APS and 24p HD Production: Independent Filmmakers Pioneer CineAlta Cinematography in 2001

Los Angeles, CA-- American Production Services (APS), one of the first companies to install two fully digital Sony online suites for editorial in native 1080 24p High Definition (HD)óat its Seattle and Los Angeles locations respectively-- has completed the editorial for a three-minute
trailer for ìNicolasî and is set to begin work on the full-length movie this Fall.

"Nicolasî has the distinction of being the first American production completed using Sonyís new HDW-F-900 (24p) CineAlta HD camcorder outfitted with a prototype of Panavisionís Advanced Primo Digital 11-1Lens. Considered a digital cinematography breakthrough, 24p HD production gives productions the ability to shoot video with near film resolution and 24 frame per second progressive scanning. And, attesting to its cost-effectiveness, Independent Filmmaker Peter Shaner was able to produce ìNicolasî without the backing of a studio, something that
would have been impossible were he shooting film. He instituted Reef Point Pictures, LLC, and raised money from a group of investors.

"24p HD allows independent filmmakers to make movies in ways that studios have been making them for years, but, as an independent filmmaker, you never could afford to,î says Shaner, the Producer, Writer, and Director of ìNicolas.î ìI was like every other independent filmmaker,î says Shaner, "going over to Panavision and eyeing the only two 24p HD cameras in existence, thinking, gosh, is there any chance we could get this for ëNicolas?"

When it didnít look possible, Shaner rented, and began testing, the Sony HDW-700A HD camcorder for 1080i/30. Then, he says, "through a fortuitous set of circumstances, my DP Steven Douglass Smith knew someone who knew the president of Panavision and we were able to present our pitch to him, and they agreed to let us rent one of the prototypes to shoot this
movie."

In July 2000, APS completed the editing of the ìNicolasî trailer in its 1080 24P HD online suite in Los Angeles, which included extensive color processing and effects to create dream sequences that are integral to this supernatural thrillerís storyline. In the movie, a young woman named Laura (Gretchen Eglof) rekindles her romance with Nicolas (Marcus Graham), a lover from her past life that she meets again through her dreams. Some of the sequences are present day reality, some are dreams, and some are flashbacks to Nicolasí era, the 1800ís, but they all have their own distinctive look that clues viewers in to which is which.

The creative editorial of the HD movie was done by Editor Michael Alberts, president of Ambidextrous Productions, on an Avid Film Composer in standard definition. ìThe process of editing a HD-originated movie is not different from that of editing 35mm film. In both cases, you must envision the movie projected on a big screen and organize the footage using the same storytelling skills,î says Alberts.
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The editing and effects, including the distinctive dream sequences, were executed according to Albertsí EDL, entirely within APSís state of the art Sony online suite, including an HDS-7000 3 M/E production switcher, companion HDME-7000 two-channel digital video effects system, and the BVE-9100 edit controller, and four HDW-F500 (24P segmented frame) VTRs.

The suite is software-switchable between 1080p/24 (1080 lines, 24 frames, progressive scan) and 1080i/60 (1080 lines, 60 field, interlace scan), the two leading ATSC HD formats. After the post production of the full-length movie in 24p at APS LA later this Fall, the HD-originated feature will be transferred (at E-Film) via laser onto 35mm film for theatrical release. Shaner also plans to enter the film in the Sundance Festival in 2001.

"If you treat 24p HD with the same respect that you would 35mm film, with the same attention to lighting, preparation, and shooting,î then Shaner, ìthen it will repay you by allowing you to see exactly what you are capturing on the set, and giving you images of incredible resolution and color."

24p HD has become the de facto global standard for worldwide distribution of content because it is considered the best springboard from which to derive masters in all the formats needed for the
multi-standard marketplace, such as 1080i/60 and 720P/60 HD, NTSC and PAL, 16:9 letterbox, 480P/60 Standard Definition, and electronic and conventional theatrical release.

"24p technology is going to be pivotal and revolutionary for the entertainment industry,î says B. Sean Fairburn, SOC (Society of Operating Camerman) who served as a camera operator and video engineering consultant to Steven Douglas Smith, a DP whose background was traditional filmmaking. ìJudging by the phenomenal picture quality and performance demonstrated by this equipment on location, I consider 24p to be the apex of electronic cinematography."

Conrad Denke, President of APS, commented: "We believe that Nicolas will usher in a whole new way of looking at filmmaking. It will allow many more creative, talented people to enter the field of feature filmmaking. We are excited to provide a pathway for these individuals with this incredible new technology."

Bennett-Watt Entertainment, Inc., (www.Bennett-watt.com), a Seattle area video production company, with more than 35 years experience in network television production...begins in August, shooting a new 13 week, High Definition travel documentary series in Ireland. Executive producer for the series, Kelly Watt, and Director/DP Jim Watt, will shoot "Postcards From Ireland", throughout the island for the months of August and September to create a series of enlightening and entertaining programs about the "Emerald Isle". Jim Watt is quoted as saying..."We plan to produce these programs in the style of television I was taught. Make the pictures, then write the narration. Picture driven programs are the essence of television entertainment. We hope this is the return of the appreciation of great video story telling."

