Is SPIDER-MAN Going To Be Shot With The New RED EPICs?? And The RED ONE Intercuts Well With Anamorphic Film!!

Very interesting news from the RedUser forums (a user group for the RED camera system) - John Schwartzman (THE GREEN HORNET, PEARL HARBOUR, ARMAGEDDON) commented on how well the RED ONE cameras intercut with film! Then dropped a hint about SPIDER-MAN? Read on!

Schwartzman on the RED ONE MX Camera: "I recently concluded my first shoot using the RED ONE MX camera, or rather a pair of them because I was doing reshoots for a film in 3D that I originally shot on film in 2D using anamorphic lenses. I consider anamorphic film the "gold standard" for cinema. The film was "The Green Hornet" which is currently in the process of being converted to 3D, at the time of the reshoots the option for shooting film and converting the new scenes was not an option due to the time constraints of conversion, the vendors are working 24 hours a day just to do the work they were contracted for and adding to their plate was not an option. The dilemma for me was how was a going to find a digital camera that had enough resolution to intercut with anamorphic film, I tested every system, The Arri Alexa, 12 bit F35, RED ONE MX and anamorphic film at the same time, based on this test I chose the RED ONE MX because it had incredible resolution, both the Alexa and the F35 didn't hold up well in 2:40. 2 weeks ago I finished timing the DI with Stefan Sonnenfeld at Co3, in addition to 2 new scenes, there were 4 scenes in which the RED ONE data was intercut with existing Anamorphic film, I was amazed at how transparent the match was, Stefan did a great job and actually we added grain to the MX data to match the film. I would venture to guess that the only way anyone will be able to tell the difference between the film and the MX data is not in the image quality but in field of view differences between shooting flat vs scope. As a die hard film user I must say I have been blown away by the image quality of the MX, it doesn't have the same dynamic range in the highlights as film but I believe with EPIC and HDRx™ it will."

Schwartzman used 3ality Digital S3D rigs for THE GREEN HORNET.

Schwartzman on the new 5K RED EPIC: "I have been part of a very select group of DP's that have actually shot with the EPIC and I can tell that the 3lb 5K camera is a game changer, end of story, game over, pick your cliche'. I will tell you this I have shot more tests on the EPIC than probably any other DP other than my mate Andrew Lesnie who is doing the "Hobbit", we skype daily about how this camera blows our mutual minds, when you see these image projected at 4K it's like looking a vistavision."

Jim Jannard - founder of RED had this to say about John's statements: "We got in this business to create a worthy film alternative/replacement camera. The fact that John has cut seamlessly between the two is pretty good evidence that we are on the right track."

And for SPIDER-MAN fans, Schwartzman is Director of Photography for the Sony reboot and have this little nugget to say toward the end of his comments: "Thanks for taking me under your wing, I think we are on the cutting edge of doing something amazing together and I think you've got a great eye and even a better bedside manner, the next 6 months are going to be fun!"

Six months as in SPIDER-MAN production? With RED EPICS in stereoscopic 3D formation (ala Peter Jackson)? Oh man, I hope so! We shall soon find out. In the meantime, I dream about the day I can get my hands on one of these cutting edge cameras from RED. Near term it seems like the Canon T2i or even the Panasonic GH2 are more feasible for me.

More when I get it! Thanks for the heads up Mark!

THE HOBBIT Will Be Shot With At Least 30 New RED EPICs At 5K Resolution!!

YES!! I am ecstatic! Peter Jackson has elected to shoot THE HOBBIT movies with RED EPIC cameras, at least 30 of them (via RedUser)! If you are unaware of the EPIC technology, no worries - it isn't even released yet, but it is from the same company that produces the industry leading RED ONE digital cameras. Jackson used Jim Jannard's RED cameras to shoot his short film CROSSING THE LINE so he is obviously very excited about the new cameras coming out.

Why should Jackson be excited? The RED ONE cameras shoot digitally at 4K resolution, while the new RED EPICS will capture 5K resolution at 120 frames+ / second!! Yes you read that correctly. The EPIC will have the highest dynamic range ever for a digital camera too.

