Digital Studio by ITP Business Publishing

TV & FILM PRODUCTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Your Link to HD

Visit Belden at CABSAT, booth ZB-2

An ITP Business Publication

Vol. 11 Issue 3 March 2009

I N N O V A T I O N

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TV & FILM PRODUCTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

T A S 9 UE CAB 0 0 2 W ISS SHO

N O I T C U D O PR

N E V I R D UA

od u r p E

v up e r rs

boo C V rT

IN SAUDI ARABIA

Prayers at Holy Cities in HD

STAR ANIMATORS The force behind The Clone Wars

PUT TO THE TEST DeckLink Studio receives thumbs up

THE CUTTING ROOM With Jordanian filmmaker Zaid Adham An ITP Business Publication

Vol. 11 Issue 3 March 2009

MARCH 2009 VOLUME 11 ISSUE 03 CONTENTS

NEWS Syrian TV’s production facility on schedule / Egypt’s Al Ahly TV kits out studio / Palestinian foundation plans ﬁlms on Arafat / AUD chooses P2 / UAE videos win awards at New York ﬁlm fest

13 16 24 32 40

VOX POP

46 52 58

REVIEW - DECKLINK STUDIO

Producers and freelancers debate on showreel ﬁlching.

COVER STORY DS explores why the UAE is a hotspot for TVC production.

HD IN MECCA AND MEDINA Prayers broadcast in HD from Saudi Arabia’s holy cities.

LIGHTING CONTROL Dubai TV engineers take control with new console upgrade.

VIEWPOINT The best digital audio workstations are those that fully integrate within a company’s workﬂow.

Giorgio Ungania puts the new card through its paces.

HOW TO Choosing the best tripod for your shooting requirements.

POST PRODUCTION Lucasﬁlm animators introduce Star Wars to the world of 3D animation with Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

66 CASE STUDY - AL DAFRAH 72 FACE TO FACE 76 STEREOSCOPIC HD 80 SPECIAL REPORT Abu Dhabi music channel commits to HD production.

With Jordanian ﬁlmmaker Zaid Adham.

Ushering in a new generation of visual eﬀects.

Dubai Cricket Stadium built for TV broadcast.

90 96 112 www.digitalproductionme.com

ON LOCATION SERVICES Digital Studio takes a look at how the UAE compares to MENA’s other ﬁlming locations.

CABSAT A snapshot of the hottest products on show.

WEBLOG This month’s digitalproductionme.com round-up.

MARCH 2009

COMMENT MARCH 2009

Production world must embrace HD Although most broadcasters still invest in standard definition, production houses and filmmakers in the Arab world should wholeheartedly embrace high definition as the format of choice for production. Broadcasters may be slower in adopting HD but they can be excused for not having invested in this format except in some areas of their workflow because the infrastructure in most viewers’ homes is still only SD-compliant and huge investments in HD infrastructure at this point cannot be justified. The choice to migrate to HD, however, should be a lot easier for the production industry. Besides the easy availability of HD cameras all the way from the entrylevel to the very high-end, the price differences between SD and HD cameras are not large enough to justify sticking to the older format. Production houses also have an advantage in shooting everything in HD. When broadcasters eventually move to HD transmission, footage shot in HD will not have to be converted. In fact, the value of content produced in HD will only increase in the future as HD-compliant set top boxes and related TV screens become more common in the viewers’ home. Given this, it seems important that even if media organisations do not see it fit to migrate their entire workflow to HD, they must ideally move to this format within their production environment. If all new program-

ming content such as drama series and documentaries are filmed in high definition, chances are they can be broadcast even several years later, when the whole world has finally migrated to an HD environment. At CABSAT 2009, there will be greater focus on high definition and its many merits within the production and editing environment. Several camera manufacturers such as Hitachi, JVC, Sony, Panasonic and P+S Technik will be at the show to display their wares while a substantial number of new production companies will also be there this year to offer their services in HD. Smaller cameras and new manufacturers are not to be sniffed at. An example of this is Slumdog Millionaire, which won eight Oscars and was mainly shot on a relative newcomer, the SI-2K. It will be worth your while to visit CABSAT and look at the vast array of HD options available in the marketplace. On another note, Digital Studio will also celebrate its fifth annual awards at the show. We will celebrate the best and the most creative in the production and broadcast industry. Watch this space next month for a full rundown of all the award winners.

Registered at Dubai Media City PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: 00 971 4 210 8000, Fax: 00 971 4 210 8080 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Dubai & London ITP Business Publishing CEO Walid Akawi Managing Director Neil Davies Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell Editorial Director David Ingham Publishing Director Diarmuid O’Malley Editorial Senior Group Editor Aaron Greenwood Tel: +971 4 435 6251 email: aaron.greenwood@itp.com Editor Vijaya Cherian Tel: +971 4 435 6296 email: vijaya.cherian@itp.com Contributor Patrick Elligett Tel: +971 4 435 6181 patrick.elligett@itp.com Advertising Commercial Director, Broadcast & Communications Fred Dubery Tel: +971 4 435 6339 email: fred@itp.com Sales Manager Gavin Murphy Tel: +971 4 435 6369 email: gavin.murphy@itp.com N.American Advertisement Director Michael J. Mitchell Tel: +1 631 673 3199 email: mjmitchell@broadcast-media.tv Japan Representative Mikio Tsuchiya Tel: + 81 354 568230 email: ua9m-tcy@asahi-net.or.jp Studio Group Art Editor Daniel Prescott Designer Martin Staniszewski Photography Director of Photography Sevag Davidian Chief Photographer Nemanja Seslija Senior Photographers Valeriano Handumon, Alan Desiderio, Efraim Evidor, Khatuna Khutsishvili Staff Photographers Khaled Termanini, Thanos Lazopoulos, John Pocock, Jovana Obradovic, George Dipin, Samin Abarqoi, Leila Cranswick, Rajesh Raghav, Ruel Pableo, Louis Savage Production & Distribution Group Production Manager Kyle Smith Production Manager Eleanor Zwanepoel Production Coordinator Louise Schreiber Managing Picture Editor Patrick Littlejohn Image Retoucher Emmalyn Robles Distribution Manager Karima Ashwell Distribution Executive Nada Al Alami Circulation Head of Circulation and Database Gaurav Gulati Marketing Head of Marketing Daniel Fewtrell Marketing Executive Masood Ahmad ITP Digital Director Peter Conmy ITP Group

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ON THIS MONTH’S COVER The UAE becomes a hotspot for TVC production. Read the full story on page 16.