The Watt's have produced and hosted the series "Fly Fishing Video Magazine" on ESPN for the last 8 years, which will move to U.S. cable network Outdoor Life Network (OLN), in 2000. The Watt's also work as a production crew for ABC 20/20 and NBC Dateline. Jim Watt, directed and produced the acclaimed PBS series "The American Frontier", featuring Charlie Jones and Merlin Olsen. Kelly and Jim Watt also produced and directed the Outdoor Life Channel series "Orvis Hooked On Fly Fishing". Release Date: 2/2001 by THE TELEVISION SYNDICATION COMPANY, INC http://www.tvsco.com/NewPrograms.htm

PANASONIC BROADCAST PLANS TECHNICAL COMPARISON OF 1920x1080 COMMON IMAGING FORMAT VTRS AT ITS FORUM

LOS ANGELES, CA (July 2000) -- At the upcoming ITS Forum (Beverly Hilton, Los Angeles, CA, July 12 - 15), Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Company will present a side-by-side technical comparison of three popular recording formats conforming to the proposed Common Imaging Format (based on 1920H x 1080V image sampling), in the Santa Monica Room, Panasonic's demonstration suite. The demonstration will comprise the display of identical standard telecine master film chart images recorded onto Sony HDCAM, and Panasonic D-5 HD and DVCPRO HD videotape recording systems. Results will be compared on waveform monitors and on Panasonic AT-H1915DA 19" HDTV monitors.

"With the industry engaged in an ongoing debate about the respective merits of different high-definition formats for applications such as film mastering and television episodic production, we believe that our ITS comparison will provide a timely reminder of the quality tradeoffs in producing with portable high-definition acquisition formats versus a dedicated studio mastering format," said Jeff Merritt, Product Marketing Manager, HD/Cinema Products, Panasonic Broadcast. "While DVCPRO HD and HDCAM are ideal for mobile HDTV acquisition, Panasonic contends that the D-5 HD format, with its full bandwidth, true 1920 x 1080 resolution recording, 10-bit sampling and mild compression ratio, is the optimal choice for mastering assignments. " The demonstration will be ongoing throughout the ITS Forum.

POST GROUP IMPLEMENTS PANASONIC HD EQUIPMENT IN HD CINEMA DAILIES/SCREENINGS FOR FEATURE FILM PRODUCTION

LOS ANGELES, CA (July 2000) — Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Company and The Post Group (Hollywood, CA) are collaborating on an innovative, time-saving, cost-efficient HD Cinema process that offers filmmakers video dailies and screenings in high-definition. The process was used on MGM/UA's dramatic comedy Return To Me, released this spring.

The HD Cinema process starts with the delivery of negative film to The Post Group, where it is transferred to the Panasonic D-5 HD full bandwidth, 10-bit high-definition format. The HD video rushes are viewed on the movie or television set at a 16:9 aspect ratio using the Panasonic DLP-based digital projector. Upon completion of the edit decision list, the production is assembled (with the AV-HS3100 1080i production switcher with digital effects generator) at The Post Groupís HD Edit Bay One suite with all optical transitions inserted for preview screenings. The PT-D9500U, with 9,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, is used to display the production for preview audiences.

The Post Group's HD Edit Bay One suite is outfitted with Panasonicís leading HDTV equipment, including AJ-HD3700 D-5 HD multi-format mastering VTRs, AJ-HD2700 1080i/720p switchable D-5 HD VTRs, AJ-UFC1800 Universal Format Converters, the AV-HS3100 and the PT-D9500U.

According to Bruce Markhoe, Vice President, Feature Post Production, MGM/UA, ìHD Cinema reduces costs, saves time and delivers a product that gives us everything we get from film dailies including the ability to spot flaws and camera problems. The end result of the process is a HD version of the film complete with opticals, titles and effects, resulting in superior preview screenings."

Using the HD Cinema process, Markhoe estimated savings of more than $200,000 on the film ìReturn to Me.î In addition, the completed HD master (on the Panasonic D-5 HD format) can be used for home entertainment, cable TV, pay-per-view and airline/ships/hotel uses, each time saving the cost of striking a brand-new IP and transferring it to video, which can cost $55,000 to $90,000 each time.

Fred Rheinstein, Chairman, The Post Group, said, ìThe success of ëReturn to Meí establishes HD Cinema as a legitimate alternative to the traditional dailies and preview screenings process. The Post Group and Panasonic are not out to put an end to film. HD Cinema is a digital intermediary to the final print. It saves money, time and gives the preview audience a complete picture free of scratches and temp effects."