Further, as THE HOBBIT(s) will be shot in native stereoscopic 3D, Jackson must be reveling in the smaller size and weight of the EPICS.

Jackson said: "I have always liked the look of Red footage. I'm not a scientist or mathematician, but the image Red produces has a much more filmic feel than most of the other digital formats. I find the picture quality appealing and attractive, and with the Epic, Jim and his team have gone even further. It is a fantastic tool, the Epic not only has cutting edge technology, incredible resolution and visual quality, but it is also a very practical tool for film makers. Many competing digital systems require the cameras to be tethered to large cumbersome VTR machines. The Epic gives us back the ability to be totally cable free, even when working in stereo."

Are you amped or what? I am. The man is using the PERFECT technology for these productions!!

If you love movies during the December holidays as much as I do then you should be darn excited for the next little while. Why? How about this line up... 2010 - TRON: LEGACY, 2011 - TINTIN, 2012 - THE HOBBIT PT1, 2013 - THE HOBBIT PT2, 2014 - AVATAR 2, 2015 - AVATAR 3!! Looks like we are set for the holidays aren't we?

Thanks to Mark for the heads up!

RED Day: February 13 In LA - EPIC and Scarlet Cameras To Be Unveiled!

Jim here. You wanted more RED cameras? You got 'em.

Jim Jannard's RED company will be launching Red Day to unveil the new EPIC and Scarlet cameras to the world! It is to take place on February 13 in Los Angeles. New accessories will also be on hand. I will have more details up asap.

They will also be showing off content shot from the new Mysterium-X sensor in the RED ONE 4K camera (already available) and screened with the new Sony 4K projector - all native resolution.

The EPIC (5K to 28K) and Scarlet (3K to 6K @ 120fps - 150fps burst) have been delayed somewhat (they were expected in 2009) but are HIGHLY anticipated. Why? Low resolution to dollar cost. They also use a modular system that is supposedly flexible enough to allow multiple configurations for different shooting environments - INCLUDING Stereoscopic 3D. :-) They inherit the affordability that is practically a mission statement for the RED company. Nothing like affordable, yet well made cameras to kick start the S3D revolution.

I have been waiting for this for some time now! RED is really pushing the whole digital cinematography industry forward - look at that top end resolution of 28K! It will be a while until theater projectors can handle so much information, but we will see it someday. The more important thing to me is the 3D configuration that will now be available.

I am impressed with the list of movies that have been made with RED cameras since I started watching them! They now count: THE LOVELY BONES, DISTRICT 9, GAMER, THE INFORMANT!, THE BOOK OF ELI, KNOWING, MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D, JUMPER, CHE, BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT, ANTI-CHRIST, ANGELS & DEMONS and TV shows such as ER and SOUTHLAND.

Their tech is proven and affordable. Makes me want to jump in too. Hmmmm... Is it time to unleash my projects under development?

First Affordable 3D Beam-Splitter Rig For Red One Cameras Introduced

Jim here. If you read MarketSaw you know I love 3D equipment that is made with students in mind and I think this fits the bill for students and professionals alike.

The 3D-BS Pro Rig is priced from $3,895.

Emphasis below is mine:

3D Film Factory has released the first production-ready, cost-effective 3D camera system – the 3D-BS Pro Rig. This 3D beam-splitter rig was specifically designed for use with the Red One cameras, as well as, other larger, broadcast quality cameras. Its durable, precise configuration was developed with the guidance of veteran stereographers and award-winning filmmakers to provide a viable, affordable alternative to high-priced 3D rigs costing ten times as much.

“Up until now, there’s only a few high-end facilities offering 3D rigs for Red One cameras and they’re very expensive”, said company president Karl Kozak. “So we set out to create a quality 3D Red system most filmmakers could afford. We’re interested in proliferating 3D production by making it accessible. The result was the 3D-BS Pro Rig, a great 3D rig for the Reds, that shoots incredible 3D at a fraction of the cost.”