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see Hitachi at Cabsat 2009 on stand LC-1

NEWS REGIONAL UPDATE

IN BRIEF DUBAI STUDIO CITY CONFIDENT Dubai Studio City’s executive director Jamal Al Sharif confirmed its projects were going according to schedule despite fears of the global downturn having an effect on Dubai’s realty sector. “In terms of our projects, we are going ahead. The sound stages and the power substations are very much in progress. Two commercial buildings will be delivered by the end of this month while one tower will be ready at the end of May,” he stated. In fact, Al Sharif added that two of his clients are looking to expand. “Last month, we were approached by a company that wanted two floors and another wanted one but I don’t have any to give them just yet and they have to wait a bit.”

SAUDI PRODUCTION HOUSE GETS KAEC DOCUMENTARY DEAL The CEO of SilverGrey Picture and Sound, Silvio Saade, has revealed that the production house has been awarded a $1.2 million contract to document the ﬁrst phase in the development of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). The video documentation and archiving project will see the company deploy six EarthCam 4K HD cameras at the site to record the development of the industrial city, according to Saade. “There are robotic cameras with a 360 degree ﬁeld of view, made especially for construction sites,” he stated. “We will have the cameras on a time lapse function, and will be programmed to record one frame every minute, over the three year length of the development. The project was commissioned at the request of King Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud himself, and Emaar selected us to conduct the project from a group of about nine production houses, many of them large international companies,” Saade added.

www.digitalproductionme.com

SYRIAN TV’S NEWS PRODUCTION FACILITY ON SCHEDULE Dubai Media Inc. recently awarded a US $7 million project to Qatar-headquartered systems integrator Salam Media Cast to undertake the deployment of a news production facility at Syrian TV. The news facility, which primarily includes two studios, a newsroom system, non-linear editing suites, a graphics system, video servers and a data tape archive solution, is scheduled to be commissioned later this month. Both studios are equipped with six Sony BVP E30 standard deﬁnition cameras although wired for eight, Sony vision mixers, Sony VTRs, Evertz mulitviewers, Miranda graphics equipment as well as solutions from Harris and Tektronix. The bigger studio will be used for news production while the smaller news exchange studio is meant to act as a standby, stated Niaz Siddiqui, operations manager and consultant for Salam Media Cast. “The whole studio is designed to operate in a stan-

dard definition environment. We stuck to this format not just for budget reasons but also because, it is still the format in which most regional broadcasters are operating today,” Siddiqui added. The workflow at the facility including ingest, playback and newsroom system will be controlled by VSN. The news centre will be connected to Syrian TV’s main centre via microwave link and fibre optics. Sami El Shafai, executive director, Salam Media Cast claims the systems integrator always seeks to provide state-of-the-art solutions as per industry standard and clients’ requirements. “Our objective has always been to provide our clients with flexible and upgradeable solutions that are state-of-theart but also cost effective. We couple this with our in-house competence in terms of providing the most appropriate design, workflow, engineering, training and after sales support,” he said.

QATAR GETS READY FOR NEW ANIMATION SERIES, SALADIN

Saladin (top right), a 26-episode animation series on the great Arab hero, who became a legend, is being co-produced by Malaysia’s Multimedia Development Corporation and Al Jazeera Children’s Channel. The animation is being developed in HD 720p and is scheduled for release early next year.

MARCH 2009 5

NEWS REGIONAL UPDATE

IN BRIEF DUBAI FILM MARKET BAGS DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS The Dubai Film Market has bagged the distribution rights for a number of films including animator Bill Plympton’s Santa, the Fascist Years and Mexican Standoff, after its inaugural run at the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) in December 2008. The Dubai Film Market attracted sales agents, producers and studio executives to both its Cinetech library and its Market Lounge at DIFF. The Cinetech digital library had more than 200 films from 64 countries while the Market Lounge helped facilitate meetings between film buyers and sellers. Ziad Yaghi, director of the Film Market, said: “The Dubai Film Market is a natural progression towards establishing Dubai as the regional centre for discovery and trade of content. It will benefit the rapidly evolving media industry, both in the Arab world and in emerging markets of Africa and Asia.” Filmmakers Rachel Gandin and Chadi Zeneddine, who are shooting a new Disney Movie in Arabic, are also reported to have used Cinetech extensively help with its production and pre-production preparation.

EGYPTIAN SPORTS CHANNEL KITS OUT STUDIO WITH SD CAMS “FCP will be used for Al Ahly TV, a new channel launched editing but the user will do by Egypt’s famed football club Al direct disk editing on a Harris Ahly, recently fitted out its studio server before it is taken to air,” at Egyptian Media Production explained Gamal. City for the broadcast of the Miranda’s Vertigo X3D club’s matches. The project was enables online graphics at the undertaken by Egyptian systems channel. “The reason we went integrator Systems Design. with this solution is because Key to this project was the it has one of the best graphclub’s investment in several ics workflows. We needed a standard definition Sony and solution that could be managed Panasonic cameras to facilitate very simply and does not need a the production of in-house very sophisticated operator. The programmes and commentary Miranda is very easy to manage. to complement the broadcast of Gamal says SD is still the most popular format in Egypt. You just have to follow the temthe football games. plate and one solution from Miranda “Al Ahly TV has invested in a can be used to manage all the applications. This was five-camera 400m studio that can accommodate key to choosing this solution,” stated Gamal. about three or four sets,” explained Ahmed Gamal, Typically, feeds of a match are sent to Al Ahly by managing director for Systems Design. state-broadcaster ERTU, which undertakes produc“We chose Sony E30 cameras for the studio tion at the venue. At Al Ahly’s facility, the footage is because this is the highest category of SD cameras then repackaged with special in-house commentary from the manufacturer. It is used by many TV chanand analysis, on-air logos, graphics and other brandnels in Egypt and has a very good reputation in this ing elements before it is sent to air. Here, Al Ahly market. For outdoor shots, we specifically chose Panasonic’s AJHPX500 cameras because they use P2 opted for a slo-mo server from Darim to show the highlights of the match. technology. Since the footage is like a file, it can imThe backbone of the tapeless workflow at the mediately go on the server and be ready to air. It is in keeping with the tapeless workflow we have tried channel is a turnkey broadcast solution from Harris, which covers everything from production, automato maintain at Al Ahly,” he added. tion and signal processing to channel branding, The channel has also opted for Final Cut Pro’s SD graphics and test and measurement. version to enable editing at the channel.