Warren Allgyer, President, Panasonic Broadcast, said, "Emerging applications like electronic dailies and screenings showcase the improvements and cost-savings that high-definition video can bring to filmmaking. With the creative talents and technical expertise of The Post Group, Panasonic looks to improve the digital post-production process and create new business opportunities in HD Cinema."

Panasonic Broadcast is a leading supplier of broadcast and professional video and audio products and systems. The company is dedicated to providing customers with comprehensive equipment choices, from Emmy Award-winning D-5 high definition and DVCPRO digital VTRs to ultra-bright presentation systems and advanced digital audio mixing consoles. For more information on Panasonic professional video and audio products, visit

www.panasonic.com/broadcast or phone 1-800-528-8601.

The Post Group and The Post Group Westside are full-service post-production facilities serving the film, television and commercial communities, and recognized globally for their creative talent, technical expertise and pioneering new post technologies for both television and film work.

Sony Corporation has entered into a patent license agreement with FILMLOOK Inc. and PRZYBORSKI Productions covering Sony&Mac226;s 24P progressive frame camcorders (HDW-F900) for LUCASFILM Ltd. to use in shooting STAR WARS - EPISODE 2.

A previous license agreement between FILMLOOK Inc. and PRZYBORSKI Productions licenses FILMLOOK to offer a number of camera technology patents along with its own.

________________________

PANASONIC BROADCAST, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TEAM ON FIRST HDTV PROGRAM FOR U.S DEPT. OF THE INTERIOR

DVCPRO HD to Be Subjected to Harsh Environmental Conditions on Alaska Shoot

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska (June 2000) -- Shooting has begun this month on a natural history documentary on the underwater resources of Alaskaís Glacier Bay using Panasonic Broadcastís new high-performance AJ-HDC20A DVCPRO HD 2/3-inch 2.2 million pixel FIT 3-CCD camcorder. The resulting 20-minute production, the first shot in HDTV for the U.S. Department of the Interior, will be edited using the Panasonic AJ-HD150 DVCPRO HD studio VTR and mastered to Panasonicís D-5 full-bandwidth, 10-bit recording format. Beginning in the summer of 2001, the documentary will be shown at the Visitors Center in the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, as well as on the cruise ships that bring thousands of tourists to the park annually.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, located in a remote area of southeast Alaska, is a 65-mile-long fjord that emerged only in the last 200 years. A mature spruce and hemlock rainforest thrives at the mouth of the bay near the tiny town of Gustavus. Closer to the glacierís face, the land is dominated by steep fjords and ice-chunked waters. The 3.3-million-acre park contains the worldís largest concentration of tidewater glaciers, as well as diverse plant life, marine animals and wildlife. The marine areas of the Park are home to humpback whales, killer whales (orcas), minke whales, harbor seals, porpoises, sea otters, halibut, salmon, sharks, and more than 200 species of birds.

The HDTV production will cover the whole spectrum of Glacier Bay's marine life, from whales and Steller sea lions to amazing invertebrates, including massive sponges and anemone forests. It will attempt to document phenomena seldom seen in their natural habits, such as giant king crabs, sleeper sharks that are virtually unknown to science, the huge halibut for which Glacier Bay is famous, the unknown underwater world near the tidewater glaciers and the rich kelp forests of the outer coast.

John Brooks, an information/education specialist for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, is ìon loanî to the National Park Service as the director/producer and underwater shooter for the Glacier Bay project. His production team includes Dr. Philip Hooge (writing and lighting) and Jeff Mondragon (production assistant/ /lighting) of the U.S. Geological Survey. The production schedule will be three 10-day shoots in June, July and August (another shoot, during a winter month, is under consideration). Post-production will take place early next year, with delivery of a finished production for the summer 2001 season.

Brooks, a veteran documentary cameraman and director, was a full-time producer/director of interpretive programs for the National Park Service for many years prior to his current assignment. His camera work has been seen on many networks, including the Discovery Channel, ABC, NBC and CBS, and he has won several Telly Awards. Earlier this spring, he used Panasonicís AJ-D910WA 2/3î 3-CCD EFP/ENG DVCPRO50 camcorder to document the release of condors in the rugged Sespe Condor Sanctuary near the town of Fillmore in Ventura County, CA.
"
High-definition is a great fit for this project,î said Brooks. "Video has traditionally behaved well underwater, because water performs like a huge light-diffusing tent. There are no harsh highlights underwater. But what video lacked, versus film, was vivid colors and high-resolution. Now, HD has restored the vibrancy of colors and incredible detail to a medium that inherently works well submerged.

"Also, HDTV offers production immediacies we could never achieve with film. Weíll have a 19-inch Panasonic HDTV monitor on board, so we can screen dailies every evening. With film, weíd have to wait up to four days for a daily, the kind of delay that would be difficult to tolerate on such a tight shooting schedule."

