alternative content live events into European cinemas. Arqiva selected IDC as one of their technology partners after an extensive evaluation process. IDC through its wholly owned Netherlands subsidiary ProfLine will provide key elements of infrastructure for the delivery of file encoded movies as well as live events and alternative content. Arqiva was looking for the best combination of technology for both live and file based movie delivery to digital cinemas. We wanted a professional grade solution that is future proof highly modular and scalable says Barrie Woolston commercial director media & enterprise at Arqiva. It is also crucial for us to work with a company with a proven track record and the reliability to provide on-going support as we build out the network. We are very pleased that our SuperFlex and Datacast XD systems solution has been chosen by Arqiva for their next generation digital cinema network in Europe. They are one of the largest satellite service providers in Europe with years of practical experience in digital cinema delivery and a reputation for having the highest quality and performance standards in the industry says Ron Clifton president and CEO of International Datacasting. The contract value is not being disclosed for confidentiality reasons. This initial order was received and substantially shipped at the end of IDC's fiscal year.
International Datacasting Corporation www.datacast.com ,775
A Unique Resilience,2009-03-06,When asked if the exhibition business is as recession proof as some have claimed John Fithian president of the National Association of Theatre Owners allows that movie theatres have always shown “a unique resilience” in challenging times. And as the exhibition industry gathers at the end of this month for ShoWest 2009 there are positive signs that despite the harsh economic conditions worldwide the movie business remains strong. Box office receipts and admissions were solid last year and box office returns for this past January were the largest ever: an increase of 17 percent over last year and a total take of $1.7 billion. Despite that promising news one question on the minds of all the attendees at the Las Vegas show will no doubt be: What happens now? If there is any silver lining to the current economic crisis says Fithian it is that “only smart decisions get made when money is tight.” As evidence of that and in the absence of a broader digital cinema roll out many exhibitors of varying sizes are taking matters in their own hands and funding their own transition to digital with loans from local banks. Buried deep in the ongoing national stories about the slumping banking industry many small local and regional banks are quite stable and exhibitors are taking advantage. Self-financing is a reality for many exhibitors. Fithian says there’s a simple explanation both for the stalled broad roll out and for the trend in some exhibitors going it alone: “It’s much more difficult to get financing for 10 000 screens than it is for 10 screens.” He cautions that as attractive as it is in the short term “self-financing is not a long term solution. We need a digital cinema system with all the parties involved participating.” To that end there are signs that the Digital Cinema Implementation Partners deal may finally get finalized in the coming months. “The credit markets have thawed a bit ” says Fithian. Virtual Print Fees deals are in place for all of the major Hollywood studios (“with one exception – Warner Bros.”) and as soon as affordable rates are available the major digital cinema roll out should begin in earnest. Fithian remains optimistic that a VPF deal with Warner Bros. will be worked out. There will be other issues on exhibitors’ minds at ShoWest. For several years Fithian has been urging the Hollywood studios to recognize that there are twelve months on the calendar and major releases don’t all have to coincide with Thanksgiving Christmas Memorial Day and July 4th. The studios have improved significantly. “They’ve done a better job of spreading them out ” he says. There was a time when the number of screens in business was a critical issue. At times there were too few; other times too many. The total number of screens in North America is 38 000-plus in the US and roughly 3 000 in Canada. Fithian says that number has been “fairly constant for the past two years” and suggested it was probably a good number for the exhibition business as a whole. While he suspects that the total number of screens will remain relatively stable that does not necessarily mean they will be the same screens tomorrow as today. Digital cinema will inevitably result in some theatres closing possibly sooner than might have otherwise been the case. The new economics of the country in general and the cinema business is particular will drive this. Digital 3D is the key driver in moviemaking and exhibition today and that will not change for the foreseeable future. As one indicator that the demand for 3D remains strong Fithian says “There’s a four-month backlog for silver screens.” He predicts there will be roughly 2 000 3D-ready screens in time for the release of Monsters vs Aliens. Despite that prediction he says “We still need more 3D screens.” ,785
3D Cinema & Beyond: Lens to Living Room,2009-03-06,The goal of the 2009 Digital Cinema Summit is to educate and inform on all aspects of 3D allowing attendees to decide if the current explosion of stereoscopic content is a fad – or the future. ,788
The Keys to Successful Screenwriting,2009-03-06,By Don Vasicek There are several keys to successful writing. Each produced screenwriter uses these keys each time they begin a new writing project. They use them from the beginning of their project through the middle of their project to the end of their project and this includes the marketing of their project and for years after their project has been produced. Most are consciously unaware of what these keys are. After using them for days weeks months and years they become rote. These keys distinguish the professional accomplished writer from the mediocre writer and the wannabe writer. The first key is to identify the original source of what you are writing or about to write. What this means is that you need to think about the reason you got the idea for what you are writing. Unlock yourself with this key. Once you are inside yourself look at your heart and mind. Grasp the ability to understand who you are by looking inside your heart and mind. What