INTUIT TIES WITH SONNET Dubai-based distributor INTUIT Technology has partnered with Sonnet to bring the manufacturer’s storage solutions to the Middle East’s film, video and broadcast markets for the first time. “This agreement is ideal for INTUIT, which primarily deals with storage solutions in this market,” commented Giri Rajan, managing director, INTUIT Technology. “Sonnet’s storage solutions fill the gap for mid-level solutions required by small and medium sized companies in the film and video industries. Sonnet’s Fusion F2 Storage and rack-mounted RAID protected storages cater to these segments.“

6 MARCH 2009

DR. WHO EMBARKS ON HD PRODUCTION IN DUBAI

The first episode of Dr. Who to be shot in High Definition was filmed in Dubai. The episode marked a major departure for the series, which had previ-

ously been shot in standard deﬁnition on account of production costs. The shoot was facilitated by Dubaibased production house, Central ﬁlms.

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NEWS REGIONAL UPDATE

IN BRIEF AUD CHOOSES P2 CAMCORDERS The American University of Dubai recently invested US $82,000 in six Panasonic AGHVX204 handheld HD P2 cameras for outdoor shooting. Speaking about the deal, Hassan Ali, technical sales manager of broadcast solutions at Al Futtaim Technologies, said: “AUD wanted a camcorder that would support both P2 cards and tape. This camera supports both. More academic institutions are beginning to use P2 because they ﬁnd it easier to integrate it with their computer networks and ﬁle transfers are a lot easier. “

LIVE SHOOTS IDEX IN HD LIVE, Abu Dhabi Media Company’s OB subsidiary, won the rights to broadcast the opening ceremony for the International Defense Exhibition & Conference (IDEX), one of the world’s largest exhibitions for defence organisations. “We always apply best international practices in the ﬁeld and use HD technology,” commented Abdul Hadi Al-Sheikh, managing director and CEO of LIVE. “We provided full support to this exhibition with the latest HD technology and the most advanced OB vans in the region.”

FOUNDATION PLANS FILMS ON ARAFAT WITH OLD FOOTAGE The Yasser Arafat Foundation, an organisation dedicated to the memory of Palestine’s late leader, has invested in Sony’s HDXchange server as part of its efforts to store all video and audio material produced on Arafat. The US $200,000 installation, which also includes Final Cut Pro, five PCs, a nearline storage server and two ingest stations, will help the foundation gather all historical footage and produce documentaries and films on Arafat for future use. “A lot of this material exists with the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, but in several different formats all the way from the U-matic tapes and DVCam to newer formats like the HDCam,” commented Firas Ishaq, managing director of Palestinian systems integrator and Sony distributor Star 2000. “All of this will be brought together by the foundation and then, converted to one format. FCP is the most convenient for editing and is well supported by Sony’s HDXchange. The objective is to use some of the old footage and tell Yasser Arafat’s story through different documentaries and films.” The installation will be completed at the Foundation later this month by Star 2000. The SI has also secured several other projects

The installation will help the foundation produce new films on Arafat from existing footage, stated Ishaq.

in Palestine recently including a project for Sony HDXchange server. Holy Land Radio Station in Ramallah, which was based on Sonifex equipment. Palestinian news agency Ramattan, which has several oﬃces across the Mdidle East, also invested in four DXC-D55WSPH cameras and HDV editing equipment, Ishaq said.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

IRANTAJIK TV TO MAKE DEBUT A senior Tajik official said that an Iranian-Tajik TV will go on air on the eve of the Iranian New Year (Nowrouz) later this month. Senior advisor to the Tajik president, Saeed Morad Fattahov made the remark in a meeting with the visiting head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Ezatollah Zarghami in Dushanbe last month. Referring to the establishment of a joint Persian language TV network in Tajikistan, the Tajik official added that the move will help bring the two Muslim nations closer. He urged the IRIB to help the Central Asian republic in relevant technical fields.

8 MARCH 2009

DKTECHNOLOGIES DK-Technologies has announced the appointment of Peter Harrison to the position of regional sales manager, with particular responsibility for the US and the Far East. “I have known DK’s audio and video monitoring and metering products for many years ,” commented Harrison. “I look forward to developing the company’s business in the USA and elsewhere.”

LITEPANELS Barry Rubin has been appointed director of worldwide sales at Litepanels, a Vitec Group Company. Prior to this, Rubin served in sales and marketing for companies including Ikegami, Philips Broadcast, IDX and Schneider Optics. Rubin is tasked with growing the company’s business for Litepanels’ lighting solutions.

AXON Jan Eveleens (l) has joined Axon Digital Design as CEO. Jan joins Axon from Grass Valley Nederland BV. “We found Jan to not only have the commercial and technical skills but also an enormous knowledge of our industry to take Axon to the next level,” stated Axon’s current CEO, Steven Le Poole, who will continue as chairman of the supervisory board.

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NEWS REGIONAL UPDATE

UAE VIDEO PRODUCTIONS HONOURED AT NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL

UAE team bags silver for direction and cinematography.

At the 2009 New York Film & Video Awards, a small Dubai-based production team did the UAE proud by winning two gold awards and two silvers for two of their video productions on Breast Cancer Awareness in the Middle East. Produced by Reim El Houni and directed by Soﬁa De Fay, the campaign highlighted the importance of checking for signs of breast cancer early on in life. Cameraman Richard Latham and

award-winning director De Fay won a silver each for cinematography and direction. Both of the videos won gold awards in the social issues and public information categories. Dubai-based Creative Kingdom facilitated the project and post produced the videos. “This achievement is an important milestone for the local film industry,” commented producer El Houni. “As most of the corporate work goes to UK-based film companies, an award like this will hopefully dispel misconceptions that offshore is the way to go in this community, and give Dubai-based companies an opportunity to pitch for more substantial local work.” The campaigns focused on four breast cancer survivors. However, after watching reams of horrific hospital videos on the subject, director De Fay was determined to present the theme poetically and aesthetically with-

out taking anything away from the essence of those stories. “This production was a tricky one because we were not doing this with models; we were doing them with actual survivors,” stated De Fay. “We tried to maintain a diﬀerent background and props for each of the survivors just to give the backdrop a nice look and feel. We got a store in Mall of the Emirates, for instance, to provide us with all the furniture we needed while Proaction provided us with the studio space. We spent a lot of time on the art direction and created creamy lighting for the videos,” De Fay explained. The team built a room within the studio and painted it several times over to give a diﬀerent backdrop to suit the story of each survivor. “We did all the house scenes within two days while the commercials were shot in the Hatta mountains as well,” stated El Houni. The videos were shot on the Sony 900 HDCAM and edited on FCP HD.

