VisionARRI Magazine Issue 11

6/11 ISSUE 11

VisionARRI

The Biannual International Magazine from the ARRI RENTAL & POSTPRODUCTION ENTERPRISES

ONE DAY Benoit Delhomme, AFC on shooting Lone Scherfig’s romantic comedy

Anonymous Anna Foerster discusses working with ALEXA on Roland Emmerich’s historical thriller

The Inbetweeners Movie Award-winning TV comedy makes the move from the small screen to the big screen

3D Grading Suite ARRI Film & TV add new state-of-the-art grading suite for 3D productions

New ALEXA Cameras on the Way Two further camera models extend the ARRI ALEXA range

ARRI SERVICES GROUP NETWORK ARRI SUBSIDIARIES

ARRI PARTNERS

AUSTRALIA ARRI Australia, Sydney Cameras Stefan Sedlmeier T +61 2 9855 4300 ssedlmeier@arri.com.au

Schwarz Film Ludwigsburg Film Lab, DI, TV Postproduction Walter Brus T +49 89 3809 1772 wbrus@arri.de

AUSTRIA ARRI Rental Vienna Cameras Gerhard Giesser T +43 189 201 07 18 rental@arri.at

HUNGARY ARRI Rental Budapest Cameras, Grip Clemens Danzer T +36 1 5500 420 cdanzer@arri.de

CZECH REPUBLIC ARRI Rental Prague Cameras, Lighting, Grip Robert Keil T +42 025 101 3575 rkeil@arri.de

LUXEMBOURG ARRI Rental Luxembourg Cameras Steffen Ditter T +352 2670 1270 sditter@arri.de

GERMANY ARRI Rental Berlin Cameras, Lighting, Grip Ute Baron T +49 30 346 800 0 ubaron@arri.de ARRI Rental Cologne Cameras Stefan Martini T +49 221 170 6724 smartini@arri.de ARRI Rental Leipzig Cameras, Lighting, Grip Annerose Schulze T + 49 341 3500 3561 aschulze@arri.de ARRI Rental Munich Cameras, Lighting, Grip Thomas Loher T +49 89 3809 1440 tloher@arri.de ARRI Film & TV Services, Munich Film Lab, DI, TV Postproduction, VFX, Sound, Studio, Cinema International Sales: Angela Reedwisch T +49 89 3809 1574 areedwisch@arri.de National Sales: Walter Brus T +49 89 3809 1772 wbrus@arri.de ARRI Film & TV Services Berlin Film Lab, DI, TV Postproduction, VFX, Sound Mandy Rahn T +49 30 408 17 8534 mrahn@arri.de ARRI Film & TV Services, Cologne DI, TV Postproduction, Sound Markus Klaff T +49 221 57165 120 mklaff@arri.de

AUSTRALIA Cameraquip, Melbourne, Brisbane Cameras Malcolm Richards T +61 3 9699 3922 T +61 7 3844 9577 rentals@cameraquip.com.au CYPRUS Seahorse Films Nicosia, Paphos Cameras, Lighting, Grip, Studio Andros Achilleos T +357 9967 5013 andros@seahorsefilms.com

GERMANY Maddel’s Cameras Hamburg UNITED KINGDOM Cameras, Grip ARRI Lighting Rental, London Matthias Neumann Lighting T +49 40 66 86 390 info@maddels.com Tommy Moran T +44 1895 457 200 HUNGARY tmoran@arrirental.com VisionTeam L.O., Budapest ARRI Focus, London Cameras, Lighting, Grip Short term lighting hire Gabor Rajna for commercials & promos T +36 1 433 3911 Martin Maund, George Martin info@visionteam-lo.hu T +44 1895 810 000 martin@arrifocus.com george@arrifocus.com

ARRI Media, London Cameras, Grip Russell Allen T +44 1895 457 100 rallen@arrimedia.com ARRI Crew, London Diary Service Kate Collier T +44 1895 457 180 arricrew@arrimedia.com USA ARRI CSC, New Jersey Cameras, Lighting, Grip Hardwrick Johnson, Lynn Gustafson T +1 212 757 0906 hjohnson@arricsc.com gus@arricsc.com ARRI CSC, Florida Cameras, Lighting, Grip Ed Stamm T +1 954 322 4545 estamm@arricsc.com

ICELAND Pegasus Pictures, Reykjavik Cameras, Lighting, Grip Snorri Thorisson T +354 414 2000 snorri@pegasus.is INDIA Anand Cine Service, Chennai Cameras, Lighting, Grip, Film Lab, DI Tarun Kumar T: +91 44 4598 0101 contact@anandcine.com JAPAN NAC Image Technology, Tokyo Cameras Tomofumi Masuda Hiromi Shindome T +81 3 5211 7960 masuda@camnac.co.jp NEW ZEALAND Camera Tech, Wellington Cameras Peter Fleming T +64 4562 8814 cameratech@xtra.co.nz

Illumination Dynamics, LA Lighting, Grip Carly Barber, Maria Carpenter T +1 818 686 6400 carly@illuminationdynamics.com maria@illuminationdynamics.com Xytech Technologies, Auckland Illumination Dynamics, Lighting North Carolina, Stephen Pryor Cameras, Lighting, Grip T +64 9 377 99 85 Jeff Pentek stephenp@xytech.co.nz T +1 704 679 9400 jeff@illuminationdynamics.com

ROMANIA Panalight Studio, Bucharest Cameras, Lighting, Grip Diana Apostol T +40 727 358 304 office@panalight.ro SOUTH AFRICA Media Film Service Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Namibia Cameras, Lighting, Grip, Studio Jannie van Wyk T +27 21 511 3300 jannie@mediafilmservice.com UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Filmquip Media, Dubai Cameras, Lighting, Grip Anthony Smythe, Aaron Hughes T +971 4 439 0610 ant.smythe@filmquipmedia.com aaron@filmquipmedia.com

VISIONARRI

4 ONE DAY

Benoit Delhomme, AFC discusses working on Lone Scherfig’s adaptation of the romantic bestseller One Day

8 THE UNKNOWN SHAKESPEARE

Anna Foerster on shooting Roland Emmerich’s Elizabethan conspiracy thriller Anonymous with the ARRI ALEXA

12 NEW ALEXA CAMERAS ON THE WAY

The ARRI ALEXA range expands with two further camera models

14 ALEXA TAKES A SUMMER HOLIDAY WITH THE INBETWEENERS

The Inbetweeners Movie shoots with the ARRI ALEXA

16 ARRI FILM & TV ADD STATE-OFTHE-ART 3D GRADING SUITE

New 3D Lustre suite established by ARRI Film & TV to cater for the needs of 3D productions

18 STORAGE SOLUTIONS FOR THE POSTPRODUCTION OF TOMORROW

ARRI Film & TV expand their internal storage in readiness for handling multiple 3D projects

19 A MODEL WITH A FUTURE

ARRI Media Worldsales acquire the world distribution rights to Colombian film Porfirio

20 KAFTA IN COLOMBIA

Interview with Porfirio director Alejandro Landes and his DoP Thimios Bakatakis

CONTENTS

22 ALIENS VS HOODIES

Tom Townend talks about shooting sci-fi comedy Attack the Block

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24 THE EVOLUTION OF ARRIRAW Uncompromised image quality from the ARRI ALEXA CMOS sensor

27 ARRI L-SERIES

ARRI introduces a new generation of LED-based Fresnel lights

22

4

30 BEL AMI

Stefano Falivene discusses the feature debut of renowned theatre directors Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod

32 ALEXA PRODUCT UPDATES

The latest developments to the ARRI ALEXA camera system

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34 ALEXA WEB TOOLS

Online resources available to those working with the ARRI ALEXA

35 NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD 38 PRODUCTION UPDATE VisionARRI would like to thank the following contributors: Susanne Bieger, Mark Hope-Jones, Ingo Klingspon, Wendy Mattock, Dylan Michael, Judith Petty, Angela Reedwisch, Andrea Rosenwirth, Michelle Smith, Sabine Welte Front Cover Photo: Giles Keyte. © 2011 Focus Features LLC and Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

One One Day Day

Award-winning DoP Benoit Delhomme, AFC, has been responsible for some of the most visually striking films of recent years, including the stark revisionist western The Proposition, Anthony Minghella’s Breaking and Entering and Michael Radford’s acclaimed adaptation of The Merchant of Venice. Whilst in Atlanta filming The Wettest County in the World with the ARRI ALEXA, which will see him reunited with Proposition director John Hillcoat, he took time out of his busy schedule to discuss his work on the forthcoming One Day, an adaptation by David Nicholls of his own bestseller. Directed by Lone Scherfig, it was shot with ARRICAM cameras supplied by ARRI Media and a lighting package from ARRI Lighting Rental.

What attracted you to the project?

VisionARRI:

It’s an interesting movie because each scene takes place in a different year – always on the 15th of July – over the course of around 20 years. So it was a film in which every scene required a different visual approach and style, so as to recognize the period and to see the changes. Every scene is a new world, a new era, and that’s very special.

Benoit Delhomme:

VA: Lone Scherfig emerged out of the Dogme 95 movement; did you find that she was very performance-focused?

BD: My greatest pleasure on a film is working with the actors; that’s why I

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“I THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT WOODY ALLEN’S FILMS WHEN I WAS SHOOTING ONE DAY...”

work in the cinema and not in still photography. If I want more light for a scene or need more time, but I feel that the actors are ready to shoot, then I will accommodate them. My main goal is to put the actors in a comfortable situation and make them feel free. Working with Lone was easy in this regard because

she loves the actors, so they were very relaxed and enjoyed what they were doing.

On the other hand Lone was keen on designing good shots and transitions to take the audience from one year to the next. If you’ve seen An Education, it was lit in a classical way, like the American comedies of the 1940s or 50s – with the actors very well placed in the frame. She never compromised the look of the film for the actors; she’ll always find a way to have both the performance and the visual excitement.

VA: Did you choose to operate a camera yourself?

BD: Yes I did – it’s something I enjoy doing more and more, operating the

VISIONARRI BENOIT DELHOMME, AFC

‘A’ camera and designing the shots myself. I’ve done a few movies without operating and it was interesting to direct my camera operators, as if they were actors, but I feel I can give more to the film when I’m doing it myself. I’ll tend to watch the actors more closely and I can improvise during a shot if they do something different, whereas a camera operator might not be sure if I’d want them to do that. I also work with the slider a lot to re-frame and maintain a sense of motion; I like to compose shots with people in movement and it’s easier to do that myself.

VA: Were you often shooting with multiple cameras?

BD: Yes, a lot of shots were two-camera setups. Of course the director wants to capture the couple’s relationship as much as possible through the main shots, but I try to use the lighter camera for reactions. I’m always trying to capture something else with that camera and sometimes you can be surprised; the shot can be better because the unpredictable happens and it gives more life to the film. In those situations there’s no ‘A’ and no ‘B’ camera because the actors move and you get something you didn’t plan.

It’s part of the surprise of filmmaking: when you work with two cameras you never know which one will be the best.

A really good ‘B’ camera operator will fight to get the better shot and there’s a slight sense of competition; they try to impress me and show me something different, and I think that’s very positive.

Having two cameras just makes the set more exciting.

VA: Was any consideration given to shooting the film digitally?

BD: I really wanted to use film to create this 80s/90s look, and I didn’t once think about shooting digitally. But I’m currently shooting The Wettest County with the ARRI ALEXA and suddenly One Day looks like it will be my last movie shot on film! I think with the ALEXA we have everything we need – it’s so friendly for a DoP. I thought the texture was something new: I didn’t realise it before, but it’s more interesting than film.