The company’s new 3D-BS (beam-splitter) Pro Rig allows users to manually adjust both the camera convergence settings (1° to 5°) and the inter-ocular (camera-to-camera) distances from 0” to 6”. It’s constructed of black anodized aluminum that’s virtually indestructible, with a weight of approximately 32 lbs. Its durable frame adjusts to fit almost any pair of large-sized, broadcast quality cameras, including but not limited to; Red One, Sony, Canon, Panasonic, Silicon Imaging and JVC.

At the center of the 3D rig is a piece of optically engineered, impurity-free, 50/50 beam-splitter glass, that’s been optimized for a 45° angle. It’s fully encased in a light-dampening, rugged plastic mirror box, that’s completely detachable and secure. The housing and glass positioning are easily modifiable to accommodate almost any large-size camera model and/or lens. Finally, the entire 3D rig readily attaches to most professional tripod heads with the use of a simple supplied adapter.

The result is an inexpensive, robust 3D rig that makes 3D shooting both simple and precise. When combined with a real-time 3D viewing system, a dual camera sync device and genlock, cinematographers can capture extraordinary 3D images for a fraction of the cost of all other systems.

“It’s really that easy to start shooting 3D images, you just need a few good tools and some training”, said Kozak. “Of course, to achieve superior 3D, you’ll need a stereographer. We use one on all of our 3D productions, because the cinematographer can’t do it all. As a result, we hire out professional stereographers for 3D training and 3D productions worldwide.”

In addition to the Red One camera, the 3D-BS (beam-splitter) Pro Rig is compatible with the following cameras; Sony’s CineAlta HD Cams, F950, F900, F35, HDW650, HDW790, DSR450, DVW970, Panasonics HDX900, HPX2000, HPX500, HPX3000, and the Varicam HDC27H, Ikegami’s HDK-79EXIII, HDK-727P, HDS-V10, HDK-79EC, HDN-X10, Silicon Imaging’s Si-2K, and many others.

Additionally, the 3D Film Factory offers a complete line of 3D rigs, including the 3D-BS (beam-splitter) Indie Rig, intended for smaller, professional grade camcorders, as well as, an assortment of inexpensive 3D-SS (side-by-side) Rigs. These dual cameras systems are less complex, but equally necessary for most 3D production situations.

To learn more about the 3D-BS Pro Rig or the full line of 3D rigs, visit the company’s website @ www.3DFilmFactory.com

About 3D Film Factory
Based in San Diego, California, the 3D Film Factory is both full service 3D production house and a 3D equipment manufacturer. More specifically, the company specializes in the design and marketing of production-ready, affordable 3D camera systems, while lending its expertise in a variety of 3D production, from ‘stereographers for hire’, to hands-on 3D training, to complete 3D productions through post.

More 3D Camera Rigs Coming To Market PLUS 3D Training And Certification!!

Jim here. Well this is very refreshing indeed! Steve Schklair, CEO of 3ality Digital Systems has informed THR that they will be offering their 3flex Camera Rigs for sale: "If this is truly an industry that justifies installing more screens, it has to be much more ubiquitous than three or four production companies."

By offering proven 3D equipment on the market, 3ality Digital is espousing everything that MarketSaw stands for as well - 3D everywhere. In the world I want, 3D will be available to budding filmmakers straight through to the top studio directors - from affordable, yet effective to astounding cutting edge performance capture.

Panasonic has just confirmed that they are also developing 3D production equipment to go along with their stunning visual displays (used by James Cameron).

Pace has built on their acquired 3D expertise with their Fusion 3D System. Silicon Imaging has released an integrated stereo pair of cameras. The RED Ones work wonderfully in 3D configuration and certainly are very affordable for many. Various rigs are being built to house stereo cameras - some very affordable.

And filmmakers are engaging! From small independents to well, some of the best that ever was. All future CG animations from Pixar, Dreamworks Animation and Disney Animation will be in 3D.

Indeed 3D is injecting long lost passion for movie making! Ridley Scott is coming back to do FOREVER WAR after saying that he would never do another SciFi movie as it has all been done before. What changed his mind? He saw Cameron making AVATAR. That's the power of 3D and creative genius - and it is thrilling to see the new life 3D is instilling in the masters.