The AJ-HDC20A, Brooks noted, will be subjected to the "harshest environment save the moonî on this shoot, conditions he described as ìhigh humidity, salt water and bouncing boats.î The underwater housing for the camcorder is being supplied by Pace Technologies (Burbank, CA).

Michael Brinkman, Director, Strategic Development, Panasonic Broadcast, said, ìTypically, a manufacturer would pick a far less demanding environment for the first major production with a new camcorder. But the experience we have gained through the worldwide use of DVCPRO and DVCPRO50 in news environments gives us great confidence in the out-of-the box robustness of the format.î

Panasonicís DVCPRO format has become synonymous with newsgathering and cost-efficient digital video with more than 115,000 units in worldwide use, and 100Mbps DVCPRO HD is the natural extension of the format into high definition for studio, field production and post applications.

The AJ-HDC20A 3-CCD camcorder offers high mobility, high-definition field acquisition. The 10-bit digital signal processing camcorder offers 46-minute recording in 1080i, two channels of 16-bit/48KHz digital audio, low power consumption of about 30 watts, uses standard 2/3-inch bayonet lenses, and comes equipped with an HD-SDI (SMPTE 292M) output for full-color live and tape playback, and a PCMCIA memory card for storing camera setups. Weighing 15 pounds in full operating condition, the AJ-HDC20A provides a wide range of field production functions including Super Gain to boost gain by a full +18dB for high-quality shooting in dim lighting, buttons for customized set-up, and an electronic shutter (1/30 ñ1/2000 sec.) featuring Synchro Scan to reduce flicker when shooting CRT displays.

The AJ-HD150 is the flagship of Panasonicís DVCPRO HD product line. This VTR delivers high-density 100Mbps recording in 1080i and 720p (720p recording will be available this summer), and breaks the boundaries of conventional VTR design with its playback compatibility of all professional DV-based formats, including DVCPRO Progressive, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO, DVCAM and DV.

HOUSTON'S TOTAL VIDEO INVESTS IN PANASONIC DVCPRO HD
FOR FEATURE FILM PRODUCTION, NEWS TRANSMISSION
LOS ANGELES, CA (June 2000) -- Total Video At Houston Studios (Houston, TX), a leading Southwest facility that specializes in broadcast video, production, post-production and transmission, has purchased Panasonic's AJ-HDC20A DVCPRO HD 2/3-inch 2.2 million pixel FIT 3-CCD camcorder and AJ-HD150 DVCPRO HD studio VTR. Total Video, a 20-year-old company, houses Houston's largest sound stage and maintains an international business in transmitting news feeds for virtually all leading news networks and organizations. Total Video will utilize the DVCPRO HD gear to produce economical feature films, trailer footage, video for plasma screen display and HD projection, as well as to transmit live shots of local newsmakers. Previously, the facility purchased Panasonic's AJ-D950A DVCPRO50 studio VTR to create DVCPRO-formatted masters for satellite distribution.

"We are very happy with DVCPRO HD's downward compatibility with all the DV-based formats," said Total Video's founder/executive vice-president Eric Cain. "Essentially, one tape does it all--and the DVCPRO cassette is very compact. But we really fell in love with the pictures. We're committed to providing the highest picture quality we can attain for our clients, which we believe we'll accomplish with DVCPRO HD." "Increasingly, Total Video's operations are becoming DVCPRO-based," he added.

"We see footage from everywhere, and more and more, it's been DVCPRO coming in. We've consistently been impressed with the format as we were feeding it out. Beyond question, DVCPRO has become the leading digital format."

DVCPRO has become synonymous with newsgathering and cost-efficient digital video with more than 115,000 units in worldwide use, and 100Mbps DVCPRO HD is the natural extension of the format into high definition for studio, field production and post applications. The AJ-HDC20A 3-CCD camcorder offers high mobility, high-definition field acquisition. The 10-bit digital signal processing camcorder offers 46 minute recording in 1080i, two channels of 16-bit/48KHz digital audio, low power consumption of about 30 watts, use standard 2/3-inch bayonet lenses, and comes equipped with an SDI output for full-color live and tape playback, and a PCMCIA memory card for storing camera setups. Weighing 15 pounds in full operating condition, the AJ-HDC20A provides a wide range of field production functions including Super Gain to boost gain by a full +18dB for high-quality shooting in dim lighting, buttons for customized set-up, and an electronic shutter ( 1/30 -1/2000 sec.) featuring Synchro Scan to reduce flicker when shooting CRT displays. The AJ-HD150 is the flagship of Panasonic's DVCPRO HD product line. This VTR delivers high-density 100Mbps recording in 1080i and 720p (720p recording will be available this summer), and breaks the boundaries of conventional VTR design with its playback compatibility of all professional DV-based formats, including DVCPRO Progressive, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO, DVCAM and DV.

HDV-5 at the International Electronic Cinema Festival

HDV-5 a joint venture between WRAL-TV and HD VISION, Inc. was designed as a totally self contained, production and post-production mobile for High Definition video imagining.