However, I don’t regret working with film for One Day because it has a quality I really love, especially on the close-ups.

And I love the grain.

5

Photos: Giles Keyte. © 2011 Focus Features LLC and Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

ONE DAY

Comedies are often shot in a way that incorporates no shadow, no sky, no contrast – they seem kind of flat and I didn’t want that. I thought a lot about Woody Allen’s films when I was shooting One Day – Annie Hall is one of the bestshot comedies – they were lit in a special way, taking a lot of risks. I wish people would go back to this for comedy because I think you can convey mood, as well as making the actors look good; you can have both.

VA: What film stocks were you using?

BD: I was using the Kodak 500T Vision3 and the 250D Vision3, which was new at the time – it’s a beautiful stock. I did all the day exterior and interior shots with the 250D and all the night or twilight shots with the 500T.

6

VA: And what lenses did you have?

to zoom in; I think it’s better, and nicer, to do it myself.

We used a full range of Cooke S4 lenses and also three Angenieux zooms: the 15-40 mm, 28-76 mm and 24-290 mm. I was using all of them constantly, mixing everything up, because in the DI you can match anything. The 15-40 mm and 28-76 mm are interesting because they’re small and can go on a Steadicam; they’re good for getting the right coverage – not using the zoom as a zoom, but picking up reactions during a take. Now when I work with the slider and I’m operating myself, I put on the zoom and can get a lot more adjustment in one shot. I do like to use primes, but it can be difficult when directors want to do everything in one take, ending on a close-up. Sometimes this doesn’t work on set, so I’m using zooms more and more.

I’m surprised how many films use the DI

VA: Were you involved in the decision about aspect ratio?

BD:

BD: We thought that 2.35:1 would give something special to the film; we didn’t want it to look too much like real life. I think Lone said, ‘I want it to be really beautiful, elegant – not like everyday life, but a bit magic.’ What I really like about 2.35:1 is composing through doors or parts of the set, putting frames within the frame, and I do that a lot in this film – using the set to re-compose the aspect ratio.

VA: Were there any particularly challenging sequences?

BD: The most challenging scenes were those at nighttime and twilight. One of these was a long dialogue scene where the two main characters go to an

VISIONARRI

BENOIT DELHOMME, AFC

“WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT 2.35:1 IS COMPOSING THROUGH DOORS OR PARTS OF THE SET, PUTTING FRAMES WITHIN THE FRAME, AND I DO THAT A LOT IN THIS FILM…” outdoor swimming pool; we shot all the wide shots in Dinard, France on two different days at dusk, and then I shot all the close-ups at Pinewood Studios, on a stage with a big Translite. This was a very difficult scene and an unusual one to attempt in a comedy – it was a challenge convincing production to do it, but I insisted. It was something I’d done in the past and it worked very well; I’m really pleased with it.

There was another tricky scene in London, where they talk on a rooftop at nighttime. I knew if we were shooting on a real rooftop at night we’d never get an

interesting exposure of the London background, so we shot the rooftop against a greenscreen on a stage and afterwards I shot plates at 6 fps on location, which gave me the great background. It’s this kind of thing that I like to use visual effects for: the kinds of things you know you couldn’t have done for real as a DoP, but that the audience never notices.

VA: How involved have you been in the postproduction?

BD: I couldn’t make it to the grade because of the film I’m doing now, but during the shoot I was taking very

precise stills of every shot to give the colorist a guide for the rushes. I also chose a colorist I knew very well to do the DI: Adam Glasman at Ascent 142 in London. I showed him the Avid version before I left for Atlanta and we talked with Lone about what we wanted to do.

Adam did the first part of the grade himself and then I went to a DI facility in New York, while Lone and Adam were in London, and we spent two days adjusting things. It was the first time I’d graded remotely like that; it was incredible to be in New York and to say, ‘Zoom in; go there,’ and see Adam doing it. I’m very specific about colors and really enjoy creating a kind of scenario of colors in order to avoid things being neutral. I want the colors to progress and change in a film – that’s my style, in a way. I Dylan Michael

7

THE UNKNOWN

SHAKESPEARE

DoP Anna Foerster talks about working with the ARRI ALEXA on Roland Emmerich’s historical thriller Anonymous.

The media flurry following producer-director Roland Emmerich’s announcement in Berlin last year of his latest film, Anonymous, was enormous. Known more for action-packed blockbusters such as 2012, Emmerich declared that his new feature was to be a subtle literary-political thriller, set in Elizabethan England, offering a revisionist account of the authorship of William Shakespeare’s body of work. The film was also a milestone for ARRI, as it was the first international feature film to be recorded digitally in its entirety with the ALEXA camera system. After the completion of physical production, VisionARRI had a chance to speak with DoP Anna Foerster in the Lustre suite at ARRI Munich about her experience working with ALEXA on the set of Anonymous.

How closely do you like to personally control camerawork and lighting on set?

VisionARRI:

Apart from the light, the shot itself is very important to me; I’m always involved in that. Other than that, it’s good to give the team some leeway and not to micromanage, as they say in the US. Doing so only prevents positive things that happen coincidentally when one is surrounded by creative people who develop their own ideas.

To me, filmmaking is first and foremost a team effort. It involves working with people who don’t just do as they are told, but who make suggestions; that’s what makes things interesting for me.

Anna Foerster:

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VA: You have collaborated with Roland on a number of occasions; how would you describe the working relationship?

Roland always knows exactly what he wants, even if we end up going about it in a different way. Sometimes there will be discussions on set about how to change things in order to achieve what we wanted to accomplish originally.

That happens even though there are storyboards and previsualization images. It requires a certain flexibility, which Roland has and expects from the people around him – to realize that even on set there might be a better way to arrive

AF:

VISIONARRI

at something. That’s not a catastrophe, but something positive: you’ve simply found a new solution.

VA: This was your first feature film shot entirely on a digital camera; were you skeptical in the beginning?

Luckily I got around the entire issue surrounding digital recording in the last couple of years because I worked exclusively with 35 mm, so I was spared the tiring transition phase during which digital seemed to stand for low budget.

Now the discussion has changed and takes place on a very different level than even four years ago. Today’s digital camera systems such as the ALEXA – a leader in this field – are in my opinion a true revolution for filmmaking.

AF:

As for me personally, the switch was exciting, more than anything. Sure, I was nervous; that’s normal when you leave something behind that you’re very familiar with. But the quality meets such high standards that it was very convincing. In retrospect, it was more like using a new film stock and testing its limits. I do have to admit that I always worked with a light meter and never relied on what I saw on the monitor, even though that was pretty exact most of the time.

VA: How did you decide upon a visual approach to the story?

Early on, before we went into production, we determined the look of the dailies on the Lustre. Digital colorist Florian “Utsi” Martin worked closely with us, giving us advice and support. Altogether we created six lookup tables (LUTs) for different day and night shooting situations, and for things like flashbacks. On set I had these LUTs on the monitor and was able to refer to them. For me they were like printer lights, showing me how far I had pushed the light away from the intended parameters.

AF:

Prior to that, we spent a lot of time thinking about the overall look. We finally agreed on a “naturalistic” one; not in the sense of a documentary style, but naturalistic in the sense of being lit with natural light. In other words, it shouldn’t look like it’s been lit. That presented the challenge of only working with natural light sources – candlelight, open fires and daylight.

We looked at many paintings of that time, such as Georges de la Tour’s nocturnes, in which one or two candles light an entire scene. ALEXA has an incredibly large dynamic range and if you can shoot with 1200 or 1600 EI, you get results that used to be unthinkable; you can now capture the effect of a single candle, torch or open fireplace, meaning you can actually use its reflection on the wall or on the faces in your shot without getting any noise in the blacks – just like the human eye perceives it.

9

THE UNKNOWN SHAKESPEARE

VA: Did having the ALEXA therefore mean you used lights differently?

I did have to light differently, but that had less to do with the fact that we shot digitally and more with the type of light we wanted to use. Generally, you need less light using a camera such as the ALEXA: you can possibly get away with 5 kW where you’d usually need 10 kW, but it would be a great misconception to believe that you need less lighting equipment. You still have to set your lights and create your shadows just like in the past, except that you need only half the intensity and therefore half the power.

AF:

We lit a lot with HMIs, because we wanted that daylight look, even in situations when candlelight and daylight come together in the interiors. We also had scenes that needed to be mixed with greenscreen shots, which meant it was really important for us and the visual effects people to keep the light identical so that we wouldn’t start out lighting something with HMIs that would have to match up to something that was lit with artificial light.

VA: Did portraying 16th century London involve a lot of VFX shots?

The exteriors and all the wide panorama shots flying over the River Thames and the Tower of London are visual effects shots, of course. Roland didn’t want to forgo the spectacular world in which the story we are telling takes place. In terms of set extensions of interiors, I can only remember one shot for which we later created a ceiling.

Mostly, it’s the speed of the workflow that has changed.

Shots landed on the desks of the visual effects people just a few hours after we shot them; they could immediately roll up their sleeves and check if something didn’t work. Plus, we were able to look at dailies in the evenings, 20 minutes after we finished shooting the last setup.

AF:

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How did working with ALEXA affect the workflow between filming and postproduction?

VA:

© 2011 Harry Stahl

AF:

ANNA FOERSTER

IN THE GRADING SUITE: Anna Foerster with Colorist Florian ‘Utsi’ Martin

We purposely didn’t use color timing on the set, even though pre-grading is very much in vogue these days. During the 64 days of shooting that we had, it would have been hard to accomplish, time-wise. For the DoP on set it’s often hard to know exactly where he or she is with the shots if there’s someone sitting right there correcting everything.

Photos: © 2011 Columbia Pictures Industries Inc. All rights reserved.

VISIONARRI

An essential aspect was quality control and ARRI was very helpful in that regard as well. We always knew very quickly if there were any defects in the image data. In other words, no more waiting around for negative reports from the lab in order to find out if there were problems or not. We were working in two shifts: in the evening we got the results for what we had shot that morning, and in the morning for what we delivered the evening before – always about six hours later. A workflow that includes quality control can really save you a lot of time.

VA:

What lenses were you using?

Surprisingly, we shot almost 80 percent of the film with the new ARRI Lightweight Zoom LWZ-1. Initially, I was quite skeptical about these extremely small and light zoom lenses, until I compared test shots using a projector. I was impressed by the image quality of such a small zoom lens. We had Master Primes, which were mostly used for visual effect shots, because these lenses deliver the sharpest edges for keying.

AF:

The LWZ-1 gave us an enormous amount of flexibility because we could quickly change the focal distance by a few millimeters without having to exchange the entire lens; we could also use the zoom on the Steadicam. About half of the film was shot with a 17.5 mm focal length; that’s pretty wide.

It was one of the elements of the look that I had discussed at length with Roland prior to shooting. In terms of the lighting it did create some problems, because you saw a lot in each frame and you couldn’t just quickly add a light source somewhere. That was a real challenge sometimes.

“ALEXA HAS AN INCREDIBLY LARGE DYNAMIC RANGE AND IF YOU CAN SHOOT WITH 1200 OR 1600 EI, YOU GET RESULTS THAT USED TO BE UNTHINKABLE.” VA: What has changed for you, as a DoP, with digital acquisition?

