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Mark In

Apr 1, 2006 12:00 PM

The Performance Game
Q&A: Nature’s ‘The Queen of Trees’
Media Resources
Inbox
DVD Software/Hardware: Reviews for Reference
Skillset
Ready for Your Close-up?
Business Intelligence

The Performance Game

By Dan Ochiva

Who would have thought that it's now speed-hungry gamers who are pushing the development of today's best graphics technology?

Doubt that? Consider these developments over just the last few months: at the consumer-oriented CEBIT 2006 conference in March, Nvidia announced that its dual graphics card SLI technology will be available in notebooks for on-the-road gamers. Two of Nvidia's new GeForce Go 7800 GTX GPUs will deliver speedy, anti-aliased 1920×1200 operation.

Also in March, ATI unveiled its CrossFire Xpress 3200 chipset. The technology not only enables dual graphics card-bearing motherboards ala Nvidia, but also allows users to overclock the CPUs' chipset by up to 60 percent, something only hard-core computer jocks usually attempt. (Overclockers fiddle with chip timing settings to tweak performance beyond the more conservative — and stable — manufacturer's stock settings.)

New products from the two graphics card vendors have tumbled out so quickly over the past year that a reviewer on the Tom's Hardware enthusiast website remarked that it is now possible to buy significantly upgraded products every other month. He contrasted that with an earlier period, when tech heads had to wait up to six months to get their hands on the latest graphics gear.

Nvidia continued the GPU March Madness by announcing quad-SLI technology — that's right, four graphics cards — for those gamers who can't seem to get enough of a good thing. (SLI is Nvidia's technology for lashing together two cards to function synchronously.)

OEMs are charging in, too. While it's unclear if they've taken on that old Texas line that “too much ain't enough,” Dell thinks $10,000 won't be too much for gamers desperate for speed and bragging rights. That's the price of its fully loaded XPS 600 Renegade system, which debuted at the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) in March.

What do those many zeroes get you? A dual-core Pentium processor “factory overclocked” to 4.62GHz, four Nvidia 7900 graphics cards sporting a total of 2GB of memory, a standalone physics processor chip (manipulates game dynamics in hardware), custom aluminum casing with hand-painted flaming skull design, and one of Dell's 30in. widescreen displays.

What's behind that extravagance? It's an attempt by Dell to change the perception of the company as the low-cost supplier to the corporate world. As computer technology continues to commoditize to a point where even Dell sweats the margins — something its direct sales model became famous for exploiting — the company is realizing it needs new growth markets.

One solution is to push into higher-end corporate sales such as servers and storage, which delivered some of the strongest growth in the company's otherwise humdrum fourth quarter. Next, create excitement and street — or maybe studio — cred, in another market. In the past year, Dell has created the hardcore XPS product line, designing it to appeal to gearheads willing pay a premium for top tech and service.

But changing perceptions isn't a quick or easy process. Will creatives and gamers really turn to the world's largest computer manufacturer to stay on top? Dell decided it didn't want to wait to find out. At the same GDC show where the XPS 600 Renegade debuted, Dell announced that it would buy out tiny Miami-based Alienware, one of the top makers of high-end, spare-no-expense Windows PC systems, which will continue to operate as a separate subsidiary.

Ready to play?

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Q&A: Nature’s ‘The Queen of Trees’

For filmmakers Mark Deebles and Victoria Stone, no project is too challenging — or too high. To shoot “The Queen of Trees,” an episode for the PBS series Nature, Deebles and Stone climbed 40ft. up a tree to capture in HD the delicate symbiotic relationship of a massive sycomore fig tree and the fig wasp — an insect so tiny it can fly through the eye of a needle.

Deebles on shooting “The Queen of Trees”:

VS: What were the obstacles you encountered while shooting “The Queen of Trees”?

MD: Many! I had no knowledge of macro [photography] before we started, but the biggest problem was trying to get natural behavior from .04in.-long insects with very specialized behaviors. Some of which only lasted five to 10 seconds, happened only once in the course of the insects' eight-week life cycle, and took place in the dark in the confines of a grape-sized fig, 40ft. up in a tree above a croc-filled river in Africa.

Nobody could tell us when all the various behaviors happened, so we had to spend two years working it out for ourselves — learning the timings and how it related to fig development. Everything was filmed onsite, so we had to set up a portable macro studio close to the tree in a tent in the middle of the bush — everything was powered by small petrol generators. Almost every time we had to shoot a fig, it involved tower building or rope work for canopy access. At the same time as trying to crack the fig-wasp story, we had to hop into our plane to try to film aerials whenever the weather looked spectacular, as well as shoot underwater, canopy, long lens, and hide work, but it all helped tell the story and was worth it in the end.

VS: How long did it take to shoot the material?

MD: It took two years of shooting and six months of editing 100 hours of material.

VS: What camera and editing equipment were used to shoot in HD?