You are cordially invited to tour HDV-5 during the IECF Conference in Portland, Oregon. Come see for yourself the HD Production Mobile for the new millennium! HDV-5 will be open for tours May 17 - 19 from 8:30am to 6:00pm.

Please call Lucia Fraboni at (972) 432-9630 or e-mail [email protected] with any questions or to set-up an appointment. The staff of HDV-5 looks forward to seeing you.

HD Multi-Camera Production Mobile Fact Sheet
HDV-5 offers the ability to shoot local events in High Definition at an affordable price. From parades to sporting events to music concerts, whatever you can imagine, we can make a reality. Standing out from the competition HDV-5 is the only High Definition Production Mobile in the United States with all HD 16x9 picture tube monitors. We also offer the ability to simulcast in HD and/or 601 or analog NTSC. We will go to whatever lengths we need to, to make your first or your fifth High Definition shoot a success.

The 53-Foot HD Mobile offers you:

•Sony HDC-700 Studio Cameras with Canon 65x1 lenses

•Sony HDC-750 Portable Cameras with Canon 18x1 lenses

•SONY HDW-500 Digital VTRs

•Panasonic HD-D5 VTRs

•A Snell & Wilcox HD-1024 Digital Switcher with 24-Inputs directly accessible from the control panel, including four additional built in frame buffers, a full Mix-Effects bus with two key levels, a Program-Preset bus with Downstream Keyer, and two DVEs .

•Matrix Plus Intercom System

•Pixel-Power Clarity HD graphics system, chosen over Chyron's Duet system for its enhanced processing power

•A Digital audio mixer w/ support for both 2-channel and 5.1 channel Dolby Digital

•A complete SONY BVE-9100 editing system for all on-board editing requirements

•Three on board Upconverters and Eight Downconverters

•An EIC with over 20 years Multi-Camera Productions and over 10 years High Definition Television experience.

•A Driver/Utility with over 6 years of High Definition experience.

•Knowledgeable support staff that will help you with all of your production needs and make your HD shoot as stress free as possible

NTV to demo new coding system at NAB

NTV will introduce three newly developed coding systems at this year's NAB.

These systems allow the broadcast of high quality 480p, 720p/60 and 720p/30 signals while using existing, conventional productions systems. These advanced coding systems can lower production cost since broadcasters can start broadcasting 480p and 720p without the huge investment of a new production system. Here are the three systems NTV plans to introduce:


480p-SC coding system
This system allows a 480I (D1) production system to handle a 480p signal. A 480p-SC encoder multiplexes the progressive component of 480p into the color component of 480i.

This system will be demonstrated at the Hitachi Denshi booth (L-7507)

720p-SC coding system
This system allows a 480p (4:2:2p) production system to handle a 720p/60 signal.
A 720p-SC encoder is multiplexes the vertical and horizontal high frequency component into the color difference signal.

This system will be demonstrated from a D5 tape playback at the NTV room in the JVC booth (L-12118)--720p-SC/30 coding system

The 720p-SC/30 system (now under development) allows a 480I (D1) production system to handle a 720p/30 signal as well.

Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV), Japan's oldest and largest commercial TV network, is a leading authority on the 480p and 720p progressive scan. NTV has assisted during many technical achievement test held by standardization bodies in the US and Japan. In 1997 NTV received the 1997 NAB International Excellence Award for its advancement in progressive scan development and contribution to world technical standardization.

Contact: Nobuo Katsura
New Technology Research and Planning Headquarters
e-mail: [email protected]

APS-Seattle Upgrades its HD edit suite to 1080p/24î

Seattle, WA-- American Production Services (APS) has completed the upgrade of the High Definition (HD) online edit suite at its Seattle facility to 1080p/24 (ì24Pî) operation, making it one of the few companies in the world with two state of the art linear 24P HD editing suites. In February 2000, APS completed the upgrade of its other HD online edit suite at its Los Angeles facility to 24P. The two 24P HD edit suites, which are identically configured, have been busy serving HDTV broadcast, corporate, commercial, and feature film clientele.

With the upgrades, both edit suites are now software-switchable between 1080i/60 (1080 lines, 60 field, interlace scan) and 1080p/24 (1080 lines, 24 frames, progressive scan), the two leading ATSC HD formats. Also, 24P is considered the de facto global standard for worldwide video distribution because it is the best starting point from which to derive high-quality masters in all formats needed for the multi-standard video marketplace, such as 1080i/60 and 720P/60 HD, NTSC and PAL, 16:9 letterboxed and 480P/60 Standard Definition.

In the case of both upgrades, a field team from Sony Electronics worked on-site to add new hardware boards and software for 24P to the existing Sony HDS-7000 3 M/E production switchers, companion HDME-7000 two-channel digital video effects systems, and the BVE-9100 edit controllers. Both facilities exchanged their four Sony HDW-500 HDCAM VTRs for four new Sony HDW-F500 (24P segmented frame) VTRs, which record and playout native 24P, with the capability to convert that output to 1080i/60 if desired.