Moreover, I have been waiting for quite some time for some sort of action to take place in 3D education. Again, 3ality Digital is stepping up to the plate and will offer 3D Production Training and Certification Programs. More details on this when I get it!

I don't know about you, but I see all the pieces coming together! I can't begin to tell you how enthralled I am at how the industry is shaping up. Further, the recent thoughts that the credit market will open up very shortly for expanding the digital/3D screen deployment - aimed for the release of AVATAR is just what the doctor ordered. Lets get it done!

RED Digital Cameras Officially Enter The 3D Industry - And Announce a 28K Digital Camera. Yes 28K!

Jim here. I have been following the RED digital cameras and their outrageous development path VERY closely since I started MarketSaw. Not only are they delivering the goods, but they are keeping those prices crazy low. They have no business charging so little for their obviously superior R&D efforts - but they are. Hats off to them.

NOW THEY ARE GOING 3D. Yep. Now, I am not totally surprised by this move as I know there have been 3D projects already shot with the RED-ONE's (Thomas Jane's THE DARK COUNTRY for one), but to see plans for dedicated 3D setups this early is amazing!

I want you to drop whatever it is you are doing and go check out these cameras. Not only are they now going after markets from Digital 3K @ 120 frames per second (Scarlet) to the 4K RED-ONE (30 fps - available now) all the way to *GULP* the Epic Monstro 28K (261 megapixels) @ 25 fps. YES, I SAID 28K. Can you believe that?

If you are a film maker - heck even a family video aficionado, then look no farther than RED. I am totally on board with this innovative company and the rapid changes they are bringing about in the industry!

Help Me Out: What Company Is Filming These Concerts in 3D??

**UPDATE July 18th: Got word from a couple of sources both confirming that: The Bill White 3D Camera Company in Toronto shot the concert, and that Paul Taylor shot it as DP / Cinematography. Thanks for the input Nick Constable and James Stewart!

Jim here. Have a question for readers from the 3D industry - take a look at these pictures from a recent Rush concert in Toronto. What company is this - actively shooting concerts in 3D?

I could be mistaken but the cameras look to be RED ONEs in 3D configuration - that could help narrow down the organization.

Would LOVE to see a Rush 3D concert just as much as enjoyed U23D! Let me know through the 'Contact Me' forms below if you can help out tracking them down...








Images Courtesy of Christopher Schneberger

Red Unveils The Scarlet 3K Pocket Professional: $3000?

Wow. I mean WOW! Red has just let the world look under the hood of their brand spankin' new Scarlet 3K Pocket Professional camera and the specs look awesome:

• NEW 2/3" MYSTERIUM X SENSOR
• 1-120 FPS (180FPS BURST)
• UP TO 100 MB/SEC REDCODE RAW AND RGB RECORDING TO DUAL COMPACT FLASH
• 4.8" LCD
• 8X T2.8 RED ZOOM LENS
• FULL AUTO OR FULL MANUAL SHOOTING MODES
• HDMI and HD-SDI
• FIREWIRE 800 and USB2
• STILL MODE
• COMPATIBLE WITH MANY RED ONE ACCESSORIES
• WI-FI CONTROL

Here is the kicker folks: All of this for around $3000. It is slated for a 2009 release (maybe CES) and do you think thats all the fine folks that brought us the Red One 4K did at NAB? Nope, check this out:

The RED 5K Epic! Yes, you read right 5K resolution. You can even trade in your little ol' Red One 4K if you have a problem with not having the best resolution around - they will give you a full $17,500 credit toward the purchase of the Epic:

• FULL FRAME S35MM NEW MYSTERIUM X SENSOR
• 1-100 FPS
• UP TO 100 MB/SEC. REDCODE RAW AND RGB RECORDING TO REDFLASH
• FULL SIZE DUAL LINK HD-SDI, 2-XLR AUDIO INPUTS AND HDMI
• WI-FI CONTROL
• FIREWIRE 800 and USB2
• 6 POUND FULLY MACHINED ALUMINUM BODY WITH HYBRID STAINLESS PL MOUNT
• COMPATIBLE WITH MOST RED ONE ACCESSORIES
• FULLY UPGRADABLE SENSOR, BODY, BOARDS AND MOUNT.