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MARCH 2009 9

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VOX POP FILCHING SHOWREELS

IS IT FAIR TO PUT UP A SHOWREEL PRODUCED BY ANOTHER PRODUCTION HOUSE ON YOUR WEB SITE EVEN IF ONE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES HAS NOW JOINED YOUR COMPANY? Producers, freelancers and post houses give us their take It depends on how much work you have done on a project. When a film is made, there are some key people who contribute to it, such as a director, a producer, an art director and the cameraman. Without them, you can’t do a film. In this region, a film is typically commissioned to a production house and the firm then sources talent that it thinks would be ideal for the project. Also, unlike some of the bigger firms, a lot of small production houses work with one or two people, who typically do everything from sourcing talent to directing and editing. If you have done almost 80% of the job at your employer’s, I believe you have the right to show your work to clients and show them what you have done. The same thing is also applicable to a production house, isn’t it? When the production house shows its showreel and tells a client that it produced all this great work, will it be honest enough – by the same coin – to clarify to its clients that the previous person who did most of the work on these projects no longer works with them. Recently, my cameraman wanted to show footage he had shot to someone. Since he did most of it, I didn’t see why not. This is a tricky subject and every person knows for himself how much work he did on a project and whether he deserved credit for it or not. Danish Mumtaz, executive producer, The Goldmine Films

Showreels are funny things. At what point are you allowed to take it. If you’re looking to generate business for a new company, then, that’s wrong. It’s ﬁne to show your stuﬀ to secure yourself employment but not for a new company to promote itself. The way pitching for a lot of jobs here works is what I call the green cheese, blue cheese syndrome. The story board is for green cheese and you’ve done blue cheese in the past as director or producer. But in order to secure this job, you need to show the client or the agency a green cheese spot. Obviously, if you can create blue cheese, you can create green cheese but you haven’t done any green cheese jobs. That’s the problem. Clients and agencies are sometimes less informed about what job is done by whom so a lot of people are willing to take that chance and say, ‘we need the job so let’s pretend we did it’. This is what I feel. It’s sort of impossible to stop your showreel from showing up on someone else’s web site and you can’t really monitor it. I maintain that anyone associated with a project is entitled to use it for his own promotion but not to secure business for his new employer. Shane Martin, executive producer/director, Boomtown Productions

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It cannot be justified on any counts. We have been a victim of this unfortunately and lost business on this count. To take an example, we made a film on Zorah (a big community development in Ajman) and it cost me more than US $350,000 to produce the animation for this. It was produced by us and needed very sophisticated animation that was done by my team of in-house animators. One of my former employees, who worked on some parts of the project took the showreel along with him as part of his work. Fair enough! People have the right to show their work to secure employment for themselves elsewhere. However, the new company he joined decided to put up the Zorah showreel as part of their work on their company’s web site. Funnily enough, my son is in one of those shots. This put us in a very embarrassing situation because some clients saw the showreel on both web sites and didn’t know what to make of it and whom to trust. This kind of filching is not justified at all. You can use a showreel to secure yourself a job but you have no right to put up my company’s intellectual property on someone else’s showreel to secure them new business. This is especially true in a project like Zorah, where we had a big team of people working on the project. One person can only do a fraction of the work on any massive project. It is Real Image that monitors the quality of work that is produced at its facility and ensures the high standards that come out of it. We took this up with the company and told them to take it off from their showreel. When they ignored us, we sought legal assistance and got it removed. However, we should not have to go to such measures. Aiham Ajib, general manager, Real Image

It’s happened several times. I was in Qatar and went for a meeting and showed them my showreel and apparently, someone else had also shown it to them. People don’t always make it clear that they have only done a specific portion of the work on the reel or that it was partly done by an employee, who worked on the project why they were employed elsewhere. Companies who have the copyright to a showreel should put their watermark on it to prevent someone else from taking it. You put a lot of money and effort into making something that you would be proud of, and then you find you’ve lost business to someone who is touting your work as his own. Bobby Dhillon, freelance director of photography

MARCH 2009 13

NEWS INTERNATIONAL UPDATE

SOUND DESIGN STREAMLINES WORKFLOW WITH FAIRLIGHT XYNERGI TECHNOLOGY Digital post production facility Sound Design Corporation, which is located on the historic 100-year-old Hollywood Centre Studios lot and specialises in all types of programming including variety and award shows, documentaries, dramas etc, recently purchased a Fairlight Xynergi desktop media production centre. The technology helps organise and deliver all the tools needed for high-end audio for video production in all widely used surround formats. The system harnesses the ‘green’ processing power of Fairlight’s CC-1 digital media engine and incorporates integrated PyxisTrack video.

Speaking about the project, facility owner Paul Sandweiss stated: “Sound quality and ease of file transfer were the main reasons we decided to invest in Xynergi. There is a lot to learn with the new system but the Fairlight team has assisted us in addressing some of our application issues. We believe the new system will help us integrate easily into the coming work flow, where we will be doing less tapebased delivery, and more file based delivery.” The Xynergi Media Production Centre features the Xynergi controller, a desktop user interface that allows engineers to access all

features and functions of the Fairlight CC-1 as well as commonly used Windows applications such as e-mail, Word and Excel. A Xynergi system can be speciﬁed as a controller-only system (MPC 96/144) or delivered with a Xynergi 12 fader sidecar (MPC-144F and MPC230F), which can be standalone or sunk into custom furniture to provide an integrated working environment harmonious with the studio’s aesthetics. Sound Design has ordered two more Xynergi systems and plans to replace its remaining three QDC machines with Xynergi.

THE SWITCH ENHANCES SERVICES WITH VENTURA The Switch, a leading video switching service provider, has deployed Ventura equipment to enhance services it delivers to its clients. The new Network Electronics / VPG equipment provides JPEG-2000 compression of HD-SDI signals sent between Los Angeles and New York, and bidirectional 270 SDI transport services across the Atlantic. The transatlantic ﬁbre connection expands The Switch’s US network to The London Switch in the UK. The London Switch is a joint service agreement between The Switch and Arqiva. Another Ventura product, the VS901-Tx-27, has been deployed on The Switch’s Los Angeles – New York

network tributary. It uses JPEG 2000 to compress HDSDI for transport over 270Mbps network connections, delivering artifact-free HD images with no blocking, tiling or motion dependence. According to Dave Anderson, chief technology oﬃcer at The Switch, “the Network/VPG modules proved the most appropriate due to the number of HD formats they could handle, their ability to operate without a separate sync reference, their ability to control network management with a Web browser and the best ﬁnancial value of all the products evaluated.” Extremely low latency also played a pivotal factor in the decision process.