Because of his years of experience with the Chyron Duet HD text and graphics system, APS's Director of Engineering Barry Ballanger was familiar enough with Duet to handle the 24P modifications himself. Now, depending upon the software drivers he installs in the WindowsNT-based systems prior to the edit sessions, Duet switches between 24P and 1080i/60 operation.

APS-Seattle and APS-LA are also the first post facilities in the world with Graham-Pattenís 24P-capable D/ESAM 820 audio mixer. ìWorking closely with APS, Graham-Patten developed custom hardware and software that would enable one of their standard mixers to operate in a 24P environment,î says Ballanger. ìThese custom modifications make it possible to lock the mixer to the 24P tri-level sync reference to ensure proper transition timing and audio sample clock generation.î

Later this year, APS will take delivery of two Graham-Patten D/ESAM 8000 eight bus audio mixers for use in its two HD edit suites. Developed expressly for multi-channel sound mixing for DTV, the standards-agile D/ESAM 8000 will automatically lock to either NTSC, PAL, 1080i/60, 1080i/59.94, 1080p/24 or 1080p/23.98.

After the upgrades were completed, Ballanger ran numerous tests of the equipment and found it to be working satisfactorily. The test/sync generator he used was the Tektronix TG2000, which he updated with software downloaded from Tektronixís website. ìAs we go through this ever-changing world of HD, this software-based test generator is agile enough to generate whatever frame rate we use,î says Ballanger.

In mid-April 2000, APS plans to take delivery of two HDW-F900 HD camcorders which producers may use to shoot their productions in 24P. Or, they may have their 35mm, Super 16, or 16mm film transferred to an HDW-F500 24P studio VTR (or Panasonic HD-D5 HD studio VTR), at any facility that offers film to HD transfer, then bring that tape to APS for online editing in 24P HD.

"We believe that 24P will really be the bridge between the video and film worlds," says Conrad Denke, President of APS, based in Seattle. "Until now, there has been minimal interest in shooting in HD by the film community because the cameras and HD edit suites have only been available for 1080i/60 (30 frames per second) operation. But the ability to shoot and post in HD at 24 frames per second advances the viability of "digital film" by combining the immediacy and affordability of video with a film aesthetic."

"When film producers realize the substantial savings in time and money that 24P affords, there will be a groundswell of demand for it. But, no oneís going to shoot in 24p unless they can post in it," adds Denke. "We intend to break that ëchicken and eggí dilemma by taking that first step--offering a complete package of services for native 1080p/24 HD production and post production."

APS has a website at www.apsnw.com. APS Seattle is located at 2247 15th Avenue West, in Seattle, Washington, 98119 (Phone: 206-282-1776; Fax: 206-282-3535.) APS-LA is located at 11755 Victory Blvd., in North Hollywood, California, 91606Ö five minutes from the Burbank Airport and Universal Studios.

APS supports the community website http://www.highdef.org

NML and LPI Complete High Definition Video Project

MILWAUKEE, WI--Logan Productions, Inc. (LPI) has completed one of the first High Definition video programs in the Midwest for Northwestern Mutual Life (NML). The program, entitled ìLeveraging Lifeî, will be shown at NML Regional meetings across the United States.

Shot on location throughout Wisconsin, the video features scenes from the Northwoods of Wisconsin as well as footage shot at the NML home office in downtown Milwaukee. A choir assembled specifically for the program and also featured in the video provided music for the production.

Logan Productions, Inc.
8035 N. Port Washington Rd.
Fox Point, WI 53217
414/352-9691

LOGAN PRODUCTIONS, INC. 8035 N. Port Washington Road-- Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53217? 414 - 352 - 9691 --SYMBOL 119 \f "Wingdings" FAX 414 - 352 - 4993
APS Upgrades to 1080p/24î


Seattle, WA-- American Production Services (APS) has completed the upgrade of the High Definition (HD) online edit suite at its Los Angeles facility to 1080p/24 (ì24Pî) operation, making it the second post facility in the world to offer 24P editing. Also, in March 2000, APS will upgrade the HD online edit suite at its Seattle facility to 24P, making APS the first in the world to offer two state of the art 24P HD edit suites.

With the upgrades, both edit suites will now be software-switchable between 1080i/60 (1080 lines, 60 field, interlace scan) and 1080p/24 (1080 lines, 24 frames, progressive scan), the two leading ATSC HD formats. Also, 24P is considered the de facto global standard for worldwide video distribution because it is the best starting point from which to derive high-quality masters in all formats needed for the multi-standard video marketplace, such as 1080i/60 and 720P/60 HD, NTSC and PAL, 16:9 letterboxed and 480P/60 Standard Definition.