They also brought in the Red Ray drive:

• PLAYS 4K, 2K, 1080P, 720P AND SD FROM RED DISC AND RED EXPRESS
• ALSO PLAYS NATIVE RAW R3D FILES FROM COMPACT FLASH

I am pretty much in awe in what this company is pulling off here. As you know from my earlier posts, the RED One has already been used in 3D configuration! If you would like to see how all of these cameras line up vs. your 1080p HDTV, check out this comparison chart:


Awesome isn't it? Can't believe the prices. More on NAB 2008 soon - stick with MarketSaw for all your NAB updates!!

Anything 3D Related Going On At NAB 2008? You Bet!

**SAME DAY UPDATE - There are also some pretty nifty 3D sessions before the conference starts up by way of the Digital Cinema Summit. Check out the battle royal between competing 3D projection companies! Interesting IMAX 3D is not there...

New Dimensions - New Challenges: Real World Experience with 3D
April 12 • 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S222

Just when you thought you mastered the art of digital video production, along comes stereoscopic production to make your life even more interesting. This session will address some of the interesting challenges and creative solutions that have recently emerged in release of 3D films.

Moderator
- Howard H. Lukk, VP, Production Technology, Walt Disney Studios
Presenters
- Wendy Aylsworth, Sr. Vice President, Technology, Warner Bros.
- John Nicolard, Head of Digital Production, FotoKem Digital Film Services

Stereoscopic Projection Systems
April 13 • 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S222

The exploding popularity of 3D motion pictures has fueled dramatic innovation in stereoscopic projection technology. It’s come a long way since the days of cardboard red/blue glasses - and even since last year’s Digital Cinema Summit! Hear first hand about what’s new from the leading innovators in 3D imaging.

Moderator
- David Monk, Professor, EDCF
Panelists
- Simon Cho, CTO, Master Image Co. Ltd
- Joshua Greer, President & Co-Founder, REAL D
- Boyd MacNaughton, President, NuVision/Xpand
- David Schnuelle, Sr. Director, Image Technology, Dolby Laboratories

Stereoscopic Movie Making
April 12 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S222

3D image capture ha introduced a enw set of creative tools for use by the Cinematographer - along with new challenges. Learn about the technical advancements and creative innovations from today’s pioneers in stereoscopic production.

Moderator
- Buzz Hays, Sr. VFX Producer, Sony Picture Imageworks
Panelists
- Jim Mainard, Head of Production Development, DreamWorks Animation
- Steve Schklair, CEO, 3ality Digital Systems
- David C. Seigle, President, In-Three, Inc.

...and this session which is important to 3D movies as the future lies with laser projection with polarization at the light source:

Spotlight on Projection Technology: Is Laser Light Source Practical?
April 12 • 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S222

The enjoyment of motion pictures is all about lighting up the theater screen with engaging images that tell a story. For over fifty years, short-arc Xenon lamps have provided the light to make movies possible. But is that about to change? Recent advancements in laser technology open the prospect of projection systems with longer life, extraordinary efficiency and a vastly expanded color gamut.

Moderator
- Casey Stack, President, Laser Compliance
Presenters
- Bill Beck, Founder and CEO, Laser Light Engines
- Greg Niven, Exec VP of Marketing, Novalux, Inc.

Thank you to Neil for the heads up - Don't know how I missed all this cool stuff!!

NAB 2008 features a full day of 3D related events! Director Eric Brevig ("Journey To The Center Of The Earth 3D") headlines the day - see his photo below as well as a frame from "U2 3D". The show runs from April 14th to the 17th at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Check out the schedule for the 3D related activities:

Monday April 14 – Stereoscopic 3-D Film

Powered by Real D 3D

9:45 am – 10:00 am

Welcome and Introduction

10:00 am – 10:30 am

3-D Primer

The ABC’s of Stereoscopic 3-D Image Capture, Content and Exhibition

Phil Streather, CEO, Principal Large Format and 3-D producer and consultant, “Bugs!” (3-D)

10:40 am – 11:40 am

Art of 3-D Filmmaking

Today’s top 3-D filmmakers discuss how to design and compose in 3-D, the creative and technical constraints and opportunities the medium presents, scripts best suited to 3-D realization and how to use 3-D to expand storytelling.