MD: We used two Sony 700A HDCAMs, then downconverted the HD tapes to DVCAM. We edited the material with two Avid systems running on a Mac G4 laptop in the field and a G5 at the base with 2.5TB storage.

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Media Resources

Books

Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Photographers by Martin Evening, Focal Press

A professional image editor's guide to the creative use of Photoshop for the Macintosh and PC.

Matchmoving: The Invisible Art of Camera Tracking by Tim Dobbert

Desktop Video Studio Bible: Producing Video, DVD, and Websites for Profit by George Avgerakis, McGraw Hill

White Papers

The Top 13 Deployment Mistakes … and How to Avoid Them Wirespring

www.wirespring.com/pdf/deployment_mistakes.pdf

The Real World Benefits and Challenges of Interactive Kiosks Wirespring

www.wirespring.com/pdf/kiosk_benefits_and_challenges.pdf

Introduction to Dynamic Digital Signage Wirespring

www.wirespring.com/pdf/intro_to_digital_signage.pdf

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Inbox

Photography gallery looking for projection solution

I read the 2005 Projector Roundup in the November Video Systems. I'm opening a photography gallery and want to incorporate some form of image display or projection. I'm considering plasma screens. Then I thought projection might be a viable alternative to showing images, somewhat like slideshow.

What do you think? Will projection work? Would it work better than plasma connected to DVD? Front or rear projection? Any advice on getting down to finding answers to my questions?
James Schot
Schot Designer Photography
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Jeff Sauer responds: There's no way to really answer this question without seeing the space and understanding what you have in mind, but generally speaking, any of the display technologies you mentioned could work. Front projection could be a very compelling solution based on cost (there are some fine products in the chart for less than $1,000), image size, and a desire to create visually interesting looks.

I've certainly seen plenty of front projection used at galleries, although mostly in a straightforward way or as part of a video installation, and that may work for you as well. However, I'd bet you could create some very intriguing visual designs by using different projection surfaces, angles, mirrors, or sightlines. Good luck!

‘Cactusflower’ video now available at digitalcontentproducer.com

Just read the article in the November issue of Video Systems, “Apartment + Musician + Laptop + HD camera = Music Video.” I went to the Microsoft website looking for the video as directed by the editor's note, and cannot find it. I was hoping you could point me in the right direction as to where I could find a download.

Charlie Pike, president
Pike Media Resource
Chesapeake, Va.

John Gold's “Cactusflower” video is now available for download at digitalcontentproducer.com/podcasts.

MPEG encoder article update?

It would be great if you could update your MPEG encoder trial article to include the newer versions that have come to market. My days with Main Concept's encoder may be over. I am starting to like the Procoder Express and may give Cinema Craft a trial run.

Like your article stated, it makes no sense to shoot the best video you can only to have it abused by a less than optimal encoding engine. This is vital information for all of your readers.
Bruce Wilkinson
Satellite Applications

Articles discussed in Inbox can be found at:

digitalcontentproducer.com/proav/depth/video_projector_roundup

digitalcontentproducer.com/workflow/video_apartment_musician_laptop

digitalcontentproducer.com/videoencodvd/revfeat/video_mpeg_encoder_shootout

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DVD Software/Hardware: Reviews for Reference

Sony DVDirect

digitalcontentproducer.com/videoencodvd/prods/video_sony_dvdirect

Primera BravoPro Disc Publisher

digitalcontentproducer.com/videoencodvd/revfeat/video_primera_bravopro_disc

Sorenson Squeeze Compression Suite 4

digitalcontentproducer.com/videoencodvd/revfeat/video_sorenson_squeeze_compression

Apple DVD Studio Pro 3

digitalcontentproducer.com/videoencodvd/revfeat/1204_video_apple_dvd_studio_3

Reliant Digital Duplication Suite

digitalcontentproducer.com/videoedsys/revfeat/video_reliant_digital_duplication

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Skillset

Apple Logic Pro
May 20-21
New York
$1,000
www.mewshop.com/logicadv.htm

This weekend intensive class on advanced techniques for Apple Logic Pro takes audio professionals from advanced setup through to production, editing, mixing, scoring, and composition. Students will learn how to streamline production workflow, accelerate editing tasks, and effectively manage takes.

Apple Final Cut Pro 5
May 10-12
Santa Monica, Calif.
$795
dvcreators.net

Even veteran Final Cut Pro editors can benefit from this three-day hands-on workshop covering intermediate and advanced levels of editing, motion graphics, and audio sweetening with the program. Participants will learn advanced editing and trimming techniques, tricks with motion paths, the math behind color and audio, and plenty of keyboard shortcuts to speed up workflow, among other skills.

HD Expo “VariCamp”
June 8-10
Waterford, Conn.
$1,500
www.hdexpo.net/workshops

With the guidance of Robert Primes, ASC; Ryan Sheridan; Michael Caporale; Sion Michel, ACS; and C.R. Caillouet Jr., participants in this workshop will learn the ins and outs of Panasonic's VariCam cameras. Through hands-on training, participation in lab settings, and access to educational materials and manuals, students will leave the workshop with a better understanding of the camera's in-the-field application.