In mid-February 2000, a field team from Sony Electronics upgraded the HD edit suite in LA in only three days, adding hardware boards and software for 24P to the existing Sony HDS-7000 3 M/E production switcher, companion HDME-7000 two-channel digital video effects system, and the BVE-9100 edit controller. APS-LA has exchanged its four Sony HDW-500 HDCAM VTRs for four new Sony HDW-F500 (24P segmented frame) VTRs, which record and playout native 24P, with the capability to convert that output to 1080i/60 if desired.

Because of his years of experience with the Chyron Duet HD text and graphics system, APSís Director of Engineering Barry Ballanger was familiar enough with Duet to handle the 24P modification himself. Now, depending upon the software drivers he installs in the WindowsNT-based system prior to the edit session, Duet switches between 24P and 1080i/60 operation.

APS-LA is also the first post facility in the world with Graham-Pattenís 24P-capable D/ESAM 820 audio mixer. ìWorking closely with APS, Graham-Patten developed custom hardware and software that would enable one of their standard mixers to operate in a 24P environment,î says Ballanger. ìThese custom modifications make it possible to lock the mixer to the 24P tri-level sync reference to ensure proper transition timing and audio sample clock generation.î

Later this year, APS will take delivery of two Graham-Patten D/ESAM 8000 eight bus audio mixers for use in its two HD edit suites. Developed expressly for multi-channel sound mixing for DTV, the standards-agile D/ESAM 8000 will automatically lock to either NTSC, PAL, 1080i/60, 1080i/59.94, 1080p/24 or 1080p/23.98.

After the upgrade of the HD edit suite in LA was completed, Ballanger ran numerous tests of the equipment and found it to be working satisfactorily. The test/sync generator he used was the Tektronix TG2000, which he updated with software downloaded from Tektronixís website. ìAs we go through this ever-changing world of HD, this software-based test generator is agile enough to generate whatever frame rate we use,î says Ballanger.

In March 2000, APS plans to take delivery of two HDW-F900 HD camcorders which producers may use to shoot their productions in 24P. Or, they may have their 35mm, Super 16, or 16mm film transferred to an HDW-F500 24P studio VTR (or Panasonic HD-D5 HD studio VTR), at any facility that offers film to HD transfer, then bring that tape to APS for online editing in 24P HD.

ìWe believe that 24P will really be the bridge between the video and film worlds,î says Conrad Denke, President of APS, based in Seattle. ìUntil now, there has been minimal interest in shooting in HD by the film community because the cameras and HD edit suites have only been available for 1080i/60 (30 frames per second) operation. But the ability to shoot and post in HD at 24 frames per second advances the viability of ëdigital filmí by combining the immediacy and affordability of video with a film aesthetic.î

ìWhen film producers realize the substantial savings in time and money that 24P affords, there will be a groundswell of demand for it. But, no oneís going to shoot in 24p unless they can post in it,î adds Denke. ìWe intend to break that ëchicken and eggí dilemma by taking that first stepóoffering a complete package of services for native 1080p/24 HD production and post production.î

APS has a website at www.apsnw.com. APS Seattle is located at 2247 15th Avenue West, in Seattle, Washington, 98119 (Phone: 206-282-1776; Fax: 206-282-3535.) APS-LA is located at 11755 Victory Blvd., in North Hollywood, California, 91606Ö five minutes from the Burbank Airport and Universal Studios.

APS supports the community website http://www.highdef.org www.highdef.org

Sony Delivers 1080P Camera To Lucas

November 19, 1999

Sony showed a prototype professional high-definition digital camera at Comdex that is being delivered the week November 15th to the Industrial Light and Magic production company. The 1080p camera is the first to capture professional-quality movies digitally.

"We'll finally catch up with the amateur consumer camera market," quipped filmmaker Lucas, who also joined Idei on stage. "I haven't had anything to do with editing film in the last several years, and I look forward to doing an entire film completely digital. It's very difficult going back and forth between analog and digital. Millions are spent just to get the film into the computer."

Digital technology "allows me to open up as a writer and do things I would not have thought of before," said Lucas, who is now writing the script for the follow-on to last summer's The Phantom Menace. "I can go into any weird brain space I want."

The camera uses a Sony body that supports 24-frame/second, 1,920 x 1,080 progressive scanning with a new set of lenses from Panavision Inc. Sony and Panavision have been working on the digital camera for about four years.

STUDENT PRODUCTION IN CANADA USES HDTV

Check out these young producers. See their innovative web page and give them some feedback.

First let us introduce ourselves. We are Perfecte Pictures, one of the first student productions in Canada to be shot entirely in High Definition Television. We are all currently attending Ryerson Polytechnic University's School of Radio and Television Arts (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) and are in our last year before graduation. For our final project we are shooting 'Perfecte', a 44 minute television drama, shot in 1080i, with equipment provided by Sony, our hardware partner.