Moderator: Perry Hoberman, USC, Associate Research Professor, USC, School of Cinematic Arts, Interactive Division

Peter Anderson, ASC, 3-D director of photography and VFX supervisor, “U2 3D”; “T2 3-D”; and “MuppetVision 3-D”

Eric Brevig, director, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; visual effects supervisor, “Men in Black” and “Total Recall” (Academy Award for Special Achievement in Visual Effects)

Phil Captain 3D McNally, global stereoscopic supervisor, DreamWorks Animation; stereoscopic supervisor, “How to Train Your Dragon” (D.A.); “Monsters vs. Aliens” (D.A.); and “Meet the Robinsons” (Disney)

Vince Pace, CEO, Pace; executive producer, “Hannah Montana Concert Film”; 2nd unit director of photography, “Avatar”; and director of photography & producer, “NBA Finals Game #2”

Rick Rothschild, executive show director, SVP, Walt Disney Imagineering; “Mickey’s PhilharMagic” (Walt Disney World Resort); “It’s Tough to be a Bug!” (Disney’s Animal Kingdom); “Captain EO” (Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort)

Sean Phillips, director/cinematographer, MacLeod Productions and director, “Sea Monsters” (3-D); cinematographer/VFX Supervisor, “Magnificent Desolation” (3-D); and cinematographer “Bugs!”

11:50 am – 1:00 pm

Case Study: Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D

Production and postproduction of the first live action/visual effects film created exclusively in 3-D for digital 3-D release.

Moderator: Rob Hummel, president, DALSA Digital Cinema

Eric Brevig (Photo), director, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; visual effects supervisor “Men in Black” and “Total Recall” (Academy Award for Special Achievement in Visual Effects)

Charlotte Huggins, producer, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; “Fly Me to the Moon” (3-D); and “Encounter in the Third Dimension”

Ed Marsh, VFX Editor & 3-D Consultant, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; and editor/creative producer, “Ghosts of the Abyss” and “Aliens of the Deep”

Chuck Shuman, director of photography, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; director of photography for VFX, “Lord of the Rings I, II, & III” and “The Indian in the Cupboard”

Paul Martin Smith, editor, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; “Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace”; and “Behind Enemy Lines”

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Lunch

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Case Study: U2 3D

Expanding the language of 3-D through innovations in sound, image capture, graphics and post.

Moderator: Jim Mainard, head of production development, DreamWorks Animation

Peter Anderson, ASC, 3-D director of photography and VFX supervisor “U2 3D”; “T2 3-D”; and “MuppetVision 3-D”

John Modell, co-founder, 3alty Digital Entertainment; producer, “U2 3D”

Tim Sassoon, president, Sassoon Film Design; “Mummies 3D”; “Sea Monsters”; “Wild Child”

Steve Schklair, CEO, 3ality Digital Systems; 3-D/digital image producer, “U2 3D”

Olivier Wicki, editor, Blue Rock; editor, “U2 3D”; U2 “Original of the Species”; and MAC “Haute Voltage”

3:05 pm – 3:30 pm

Live 3-D Transmission from Los Angeles

Steve Schklair, CEO, 3ality Digital Systems;

Howard Postley, COO/CTO, 3ality Digital Systems

Also I have word that RED is supposed to officially introduce us to their Scarlet 2K Pocket Pro at NAB! That is one product I am really looking forward to seeing. If you are aware of Red you know they make very affordable cameras - their Red One system is ~$16,000 and it is a 4K camera! I believe the Scarlet is going to be a 2K camera and priced in the $3,000 to 5,000 range but hey I could be wrong. Not likely, but hey :-)

Don't forget that the Red Ones can be arranged in 3D configuration! Bob Johnston, Executive Producer at Paradise FX tipped me off on that one...

If you want the full NAB 2008 schedule, I have posted it here. Thanks Rochelle for the updates!

Scarlet 2K Pocket Pro Trademarked!