This reminds me of an anecdote involving Dean Semler (ACS, ASC), the Australian DoP of 2012. I was shooting aerials from a helicopter for that film and I asked Dean why he shot digitally so much. His answer was: “It’s better for the heart.” Back then I laughed and took it as a light quip.

Now I know it’s true – you sleep better; the panic worrying about what the dailies will look like the next day is gone. In the past you always went there with sweaty palms, worried if you’d pushed it too far in some places. You now have so much control on the set, especially thanks to the wavelength monitor, which shows you where you can get even more out of a shot.

That’s a big relief.

AF:

VA: Looking back, was there anything you missed about working with 35 mm film?

Not really. I do sort of understand people who mourn the bygone times out of nostalgia, but camera work is a technical job and when you use the new digital camera systems as a tool for your work then you don’t have those kinds of feelings. I

AF:

Ingo Klingspon

11

ALEXA cameras

W E N

The ARRI ALEXA is not just a camera; it is an advanced technology platform from which ARRI is deriving a comprehensive line of cameras for every production need. In late 2011 the current two models, ALEXA and ALEXA Plus, will be joined by a new and unique camera, the ALEXA Studio. As the top-of-the-line model, ALEXA Studio will have an optical viewfinder and a 4:3 sensor. Soon afterwards a fourth camera will be added to the lineup, the ALEXA M – a flexible and compact solution consisting of separate camera head and body.

ALEXA M is custom tailored to 3D productions, action photography and tight corner shots where the physical space available on set or on location is limited. Despite its diminutive size, ALEXA M does not necessitate any compromise when it comes to image quality; being based on existing ALEXA technologies, it outputs the same exceptional and cinematic images that have quickly boosted ALEXA to the pinnacle of digital production tools.

The ALEXA M camera head is optimized for small size and low weight, offering great flexibility when used on compact and lightweight 3D rigs; multiple mounting points on the top and bottom of the camera allow for an easy setup 12

with many of the 3D rigs now in widespread use. Head and body are connected with a fiber optic cable that can also be used for powering the head, depending on distance. The backend provides various recording options, just like the standard ALEXA; images, sound and metadata can be recorded to SxS cards or external recording devices, offering many different kinds of workflow. ALEXA M has a PL mount and works perfectly with all existing 35 mm lenses. It will also be compatible with a wide range of ARRI accessories.

ALEXA M Main Features

ARRI is currently planning to present working prototypes of the ALEXA M at IBC 2011.

• Multiple 3/8-16 and MA mounting points

• ALEXA image quality • Separate head and body • Perfect for 3D, tight corner shots and fast action • Compact and lightweight head • Full 3D sync functionality • Fiber optic interface between front and back end • Power via fiber cable or local power supply

• Fixed PL mount

VISIONARRI

on the way Optical viewfinder advantages Operators see a bright and sharp, full color image through an optical viewfinder, allowing them to accurately judge focus.

Relying only on light coming through the taking lens, optical viewfinders have zero delay, require no power and are less fatiguing to the eye than electronic viewfinders; they are also fully orientable and can be used with eyepiece extensions without any loss of image quality.

Both its name and its feature-set clearly show this camera’s heritage. On the one hand, the ALEXA Studio is equipped with a quiet mirror shutter and an optical viewfinder like the ARRICAM Studio.

On the other hand, it has the same control panel and buttons as the ALEXA Plus, which has been praised for its simplicity of operation.

The viewfinder is a completely new development, which allows it to accept both 435 and ARRICAM style eyepieces and viewfinder extensions. Operators can look forward to a high resolution, high contrast image with true colors and little geometric distortion. If need be, the optical viewfinder can be removed and

replaced with the ALEXA Electronic Viewfinder EVF-1.

Using the full 4:3 area of the ALEXA sensor allows plug-and-play use of 2x anamorphic lenses on the ALEXA Studio.

Aside from the D-21, which also has a 4:3 sensor, this is an area that has been oddly neglected by digital cameras in the past. Anamorphic lenses create a unique image quality that has been appreciated by directors throughout film history and that cannot be created in post. Some highlights of anamorphic cinematography include Apocalypse Now, Blade Runner, Chinatown, the Indiana Jones films, Alien, The Last Samurai and the latest Star Trek film,

which delved very deep into the aesthetic of anamorphic flares. The optical viewfinder is equipped with a special anamorphic element that can be swung into the optical path to de-squeeze 2x anamorphic images.

When the electronic viewfinder is used, special software takes care of the de-squeezing.

Due for release before the end of the year, the ALEXA Studio – with its 4:3 sensor, optical viewfinder and other high-end features – is positioned to become the premium camera for spherical and anamorphic feature films and commercials. I

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ALEXA takes a summer holiday with

the s r e n e e inbetw

Following three highly successful TV series, award-winning hit comedy The Inbetweeners is set to make a bold move from the small screen to the big screen in UK cinemas this summer.

The film will follow the fortunes of the show’s four adolescent protagonists (Will, Neil, Jay and Simon), now 18 and on holiday in Malia, Crete, with no parents, no teachers, no money and little chance with the ladies.

The Inbetweeners Movie was shot on location in the UK and Magaluf, Mallorca, which doubled for Malia, with ARRI ALEXA cameras supplied by ARRI Media. Shortly after his return from shooting in Magaluf, cinematographer Ben Wheeler spoke to VisionARRI about his experiences working with ALEXA. 14

What made ALEXA the right choice for this particular production?

VisionARRI:

Ben Wheeler: We knew we were going to shoot digitally, partly because the series had always been shot digitally and it was what everyone was used to working with: being able to see everything live and to play back very quickly – that kind of thing. It ended up being a choice between the ALEXA and the RED ONE MX. I was very keen to use the ALEXA, to some extent because I’m an ARRI fan, but mainly for its latitude. I knew we

were going to be shooting our daylight scenes in very bright Spanish sun and moving at an incredibly fast pace, so there wouldn’t always be time to control everything; I just felt the ALEXA would be able to handle that well. We took a camera over to Greece last year and shot lots of tests, and I was astounded by what I saw – the way it was holding highlights as well as lowlights. It just seemed to be miles ahead of anything else I’d worked with. We were also going to be shooting predominately handheld and I found the ALEXA to be very ergonomic and lightweight.

d. rights reser ve ductions. All 11 Bwark Pro 20 © ve Do Photo: Nicola

VISIONARRI BEN WHEELER handholds the ALEXA

You were shooting in bright daylight, but I understand you also shot a number of night scenes where the characters are out on the town experiencing the nightlife of Malia?

about continuity or any sort of performance issue; we could view rushes incredibly quickly.

BW: That was another reason for choosing the ALEXA: because of its sensitivity. Before we did the tests we knew that we couldn’t really afford to light a vast street or huge areas, so we were relying on the neons and other practical lights of the surrounding nightlife to give us a fair bit of ambient light.

Being able to shoot at 800 EI helped a lot and we very rarely went above that rating, as I found it gave us enough.

With ALEXA the detail held at both ends.

BW: Absolutely, that was the amazing thing; it was all happening so quickly.

We shot the film in six weeks and the post schedule is very tight – principal photography wrapped at the end of March and the release date is set for mid-August. With the edit suite at our hotel, the editor was able to cut while we were shooting, so at the end of the day we would often get back and view a sequence of something we had shot that morning. The director was able to return at the end of the shoot with half of the film rough cut on an iPad – the turnaround is phenomenal.

VA:

VA: Your recording solution was Log C 4:4:4 to SxS cards; can you describe your workflow and how you were viewing rushes?

BW: We had a brilliant DIT called Mark Purvis, who dealt with the ALEXA and setting up a quick way for us to work.

He would transcode to Avid DNX 36, the preferred codec of editorial, on a FrameCycler DI system with a LUT applied. The material was then imported into an Avid project and synched on set, so it was delivered to editorial, which was on location at our hotel, ready to cut.

We’d also get an iPad at the end of the day which we were viewing dailies on, or we would go and view in the edit suite, and occasionally we did projections. With the iPads, the speed of the process was fantastic. We would do a number of takes and maybe by the seventh or eighth take we could be looking at the first take, just to double check things if we were worried

So the ALEXA’s workflow really helped to facilitate the speed at which you needed to work?

VA:

The Inbetweeners is a very successful TV comedy making the transition from the small screen to the big screen.

How did you approach that transition stylistically?

VA:

BW: I think a lot of it came from the camera and the lenses, in terms of giving it a more cinematic look, but also from our compositions and the scale and quality of the locations. For me, the ALEXA looks the closest to film of any digital camera I’ve worked with and the set of Cooke S4s I used helped as well.

I’m a big fan of Cookes and when combined with the ALEXA they produced a beautiful, slightly softer, more filmic image than I’d experienced before with digital cameras. And there was no need for any softening or low contrast

filtration. We also used camera moves a bit more to introduce scenes and as transitional shots within the story. We had a rough rule of shooting handheld when things weren’t going so well for the boys and using Steadicam or dolly moves when things were looking up. The camera acts like the fifth friend in the group, putting the audience in the scene with the characters. There is quite a fine balance really: you don’t want the movie to just feel like a TV special – like an extended version of the series – but at the same time you’ve got to maintain a bit of the look that people are used to: as it’s partly what helped to make the show so successful.

VA: Do you think that by the end of the shoot you had proved your case for choosing ALEXA over other camera options?

BW: It didn’t take long actually. I think the cinematic look we were producing convinced the producers pretty quickly, and financially we could use smaller light sources, reducing hire and distribution costs. The speed that we could move at didn’t go unnoticed either.

I had a fantastic crew and I think everyone was very happy; the director Ben Palmer was particularly happy with the results and I feel it was definitely the right camera for the shoot.

I’m currently shooting a comedy series with David Cross and Will Arnett, a coproduction between IFC in the US and RDF Television, on the ALEXA and we continue to be amazed by the results!

The Inbetweeners Movie will be released in the UK on 19 August 2011.I Michelle Smith

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ARRI Film & TV add state-of-the-art Recently, ARRI Film & TV Services, Munich, set up a new infrastructure to cater for the needs and requirements of 3D productions by establishing a brand new 3D grading suite. The former Studio B, a 100-squaremeter space, was converted and fitted with state-of-the-art equipment to create the ideal working environment.

“Basically, we designed the entire suite and the technology that went into it so that we are prepared for future developments,” Harald Schernthaner, ARRI Head of Digital Filmworks, points out. As well as a Lustre 2012 system with the latest 3D features, the design includes a RealD 3D system with ZScreen, an audio system and a lightintensive Barco projector. “We went with RealD, not only because it’s the most widely used 3D system in Germany and the United States, but also because 16

grading suite

the passive glasses with their circular polarization are comfortable to wear,” explains Schernthaner.

One flaw of 3D color grading is that it currently has to work with less light compared to traditional 2D color grading. The luminance of a projection is generally measured in foot-Lambert (fL).

This does not measure the luminance of the projector, but instead the reflection off the screen. The SMPTE standard for the luminance of a 2D cinema is 14 fL. “Currently there’s no binding 3D

standard with regards to luminance.” says Schernthaner. “All we have is a suggested reference point of 4.5 fL, which is about two thirds less than is customary for 2D. The reason being, available 3D systems currently used in cinemas swallow a lot of light due to ZScreens or filters in front of the projector and so do the 3D glasses.”

ARRI therefore opted for the lightintensive Barco projector with, according to its specification, 32,000 ANSI-Lumen.