This project mainly serves as a Research Project and for this is reason we have joined with the Rogers Communication Centre here in Toronto. We intend to show that 1080i HDTV is a viable alternative to film, when shooting a television drama. In addition we will be producing a one minute intro as well as several 5 second trailers in HD, created through computer animation and digital compositing. We hope to come up with some sort of understanding concerning what is required to work with HD in a computer environment.

We were wondering if you would be able to check out our web site and possibly provide a link to it on your site. We would like to recive as much feedback on the subject as possible. This is the current address: http://www.rcc.ryerson.ca/perfecte (You will need the flash plugin) If you could contact us with your opinions and recommendations we would be most appreciative. You can e-mail us at:

[email protected]

CBS News' 'The Early Show' Goes Digital With Sony
Sony High Definition Studio Cameras and Flat Panel Plasma Displays Purchased for New Studio

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 3, 1999--Continuing its leadership role in digital programming, CBS News has purchased Sony high definition cameras and flat panel plasma displays for its new weekday morning program, The Early Show, that made its debut earlier this week. The purchase of Sony's state-of-the-art equipment will provide maximum picture quality for The Early Show's onsite audience and television viewers today, while preparing the facility for future HDTV broadcast. CBS News purchased a total of nine Sony HDC-700 high definition studio and HDC-750 portable studio cameras, along with accompanying peripheral equipment, and 39 PFM-500A1WU 16:9 flat panel plasma displays for the program's new home, CBS Studio 58. This new studio is located in the heart of New York City at Fifth Avenue and East 59th Street.

According to Frank Governale, vice president of operations for CBS News, the cameras will be used now for SDTV broadcast. Eventually, they will be used for HDTV.
``We have worked quite a bit with Sony's high definition equipment in the past year and have always been pleased with the image quality and dependability of the products,'' Governale said. ``Sony's studio cameras and multi-purpose camera units will give us the flexibility of simultaneous high definition, when CBS News decides to broadcast in HDTV, and down-converted NTSC outputs for SDTV, which is what we will feed to our affiliates for air.''

The 39 flat panel plasma displays will be positioned throughout Studio 58, primarily located around the perimeter of the street-level studio for audience viewing in the 16:9 format. The studio will deliver a live feed to the flat panels during the broadcast of The Early Show, and display a variety of CBS programming throughout the day and CBS' high definition prime-time programming at night. Additional flat panel plasma displays will be positioned throughout areas within Studio 58, including home base, the primary anchor area; the news set; the interview area; the multipurpose area; and the demonstration area.

``We were very deliberate in the design of Studio 58,'' Governale added. ``We selected Sony flat panel plasma displays throughout the facility not only to provide video and graphics for onsite and our home viewers but also to deliver an innovative and futuristic look appropriate for The Early Show, a program created to bring us into the next millennium.''

CBS News' purchase of Sony equipment includes five HDC-750A portable studio cameras, four HDC-700A studio cameras, nine HDCU-700A CCUs, nine HKCU-701A digital downconverters/NTSC encoders, two DVW-500 Digital Betacam® VTRs, a variety of Sony displays and peripherals for the control room and studio, as well as 39 PFM-500 series 16:9 flat panel plasma displays for audience viewing.

Studio 58 will be interconnected to the CBS Broadcast Center at West 57th Street via fiber optic cable, to deliver the current SD feed and, eventually, the HDTV signal.
``CBS has consistently led the way in preparation for nationwide high definition implementation,'' said Larry Thorpe, vice president of acquisition systems for Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company. ``Leading the way in HD for dramatic episodic series, live sports or prime-time news magazine production, CBS has proven to be a trailblazer. Preparing The Early Show for high definition will contribute to the visual quality of the initial broadcasts and prepare them for the coming of widespread HDTV.''

To date, CBS has used Sony high definition equipment to produce an episode of ``Chicago Hope,'' professional football games for ``The NFL on CBS'' and an episode of the CBS news program ``48 Hours.'' In addition, post production work on CBS' HDTV prime-time programming is being done at Sony-equipped high definition suites at LaserPacific Media Corp., Encore Hollywood, Hollywood Digital and Modern Videofilm.

More information about Sony products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sony.com/professional, or readers may call 1-800-686-SONY. Additional press information is available at http://www.sony.com/news.
The Broadcast and Professional Company of Sony Electronics is an Emmy Award-winning, leading U.S. provider of video and audio equipment for the broadcast, production, business, industrial, government, medical, and education markets. Sony offers a wide array of products and systems for image capture, production, and display. Sony also provides specialized equipment and systems for data recording, duplication, electronic photography/publishing, video conferencing, high definition video, interactive and security applications. Sony Electronics' annual sales exceed $10.5 billion.

Contact:

Sony Electronics Inc.
Lisa Young, 408/955-5683
[email protected]
or
Mindstorm Communications
Sean Lamb, 650/624-7999
[email protected]