GLADIATORS TAKES EXTREME SPORT TO NEW HEIGHTS WITH CAMERA CORPS Camera Corps equipped Gladiators contestants with body-worn cameras and solid-state video recorders to capture their manoeuvres while playing Rocket Ball 30 feet above ground level. Four Camera Corps helmet-cameras and personal video recorders were supplied to Shine for use in the latest series of Gladiators, produced early this year at Stage C almost opposite Camera Corps’ Shepperton Studios HQ. “Camera Corps worked with us on the ﬁrst series as well,” commented Nick Badham of the Londonbased production company Shine. “A new feature introduced in the latest series gives contestants the

14 MARCH 2009

opportunity to play what amounts to basketball on steroids, launching themselves into the air on a motorised line attached to their harnessThey then try and pitch the ball into baskets defended by other players. Solid-state video capture was ideal as it is far more resistant than video tape against the bumps, thumps and fast acceleration to which sports contestants subject themselves. Individual Rocket Ball games in Gladiator last 90 seconds and were captured to Quicktime video ﬁles which were later forwarded to the programme editors.” Speaking about the project, Camera Corps’ MD Laurie Frost added that after researching various

available recorders, it opted for the Fast Forward Video Mini DV Pro. “This delivers excellent signal quality onto single or dual Compact Flash cards and yet is small enough to ﬁt into a padded pouch which each attacker or defender can wear on a waist-belt. The results overall were gratifying and prove the beneﬁts of solid-state video capture. Each recorder was fed by a mini cam worn as part of a safety helmet. We also supplied two of our own-design HD MiniZoom robotic cameras. These have integral 10 times optical zoom providing wide-angle or close-up shots from above the baskets.”

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NEWS INTERNATIONAL UPDATE

GMTV UPDATES VIDEO OPERATIONS WITH AVID WORKFLOW

RUMBLEFISH MANAGES POST PRODUCTION FOR VIVALDI

UK broadcaster GMTV has invested in a comprehensive end-to-end digital workflow from Avid for its newsroom and video production operations. The solution has replaced legacy systems and has allowed GMTV to redesign and optimise its workflow, while providing scalability for future expansion. GMTV produces a diverse mix of content including, news, sport, fashion, current affairs, entertainment, travel and children’s programming on multiple channels including the broadcaster’s website. Its existing production infrastructure was out of date and had dic-

Italian pre- and post-production management company Rumblefish is handling post-production for “Vivaldi, the Red Priest,” a Liana Marabini film. Rumblefish’s managing director Massimo Germoglio edited the film, which presents a rich new portrait of the famous and prolific Baroque composer from Venice. “Vivaldi was a true star of the Baroque era, and the details that Marabini brings to life in her new film illustrate his genius and charisma, and his suffering,” said Germoglio. “It’s a pleasure for us to apply our creative and technical skills to the finishing of a film that blends a beautiful landscape with inspiring music and the life of an intriguing and very important Italian artist.”

tated a workflow that was inefficient. GMTV’s technology team began researching a new system that could handle the dynamic nature of its programming and provide file sharing capabilities and expandable storage and archive facilities. They also wanted to automate time-consuming background processes like ingest, to focus on creative work. GMTV chose Avid because it was the only one that truly integrated with the entire company’s workflow.

Based on a recently discovered 1711 manuscript that sheds new light on the life of Antonio Vivaldi, the film speculates on a previously untold story about “the Red Priest,” as the red-headed composer and ordained Catholic priest was known. The €5 million film, written and directed by Marabini, recounts Vivaldi’s relationship with a female doctor from Venice, the birth of their son, and the unexpected end of their affair. Shot in HD at locations in Turin, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Vienna, and Paris, the film is being processed in DI, color corrected in 2K and finished with special effects by Rumblefish in anticipation of a March 2009 airing as a television series.

SPAIN’S UVEAUVE GROUP USES KAHUNA FOR HD OB VAN Uveauve Group has integrated the Kahuna SD/HD multiformat production switcher into its newest OB van to enable eﬀortless handling of various SD and HD inputs and delivery of client broadcasts in SD or HD as required. Kahuna’s yields seamless internal conversion of inputs, providing Uveauve with a powerful solution for multiformat sports and live event production. Uveauve’s new OB van boasts a combination of RF HD cameras and triax HD cameras, a mixed solution optimised to overcome the physical and environmental demands of outdoor broadcasting. The van and the switcher will be used primarily for sports coverage, including broadcast of snow

sports, sailing, and other events for which the use of both RF and triax cameras is essential. “We chose to integrate the Kahuna into our OB van because of its versatility in SD and HD production,” said Jorge Rubirosa, UveTech’s director. “Our OB van takes a new approach to using RF and triax HD cameras in live production and the Kahuna provides all that we need to maintain ﬂexibility in this environment. Our directors and technicians are also familiar with the switcher.” Uveauve provides a variety of production services including indoor studio production of TV movies, shows, and concerts for local broadcasters as well as outdoor production of sports events.

MALAYSIA’S TIGERTIGER POST ‘ROARS’ ONTO THE SCENE WITH DA VINCI’S R250 SUITE Malaysia’s ﬁrst fully data-centric post house, TIGERTIGER POST, is relying on the da Vinci Resolve R-250 system for colour grading and digital intermediate (DI) ﬁnishing. “We selected the da Vinci R-250 because we wanted its comprehensive set of features including object-tracking and unlimited PowerWindows,” commented Al Isaac, managing director at TIGERTIGER POST. “It’s also important to us that with the Resolve suite, we can conform material for grading

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in-context, enabling the colourist to recognise where adjustments need to be made. Another selling point for us was da Vinci’s support in our region. Going with the most reliable and reputable company means we will always be able to upgrade to the latest technology, which is critical to keeping a competitive edge.” At TIGERTIGER POST, images scanned on The Director from Lasergraphics are uploaded to a BrightDrive SAN for access by the R-250 for color grading, and by Autodesk Flame 2009 system

for eﬀects. TIGERTIGER POST has also deployed Apple Final Cut Pro and Apple Shake for editing. Based on an innovative use of graphics-based processing for optimised power and speed, the da Vinci Resolve R-series includes the R-100, R-200, R-250, R-250x, R-300, and R-350. The R-series was introduced in early 2008, and systems have already shipped around the world. TIGERTIGER POST’s R-250 system features one processor and two transformer boards, which can be used either in parallel or sequentially.

MARCH 2009 15

COVER STORY TVC PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION

DRIVEN With the availability of specialised crew, exotic locales and sophisticated kit, the UAE has become a hotspot for bigbudget car commercials, writes Vijaya Cherian

DoP Anthony Smythe is well known in the UAE for shooting car commercials.