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Ready for Your Close-up?

By Bill Miller

“Alright, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.” These famous words were spoken by actress Gloria Swanson in the movie Sunset Boulevard, and they've echoed through the decades. But are you ready to shoot your close-up? Not so fast. Here are a few ideas on when it's really time for those close-ups. (For this article, I will only be discussing single-camera shoots.)

I have always found it best to start with the widest shot possible. Not necessarily the widest focal length, though, because using a 600mm lens on the moon shooting back to Earth would be wider than using a 5.8mm lens from 3ft. away. So by wide shot, I mean the widest area of the set you want to cover. There are a number of reasons to start wide. First, it usually takes the most instruments and the longest time to set up the wide shot. Second, by beginning with the wide shot, you give your actors or onscreen talent a chance to become more familiar with the physical arena and to block their actions and the movement of your camera.

Also, wide shots are the most forgiving. Unless you are planning to use only this focal length for the entire scene, the wide shot can be edited in sections, cutting out any mistakes. So if there are camera bobs, missed cues, or flubbed lines, they won't have a great effect on the final program. That's not to say you shouldn't strive for perfection, it's just that perfection can be to a lesser degree in the wide shot.

Once you've established the wide shot, you can start moving your camera closer to the action, and as you do, you can adjust your lighting accordingly. I have always found that it's easier to move lights into an area than to move them out. With the wide shot, all of the lights are outside of the action area or hung from grids. As the camera moves closer, I begin to move my lights and reflector cards, gobos, and other lighting tools closer to the actors or objects being photographed to get more pleasing angles on the faces, to remove shadows, or in general to make the scene more pleasing to the camera — and ultimately to the eye.

Remember, as you move closer, the camera (and audience) is less forgiving, so here's where perfection really needs to be perfection. That's why I don't shoot as many takes of a wide shot as close-ups. A big mistake young directors make is spending hours on the wide shot, only to be left with too little time to get the important close-ups. I can't tell you the number of times I've been forced by a client to re-shoot and re-shoot a wide shot only to use the first three seconds of the shot in the final edit.

It's also a good idea to map out a shooting plan beforehand. Nothing irritates the crew more than to shoot a wide shot, then go in for the close-up, and then go back out and re-shoot the wide shot because you forgot to get Cecil tipping his hat as he walked through the front door. It also wreaks havoc on your budget — and cuts into your lunch break.

So now, Mr. (De)Miller, you are ready to shoot your close-up.

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Business Intelligence

How Can Your Facility Implement an Asset Management System?

By Roger Kleckner
ScheduAll

The term “asset management” has many negative connotations. Asset management is perceived as expensive and difficult to implement, and the people who would deal with such a system on a day-to-day basis would have tremendous difficulty getting used to working with it.

These are all myths. In reality, the ability to track and manage assets within a facility reduces costs, provides instant access to information about and direct control over assets, and generally creates a less stressful work environment. Most asset management systems are set up to mimic Windows-based applications, so it's relatively simple to train people to use them.

From a financial standpoint, asset management systems pay for themselves because they give a facility a competitive edge. Facilities with asset management systems can deliver their products to clients faster than non-computerized companies because of the workflow efficiencies and time savings created by the systems.

In considering an asset management system, the first thing to think about is the actual definition of the word “asset.” Generally, in broadcast and video production environments, assets are physical or digital media stored, created in, or delivered to a facility. For example, a VHS tape delivered for editing to a facility is an asset.

The second thing to think about is the kinds of systems currently on the market. Here is what is generally available:

• A computerized calendar board that allows staff to quickly review what assets are booked and what time slots are available for new video production. The system should allow users to drag and drop bookings onto a calendar. Staff should be able to schedule any combination of facility assets and automate resource selection for common tasks.
• A module that allows users to join individual bookings into a single, larger project or reporting unit. This lets facilities discount prices or override standard mark-ups for some or all usage of resources or assets. It also allows key information from multiple production jobs to be grouped together for more effective project booking and management.
• A library module that can store and create detailed records of assets. The system should have user-definable fields that accommodate indexing needs, allowing for rapid searches based on single or multiple search criteria. It should also provide for the creation of custom labels for media, generation of packing slips, and historical-usage reporting.
• A module that allows tracking of bookings, with screens providing dynamic information, including asset availability, job pricing, and booking status.

Choosing which of these modules to purchase, as well as the most effective combination to use, depends on budget as well as the facility's setup. Not every module will work for every facility. A good asset management provider will work with you to create a customized system that meets both workflow and budgetary needs.

Roger Kleckner is vice president of strategic business development at ScheduAll. Hollywood, Fla.-based ScheduAll provides workflow and resource-management software to more than 1,100 broadcast and production facilities worldwide. For more information, visit www.scheduall.com.

© 2008 Penton Media, Inc.