motivates you? What makes you who you are at this very moment? Whatever it is find it. Identify it. Be specific. Make sure you are certain about the original source of what you are writing. By knowing what the original source of what you are writing is you will discover more of yourself inside yourself that will lead you to a more in-depth writing ability. The second key is to identify when you first got the idea for what you are about to write or are writing. Was it last year? How about when you were younger? Or was it yesterday? Perhaps it was when you were sleeping last night. What were you doing at the time? By understanding when you first got the idea for your story images will come into your mind about the scenario surrounding that time. These images will give you clues about what is driving you to write what you are writing. And these clues will keep you focused on what you are writing. The third key is to identify where you got the idea for what you are writing. Was it something you read in a newspaper article? Something you observed on your way to work? A line in a movie you saw? Whatever it was identify it. By revealing the location to yourself about where you got the idea for what you are writing you will be able to understand more precisely why you are writing what you are writing. Pinning down the location where you got the idea for what you are writing will lead you to look into deeper reasons about why you are writing what you are writing. By looking into these deeper reasons your writing will take on a greater dimension. The fourth key is to identify why you are writing what you are about to write. Are you an emotional person? Do people events and situations charge you up? Why do you want to tell this story? Finding out why you are writing what you are writing will guide you deeper into yourself. This will cause you to write more profoundly because you are identifying the reason why you are writing what you are writing or about to write. The fifth key is to identify what you were doing at the time you got the idea for what you are writing or are about to write. Were you cutting wood? Or working out on a stair climber? Maybe you were watching a movie or eating an ice cream bar. Perhaps you were separated from the one you loved most and it left a mark on you for your life. And now you are writing about it. Knowing what you were doing at the time you got the idea for what you are writing will make you dig even more deeply inside yourself where all your answers are. This process leads you into the cavernous areas of your mind and heart where you tap resources you would otherwise not be aware of. The sixth key is to identify the theme of what you are writing about. Are you writing about fires? If you are are there people involved? Buildings? Matches? Blowtorches? Burning flesh? Whatever it is you can see here that a dominating theme is fire because everything mentioned is linked to fire in one way or another. It doesn’t matter what you are writing about as much as it matters that you identify the theme or themes of what you are writing about or are going to write about. This exercise will force you to look inside yourself. By doing this your focus will be sharpened a hundred times. This kind of focus in turn will directly reflect on your writing and make it more focused. The seventh key is to identify your lead and the problem he has to solve to succeed. Who is your main character and what is standing in his way? This person is your lead protagonist hero or main character. By distinguishing who your lead is and what his main challenge is you will know what to keep your focus on when you are writing. By keeping your focus on who your lead is and the challenge he must overcome your writing will be sharp concise and to the point because you will be seeing everything you are writing from the point-of-view of your lead. Author’s Credits Donald L. Vasicek studied producing directing and line producing at the Hollywood Film Institute under the acclaimed Dov Simen’s and at Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute. He studied screenwriting at The Complete Screenplay with Sally Merlin (White Squall). He has taught mentored and is a script consultant for over 400 writers directors producers actors and production companies and has also acted in 20th Century Fox’s Die Hard With a Vengeance NBC’s Mystery of Flight 1501 ABC’s Father Dowling starring Thomas Bosley and Red-Handed Production’s Summer Reunion. These activities have resulted in Don’s involvement in more than 100 movies during the past 23 years from major studios to independent films including MGM’s $56 million Warriors of Virtue Paramount Classics Racing Lucifer and American Pictures The Lost Heart among others. Vasicek has also has written and published over 500 books short stories and articles. His books include How To Write Sell and Get Your Screenplays Produced and The Write Focus. Donald L. Vasicek Olympus Films+ LLC Writing/Filmmaking/Consulting http://www.donvasicek.com [email protected] ,789
Death of the Dongle,2009-03-06, Avid Introduces Media Composer Symphony v3.5 Avid Technology says it has addressed customer requests for native support of the Sony XDCam format a ground breaking 3D Stereoscopic workflow and the “death of the dongle ” with the release of Avid Media Composer and Symphony v3.5. In addition to an innovative new architecture designed to make these Avid solutions more open the latest version of the software delivers a variety of new features that enable customers to take advantage of including more streamlined and efficient HD audio and video workflows; a number of offline editorial effects enhancements like Keyframeable Color Correction and a new Fluid Stabilizer. “This new release of Media Composer will greatly improve the speed and efficiency of our workflow here at Discovery says Mark Miller producer/director at Discovery Channel Canada’s West Coast office “By having the ability to natively ingest in the field my producers directors and editors can start working with the media right away and not waste time traveling back to the office to get a cut completed. Also the Keyframeable Color Correction features are invaluable. We've been able to save a lot of time and money in the production process by being able to make color changes on the fly in run-and-gun situations where lighting can change and affect color over the course of a single shot. Previously that could only be fixed in the online color correction.