16 MARCH 2009

Over the last two years, the number of car commercials shot in the UAE, has gone up substantially. Besides the beautiful sand dunes and mountainous terrain that this country offers, the availability of skilled technical crew and sophisticated filming equipment locally has made the UAE increasingly appealing to TVC producers. “In the last couple of years, it has been a lot easier to execute what the director wants mainly because of the type of equipment that is available to us in the region,” confirms cameraman and DoP, Anthony Smythe, who is also MD of the UAE’s largest equipment rental firm, Filmquip Media. “Years ago, it used to be really difficult to get specific kinds of shots where cameras needed to be mounted on a car and driven through rough terrain. However, with the availability of several sophisticated equipment like the gyro-stabilised remote head, which is mounted on tracking vehicles and keeps the camera absolutely steady, production of car commercials has shot up in this region,” adds Smythe, who was involved in more than 25 car shoots last year. Ian Ross, executive producer of Central Films, which has facilitated several car shoots in Dubai including recent ones for the Mohave and Toyota, seconds this. “The local availability of equipment has been

crucial to the growth of the car commercials business in the region. The gyro-stabilised head is a good example. Previously, we used to have to bring this in from Europe but now, there’s one here and it has been used on a lot of shoots that we facilitated. You can go on a dirt road at a 100km/h with a camera on a long lens and it looks like you’re standing still. It’s unbelievably sophisticated and is a military technology that was traditionally used to keep guns steady on armoured vehicles irrespective of the terrain in which they drove.” Likewise, the availability of a Technocrane and the ability to make rigs locally has also helped grow the business. “For one of our recent car shoots, we used a rig that could be mounted on any part of the car and no matter how fast it moved, the camera was locked in and completely steady. You always get a bit of the steel structure in the foreground of your shot but because it does not move in relation to the camera or the car, you can easily paint it out in post and put the road back in,” says Ross. Filmquip agrees that developing these rigs used to be a big challenge in the past but now, it claims it is well placed to meet this thanks to the presence of skilled in-house technicians. “It is the people who are mounting this equipment and working with it that is way more important. We have a very strong crew

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COVER STORY TVC PRODUCTION

In the last couple of years, it has been a lot easier to execute what the director wants mainly because of the type of equipment that is available to us in the region â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Anthony Smythe

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MARCH 2009 17

COVER STORY TVC PRODUCTION

The fact that the UAE’s beautiful desert landscape is only a short drive from Dubai city makes the locale even more appealing for producers of car commercials.

based here who can literally — with rubber bands and tooth picks — put car mounts together and place a camera anywhere in the car. That kind of expertise has increased greatly in recent years. As a result, we are able to custom-build rigs for each project. Some rigs are standard like door rigs but thereon, because each car is different, the place where we can attach the rigs is different, and because the cast, the storyboard and the directors also differ for each TVC, we have to custom design the rigs,” explains Smythe. The availability of sophisticated equipment either in-house or through partnerships with international players also gives the production crew in the region more creative options. For instance, a high-speed 35mm camera was brought in from Germany along with an operator to shoot some of the sequences for a Toyota TVC that was facilitated by Central Films. “This TVC was very demanding because we were working around the Rubik’s cube concept, where different models of the Toyota were brought together. This obvi-

ously demanded very precise shooting,” explains Ross. Generally speaking, car commercials place a lot of demand on the production crew, and the challenges are many. The good thing, however, according to Ross is that most car commercials have high budgets to execute the project to the satisfaction of the director. “They generally have very good budgets but the clients also, therefore, expect an incredibly high standard of work,” explains Ross. “This is something that Dubai is now well placed to provide. Morocco and Tunisia were options in the past but increasingly, clients prefer the UAE even if it is a bit more expensive because of the quality of work,” he adds. Plus, as Smythe points out, there are very dynamic locations for car commercials here in Dubai within close proximity of the city. “We have great sandy roads, rough terrains, mountain roads and rocky roads. This environment is ideal for car commercials.” Traditionally, car shoots have been completed over a period of two or three days. “We always have to wait to take the beauty

In ... Australia, you have beautiful landscapes but they are way out and this means enormous travel time for crew [and are consequently, more expensive] ... while here, your best sand dunes are 45 minutes from Dubai and the mountains are an hour-and-a-half away — Ian Ross, Central Films

18 MARCH 2009

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COVER STORY TVC PRODUCTION

Ian Ross of Central Films on the set of Dr. Who, which was filmed recently in Dubai, facilitates a lot of car shoots in the UAE.

shots, which can only be shot before the sun hits the car or after the sun is set off the car,” explains Ross. “So you have a window of about 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening for which you need to be completely prepped and ready because once the sun hits the car, it is finished. “What we often do, therefore, is rehearse in the dark before the sun rises. We use a programme called sunPath, which essentially tells us exactly where the sun will rise at any time of the day or year in relation to any road or sand. During the day, we do close-ups like spinning wheels, gear sticks, inside panel, steering and so on. In the afternoon, we rehearse for a couple of hours to make sure we are absolutely ready for those 30 minutes of light before it gets dark.” Ross says this is one reason why areas around the Hatta mountains in the UAE are especially ideal for shooting cars. “Near the Hatta mountains, where the sun goes behind the mountains, you get a bit more time to shoot,” explains Ross. One reason why the UAE is also perhaps becoming increasingly attractive is because the sand dunes and the mountains are not very far away from the urban centre. “In places like Australia, you have beautiful landscapes but they are way out and this means enormous travel time for crew and what you pay for in filmmaking is primarily crew and travel time. On a four-day shoot, that can be quite expensive while here, your best sand dunes are 45 minutes from Dubai and the mountains are about an hourand-a-half away. It’s a lot cheaper to fly in a foreign director, have a Dubai-based cameraman, the ad agency and the crew.” As a production facilitator, Ross’ biggest challenge is that he has to continuously keep a tab on costs as clients often change their minds. “If it costs more than you have quoted at the first instance, we have to dip into our own pocket. Clients often change their minds so you need to keep sitting with them and reminding them what the change will cost them. I sit down with the producers and go through

20 MARCH 2009

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COVER STORY TVC PRODUCTION

is why most go with one ﬁlm camera,” he explains. Smythe also adds that two cars are always preferred on any car shoot. “The biggest challenge in this region is when the client only supplies with you with one car and that happens a lot. If they do supply you with two cars, the interiors are diﬀerent and this becomes really problematic. If you are working with only one car and you damage that car, what do you do? This is probably the

biggest drawback. You just have to work with what you’ve got. Also, if you need to take the back door of one car to put the rig on, ideally, you should be able to shoot with one car while the other is being rigged. On one shoot, we damaged the front of the car in the sand on helicopter day and we had to make do with it because we had only one car to work with.” Ross agrees. On the Mohave, the crew had