“The great advantage of this projector is

© 2011 Rico Reitz

VISIONARRI

© 2011 Constantin Film Verleih GmbH

PRODUCED IN 3D: productions that have already taken advantage of the new 3D grading suite include The Three Musketeers and Wickie and the Treasure of the Gods

that you can work with relatively small wattage, in our case 3 kW, which means the light won’t flicker as it does with higher wattage,” Schernthaner states. “Plus, we have enough leeway should the luminance standard go up.

In other words, we are prepared for the future.” In addition, the projector works in the so called Triple-Flash modus, meaning each image is reproduced three times for each eye (meaning 144 Hz), whereby each flicker is dramatically reduced.

grading of 3D films. The size of the screen, the flicker free and light intensive RealD 3D projection and, last but not least, the comfortable seats make this suite a pleasant and most effective workspace.” The suite’s equipment also includes two rows of movie theater seating and a third row consisting of a “beautiful leather couch for our clients, which is quite the hit,” says Schernthaner happily. And on a side note: the wellbeing of the clients is also tended to in a separate lounge.

The highlight of the suite is a unique, six-meter-wide exchangeable screen construction. Behind the mounted 3D silver screen is a white screen of the same dimensions, which, using a radial rotating construction, can be brought to the front. This means the screen is not rolled down, which could affect the projected image due to creases, etc., but is kept up like a mounted screen in a frame using a system of chains.

“THE NEW ARRI GRADING SUITE IS PERFECT FOR DEPTH GRADING OF 3D FILMS.”

The advantage for the customer is that they don’t have to change locations.

Everything can be graded in the same suite, 3D on the silver screen and 2D on the white screen, and it takes only two minutes to switch screens.

In particular, the still rather young discipline of depth grading – for the Z axis of the image – benefits from this six-meter-wide screen. Initial feedback from customers seems to prove that.

Florian Maier, CEO of Stereotec and stereographer on Wickie and the Treasure of the Gods (Rat Pack, Director: Christian Ditter), commented: “The new ARRI grading suite is perfect for depth

Schernthaner continues, “A crucial part of our design is the new central storage system from DDN (integration partner SGI), which allows us to play several 3D projects at once and in real time.

With this platform we created a basis for additional and increased requirements in terms of data volume and data transfer.

It seems that 3D is heading towards 48 fps recording. In which case, the inhouse storage system will have to be able to handle a data volume that has suddenly doubled.” This prediction is in line with what James “Avatar” Cameron said in a podium discussion at CinemaCon 2011 in Las Vegas. For him a higher frame rate of 48 or 60 fps and the previously mentioned brighter projections are key ingredients for the future success of 3D cinema.

The 3D suite has been well received since its completion. In April the first tests for Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (Paramount, Director: Tommy Wirkola), an action adaption of one of the most popular and probably goriest fairytale of the Brothers Grimm, were conducted there. In May two productions took advantage of the new suite: Wickie and the Treasure of the Gods and the 3D version of The Three Musketeers (Constantin Film, Director: Paul W.S. Anderson). The teaser, trailer and the promo reels for which had already been completed there. Even commercial productions are jumping on the 3D train at ARRI, with first theatrical spots for Opel, Microsoft and Red Bull. I Ingo Klingspon

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Storage solutions for the postproduction of tomorrow ARRI Film & TV Services has expanded its grading capabilities with a new 3D Lustre suite – an important step in preparing the company’s postproduction for the challenges of the coming years. Equally important, although less visible, was the expansion of the internal Storage Area Network (SAN) in order to transport the enormous amounts of data generated by feature length digital 3D productions to the various postproduction workstations, while making it possible to carry out several projects simultaneously.

VisionARRI spoke to Gerald Freundl, IT Operations Manager at the ARRI Group, about the significance of efficient storage systems for ARRI’s postproduction in the ALEXA era.

What’s the goal of the massive expansion of network capabilities at ARRI?

VisionARRI:

The goal was to create a high-performance platform that ensures optimal working conditions for 3D feature films and is capable of executing several such projects at the same time, which hadn’t been possible until now.

It is also part of an effort to consolidate our data storage, which had previously been spread across several departments.

Gerald Freundl:

Digital film is becoming more and more of a storage issue. For 3D and 24 fps frame rates we need storage systems with a much higher efficiency. We are in the midst of a paradigm shift. Many of the processes used in the past are being thrown overboard and, as a result, have to be redefined.

VA: What exactly did the system expansion entail?

GF: We chose a system from DataDirect Networks (DDN) that Silicon Graphics (SGI) implemented, which means that our postproduction here at ARRI has the most powerful system currently available on the global market at its disposal. As for its technical configuration, it’s the fastest storage system out there, not just in terms of the storage itself, but also in terms of linking terminals to the main storage unit. We made a considerable investment to ensure we were creating a platform that was a qualitative leap forward and had the resources and reserves left for the future in regards to performance.

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VA: How do customers benefit from this investment?

VA: What happens to the data once a project is completed?

GF: The benefit for the customer lies in the feasibility of projects that require technological leadership. To ensure the quality that ARRI stands for, and which we want to offer our clients, it is necessary to have state-of-the-art equipment at our disposal.

GF: We have an archive here at ARRI, a large data robot with 1.3 Petabyte storage capacities and about 1,500 LTO4 tapes that can be stored there.

That’s the end of the line for projects that we have completed but have to store for our customers for the long-term.

In addition, we have again returned to the one-stop shop idea with this consolidation. This system allows us to include not only the Lustre, but also the Nucoda, for example, and we can service projects cross-departmentally, which reduces the copy and lead times.

These are synergistic effects that we want to increasingly utilize in the future.

VA: Have the topics of data storage and archiving emerged in the filmmaking community as issues?

This also means that ARRI Rental will be more involved in the process. A digital camera system such as the ALEXA requires adequate computer systems to save the acquired image data and to make them available for subsequent postproduction processes. The goal is to be – in tandem with Rental – a complete system provider for 3D, from hardware all the way through postproduction.

VA: What exact data volume per feature film are we talking about here?

GF: Up to 200 Terabytes. This includes of course, not only what ends up in movie theaters, but also the raw material, copies and various stages of postproduction – especially when several departments here at ARRI are involved.

GF: That’s an important point. Customers are currently more often than not, overwhelmed by the mere data volume of digital camera projects – especially in the 3D arena. Often, there is no IT supervisor on set because challenges such as storage capacities and compatibility of systems aren’t even perceived as issues by productions.

In situations like these, we are glad to jump in and solve problems that arise for the customer.

The camera teams in particular are enthusiastic about the digital technology, which they consider a means to increase efficiency. If they used to shoot two or three hours with analogue technology, they now want to shoot five hours.

It’s difficult to explain to them the enormous data volume they are thereby generating, and how long it will actually take to save, archive and process it. I Ingo Klingspon

VISIONARRI

A model with a future ARRI Media Worldsales acquires the world distribution rights to Porfirio Developing innovative cooperation models for international productions has long been at the top of ARRI’s agenda. A perfect example of such a collaboration is the recently completed Colombian film Porfirio, which involved the resources of ARRI Rental and ARRI Film & TV Services, as well the acquisition of world distribution rights by ARRI Media Worldsales.

On September 12, 2005, a small man in a wheelchair carrying two hand grenades hijacked an airliner with 20 passengers on board in the airport of Bogotá, Colombia. His demand: state compensation for the stray police bullet that left him paralyzed and a meeting with the Colombian president. Once he received confirmation that his demands would be granted, the wheelchair-bound Porfirio Ramirez released his hostages, handed the grenades over to the police and turned himself in to the authorities.

No one was hurt.

It was this short news item that got the attention of LA-based Latin American journalist and filmmaker Alejandro Landes; he developed a screenplay and spent the following years trying to raise money for his project, Porfirio. By the fall of 2009, Landes had managed to attract enough investors and co-producers from Spain and several Latin American countries to almost make Porfirio a reality, but he still lacked the funds that would afford the film the technical quality international distributors were looking for. The fact that the production was to be shot on location at the edge of the jungle in southern Colombia, where no feature film had ever been shot, didn’t make things any easier.

In September 2009, a possible collaboration with ARRI was considered for the first time. In LA, ARRI representative Thomas Nickel sat down with executive producer Maja Zimmermann, who was looking to secure technical support for the production. After reading the script, Nickel contacted Angela Reedwisch, Key Account Manager of International Sales at ARRI Film & TV Services. Once the project had been approved by Wolfram Skowronnek, a consultant at ARRI Media Worldsales, the contractual details were worked out.

Several meetings were held between

Skowronnek, producer Francisco Aljure and ARRI Head of Worldsales, Antonio Exacoustos, to reach an agreement that would benefit all involved and serve as a model for future deals.

The contract that was finally signed in July 2010 stipulated that ARRI would apply the rental and postproduction services towards the sale of the world distribution rights to ARRI Media Worldsales. “A win-win situation,” Angela Reedwisch affirms.

“The production was able to work at a state-of-the-art level without having to make compromises. And for ARRI, obtaining the world distribution rights to art house films of a convincing quality means that markets we are currently not represented in open up.”

Thomas Nickel believes this business model is a door opener: “Finding projects that we believe have potential and helping them circumvent budgetary bottlenecks through innovative collaboration models creates an opportunity for ARRI to play an important role as a partner and facilitator.”

Physical production of Porfirio took place over the course of seven weeks. The film was shot with 35 mm Moviecam cameras from ARRI Rental and Hawk anamorphic lenses from Vantage. Porfirio Ramirez is played by himself, rather than an actor, lending authenticity to this deeply moving study of a victim of fate who sees no other solution than to become a criminal himself.

In the end, however, he doesn’t succeed.

Although Porfirio does receive a check for 40,000 USD, it bounces; the court sentences him to eight years of house arrest and he never gets to meet the president.

The world premiere of Porfirio took place at the 64th Cannes Film Festival 2011, as part of the Directors’ Fortnight. I Ingo Klingspon

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© 2011 Franjo Nomo

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During one of the final technical approval screenings at ARRI’s cinema in Munich, VisionARRI had a chance to speak to Porfirio director Alejandro Landes and his DoP Thimios Bakatakis about the genesis of this unusual film and the difficult conditions it faced.

When and why did you decide to make a film about Porfirio Ramirez?

VisionARRI:

I came across a short news report about Porfirio in LA while I was prepping my documentary (Cocalero, 2007) about the first indigenous president of Bolivia, Evo Morales. Something about this story captivated me, what exactly I can’t explain, but it got me to hop on a plane to Colombia to meet the man personally. The screenplay is the result of the first impressions I brought back after spending four days with Porfirio and the people around him.

That was in 2005.

Alejandro Landes:

VA: Was it the Don Quixote element of this tragicomedy that attracted you?

Yes, a little. Plus the story of Porfirio Ramirez reminded me of No One Writes to the Colonel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, which has a similar plot – a retired colonel waits in vain to receive the pension he was promised years earlier. I found the idea of a story in which a lot happens without leading to any change or a real catharsis fascinating. I believe that if someone had gotten hurt or if Porfirio had landed in jail then the whole story, a true story, wouldn’t have interested me as much as it did. It would have lacked that Kafkaesque cynicism, the fact that it ends where it started as if nothing had happened.

AL:

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VA: You’re a well-known political TV and newspaper journalist in the United States as well as in Latin America. In which sense is this film also a political statement?

AL: The core of the story is cyclical. The last setup of the film is the same as the first. Like Sisyphus, no matter how hard Porfirio tries, no matter what he does, he can’t get ahead – not even an inch. That’s more than a narrative arc: it’s a circle.