Editor Michael Tronick and assistant editor Aaron Brock have worked on a number of 3D films including the newly released Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience and are very excited about the possibilities of Avid's Stereoscopic capabilities. “It would be so useful to see how the 2D material I am cutting would translate to 3D and be able to show that to the director on the spot while making changes on the fly. Avid has created the most innovative 3D workflow I’ve seen ” Tronick says.
Brock estimates that the benefits of using Media Composer 3D capabilities for offline editorial will save thousands of dollars. “If we could use this new feature it would save the studio an unbelievable amount of money. Instead of having the online system running for five months straight we could just conform complete reels for full screenings like on a normal feature. It would be much more efficient than doing conforms on a daily basis.”
Avid Media Composer and Symphony v3.5 are available now. For a complete list of new features supported devices and operating systems visit: Avid film and video solutions. Avid is also offering a 14-day trial of the new Media Composer software. Avid www.avid.com ,792
Simply Brilliant,2009-03-06, Kerasotes Theatres Installs Christie 3D Projectors in time for Jonas Brothers Kerasotes Theatres converted 35 screens to 3D-enabled Christie digital cinema projection systems ahead of the release of Walt Disney Pictures’ Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience. Kerasotes Theatres purchased Christie CP2000-ZX digital cinema projectors with Brilliant3D prior to the February 27 premiere. “Christie enjoys a stellar reputation in the industry and is the undisputed leader in digital cinema because they fully understand the needs of the exhibitors and know how to deliver quality products in the fastest timetable ” says Dean Kerasotes president and chief operating officer of Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres. He and his brother Tony who is chairman and CEO will be honored as the ShoWesters of the Year at ShoWest 2009 later this month. “We made the right decision in bringing Christie onboard to help us convert to 3D. The speed with which we’ve been able to bring the systems online is a tribute to Christie’s commitment to first-rate customer service and support.”
Fred Walraven director of technical services at Kerasotes says “Christie’s full 2K-resolution triple flash projectors are everything they said they would be. High brightness is critical to a satisfying 3D experience and the light output on the Christie projectors is excellent. On 52-foot wide screens for example the Christie CP2000-ZX projector with the CDXL30SD bulb reaches 4.5fL in 3D mode – the brightest in the industry – and this is without the light doublers. With the assistance of their technical services staff we got most of the 35 projectors up and running to premier Walt Disney's Jonas Brothers 3D concert movie.
Craig Sholder vice-president of entertainment solutions at Christie says “Christie Brilliant3D with triple flash technology is the latest in a series of enhancements to the world’s most popular Christie CP2000 series of digital cinema projectors and sets the new standard in 3D. With audiences willing to pay premium ticket prices and studies showing increased sales at the concession stand 3D is also one of the best value propositions for theatres.”
He says “We look forward to working with Kerasotes Theatres as it continues to convert to the latest generation of digital cinema technology. We have the right solution for every size screen and the ability to resolve every installation challenge at the fastest timetable because we bring 80 years of experience working with exhibitors anticipating and meeting their needs.”
Christie Digital Systems www.christiedigital.com
The Journal
