Digital technology is racing to replace celluloid in the theatrical space at an incredible pace. With many of the top professionals in the industry moving solely to digital, the landscape is changing drastically. Just recently we had one of the more respected cinematographers working today, Roger Deakins, talking about his experience using the Arri Alexa. Now, Ridley Scottgives us a little bit about his experience working with the RED EPIC in 3D and also explains how we can get people back into movie theaters:
Often bigger Hollywood movies are the ones that get the huge screen (IMAX) treatment, but what’s interesting is that even smaller movies can benefit from a giant screen. This is something that has been mentioned about Christopher Nolan’s Batman films that have used IMAX extensively. Small, quiet moments are amplified when a face is 100 feet tall. While not quite RED’s intention, there is something to be said for extremely high resolution in that case, as humans are very sensitive to small movements in a person’s face. I generally prefer a digital image that feels closer to film without the “side effects” of silver halides and celluloid, and that usually means sharp without being “too sharp.” Digital also has the ability to reach into the darker areas of an image like we’ve never been seen before, and it lets DPs light in a far more realistic way — especially since the cameras are so sensitive to light.While a partial advertisement for RED, the video above played before Loom at NAB 2012. Watching Loom on RED’s 3D projector — which utilizes lasers to achieve a truer frame rate without utilizing triple flashing — was the least distracting 3D experience I’ve ever had. 3D may be losing favor among consumers, but there have been only a few films over the last few years that have really tried to take advantage of the format as a storytelling tool. Of course, the biggest takeaway from the video is that Ridley doesn’t necessarily advocate 3D as a way to get people back into the theater, but better stories first and foremost, and then pristine picture quality and excellent audio. There’s no question we can all strive to make our stories better, and the digital camera is simply another tool to help facilitate that.
by joe Marine Link: Ridley Scott — RED Digital Cinema — Vimeo
The company known for developing and manufacturing one of the most popular unmanned aerial systems, the Phantom, DJI has decided to make their way into the handheld gimbal market. They’ve revealed a brand new handheld 3-axis gimbal stabilizer, Ronin. Its versatile, relatively inexpensive, tool-less design lets users shoot from several different positions, allowing them to achieve different kinds of shots quickly and easily.
Here are the key features listed on DJI’s website:
3-axis stabilized gimbal system
Supports a multitude of cameras and lenses (from micro four-thirds to RED EPIC sized)
Simple 5-minute setup and balance
Built-in tool-less balance adjustment system
Built-in receive and remote control available
Mobile Bluetooth assistant software
Based on DJI Zenmuse technology
Gimbal tuning stand
Firmware upgradable
The Ronin has a few very intriguing features. For one, the gimbal can be configured automatically by pressing its Auto Tune Stability (ATS) button, parameters will be intelligently adjusted based on your camera’s weight. Another great feature is its tool-less design, meant to make adjustments, setup, and tear-down faster and easier. However, the most impressive feature about the Ronin, to me, is its versatility. There are 3 different operational modes: standard, which is the typical two-handed position in which most gimbals are operated, upright, which allows the Ronin to be flipped over and operated closer to eye-level (instead of at the chest), and suspended, which is slung low to the ground for low-angle shots.According to Filmmaker Magazine, the Ronin has a 16 lb weight limit and will be under $5,000. To put that into perspective, compare the Ronin with its closest competitor, MōVI. The MōVI M10 (currently MōVI’s biggest guns) can carry up to 12 lbs, and the lower-end M5 costs $5,000. So, the Ronin can carry more weight than the M10, but it costs less than the M5. However, we won’t know much about how well this gimbal stabilizes images until we see some tests, so stay tuned, as I’m sure videos will start popping up over the next couple of days.
The Ronin will begin shipping by July.
Television commercial director, Mark Toia, recently shared an astounding video of the Southern New Zealand landscape.
While flying to different areas for a Natural Gas Australia commercial, Toia mounted a RED EPIC within a SHOTOVER – an aerial stabilization platform – to capture the visually stunning journey from Queenstown to the various shooting locations.
Though the video depicts a breadth of ecosystems and altitudes, all of the footage shown was shot in less than 3 hours.