To me it’s a metaphor for the phenomenon of violence, which goes around in circles. That’s its nature, creating the same thing over and over and never arriving anywhere. That’s probably what is political in this story, but I didn’t have a propagandistic agenda.

VA: Wasn’t it rather daring to cast real people in the lead roles?

AL: Thimios was slightly nervous, wondering if Porfirio would be able to pull it off. I spent a lot of time with him, not to make an actor out of him but to get him used to the set and the camera, and to make him forget that I, as the director, was standing next to him. That paid off in the end, because his presence in the film is remarkable. At some point, as he was doing what he was doing, he forgot we were there.

VISIONARRI

ALEJANDRO LANDES

THIMIOS BAKATAKIS

Porfirio settled in incredibly quickly. During the last setup I had a completely different person in front of the camera than at the beginning of the shoot.

Thimios Bakatakis:

Were you approaching this as if it were a documentary?

VA:

AL: Most films based on true events tend to cut original, documentary footage into the film. That’s exactly what I didn’t want to do. We shot all the images you see in this film. The documentary aspect is that we used real people and original locations. The dialogue and the settings are, however, the result of an artistic process.

It looks real and sounds real, but in a narrow sense it is fiction.

Only Porfirio tries to be himself in front of the camera.

VA: How does a Latin American director, born in Brazil and raised in Ecuador, end up with a Greek DoP? AL: I wanted to shoot in CinemaScope because I found this stretched format ideal to tell Porfirio’s story from his perspective – sort of at eye level – because he’s sitting in a wheel chair.

Often we enhanced this effect, keeping the camera so low that the heads of the people Porfirio is talking to get cut off at the top. Thimios’ work on his last film, Dogtooth (Greece, 2009, Director: Giorgos Lanthimos), which won the Prix Un Certain Regard and was nominated for a Foreign Language Oscar this year, caught my attention. Coincidentally, we had the same distributor in Spain; that’s how I ended up with a DVD of the film. I decided to get in touch with Thimios, which wasn’t easy because neither he nor I had an agent and we aren’t on Facebook or anywhere else for that matter. When I finally got hold of him I was already in Colombia. I called him from there to ask if he would like to make this film with me.

VA: So it was the specific look of his work that attracted you?

AL: The look, the CinemaScope format and the way he deals with the physical presence of an actor in a given room. It’s this feeling that the body is the prison of the soul, which he communicates with the camera in an almost physically painful way. In the case of Porfirio even more so, because he’s paralyzed. Plus, there’s a strong element in the Catholic tradition, which I too come from, to free the self by castigating the body. This resonates in Thimios’ work and convinced me that he was the right DoP for my film.

VA: You used a Moviecam and anamorphic Hawk lenses on Porfirio. What was the look you were going for?

A realistic one. Not in the sense of ‘documentary style realistic,’ but as close to reality as possible. In a way, I wanted to communicate the truth of the body in which Porfirio is caught and in which he has to find his way around the rooms he is in.

TB:

Thimios‘ compositions have a Christian-Byzantine quality to them. Always centered, from the front, almost two dimensional and without perspective.

AL:

VA: What was the technical collaboration with ARRI like?

AL: It would have been impossible for us to complete the film without ARRI because there’s no lab in Colombia. We sent the negatives, accompanied by quick prayers, via DHL to ARRI and waited for the call that everything was all right. Of course, something did go wrong. When 40 closed cans arrive from Colombia any customs agent gets suspicious. We had x-ray damage, which cost us half a week’s work, but it was rather reassuring to have such a strong, technologically well versed partner such as ARRI on your side. They viewed the material promptly and got back to us right away, telling us that everything was okay and we could keep going. Technologically, we were at the end of the world. The first dailies, for example, arrived about one and a half weeks after we started shooting.

VA: What do you expect from your distribution partner, ARRI Media World Sales?

AL: Naturally, we have high expectations. We already have a preliminary sales agreement with Colombia. ARRI believed in our film when it was still in the screenplay stage and we’re very thankful for that. Porfirio is definitely a difficult film, but there’s also something fresh about it and that’s why we believe it’s worth watching. I Ingo Klingspon

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Photos: Liam Daniel and Matt Nettheim © 2011 Big Talk Productions. All rights reserved.

VS Attack The Block, directed by Joe Cornish (The Adam and Joe Show) and starring Nick Frost (Paul, Shaun of the Dead) and Jodie Whittaker (Venus, St Trinians) is an alien invasion tale with a twist – instead of the usual LA or New York setting, these aliens touch down in a council estate in South London. Bad move.

Shot by DP Tom Townend, camera equipment was supplied by ARRI Media, while the lighting package came from ARRI Lighting Rental.

When Townend met first-time director Joe Cornish to discuss Attack The Block, they found a common affection for a certain genre of 1980s American movies that would influence the look of the shoot and lead to some creative challenges.

“Joe and I discussed the way films like The Terminator and The Warriors looked, particularly in street scenes at night, and why British films of that era look completely different,” says Townend.

There was a big discussion right at the start of the process about whether or not to shoot anamorphic. “Almost every film 22

Joe mentioned as a visual reference was shot either anamorphic or spherical 1:85:1, which were the two main options in the 1980s era. Plus, I had shot a commercial in anamorphic in a night setting that had caught Joe’s attention and was the reason he’d approached me in the first place,” Townend explains.

“However, I argued against it for this project. To shoot anamorphic would have required a much bigger budget; we’d have needed more lighting, more soft focus shots; we’d have been playing with half the depth of field. For me, it wasn’t an acceptable risk for the budget, and with the results we achieved I stand by that.”

Townend opted for two ARRICAM Lites for the main camera package, plus an ARRIFLEX 235. “Early on it was decided we’d run ‘A’ and ‘B’ cameras, so ARRICAM Lites made sense,” he says.

“It’s a fairly fast-paced film and they are lightweight, so Julian Morson [the ‘A’ camera operator] and I could easily lift them onto our shoulders to move about – although Joe wanted to avoid ‘shaky cam syndrome’ which has become something of a trope, and it’s a bit lazy as you can get away with more because the geography is not clear. Some of the praise we had from early screenings is that you can see what’s going on even during fast-paced action sequences.”

VISIONARRI XX xxx

ON SET: Joe Cornish (left) discusses a scene with Tom Townend (right)

The film was closely storyboarded for clarity and budgetary purposes, with the intention of getting most of the boarded shots with the ‘A’ camera, while using the ‘B’ camera (operated by Townend) only when appropriate to get supplemental material. However it soon became clear that, with a tight shooting schedule, having two cameras available to shoot from different angles was necessary to get all the shots required in the time available, and would also add more interest to the storytelling.

The ARRIFLEX 235 was used on exterior locations mainly for action sequences.

Townend explains, “It seemed like a natural choice, as someone often had to run around or shoot from vehicle to vehicle. We stripped right down to basics and often operated off a monitor for these scenes.”

There was also a section in the script that Cornish had simply marked, ‘This sequence in slow motion.’

“This was the dramatic climax of the film and it was an area where we really didn’t want to scrimp,” says Townend.

“All credit to the line producer James Biddle who understood that it would look so much better if we spent some money on a proper second unit.” The second unit filmed the sequence mainly using an ARRIFLEX 435 shooting 100 fps.

“We had five setups and seven shots,” continues the DP. “All were meticulously planned out because they involved pyrotechnics, live creature effects and some greenscreen effects to be comped in – it was very complex and time consuming.”

A set of Cooke S4 lenses was Townend’s choice for the shoot. “I’ve been a fan of Cookes since I first started out; I love the look they give,” he says. “I’m also very familiar with them so didn’t have to think about them, they just did what they were supposed to do.”

Townend mainly used focal lengths ranging from 25-75 mm, with 16 mm and 18 mm used for one or two studio shots and a short zoom for a couple of night shoots. One small snag was that Cornish wanted plenty of lens flare…

“And of course the main selling point of Cookes is that you can shoot into light without any flare! But I believe if you want something, you should make it happen rather than just let it happen,” says Townend.

The lighting of those 1980s American films presented a further challenge, especially with a limited budget and space restrictions. “The street lighting in 1980s America was mercury vapour, which gives off a cold blue-green light, in comparison to the UK with its orange glow of sodium vapour light,” explains Townend. “Much of our film is set on a South London council estate at night, and I rashly promised Joe that I would give him the blue-green light – but as it turned out it was impossible to completely avoid the orange, so we had to embrace it.”

The production wasn’t able to use cherry pickers on the estate due to cost and space, so Townend and the gaffer, Julian White, installed 18K lights on ARRI MaxMover stirrups on some rooftops of the blocks of flats. “The fact that we could remotely control and angle them was a lifesaver, as it meant we could shoot in several directions,” says Townend. “Otherwise there was very

little in the way of traditional lighting fixtures. We had a selection of ARRI lamps – both sodium and mercury – but there was no point using gels. If you want a street light, why not use the street light that’s there? We wanted a gritty, real look so we decided to make it authentic in a heightened way, and bring out the oranges and blues that were there.”

Creating the sinister alien creatures themselves led to some interesting experiments, as Cornish was determined that they should be achieved mainly on the screen rather than with CGI. “He had this great idea that we would make them jet black and non-reflective, so that all you can see is the outline,” says Townend. “How we were going to do that was up for grabs at that point!

Several different ideas were tested, including a material that could be keyed, but it was a struggle because they needed to be shot under different lighting conditions and colors. In the end we kept the light off them as best we could – in a few instances we heavily backlit them, particularly if they were against a black background. This influenced a lot of shooting and lighting decisions as they had to look good.” The creatures were refined in post to paint off reflections and achieve the matte look that Cornish wanted.

The DI grade was completed at Technicolor by Asa Shoul. “He did a great job and we didn’t tamper with it too much after his first pass,” says Townend. “The look of the film was always going to be dictated by the way it was lit; we didn’t alter the contrast or color much, it was just a case of balancing everything out. It was only my second experience of grading a film and putting a version out to film, and it was a very smooth, pleasant experience – much like the shoot as a whole.”

Attack The Block was released in the UK on 11 May 2011. I Wendy Mattock

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The evolution of

ARRIRAW Since a successful first test phase in January, filmmakers have come to realize that ARRIRAW delivers the best possible image quality from the ARRI ALEXA CMOS sensor, selecting the format for several major motion picture and commercial productions this year. Additionally, most postproduction facilities now have tools in place to support an ARRIRAW workflow, making it the natural selection for delivering uncompromised image quality, cost-effectively.

Nevertheless, some people still ask the following‌

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VISIONARRI

What’s the point of ARRIRAW? We all know that ALEXA already records great-looking images, and there is clearly a measureable cost benefit of recording in-camera with ProRes 4444.

So what is the real advantage in capturing with ARRIRAW? Some camera formats compress the RAW sensor image down to a manageable file size to allow recording in-camera. Once recorded, the image is decompressed and reconstructed (deBayered) as part of the postproduction process. This procedure results in visible artifacts and the inaccurate rendering of colors. ALEXA ARRIRAW recordings are different in that they are uncompressed, uncompromised and compression artifact-free, making it the perfect choice for high-end cinematic applications.

The ARRIRAW image needs to be recorded in a special way, using ARRI’s Transport Link (T-link) interface to a certified recorder – capable of recording at a data rate almost 10 times higher than ALEXA’s in-camera recording technology. ARRIRAW footage can then be reliably transported on data magazines and easily ingested into postproduction systems for real-time quality control and cost-effective dailies.

The original ARRIRAW files can be archived for use at a later date – a process entirely analogous to traditional film capture, where film negative is processed, scanned into a DI pipeline for dailies and then archived for future use.

