April 25, 2002

NAB REPORT ON NEW CAMERA TECHNOLOGY
By James Tocher of the Digital Film Group

Empty Promises from Panasonic
Panasonic's promise to free the independent from the constraints of interlaced video with its so-called 24P miniDV format turned out to be nothing but an evil plot to get DV filmmakers to waste their money getting to Vegas. Mind you, the cameras were physically there -- or rather, their gutless bodies were, which left many DV filmmakers who traveled all that way very disappointed. If one could believe that the two wooden dummies on the shelf were more than just a conception of what the camera's actual bodies might look like, then they promise to be interesting and functional... at least some day.

But for now, there are a lot of mights and maybes: The model number of the new palm-sized unit might be something like the AG-DVX100 DV Cinema(tm) and the bigger brother 4:2:2 camera may have a name like AJ-SDX900 DVCPRO Cinema(tm). The 24P miniDV model may look something like a slightly bigger and wider Sony PD150 and may retail for around $3,500. Even more exciting may be a 4:2:2 version 24P camera for under $45,000 (which looked suspiciously like a Panasonic D900 with the label covered up --also with no innards). When queried as to whether there was even a spot of footage shot from some bench-bound prototype, the answer was simple: "Nope. But would you like to see some of our down-converted HD 24P?" How long before we can actually see something? "Well... er...ahhh...may be in about September? October? No -- better make that December..."

Obviously Panasonic needs to take some cues from the Sony guys when it comes to marketing to indie DV filmmakers. The sales people we met had zero compassion for how hurtful their Holy Grail myth was to the DV filmmakers that came to believe it. I suspect that we have been caught up in a horse race between Sony and Panasonic, who is trying to come up with an answer to Sony's new 25P IMX technology (which is real by the way). Worse yet, Panasonic didn't seem to understand the products they are selling that actually did work! It just wasn't good cricket...

Sony Understand Us!
Sony showed an unusual amount of attention to this growing DV revolution thing by the marketing of what they are dubbing the "Digital 16" alternative. The 25P IMX camera model # MSW-900P is available now and runs for under $40,000, making it an easy rental for independent production.

At NAB, Sony's refreshing hands-on demo approach allows anyone to come up and operate any one of their DV or HD cameras from their entire line -- shooting scenes within their mock set with live models and typical lighting situations.

The new 25P IMX camera proves to be revolutionary in its own way thanks to its ability to capture frames at a truly progressive 25 frame per second rate, yet onto a standard definition tape. At 720x576 resolution PAL progressive, filmmakers have the added advantage of capturing non-interlaced images at a frame rate and resolution that should transfer beautifully to film. Essentially the promise is for no interlacing artifacts and thus sharper images -- especially during moving shots where PAL interlaced video often suffers. It also switches to regular PAL 25 interlaced for television production.

Based on Mpeg 4 technology I am curious to see whether compression will become an issue with the IMX format for more complex images especially for blowing up to 35mm. Stay tuned for testing on that one...

PERRIER ACROSS AMERICA CONTEST

You still have a week to submit a treatment for the PERRIER ACROSS AMERICA contest! What do you need to do? First you need a treatment. Then you need to a fill out a submission form, available on the RES Web site. Send it all in, and we'll alert the five winners to start packing. Then these five filmmakers will make a movie while crossing the country; after 10 days of travel and shooting, there are six weeks for post. Voters will choose the best film, which will screen at the next RESFEST, beginning in September.

If you can't take a road trip, make your own road movie at home. We're planning a special program of road shorts for the next RESFEST -- they can be animated, live action, driven by music, design-oriented, whatever. Note on your regular RESFEST submission that you'd like your project to be considered for this program.

Full details, rules and regulations for PERRIER ACROSS AMERICA can be found at
http://www.res.com/perrier


DEADLINE for treatments is May 1st, 2002.

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EIJA-LIISA AHTILA

"The Present"

Tate Modern, Bankside, London
April 30-July 28

If you're in London, now's your chance to see one of the most celebrated new Finnish video artists. Eija-Liisa Ahtila's multi-screen video projection pieces are compelling and beautiful.
http://www.tate.org.uk

ART IN A BROWSER AND OTHER ELECTRONIC ODDITIES: A SYMPOSIUM ON NET.ART AND ART ELECTRONICA

"Electric Sheep"

Friday & Saturday, April 26 & 27
Gallery opens at 8PM, lectures from 9-11PM, music/art from 11PM-1AM
Spanganga, 3376 19th Street, San Francisco

Check out the launch of Rhizome.SF with these six lectures and the work of 20 installation artists tackling issues of tele-robotics, interactive fractals, electric sheep and more! Lectures and presentations by Scott Draves, Lisa Jevbratt, Brett Stalbaum, Ken Goldberg, Peter Broadwell, Stella Lai and Krister Olsson, as well as installation art, sounds and music.
http://www.qbox.org/shows/april_26_7.html
http://rhizome.org/events/rhizome_sf_apr.php3

MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION CLASS WITH RODNEY ASCHER

Rodney Ascher

Mondays, April 29-July 1, 7:00-10:00PM
(no class 5/27, 6/10, 6/24), and Sat. & Sun., June 1 & 2, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Film Arts Foundation

Filmmaker/animator Rodney Ascher offers students a chance to collaborate with a local band to conceive, produce and edit a concept-driven music video. Early sessions focus on idea conception, storyboarding, scripting, animatics, ripomatics, and sensitivity to tempo and music cues. The second half of the class will focus on post. Prerequisite: Proficiency in Final Cut Pro and basic lighting skills. For more info and to sign-up, contact Film Arts Foundation: seminars@filmarts.org or 415-552-8760.
http://www.filmarts.org

THE ART OF STORYTELLING WITH SPECIAL EFFECTS

Thursday, May 2, 7:00-9:00PM (refreshments start at 6:30)
Absorb Media/Christy's Editorial, 3625 W. Pacific Ave. Burbank, CA

Absorb Media recently announced its free seminar titled "The Art of Storytelling with Special Effects," with digital composer and effects supervisor Nicholas Gervay. The lecture is designed for special effects artists, film and video professionals, storytellers and anyone interested in effects in filmmaking. RSVP required; send e-mail to info@absorbmedia.net or call 818-953-2200.
http://www.absorbmedia.net

7TH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF NEW FILM SPLIT 2002

Set to happen September 21-28, the Festival of New Film takes place in Split, Croatia and currently seeks radical, subversive and underground film, video and new media in all genres and lengths. See the Web site for full entry details. Deadline: June 1.
http://www.splitfilmfestival.hr

TRUE STORIES

True Stories is a monthly sneak preview series for documentaries held by San Francisco's Film Arts Foundation. The program showcases films that are compelling, issue-driven and push the documentary genre to new levels by challenging traditional notions of the form. Screenings take place at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts media screening room, a 98-seat fully equipped theatre, and are designed to generate word-of-mouth excitement about new documentaries. There is no deadline for submissions. Films and videos must be 50 minutes or longer and must be produced in the US. Film Arts cannot return preview cassettes. Please submit preview cassettes (VHS preferred) with name and contact information to: Sean Frechette, Film Arts Foundation, 346 Ninth Street/2nd FL., San Francisco, CA 94103.
http://www.filmarts.org/

SOFTFORM: AN EXHIBITION OF NET.ART

Hive Projects is currently curating softForm, an exhibition of net.art and software art to be shown during a one day performance festival in the Queen Street West gallery district in Toronto, Canada. The event takes place on Sunday, June 16th and will be featured in art galleries such as SOF, Deleon White, Propeller, ZYPR, Sis Boom Bah and Luft. Send in your link or project to hive@hiveprojects.com for consideration. See the Web site for full details. Deadline: June 1.
http://www.hiveprojects.com

RESFEST 2002 - SUBMIT TO THE WORLD'S MOST INNOVATIVE FILM FESTIVAL

RESFEST is a global touring festival exploring the dynamic interplay of film, art, music and design. Each year the festival showcases the year's best shorts, features, music videos and animation in an environment that combines screenings, live music events, parties, panel discussions and technology demonstrations. Last year the festival toured 14 cities internationally including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tokyo, London, Rio and Cape Town. This year we expect the addition of several new cities to the international tour.

Join a unique group of filmmakers, designers and new media professionals at what has become the must-see event for anyone interested in the future of entertainment.

DEADLINES AND ENTRY FEES - 2002 TOUR

EARLY Postmarked May 3rd, 2002 - ENTRY FEE: $20
LATE Postmarked June 3rd, 2002 - ENTRY FEE: $25
NOTE: All work over 60 minutes MUST be submitted by the early deadline. See the Web site for submission forms and additional information.
http://www.resfest.com

LYNNFOX

As of mid-February, LynnFox had exhausted its monthly bandwidth allowance, rendering the London-based video art company's Web site totally inaccessible. But it wasn't any fault of the company's three founders that caused the overload; it was the overwhelming popularity of their first project: an animated digital video for "Hayling," a song by the British band SC Kahuna. Read more about this stellar new design firm in the current issue of RES, where LynnFox is featured among the RES 10.

Subscribe now to the one and only publication dedicated to digital filmmaking. Special RES subscription offer: Save 33% off the newsstand price! Six issues of RES for $19.95 or 12 issues for just $34.95. Plus -- if you subscribe now, receive a RESFEST Sampler DVD for FREE!
http://www.res.com
subinfo@res.com

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RES ALERT, RES Magazine, RESFEST Film Festival and Resolution Independent are trade and service marks of RES Media Group, Inc. Copyright © RES Media Group, Inc. 2002. All Rights Reserved.