As I suspected in an earlier post, RED has trademarked the name "Scarlet 2K Pocket Pro" which obviously means that the new pocket sized digital high definition camera from RED will be capable of 2K resolution! In your POCKET!? Can you imagine that? Speculation is that you will be able to add a 16mm lens too.

And knowing RED the price will be so affordable (I am musing $3k to $4k) that many will be able to buy it for day to day use. We will all know soon enough, it is being formally announced at NAB 2008. The only reason why we know early is that Jim Jannard, RED's CEO let the cat out of the bag in their forums as there were some leaks taking place.

For those catching up, the Scarlet is coming from the creator of the RED One, an affordable ($18k) 4K professional digital camera used by such directors as Peter Jackson and Steven Soderbergh. The RED One has been tested and used in 3D configuration as well. For more info check out there website: www.red.com

Red To Release the Scarlet "Pocket Professional" Camera!

WHOA! I am still reeling from Red being able to use their Red One cameras in 3D configuration, but now comes word from their corporate forums that they are coming out with a "Pocket Professional" camera code named Scarlet!

Red's CEO, Jim Jannard posted on their forums this nugget:

The name is... - Reduser.net via kwout

What does this mean? Well if it is as industry redefining as their Red One Camera (4K resolution at 60 frames per second @ less than $18k), then perhaps more common folk can walk around with a Red camera on their person grabbing unheard of portable HD everywhere! I can't imagine right now what kind of resolution it will have, but I have got some feelings developing... Hope they are accurate! (Ok I can - 2K resolution, but its a guess!)

You have gotta love how Red has captured the imaginations of many people and it seems as though they are just beginning! It reminds me of the earlier iterations of Apple's iPod and how they eventually just took everything over. Red may very have the video capture equivalent of the iPod here in our midst.

Can't wait to see the final product of the various RED projects going on right now from Steven Soderburgh.

Link: www.red.com

Digg This!

Motion Pictures 3D: A List of Reasons For A Paradigm Shift

It's time to evaluate just what is going to start to unfold with the coming 3D movie evolution taking place right now. Lets take a look at it in four different ways:

1. Are 3D movies affordable to make?
They can be yes. While many are hopeful that the 3D movie industry will remain expensive to prohibit smaller outfits to compete against the large studios, the fact remains that you can obtain a 3D camera system for less than ~$75,000 (based on the RED One system ($20k per camera + binocular focusing system - yet to be proven in the 3D world, but likely to make huge waves). Count me as someone very interested in obtaining one of these systems.

2. What about home entertainment sales; how can you sell a 3D movie to homes without 3D equipment?
Well you need some equipment in the home, namely some wireless, specialized glasses that are advancing in design every year. One of the problems with today's glasses for the home is that they only work on CRT (Tube) TVs - so no projection, Plasma or LCD screens which kind of defeats the purpose to begin with. After this major hurtle is overcome, I intend on selling 3D Home Videos and home theater equipment from my site www.3DHomeVideos.com. Home converters of 2D to 3D media is also a huge market.

3. What about advertising? Will there be 3D advertisements in theaters? If home theaters can handle 3D movies then why not 3D ads?
I absolutely agree! I plan on creating 3D advertisements for both pre-movie commercials and traditional posters/billboards on my site www.3Dvertise.com. A huge market will exist very soon.

4. Why is the 3D movie industry crucial to Hollywood?
Hollywood is at a crossroads today. Yes, box office receipts are breaking records, but the number of patrons attending movies has dropped (tickets cost more). Hollywood needs a way to differentiate from folks with thousands invested in home theaters. How can we get them to the cinema and secondly get them to actually pay more per ticket than today? 3D of course. And they will pay, up to 50% more. It is because it is immersive that the premium can be charged and it will be hard to reproduce at home for the short term. Another reason is that 3D movies are almost impossible to videotape and sell pirated copies, which is the way 90% of current movie piracy is done today.

RED Digital 4K Camera now in 3D !