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THE EVOLUTION OF ARRIRAW

Who can work with ARRIRAW files?

Why shoot ARRIRAW?

The same advancements in image processing, viewing and storage media that revolutionized the digital stills industry have unlocked the potential for manipulating RAW images in the broadcast and movie industries. ARRI is openly working with over 30 software and hardware partners to bring creative and efficient digital workflow tools to the market. Almost any postproduction facility in the world now has the ability to work with ARRIRAW files, with new features and increased levels of performance becoming available every day. A full list of partners can be found at: www.arridigital.com/contacts/partnerprogram

• It delivers the best possible digital alternative to capturing on 35 mm film

What’s the benefit of ARRIRAW for visual effects applications?

These key attributes make the transition from film to digital a much more transparent process for cinematographers and directors, who place a high value on preserving image quality, retaining creative flexibility and working with repeatable production processes. Based on the purity of image and simplicity of workflow, and the speed at which the format has been embraced, the future of ARRIRAW for major motion pictures and high-end commercials seems assured. I

ALEXA’s ProRes in-camera recording system produces wonderfully clean 1920 x 1080 HD images, ideal for most visual effects (VFX) applications. Recording with ALEXA in ARRIRAW mode will allow the full 16:9 sensor resolution of up to 3072 x 1728 to be recorded, and currently a 2880 x 1620 image is captured in compatible recorders. With ARRIRAW, VFX teams can now choose to work with either a downscaled HD or 2K image, or for optimum quality a 3K ARRIRAW image, increasing flexibility in image manipulation and improving finished quality in VFX-heavy applications.

• It is uncompressed and unencrypted – all the way from scene to screen – guaranteeing the purity of the image • It does not ‘bake-in’ any camera settings, so features such as White Balance can be adjusted in post • The ARRIRAW image capture and archival process follows a more traditional, film-like workflow

ARRIRAW compliant recorders CERTIFIED FOR

T-LINK

ALEXA

26

ARRI continues to work with recorder manufacturers and partners on ARRIRAW T-link compliance testing. The Codex OnBoard was the first recorder to be certified, and is already being used on ARRIRAW productions worldwide. The OB-1 recorder from S.two is also now certified.

VISIONARRI

ARRI Versatility meets efficiency At NAB 2011 ARRI introduced a new generation of LED-based Fresnel lights. The ARRI L-Series represents a major step forward in the integration of LED technology into the film and broadcast industries.

27

ARRI L-SERIES

Familiar functionality, breakthrough performance Whereas other LED fixtures have taken forms that demand sacrifices in the quality of lighting designs, the L-Series is unique in that it fits perfectly into established working practices. This means that lighting designers will not have to adapt their creative techniques, nor will studios have to change their operating procedures; conventional Fresnels can be exchanged for L-Series Fresnels on a like-for-like basis, achieving substantial and immediate cost savings with minimal disruption.

Three models, 12 configurations Launching the L-Series are three LED Fresnel units that are comparable in intensity to a conventional 1K Fresnel.

The L7-D, L7-T and L7-C all share the same basic housing and the same 7�

Fresnel lens. They differ in terms of color temperature, with the D model outputting a daylight-equivalent 5600 K, the T model a tungsten-equivalent 3200 K, and the top-of-the-range C model offering total color control.

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A secure, upgradeable investment One of the key attributes of the L-Series is that it is an expandable system platform. Not only will further models be released as technology advances, but all models employ a future-proof architecture with upgradeable light engines, controls and optical accessories. Investment in the L-Series is therefore a safe, long term strategy for keeping up with the latest technological innovations.

The versatility of a true fresnel Fresnel lights are workhorses of the industry and the L-Series fixtures are the first LED-based units to truly match their performance and versatility. With continuous focusability from spot to flood and defined, single shadow rendition, the L-Series produces an even light field that is exceptionally smooth and homogenous.

Barndoors and flags can be used to cut and shape the light in exactly the same way as with conventional Fresnels, giving designers the creative options

they depend on. Color distribution is consistent and uniform, while high color rendition ensures pleasing, true-to-life images. On the L7-T and L7-D models, the broad spectrum white light ensures excellent rendition of skin tones and colors, while the L7-C allows precise manipulation of intensity, color temperature, green-magenta point, hue and saturation.

The efficiency of LED L7 fixtures consume 75% less power than conventional tungsten Fresnels. The lack of forward heat makes for a more pleasant work environment, but it also vastly reduces the need for air conditioning, further minimizing energy consumption. In addition, the highly durable LED light engine is resistant to power fluctuations and rated to last around 200 times longer than a traditional tungsten lamp. Taken together with other attributes such as built-in dimming, these efficiencies add up to extremely significant cost savings.

VISIONARRI

On-board control options All of the L-Series models can be configured with or without an on-board controller. In studio setups, lights are likely to be controlled remotely by DMX, whereas on location, manual on-board controls will be of tremendous benefit; this will especially be the case with color tuneable models such as the L7-C. Preset buttons allow a look to be stored in the fixture and recalled later, and since two individual presets can be stored, an operator can easily switch between two different looks.

Cooling options The other configuration option is the cooling assembly, again directed primarily at catering to location and studio applications. To satisfy the

rigorous sound requirements of modern broadcast studios, the unique L-Series passive cooling system incorporates no moving parts or fans and is therefore completely silent; it can be used in ambient air temperatures of up to 35°C. Alternatively, the active cooling system uses an extremely quiet (<20 dB) fan and provides a compact and lightweight option for location shoots in temperatures of up to 50°C.

ARRI quality All three L7 fixtures embody ARRI’s 75 years of experience in manufacturing Fresnel lights for film and broadcast professionals. Like other ARRI products they are rugged, reliable and built specifically for the most demanding environments, with an IP54 rating earned for resistance to sand, dust, rain and spray. I

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Bel Ami Based on the 1885 novel by Guy de Maupassant, Bel Ami is the feature debut of renowned theatre directors Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod, who founded the highly successful international theatre company Cheek

by Jowl in 1981. The film stars teen heartthrob Robert Pattinson as Georges Duroy, a humble Parisian clerk who rises to social prominence by manipulating and seducing a succession of powerful women. Filming took place in London and Budapest, where cinematographer Stefano Falivene made use of camera equipment supplied by ARRI Media and a lighting kit provided by ARRI Lighting Rental.

What was it like working with first-time film directors who were coming from the world of theatre?

VisionARRI:

Stefano Falivene: It actually wasn’t hard because they had a strong idea of what they wanted. Perhaps they weren’t able to express it in technical terms, but they made it clear enough.

Also, the script was very well written and it was easy for everyone to understand what was required. Unfortunately I jumped onto the movie rather late so I had no time to prep with them, but they were both very kind and very precise. It was especially helpful that they started each day by rehearsing with the actors on set, because it gave me time to understand what atmosphere they wanted for the scene. Obviously we would pre-light the day before, but the real lighting would be adjusted after the rehearsal, which made it much easier for me.

VA: Was Georges Duroy’s upward journey through society mirrored with any transitions in the visual approach?

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In the first part of the movie, when he is poor, we tried to make the images seem dirty. Then during his passage to becoming rich you start to notice that something is changing with the picture. In the beginning we see him in a brothel in old Paris, surrounded by prostitutes; it’s very cold, very dirty, and you feel that the people around him are bad people.

His journey upwards begins when he meets another soldier that has become rich and after that the picture becomes gradually warmer.

SF:

We really just did it with the lighting. Declan and Nick referenced Toulouse Lautrec when we were speaking about what kind of atmosphere they wanted for the brothel. To get that look I felt we needed strong shafts of light providing backlight and a lot of contrast. The scene was shot at an old pumping station in the East End of London; we lit it from above with ARRI T12 and Source Four lights, giving us as much freedom to move the camera as possible. There was an existing metal grid in the roof so we had a lot of light coming through that to create strange shadows on the ground and it looked really good.

VISIONARRI

VA: Aside from reflecting Duroy’s social ascendance, did you develop different looks for other themes or locations?

There was a lot of discussion at the start about whether we could incorporate electric light fixtures as practical sources, because the book was published at the very beginnings of electricity being used to light buildings. We did use bulbs for the richer houses, but there were also a lot of flame-based sources, so my solution was generally to keep the light quite warm. An exception to that was in the apartment of a character called Madeleine Forestier; the directors felt that she was a very cold person who controls everybody around her and they wanted her apartment to feel cold. So the lighting at that location is colder than the rest of the movie.

SF:

Were there difficulties lighting real locations in London and Budapest?

VA:

For the last scene in the film, in a church, the directors wanted the church doors to open and everything to become overexposed, with the movie finishing on the white light. The ending is completely different now, but that was the idea when we shot it. Unfortunately there was a misunderstanding about where we were allowed to position lights, but we found a solution by putting a couple of ARRIMAX 18Ks just around the corner.

We carried two ARRIMAX lights with us for the shoot and they were very useful

SF:

for a hard sun highlight or nice rim light from a distance. At another location in London – an old factory – we had three big windows and there was only room for one cherry picker, so we did it with a single ARRIMAX. John Colley, the gaffer, was brilliant; he was a really good man and he supported me a lot. I do have another gaffer that I use all the time and who knows me very well, but it wasn’t possible to get him on this film because it had already started shooting. I hadn’t worked with John before but after just two days we understood each other completely – he was a real professional.

VA: Were you content to be shooting with the ARRICAM Studio and Lite when you joined the production?

Absolutely – I use the ARRICAM system in Italy whenever I can, and if there is no budget then I might choose the ARRIFLEX 535, but it will be an ARRI camera. The only thing I changed when I jumped on the movie was the lenses – I brought in Cooke S4s. I’ve been using Cookes for a long time and traditionally they are associated with a warmer, more romantic look, so they were the right choice for this film.

SF:

VA: Did you operate a camera yourself?

Normally I operated the second camera, and I brought Stuart Howell onto the production to operate A-camera

SF:

and Steadicam, though Robert Patzelt took over for the last week. Stuart helped me a lot because he had a good relationship with the directors and if I was lighting a complicated setup then he would think about the scene and break it down with them.

VA: Was there a lot of camera movement and Steadicam work?

I love to shoot Steadicam when Steadicam is really necessary; if it’s not necessary then I prefer the dolly. There was a love scene between Robert and Kristin Scott Thomas where we decided to turn around them two or three times on a long lens and the only way to shoot it was with Steadicam. We had a lot of Steadicam shots but we used a lot of track too. We weren’t trying to be clever with the camera, but it’s not a static movie either – we moved only when we really needed to move.

SF:

VA: How has the postproduction been; have you done the grade?

I just finished the grade and I’ve seen the first tests on film, which were done with an ARRILASER. The grade was only two weeks, which is quite quick, because I prefer to do things in the traditional way as much as possible.

I didn’t change a lot in the DI because I had enough time on set to prepare each scene as I wanted it and the color was very good, so two weeks was enough. I

SF:

Mark Hope-Jones

31

PRODUCT

UPDATES

The latest developments to the ARRI ALEXA camera system Truly cinematic image quality in combination with efficient workflows has resulted in a blindingly fast adoption of ALEXA in the industry. The camera’s unique features and great flexibility have seen it shine not only on major 2D and 3D feature films, but everything from international television series, commercials and soap operas to music videos, documentaries and video art. Crews everywhere appreciate the fact that ALEXA is a true ARRI camera – robust, reliable, and tailored to the demanding requirements of a professional set.

