Rolemodel@earthlink.net
Represented by Jacob & Kole
Agent Steve Jacob
323 460 4767
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In an effort to aid production companies in making wise educated decisions I have compiled a fact sheet to share the truth and dispel some myths related to shooting High Definition 24P for Features and Television shows. 1) Shoot "23.98P" not "24P". Reason is you will have difficulty downconverting and keeping sound in sync. 2) You don't need to offline in HD. Downconvert your footage to hard drive, DVCam, or DVCPro and offline conventionally building a solid EDL for online in HD. 3) HD Camera Packages will generally be more expensive to rent than Film packages. Savings is in HD Tape vs. Rolls of Film purchase, Processing, and Transfer. 1 HD tape = 5,000 ft of film run time. HDCAM Tape $50.00 vs. 5,000 ft of 35 mm film $2,560.00. Both hold 50 minutes of footage. 4) Average Cost of 1 HDCAM Tape is $50.00 comes in case of 10. HDACM-SR 30% more. Running time of HD Tape is 50 minutes @ 23.98 even though the box will say 40 minutes (40 & 22 are available for field). HDCAM-SR must be labeled 4:2:2 or 4:4:4. 5) Record the Master Sound on the HD camera tape in addition to external recording devices (which should be running at 29.97 NDF). 6) Shooting HD is not the same as shooting film. It exposes and processes information in a different way. Test it, Test It, Test It. It is Better to Insure Success than to Hope for It. 7) HD LCD is fine for director monitor but DP and DIT should use Reference Grade LCD to see real picture. 8) Multiple HD Cameras available today having different capabilities can record onboard and off board Tape and Harddrive: Sony F-900, F-950, Viper, Dalsa, Arri D-20 and others should be tested thoroughly before being put on any production. Camera crew MUST be very familiar with choice made. Especially the DP. 9) HD TV Sets and Digital Cinema Projection is gaining screens across the country. Shows can be seen in multiple mediums at higher quality less expensively. 10) Editing of dissolves, CGI, slow motion effects and titling can all be done in the final HD Online session to create Final HD Master. From there the DI or (Digital Intermediate) can be used as a color correction pass and then filmed out to create the Film Negative from which your Answer Prints can be struck. MYTH: You can't shoot outside with HD. FACT: YES YOU CAN shoot in day exterior with HD Using "Dynamic Contrast Control" and ND Grads will help reduce contrast that may be out of range. Another Tip! Use 500 ASA when exposing for day exterior. MYTH: You need less Crew to shoot HD. FACT: The same number of crew in every department is necessary to do the level of quality you expect. Only the Camera Department has a loss of the Loader but the necessary gain of an HD Engineer or "DIT" Digital Imaging Technician at a pay rate between "A" Camera Operator and the DP. MYTH: You need fewer lights to shoot HD. FACT: I generally rate the HD Camera at 320 ASA for best performance and I need just as much light as if I was shooting 320 ASA Film. The same number and type of lights as in film. MYTH: You need Film Lenses to make HD look like Film. FACT: HD lenses are made to a much tighter tolerance than Film as the image sensor is 1/2 the size and pixels don't move in the gate. Depth of Field can be the same as film lenses just by opening up ONE STOP. For the Directors of Photography 1) HD exposes like color reversal (Slide film rather than negative). Better to under expose than over expose. 2) HD has less latitude than Neg film. I call it 4 Under and 1.5 Over. Your latitude may vary - test full range. 3) HD Lenses are much better on HD cameras than Film Lenses. (And you don't loose 2 stops with converter) Zeiss DigiPrimes and Fujinon have exceptional HD Glass and have been used on "Every Major" HD Feature. 4) You can get in essence Timed dailies in Camera which I have found gives you more range than had you done nothing to the image. "Best way to get to a good image is to start with one". The DIT will help insure success. 5) Take every opportunity given to convey your intentions for how the image should look. First by recording the accurate image on the medium to insure that Dailies will have the recommended look for Post. 6) HD is Tungsten base so ND and Color correction filters are built into the camera and are ND.6, ND1.2, ND1.8, also an 85B+81B. 7) Electronic Shutter set to ON @ 1/48th is equal to a 180° shutter. Shutter OFF increases blur in motion equal to 24FPS @ 1/24th. But this is the cleanest way to get an extra stop when shooting Cityscapes at night. 8) Like any new Film stock Test it to determine how your lighting style looks with this medium if adjustments should be made. Tests should be done all the way through the post chain. 9) Insure your 1st AC's and operators know how to properly set the Back Focus or your images will be soft. Use proper Back Focus chart. 10) Shoot Record run Timecode even if you do multiple cameras. Cameras do not need to match TC for post to sync it up. If you do shoot Free run Timecode you need 10 seconds of preroll before Action is called. Every time Camera stops using Free Run it creates BROKEN timecode causing problems with downconvert and digitizing and online. 11) Slow Motion is possible with HD that will match look of 60 FPS in Film by shooting 59.97 interlace then converting back to 23.98 with slow-mo in Post. Further slowing can happen in post but test it first. Sound Department 1) Record Master sound on the HD Camera this will create a permanent synced source of CD quality sound for Downconverts and Offline. Also always record sound separately in addition to on Camera. 2) HD will offer directors and Actors longer record times and longer takes than Film, so request a Fisher Boom and dolly if practical so you don't beat up your boom operators. 3) Whatever you choose to record on Nagra, DAT, DA88 or DEVA, use 29.97 NDF (Non Drop Frame) because 23.98 is a NDF speed. 4) Use of a Timecode slate is helpful with TC being YOURS not camera's TC. In addition have 2nd AC's Clap the sticks as always. 5) If necessary feed sound TC into an available channel of Audio (4) on the Camera with an SB2 from Deneke. It's wireless and provides a permanent source of sync for the external sound recording device. Resources Providing HD Services, not all inclusive. HD Camera Rental houses 1) Plus-8-Video Michael Toay @ 800-333-1000 2) Panavision Dan Hammond @ 818-316-1000 3) Bexel John Keesee or Michael Lai @ 818-841-5052 4) Fletcher Chicago Kevin O¹Conner @ 800-635-3824 5) Wexler Video Paul Frocchi @ 818-846-9381 6) Clairmont Camera Denny Clairmont @ 818-761-4440 HD Tape Stock & Expendables 1) Filmtools.com Stan McClain @ 818-845-8066 HD Downconverts & HD Online & Color Timing 1) APS Victory Studios HighDef.org @ 818-769-1776 2) C. C. I. Digital Marianne Nassour @ 818-562-6300 3) Complete Post Brad Powell @ 323-467-1244 4) The Post Group @ 323-462-2300 5) Westwind Steve Drinkwater @ 818-972-9000 HD Transfer to Film "Film Out" 1) E-Film David Hays @ 323-463-7041 The fact is the script and style of show will dictate whether it should be shot on Film or HD. HD is less expensive on the front end because of tape cost and may be more expensive on the back end during Film Out. But for TV and Commercials the savings will be most noticeable and many shows are now taking advantage of it. You must weigh the options and make the best decision for your show. Projects with lots of VFX, tight budgets and schedules are good candidates. I hope this helps shed some light on High Definition Acquisition. Feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions. |