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every penny of the budget and if there is something that has gone up or down, I let them know that,” he says. As a cameraman, Smythe battles with a different set of challenges. For one, it’s always easier to work with two cameras than one, he says. “On car commercials, I prefer to work with two or three cameras all the time so that while one is being rigged we can shoot with the other. However, we can’t always have two cameras because the more number of cameras you have, the more personnel and crew you need and this can slow you down sometimes.” Ross puts this down to budget. “Car commercials have to be shot on film just like food and skin care products. They just don’t look good on video. But film cameras cost a fortune to lease. It costs one dollar 12 cents a second to run 35mm film at normal speed. If you wind it up to 30 times speed, at 600 frames a second, it costs nearly $30 a second. That is terrifying for any film producer, which

See us at CABSAT Zabeel Hall, ZR11-1 ce 535 · P.O.Box 54307, Dubai, UAE ce: +971 4 2123300 · Direct Line: +971 4 2123363 · Fax: +971 4 2123388 · Cell: +971 50 5547432 · www.telexintercoms.com

22 MARCH 2009

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COVER STORY TVC PRODUCTION

three cars to play with and two were damaged on the shoot, he confesses. “The first one, we jumped off the sand dune too high and bent the chassis. The second one, we mounted the camera on the front and the driver was driving it too fast so he hit a rock. The car flew up, came down bonnet first into the sand. The camera was not broken but the car was. You always have to have spare cars. We don’t drive these cars on the road. On the Toyota shoot, we had

10 cars, ﬁve of which were on the recovery vehicle and they just sat there because luckily, we didn’t damage any.” One car shoot that Smythe remembers fondly is the shoot for the Kia. “We had all of the toys for that shoot including helicopters, tracking cars, car mounts and gyro-stabilised heads plus we shot in the desert, the suburbia and the city. We had a rig that had to do a 360-degree turn with the camera. Imagine the amount of pressure that may have been

applied to this rig. It was a good shoot.” Smythe adds that Filmquip’s deal with Arri Media to bring specialised equipment and skills to the region two years ago has helped the company do more TVCs on cars as well. “We struck a deal with Arri Media two years ago, by which they provided their cameras, lenses and other equipment to us on a loan basis. What this partnership essentially did was give us access to a lot more newer and more specialised equipment that is not based in Dubai like the Russian arms. Additionally, the backup support is instantaneous and if you need more equipment, they send it to us. This has helped us bring specialised equipment to the market. We are also looking at bringing some other equipment into the market like the smaller technocrane and a helicopter ball mount. Most are used to the Tyler mount and what it can do. The ball mounts will be more expensive but give exceptional results. Slowly but steadily, this region will have all of the kit that is available internationally,” adds Smythe.

www.gulfmedcom.com

The Power of Talking Heads Gulf Media Co. is achieving serious milestones in accomplishing the restoration and archiving of Kuwait TV film library. “The project is one of the leading projects in the GCC in the restoration and archiving fields; our motto is to move digital.” Said Mr. Khalid Al-Aamiri Gulf Media Vice Chairman & Managing Director. Moreover, he added that Gulf Media is copying the approach to other GCC countries such as Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. Gulf Media Company is one of the largest providers of integrated turnkey media solutions in the Gulf Region for establishing, generating, managing, and allocating high-end media related affairs. Mr. AlAamiri added “Our market segments are divided among governmental ministries of information, private channels and studios, broadcasting networks, producers, gigantic private media libraries and high-tech advertising agencies.” With Harris Broadcasting Corporation as an exclusive strategic partner, Gulf Media slowly but surely is dominating the Gulf market in the field of film restoration and archiving due to its tactical planning and its high expertise effort in this field of interest. “With a battery of professionals Gulf Media is planning insistently to expand through the MENA Region in the soon future.” Said Mr.Al- Aamiri. Gulf

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Media Media’s main concern is to unleash the power of innovation in order to circle the customer with the integrated media solutions appropriate for their strategic growth. Mr. Al-Amiri is revealing that CabSat 2009 in Dubai is an excellent opportunity for Gulf Media to announce major tactical moves through signing solid partnership agreement with a leading Turkish company providing turnkey solutions for Audio-Video-Data Transmission servMr. Khalid Al-Aamiri ices. In addition to this, Gulf Media will sign an agreement with a major US company providing LED indoors & outdoors products and lightning luminaries solutions. Mr. Al-Aamiri emphasis on “With a battery of the importance of this B2B relationship “At the foundation of new professionals Gulf Media is planning era of digital media, Gulf Media sees the necessity to provide the insistently to expand regional market with high-end solutions that would satisfy the through the MENA business and customer needs.” This would take us to a comRegion in the soon plete act of media integration, as Gulf Media is signing another future.” strategic agreement with a strategic partner for escalator handrail advertising during CabSat Dubai, 2009. “I believe that this vertical would integrate perfectly with our high-end advertising solutions.” mentioned Mr.AL- Aamiri.

MARCH 2009 23

IN SAUDI ARABIA HD IN THE HOLY CITIES

HD IN MECCA AND MEDINA High definition Hitachi cameras were deployed at Mecca and Medina to broadcast prayers from the holy cities in HD. Vijaya Cherian brings you an exclusive report

24 MARCH 2009

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IN SAUDI ARABIA HD IN THE HOLY CITIES

S INSTALLATION SITE

MECCA & MEDINA PROJECT WORTH

US $11 MILLION OR SYSTEMS INTEGRAT

AN FIRST GULF COMP

More than a whopping two million people gather annually at the Holy cities of Mecca and Medina in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, which is thought to be one of the most important pilgrimages undertaken by Muslims all over the world. Wanting to cover the prayers held at these two cities in the most beﬁtting manner and in keeping with the desire to be fully HD-ready in the coming years, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and Information (MOCI) decided to upgrade the cameras at the two places to HD. Saudi Arabian systems integrator First Gulf Company (FGC) undertook the US $11million project. A combination of 36 dedicated 720p/50 versions of Hitachi’s SK-3200 range, including studio, portable and robotic versions have

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been installed at the holy cities as part of this project. 26 HD cameras have been installed at Mecca while 10 SD cameras at Medina have been replaced thus far with new HD cams. The rest are slated to be replaced in the second phase of the project. “The client’s requirement was to have cameras that could shoot in 720p/50,” says Walid AlMoukhtar, chairman and general manager, FGC. “The only camera that fit these specifications accurately came from Hitachi. None of the other competing brands had a product that was specific for this use and would have had to be modified. The Hitachi SK 32B was lower in weight and came with high-end studio specifications while also providing broadcast-quality imagery. It was the perfect fit.”