With hundreds of cameras in the field, ARRI is receiving an enormous amount of positive feedback from customers worldwide, including many suggestions on how to further improve ALEXA. These suggestions, combined with ARRI’s internal list of new features, have led to a number of product updates that will make the ALEXA system an even more versatile toolset.

ALEXA Software Update Package 4.0 Some major updates and significant improvements comprise Software Update Package 4.0, here are the most important features: Audio Playback

RETURN IN

Playback of audio (in addition to images) from SxS PRO cards through the headphones jack and embedded in the HD-SDI stream for HD-SDI and ARRIRAW T-link output.

The RETURN IN connector can accept a video signal that will be shown at the push of a button on the viewfinder and on the MON OUT output.

Peaking

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Fan Low Mode

A focus check for the viewfinder and MON OUT output.

When this mode is on, the fan will run slower during recording, to reduce the noise in hot environments.

Auto White Balance

Test Signals

In addition to the wide range of white balance options already available, the new Auto White Balance can automatically determine the red/blue white balance and green/magenta CC values when the camera is pointed at a white surface.

SMPTE color bars and a number of other test signals will be available, including 1 KHz audio tone, directly from ALEXA outputs.

VISIONARRI

ALEXA anamorphic de-squeeze In order to properly view the image when shooting with 2x or 1.3x anamorphic lenses, a de-squeeze function for the ALEXA viewfinder and the MON OUT output can be activated via a license. It is now possible for the operator to independently switch between four different modes for the viewfinder and MON OUT when shooting with anamorphic lenses:

• Anamorphic de-squeeze off (in record and playback modes) • Anamorphic de-squeeze 2x (in record and playback modes) • Anamorphic de-squeeze 2x and magnify (in record mode only) • Anamorphic de-squeeze 1.3x (in record and playback modes) All four modes are available with or without surround view

In development: ALEXA High Speed An exciting feature currently in development is the new ALEXA High Speed mode. When switched to High Speed mode, ALEXA and ALEXA Plus cameras can run from 60 to 120 fps; in order to make this possible, ARRI has created a method of pushing full sensor images through the ALEXA hardware at higher frame rates. This does not involve windowing, but instead uses the full size of ALEXA’s 35 mm format sensor.

Depth of field and angle of view are therefore exactly the same for Regular and High Speed modes.

ALEXA & ALEXA Plus regular speed mode • ProRes 422 (HQ) and lesser codecs: 0.75 to 60 fps • ProRes 4444: 0.75 to 40 fps ALEXA & ALEXA Plus High Speed mode • ProRes 422 (HQ) and lesser codecs: 60 to 120 fps

Enabling the High Speed mode involved reworking the camera’s image processing; as a result, there are some differences between the two speed modes. In High Speed mode, the traditional REC OUT output is not available, and the signal from the MON OUT output will be routed to REC OUT. Additionally, an Auto White Balance can only be set in Regular Speed mode, although it can then also be used in High Speed mode. ALEXA High Speed mode is expected to be available by IBC 2011. I

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ALEXA web tools The Digital Workflow Solutions group within ARRI has developed a number of online web tools to improve the knowledge and resources available to cinematographers, camera operators, DITs, editors, colorists and VFX supervisors involved in ARRI ALEXA workflows.

ALEXA LUT Generator Lookup tables, or LUTs, transform input data into a more desirable output format.

When shooting with ALEXA, this typically involves applying conversion values to material captured in Log C in order to make corrected images available both on set and in postproduction. Without the LUT, Log C images recorded by ALEXA would bear little relation to the world as we see it.

LUTs can also be created in order to give a production a unique look, or multiple unique looks. The ALEXA LUT Generator webpage allows productions to select or generate standard conversion LUTs out of the many available combinations and download those that are suitable to their needs.

These LUTs are provided as supporting tools for ALEXA productions. As specific needs vary on a project-by-project basis and third party LUT formats are subject to change, ARRI recommends that LUTs are tested before being used on a production.

The LUT files can be created in more than 20 different formats for a wide range of software and hardware systems.

For Log C images, they are divided into four categories: • Preview of Log C images on set • Conversion of Log C images for dailies • Color correction of Log C images with a conversion LUT in the display path • Round trip conversion of Log C to linear data in a VFX workflow The Log C to video conversion LUTs mimic the color processing in the ALEXA camera.

Hence, Log C images converted or previewed with these LUTs will look like the Rec 709 (video) output of the camera.

Visitors to the webpage will need to register before accessing the LUTs. This allows ARRI to inform users of any updates or improvements to image processing tools. www.arridigital.com/technical/luts

ALEXA Camera Simulator The ALEXA Camera Simulator is an interactive training tool for operators who want to familiarize themselves with the menu navigation of the ARRI ALEXA digital camera. The simulator’s main user interface shows an identical simulation of the ALEXA side panel, with current software version.

Using a mouse to move the cursor over ALEXA’s buttons and jog wheel allows every menu option to be accessed, while for those with a touchscreen display the simulation is even closer to the real thing.

In this way anyone with internet access can quickly learn the straightforward and logical ALEXA menu system, before they even get their hands on the camera itself. www.arridigital.com/technical/simulator

ALEXA Frame Line Composer A standard set of frame lines is provided in each camera by default. As of ALEXA software version 3.0, there are extended possibilities inside the camera for the user to create individualized frame lines in accordance with their personal preferences.

The ALEXA Frame Line Composer allows customized frame lines to be created online. These frame lines can be downloaded and saved not only in the necessary file format, but also as a full-size image that can be used later as a frame leader in editorial and postproduction. I www.arridigital.com/technical/aflc

34

VISIONARRI

News from around the world ARRI Media hosts the APA In March 2011 ARRI Media hosted an event for the Advertising Producers Association (APA).

ARRI Media’s product evening provided the 70 students with a unique opportunity to learn more about the equipment that they would encounter on a shoot. They were split into four groups that rotated between four mini-classes covering digital camera systems, film camera systems, lighting, and grip equipment.

OLIVER LONCRAINE (left) talks about the role of the DoP, supported

by Paul Swann (right) from ARRI Media

“We think that the ARRI Media event is an essential part of the Masterclass program,” says Rebecca Glover, Production Training Co-ordinator, APA. “The practical production knowledge on offer fills in so many gaps for young producers, and allows them to ask the questions they don’t have time for on shoots.”

Harriet Cannon, Business Manager, ARRI Media, says, “We feel it is very important to support training programmes like this in order to provide continuing education to people progressing through the industry.

The APA evening was a great success and we look forward to welcoming the next set of trainees.”

For more about the APA visit www.a-p-a.net

As well as ARRI Media’s expert camera technicians, the company also brought in a couple of freelance technicians to convey their wealth of practical experience. Oliver Loncraine explained the role of the DoP in the making of a commercial and Jem Morton the role of a grip. The lighting session was led by ARRI Focus, which specialises in short term lighting hire for commercials and promos.

GEORGE MARTIN from ARRI Focus gives an overview of lighting equipment

The APA is a trade association that represents the interests of UK production and post-production companies making commercials. One of the services it offers to members is the Masterclass program, a 13 week training course aimed at young production managers and production assistants who wish to become producers. Competition for the comprehensive course is fierce as it guides trainees through the entire production process of a commercial, from conception with the client and creatives, through the shoot, and finally to post-production.

35

NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

News from around the world ARRI Media appoints new management team ARRI Media has made two new managerial appointments; Russell Allen has been promoted to General Manager and Harriet Cannon to Business Manager.

RUSSELL ALLEN

The new team officially stepped into their roles at the beginning of the year. Allen has taken on responsibility for the day to day operation of the company, whilst also continuing to oversee his previous role of managing ARRI Media’s feature and drama work. Cannon will provide support, working alongside Allen to assist in the smooth running of the business.

As devoted employees for many years, both have a well-regarded reputation with ARRI Media’s existing clients and between them bring over 40 years of industry experience to their new positions. Together, they will play a fundamental role in ensuring the company continues to deliver for its clients, both now and in the future.

HARRIET CANNON

“I am looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead,” says Allen. “The industry has undergone

significant change in the last year with the emergence of new and exciting technologies. In order to make sure we continue to meet the changing needs of the market, ARRI Media has invested in cutting-edge products such as the ARRI ALEXA camera system and 3ality Digital’s stereoscopic 3D shooting systems.”

On the new management structure, Allen comments, “Harriet and I will be working closely together to ensure we operate effectively and efficiently at all levels, providing the products, service and support that our customers demand.”

ARRI Media 3 Highbridge, Oxford Road Uxbridge UB8 1LX Tel: +44 1895 457100 Email: rallen@arrimedia.com hcannon@arrimedia.com

ARRI Film & TV Services bring Josef Reidinger back on board as General Manager Josef Reidinger has assumed the role of General Manager at ARRI Film & TV Services GmbH as of May 1, succeeding Thomas Till who departed in early 2011.

He returns to Türkenstrasse in Munich, the place he called his professional home for many years, after departing in early 2009 to head postproduction at the Constantin Film Group. In his new capacity as General Manager of ARRI Film & TV, he will be responsible for Munich, Berlin and Cologne.

Reidinger moved up through the ranks on the lab side of the business and during his previous time with ARRI led the staff, first in his capacity as the head of the lab and later as the head of postproduction, in the transition from analogue to digital. The experience he gained in production on the client side over the course of the past two years at Constantin Film will be invaluable in his new role.

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Commenting on his appointment as General Manager, Reidinger says, “I’m looking forward to collaborating with the management and staff to meet the challenges involved in strengthening and expanding ARRI Film & TV’s position as the leading postproduction house in Germany. The main items on the agenda include issues such as Stereo 3D, the switch from analogue to digital acquisition and distribution, and the technological changes in postproduction. It is my goal not only to work even more closely and in a more project-oriented manner with our current clients, but also to tap into new markets.”

ARRI Film & TV Services GmbH Türkenstrasse 89 D-80799 Munich Tel: +49 89 3809 2244 Email: jreidinger@arri.de

JOSEF REIDINGER

“We are delighted to have Josef Reidinger back on board,” says Franz Kraus, Managing Director of ARRI. “He possesses an incredible wealth of experience in all aspects of postproduction and in many areas of filmmaking in general. Clients and staff alike hold him in high regard.” Dr. Martin Prillmann, also Managing Director of ARRI, adds: “I am convinced that Mr. Reidinger will lead and advance the postproduction arm of our company – a realm that is currently undergoing massive changes everywhere – with foresight and understanding.”

VISIONARRI

News from around the world

ARRI Rental Berlin moves to new premises At the beginning of the year ARRI Rental Berlin moved to new 3000-square-metre premises in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin.

The move, driven by ARRI Rental Berlin’s continuing commitment to customer service, means the company now has more space than in its previous location.

Ute Baron, Branch Manager, explains: “Our primary goal was not to expand, but to modernize and streamline in order to offer our clients the best possible service.” ARRI Rental Berlin now has far better testing and loading capabilities at its new premises, where up to five productions can easily be serviced and supported simultaneously.

Clients are not the only ones to benefit from the new location; employees are also much more comfortable in the bright, modern surroundings.

The room layouts are tailored to daily work processes and logistics.

As well as supplying camera, lighting and dolly grip equipment, the largest branch of ARRI Rental Germany, in close collaboration with ARRI Film & TV Berlin, specializes in providing complex solutions for 2D/3D formats and offers production-related services for all major digital recording formats. For example, Paramount Picture’s Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters at Studio Babelsberg relies on ARRI Rental's comprehensive 3D expertise.

