SOC Technical Achievement Award Submissions Open
The Society of Camera Operators has opened online submissions for the 2016 Technical Achievement Award, which will be presented in February 2017.
Production & Post-Production
Fourth Annual March on Washington Film Festival Begins July 13
The March on Washington Film Festival returns to D.C. for its fourth year this July 13-23.
Filming in the Trenches
Operation Lion Claws Military Simulation Series, sponsor of the largest simulation aircraft battles in the country, hosts events that have been described as “three-day weekends where civilians and military, fathers, sons, daughters – just about anyone who wants to experience the closest thing to active duty without the concern of paying the ultimate sacrifice – are led into mock combat scenarios by retired military VIPs.” Director/DP Dave Craig, principal of Dream to Screen Productions of Los Angeles, California covers these events for his client the sponsor.
Rohde & Schwarz Announces Reorganization
In November 2014, the Rohde & Schwarz Broadcasting Division was renamed Broadcast and Media Division. This emphasized the company’s growing commitment in the studio market as well as the expansion of its product portfolio across the entire value added chain. What the company calls the next logical step is now taking place with the complete integration of the Rohde & Schwarz DVS GmbH subsidiary into the parent company. "We have had a common vision for a long time. Now we have merged perfectly to continue on our successful path," said Juergen Nies, head of the division.
Shooting Out of the Box
Director of photography Art Aldrich recently completed a 10-day shoot at the KPMG WPGA Championship in Sammamish, Washington. Aldrich, who numbers major broadcast and cable networks, Fortune 500 companies, advertising agencies and independent production facilities among his clients, is a longtime Panasonic user, and recently purchased three VariCam LT 4K cinema camcorders to support his extensive video work in corporate branding.
NYC Campaign Promotes Diversity in Motion Picture Production
New York City Media and Entertainment Commissioner Julie Menin has announced #NominateNYC, a new initiative that will work towards bringing greater diversity to the film and entertainment industry. According to recent reports from the USC Institute for Diversity and Empowerment at Annenberg and UCLA’s Bunche Center for African American Studies, women directed only 4 percent of the top-grossing films of 2014, while people of color directed 13 percent. Women and people of color accounted for less than 10 percent of writers of the top 163 films of that year. People of color held 13 percent of lead roles in the 163 top films of 2014, and women 26 percent. Additionally, across 4,610 speaking characters in the 100 top grossing films of 2014, only 19 were lesbian, gay or bisexual, and zero were transgender.
Senior Colorist David Cole Joins FotoKem Creative Services
Senior colorist David Cole has joined FotoKem’s Creative Services Division, deepening the facility’s digital intermediate talent bench. One of Cole’s first projects, based at FotoKem’s Burbank headquarters, will be Legendary’s upcoming Kong: Skull Island.
VFX Supervisor Eric Gambini, Two Others Join FuseFX, Vancouver
VFX supervisor Eric Gambini has joined FuseFX, Vancouver, as the company continues to add staff to service the region’s boom in television production. A native of France who has worked at visual effects facilities around the world, Gambini most recently served as on-set VFX supervisor on the CW series The 100. Also new to FuseFX Vancouver are VFX producer Graeme Marshall and CG supervisor Adam Marisett.
Shaking Up the Ad Business
There is a huge push for haptic advertising. Simply put, to add nuanced tactile effects to simulate a realistic feeling to 360 virtual reality content: the shaking of a martini glass in a Stoli ad; the power of the engine in a Peugeot ad and the flickering of lights in the American Poltergeist trailer. These are a few of the ways that haptic advertising has been utilized using Immersion’s Touchsense Design Cloud. Starting in 2014, Stoli was the first to break the ice, so to speak, with the first tactile ad. Now 554 mobile apps and 481 tablet apps on the Opera Mediaworks network have the capability to run haptic ads. These ads have the potential to reach 14.9 million total impressions, 4.2 million unique viewers
Creating a 4K Master for Quality
Director/DP Hal Long had a challenge. “The producers (including Bill Rogin and Cole Klapman) are committed to having a 4K master for residual use,” Long said. “And for season two, I wanted a 4K camera that would deliver better color accuracy and separation.” Long, a longtime user of Panasonic P2 cameras said that was why both seasons of Gunny Time were shot and finished in 4K with Panasonic VariCam 35 4K cinema camera/recorders.
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