Holy stereoscopic developments Batman! Bob Johnston, Executive Producer with Paradise FX contacted me today with details of their announcement September 5th of 3D test involving the awesome and VERY affordable RED 4K cameras. Note that this test was taking two RED cameras out of the box (never tested), shooting in 3D and then screening the digital 4K HD movie THE SAME DAY. I am amazed at how fast the teams have put together a 3D solution using the highly touted RED system - a system that Steven Soderbergh recently announced he would be using for feature film shooting soon (2D as far as I know).

I love the spirit of the RED team and the repercussions that are sweeping the industry. Heck I feel tempted to get involved directly!

Here is their press release:

Press Release
September 5, 2007 Source: Studio Daily

A quantum leap in 3D content production and stereographic post-production from a tapeless workflow, resulted in a successful 3D test shoot and screening on Saturday, September 1st . Producers Steve Gibby and Kenneth Corben of GibCor, teamed up with their 3D production partners Max Penner and Tim Thomas at Paradise FX to produce one of the first stereo 3D shoots originating with RED 4K cameras. (PHOTO: Max Penner seen adjusting the Red 4K 3D Paracam. Photo Copyright Steve Gibby)

GibCor provided RED camera #8 and their associate, Billy Summers, provided RED camera #13. Both were literally “out of the box” from the first 25 RED cameras released on August 31st. The team shot a 4K 3D dual camera test, and captured REDCODE RAW to two RED 8 GB compact flash cards.

The production alliance between GibCor and Paradise FX has been in development on their RED 4K 3D projects since February in anticipation of the cameras’ release this year. “The results of this first RED 4K 3D shoot will enable us to bring great stories, shot in stereo 3D, to audiences like never before,” said producer Steve Gibby. The RED 4K cameras were fitted with a pair of RED compact zooms (18-50mm) and mounted to the Paracam. The Paracam is a 3D camera system that employs a beam splitter and has digital control of the inter-axial and convergent positioning of each of the RED ONE cameras. By Noon the team was viewing 3D content, originating from a tapeless 4K workflow.

The 4K 3D post workflow was seamless thanks to ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH® Digital Intermediate Process Solution and technical support from Lucas Wilson of ASSIMILATE™. The 4K REDCODE RAW (.r3d) files were imported from CF cards into a beta version of REDCINE running on an Intel based Mac system. The left and right eye files were de-bayered from 4K RAW to 2K files then imported to SCRATCH as .dpx files. SCRATCH allowed for “plug and play” into Paradise’s dual projection system for quick stereo 3D playback. After the screening, veteran 3D stereographer Max Penner said, “To take 2 cameras that have never been tested out of the box, then shoot and project 3D all in one day, is almost unheard of. All done with no umbilical cables, tape decks or digitizing. This changes everything!”

In anticipation of the continued global rollout of stereoscopic 3D enabled theaters and growing content demand, Paradise FX and GibCor are in negotiations with several major studios regarding this technology and it’s implementation in the motion picture industry. This is the first of a succession of stereo 3D tests with the RED ONE camera. Ongoing tests will help to define a workflow to apply to future 3D productions in both Large Format Film and Digital Theatrical Releases. The RED ONE camera has a small 3D form factor with a high resolution at a decent price, making it highly promising for future 3D films.

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www.kennethcorben.com

Red One 4K Digital Camera: Its time to talk...

Well I have been waiting for a major player to announce their intention to use the Red One 4K Digital Camera for a feature film and it has finally happened. Steven Soderbergh will utilize the groundbreaking 4K digital camera to shoot "The Argentine" and "Guerrilla".

It is groundbreaking because there just isn't anything else that comes close to it either by technology or cost. A Red One camera can shoot movies in 4000p (remember that current HD High Definition TV is 1080p!) AND the cost is only $17,500 for the basic unit. They claim 12M pixels at up to 60fps and record 12 bit native RAW. WOW. Thats 12 Megapixels at 60 frames per second! Unfreakin' believable! And very affordable compared to whats out there.

The Benicio Del Toro vehicle films, are a biography on Che Guevara and is set in two parts - hence two films.

I can see the resemblance!

For more information on this truly definitive moment for not only HD purists, but also young and under-funded directors, check out the Red One website here.

Now if we could just get two Red One Cameras in a 3D configuration... ;-)