As a system provider for this production, the Berlin branch is supplying a package that includes up to ten ALEXA digital cameras, three stereo camera rigs and all the necessary on-set 3D playback and viewing systems. The uncompressed ARRIRAW data stream is recorded to Codex OnBoard recorders.

ARRI Rental Berlin is also providing the 3D

production with a full package of lighting and grip equipment, including telescopic camera cranes and remote heads. ARRI Film & TV Services is on set with its self-contained 3D On-set Service Trailer, allowing data transfer and archiving, quality control, daily grading, screening and rendering to be handled in the immediate vicinity of the shoot.

The Berlin branch offers its clients the latest technology, maintained by well-trained and qualified employees, and clients can rely on the company’s vast experience in working with film productions of all sizes. The focus is always on customer service and continuous improvement of support and services. A variety of workshops are also available or being developed.

Ute Baron adds: “The main benefit of this move is that it enables us to better serve our clients and allows us to meet any future challenges that the film industry may hold in store for us. The ARRI Rental Berlin team looks forward to them.”

ARRI Rental Germany GmbH Berlin Branch Gaussstrasse 17 10589 Berlin Tel: +49 30 346 8000 www.arri-rental.com

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PRODUCTION UPDATE

ARRI RENTAL Title

Production Company

Director

DoP

Equipment

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters Fünf Freunde Mister Pip Russendisko Titanic Türkisch für Anfänger Zettl

17. Babelsberg Film/ Paramount Pictures SamFilm Mr. Pip Ltd. Black Forest Films Mid Atlantic Films Rat Pack Filmproduktion Diana Film

Tommy Wirkola

Michael Bonvillain

Mike Marzuk Andrew Adamson Oliver Schmitz Jon Jones Bora Dagtekin Helmut Dietl

Bernhard Jasper John Toon Tetsuo Nagata Adam Suschitzky Benjamin Dernbecher Frank Griebe

The Raven

Pioneer Productions

James McTeigue

Dany Ruhlman

Henker & Richter Überleben an der Wickelfront Die Fischerhäuser Tatort – Ein ganz normaler Fall

Eikon Media Ziegler Film

Joseph Orr Titus Selge

Günter Handwerker Frank Blau

ARRI ALEXA, Stereotec Mid Size 3D Rig, Freestyle 3D Rig, Lighting, Grip ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Grip ARRI ALEXA ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Grip ARRI ALEXA, Grip ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Grip ARRICAM Studio & Lite 3-Perforation, Lighting, Grip ARRICAM Studio & Lite, ARRIFLEX 435 & 235 3-Perforation, Grip ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Grip ARRI ALEXA, Lighting

die film TV60Filmproduktion

Johannes Fabrick Torsten C. Fischer

Helmut Pirnat Hagen Bogdanski

ARRIFLEX 416, Lighting, Grip ARRIFLEX 416, Lighting, Grip

ARRI LIGHTING RENTAL Title

Production Company

Director

DoP

Gaffer

Best Boy

Jack the Giant Killer Dark Shadows Gambit The Iron Lady 360 Doc Martin (Series 5) Silent Witness (Series 15) Spooks (Series 10) The Hour

Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures Shabandar Productions Iron Lady (DJ films) 360 Films Buffalo Pictures BBC

Bryan Singer Tim Burton Michael Hoffman Phyllida Lloyd Fernando Meirelles Paul Seed Keith Boak

Newton Thomas Sigel Bruno Delbonnel Florian Ballhaus Elliot Davis Adriano Goldman Simon Archer BSC John Conroy

Eddie Knight Chuck Finch Paul McGeaghan Mark Clayton Andy Long John Walker Alex Scott

Stewart Monteith Billy Merrell Will Kendal Benny Harper Mark Hanlon Mark Keeling Rob Osbourne

Kudos Film & Television Kudos Film & Television

Stuart King Stuart King

Russell Tann Steve Anthony

What to Do When Someone Dies Lost Christmas Him & Her (Series 2) Mongrels (Series 2) Fast Freddie Spy

Sally Head Productions

Bharat Nalluri James Welland Harry Bradbeer, Chris Seager BSC Coky Giedroyc, Jamie Payne Tim Fywell Tony Miller

Steve Blake

Tom McGinley

Impact Film & Television Big Talk Productions BBC STV Productions Hat Trick Productions

John Hay Richard Laxton Adam Miller David Richards Ben Taylor

Tom Gates Fritz Henry Colin Thwaites Pat Sweeney John Colley

Phil Hurst

Graham Frake Rob Kitzmann Jamie Cairney Chris Seager BSC Magni Agustsson

Darren Harvey Martin Conway Vince Madden

ARRI CSC Title

Production Company DoP/Lighting Director Gaffer

Equipment

Serviced by

Tooth Fairy 2 The Finder (Pilot) The Glades

Fox US Productions TCFTV Productions TVM Productions Inc.

Drew Davidson

ARRI ALEXA ARRI ALEXA ARRI ALEXA

ARRI CSC FL ARRI CSC FL ARRI CSC FL

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Men in Black III

20th Century Fox

Levie Isaacks ASC Sid Sidell Lloyd Ahern, Jaime Reynoso Caleb Deschanel

Paul Olinde

ARRI ALEXA

ARRI CSC NJ

Columbia Pictures

Bill Pope

ASC

Bill O’Leary

New Year’s Eve Extremly Loud and Incredibly Close Artemis

New Line Cinema Warner Brothers

Charles Minsky ASC Chris Menges ASC, BSC

Ken Shibata Bill O’Leary

ARRICAM with HD-IVS, ARRI ARRI CSC NJ ALEXA 2nd Unit, Lighting, Grip ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Grip ARRI CSC NJ ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Grip ARRI CSC NJ

Lionsgate

Tom Stern

Ross Dunkerley

We Bought a Zoo

20th Century Fox

Rodrigo Prieto

The Voice

Mark Burnett

Oscar Dominguez

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ASC

ASC, AFC ASC, AMC

Randy Woodside Sam Barker

ARRICAM 3-Perforation with HD-IVS Conventional Lighting & Cable Distribution Automated Lighting

Illumination Dynamics NC Illumination Dynamics LA Illumination Dynamics LA

VISIONARRI

ARRI FILM & TV - POST PRODUCTION SERVICES - FEATURES Title

Production Company Director

DoP

Services

Anleitung zum Unglücklichsein Confessions d’un enfant du siècle Der Schrei des Adlers Fünf Freunde

Desert Flower Integral Film

Sherry Horman Sylvia Verheyde

Wojciech Szepel Nicolas Gaurin

Lab, DI, HD-Mastering, VFX, Sound Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering, Lab

Aethos Pictures SamFilm

Otmar Penkar Mike Marzuk

Gerald Salmina Bernhard Jasper

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters Jesus Loves Me

17. Babelsberg Film/ Paramount Pictures UFA Cinema

Tommy Wirkola

Michael Bonvillain

Lab, DI, HD-Mastering Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering, VFX, Sound, Lab On Set Dailies 3D/2D

Florian David Fitz

Stefan Unterberger

Kleine Morde

Adnan G. Köse

James Jacobs

That’s All The Domino Effect Türkisch für Anfänger

Steelworx Film Produktion 23/5 Filmproduktion The Domino Effect B.V. Rat Pack Filmproduktion

Hans-Christian Schmid Paula van der Oest Bora Dagtekin

Zettl

Diana Film

Helmut Dietl

Bogumil Godfrejow Lab, DI, HD-Mastering, VFX, Sound Guido van Gennep DI, HD-Mastering, Lab Benjamin Dernbecher Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering, VFX, Sound, Lab Frank Griebe Lab, DI, HD-Mastering

Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering, Sound, Lab Lab, DI, HD-Mastering

ARRI FILM & TV - POST PRODUCTION SERVICES - COMMERCIALS Client

Title

Agency

Production

Director

DoP

Adelholzener Alpenquellen GmbH McDonald’s Deutschland Inc.

Active 02

Heye & Partner

Chris Patterson

Chris Patterson

Danke dafür

Heye & Partner

Jörgen Lööw

Frank Griebe

McDonald’s Deutschland Inc.

Grand Royal

Heye & Partner

Jörgen Lööw

Kjell Lagerroos

McDonald’s Deutschland Inc.

Prime Chicken

Heye & Partner

Hager Moss Commercial GmbH Hager Moss Commercial GmbH Hager Moss Commercial GmbH e+p commercial

Jan Bonny

playmobil Triumph Global Sales AG Wort & Bild Verlag

playmobil 2011 Shape Sensation Apothekenumschau 2011 One Origin.

Two Originals Hipp Combiotik Powertool Q3 Qube Barcelona

Nicolai von Graevenitz Peter Aichholzer Nik Summerer Christoph Cico Nicolaisen Sebastian Pfaffenbichler Jens Maasboel Jaques Stein

BMW Hipp GmbH & Co. Vetrieb KG Robert Bosch GmbH Audi

Bloom Project

e+p commercial Reiner Holzemer Lüthje Schneider Hörl Jan Voss made in munich Mark Seydlitz

Serviceplan Hamburg

GAP films

Marco Grandia

Serviceplan München Interone KMS

embassy PI_group Lucie_p

Susanne Dittrich Jaques Stein

ARRI MEDIA Title

Production Company

Director

DoP

Equipment

Jack the Giant Killer

Warner Bros. Pictures

Bryan Singer

Newton Thomas Sigel

Sinbad Gambit

Impossible Pictures Shabandar Productions

Andy Wilson Michael Hoffman

Gavin Finney BSC Florian Ballhaus

Gravity

Warner Bros. Pictures

Alfonso Cuaron

360

360 Films

Fernando Meirelles

Emmanuel Lubezki ASC, AMC Adriano Goldman

3ality Digital S3D Rigs, Ultra Primes, Cranes, Remote Heads ARRI ALEXA Codex Onboard Recorders, Camera Support, Grip ARRI ALEXA, Grip, Cranes

Doc Martin (Series 5) Downton Abbey (Series 2)

Buffalo Pictures Carnival Film & Television

The Jury The Hour

ITV Studios Kudos Film & Television

Paul Seed Andy Goddard, Brian Kelly, Ashley Pearce Michael Offer Harry Bradbeer, Coky Giedroyc, Jamie Payne Ben Palmer

Ben Wheeler

ARRI ALEXA, Grip

Dexter Fletcher David O’Neill

George Richmond Jean-Philippe Gossart

ARRI ALEXA, Grip ARRIFLEX D-21

Ben Caron, Sarah Pia Anderson

Tony Slater-Ling, Fabian Wagner

ARRIFLEX D-21, Grip

The Inbetweeners Movie Bwark Productions, Young Films Wild Bill 20ten Media Law & Order: UK Kudos Film & Television (Series 3) Scott and Bailey Red Production Company

Simon Archer BSC Gavin Struthers

ARRICAM Lite 3-Perforation, ARRIFLEX 416, Ultra Primes, Grip ARRIFLEX 416 ARRI ALEXA, Grip

Tim Fleming Chris Seager

ARRI ALEXA, Grip ARRIFLEX D-21, Grip

BSC

Published by the ARRI Rental Group Marketing Department. 3 Highbridge, Oxford Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1LX United Kingdom The opinions expressed by individuals quoted in articles in VisionARRI do not necessarily represent those of the ARRI Rental Group or the editors. Due to our constant endeavour to improve quality and design, modifications may be made to products from time to time. Details of availability and specifications given in this publication are subject to change without notice.

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