Paddy Roache, director and general manager of Hitachi Europe sheds light on the birth of the SK 32B camera. “The Hitachi model which was chosen for the holy cities was the SK 32B. This camera was originally designed for a project for NHK in Japan, where there was a requirement for high-quality studio camera functionality but with the comfort of robotic control,” he says. “Many newsrooms and TV stations today are reducing the manpower involved in production and looking for solutions that can enable one person to control and operate all the cameras in a production environment. “The design requirements for the NHK project specified that no studio functionality and performance should be sacrificed. This camera was, therefore, developed from a full studio camera but with a completely new body shape that was stripped down, of course, with no viewfinder and no handles. It also has a lighter weight body construction. Our engineers dramatically reduced the power consumption for this camera. This proved very beneficial given the hot weather in Mecca. Everything you can do to reduce heat in the camera has operational benefits. It was just very good timing that our company had developed this camera when the tenders came through for Mecca and Medina. The SK 32 B was an instant winner for this project,” he adds. One other big demand at Mecca, according to Roache, was the need for extremely long cable runs from the studios to the cameras

MARCH 2009 25

IN SAUDI ARABIA HD IN THE HOLY CITIES

and the ability to control them. “Our camera oﬀered superb performance despite the long cable runs and that again made it a worthy investment for the MOCI,” he claims. The HD cameras have mainly been placed in the same positions as the SD cameras they have replaced at Mecca and Medina. However, the mosque at Mecca has been extended with further extensions planned for the future. Cameras have also been installed at the extension. “These cameras are basically in boxes. They weigh less than four kgs and are positioned on top of minarets on 31 Vinten Radamec robotic pan and tilt heads. These are very durable and high capacity heads, and can carry more weight than most such tripod systems,” explains Al Moukhtar. A combination of wide angle and zoom lenses from Canon have been employed for this project. Two engineers and six technicians from FGC were assigned to undertake the installation at each of the holy cities.

The control room at Mecca has been designed to accommodate 25 cameras or more in the future. Harris solutions have been used through out the control room right from the Nexio server, its multi-viewing system, graphics, routers and glue equipment. Other essential kit include the Kahuna switcher from Snell and Wilcox as well as the Studer Vista 5 for audio. All through the year, especially during Hajj and Ramadan, Muslim pilgrims ﬂock to Mecca and Medina. Saudi TV broadcasts the prayers held at each of these cities on separate channels ﬁve times a day. During Hajj, however, the prayers and events at the cities are continuously aired live on the channels. “Very little editing is actually done at the control room as they are transmitted directly to Riyadh. Most of it is aired as is although we do have a team that helps them with the production,” explains Al Moukhtar. FGC was able to complete the installation at Mecca in time for Hajj in December 2008 while the installation at Medina is slated for

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IN SAUDI ARABIA HD IN THE HOLY CITIES

Al Moukhtar says the HD installation at Mecca and Medina gives a taste of the plans KSA has to undertake full-fledged migration to HD across the Kingdom.

commissioning this month. The whole installation was done in time to showcase the project to members of Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), which gathered in Jeddah last year for their annual meeting. “From Mecca, we uplinked directly with the images and they were able to see everything in HD. It was a moment of triumph for Saudi Arabia and is only a small taste of the plans the Kingdom has to undertake full-ﬂedged migration to HD across Saudi TV. We are working on several projects across the Kingdom to bring this dream to fruition,” adds Al Moukhtar. FGC CEO Naim Saidi adds that in the new era of HD in KSA, so far all the projects have come to FGC. “All of our projects in the Kingdom are being done in HD. What makes us special is that we are able to do everything in house. We do the systems integration at our workshop in Riyadh and test everything before it is shipped out to its destination and we have good calibre engineers,” he claims. Although this project was awarded to FGC

The Hitachi installation at the holy cities and their performance at the sites has strengthened the manufacturer’s position in KSA, says Paddy Roache of Hitachi.

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MARCH 2009 29

IN SAUDI ARABIA HD IN THE HOLY CITIES

KEY KIT Hitachi SK 32B cameras Vinten robotics Canon wide and telephoto lenses CONTROL ROOM From Harris: Nexio server, Velocity NX editing, Zandar multi-viewers, Platinum routers, Inscriber graphics, glue equipment Snell and Wilcox Kahuna switcher Studer Vista 5 for audio

early last year, work inside the holy cities was not permitted until a few weeks before Hajj in December 2008. “We had only two weeks to do this. One week to commission and one week for handing over,” explains Al Moukhtar. Access to the site was a big challenge because of security reasons, he explains. Added to this, the nature of the place demanded that FGC had only fully-trained Muslim staﬀ on site. In the meantime, the performance of the Hitachi cameras at Mecca and Medinah have set the stage for the manufacturer to sell even more cameras into the Kingdom for Saudi TV as part of the state-owned broadcaster’s gradual migration to a complete HD setup. Hitachi believes this project is one of its biggest success stories in the region and may spur other broadcasters in the GCC to adopt its products. “Although we have been hugely successful in Egypt and with Saudi TV on several projects, we have not made many inroads into

other parts of the GCC,” says Roache. “We hope to change this situation by partnering with FGC, which recently opened an office in Ras Al Khaimah. Our company was not ready to invest in Middle East activity when we first came here seven years ago and the alliances we built were not as successful for various reasons. We hope we can replicate the success we have had in Saudi Arabia in other parts of the Middle East as well,” explains Roache. Mecca and Medina, however, are not the only places of worship that have undertaken high-profile camera installations to air prayers. Last year, the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi undertook a huge broadcast installation. Prior to that, UK-based systems integrator MHz was commissioned to handle the installation of a six-camera serial digital production facility within the Sultan Grand Mosque in Oman. With prayers being broadcast often on several local channels within the region, more such installations are likely to be seen in the future.

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LIGHTING DUBAI TV

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CONTROL Having the best lights in the business is one thing, but having the ability to make those lights obey your every command is the key to a successful studio lighting system, according to Dubai Media Incorporatedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior lighting engineer, Ziad Haddad. Patrick Elligett reports.

32 MARCH 2009

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LIGHTING DUBAI TV

We chose the Ion console because in a small studio, you can use it to control both conventional lighting and moving light effects at the same time. – Ziad Haddad, lighting engineering section head, DMI

Many elements comprise the creation of the perfect digital studio. Aesthetically, however, none is more important than correctly deployed lighting, and the ability to control, adjust and redeploy that technology as needed. Lighting engineers at Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI) are well-versed on this subject, and well-practiced in providing accurate, controlled and creative lighting for countless sets, studios and television stations, each with their own specific visual requirements. The most recent DMI station to benefit from a lighting upgrade, along with a revamp of its AV system, is the Dubai Racing Channel. The refurbished studio went operational in January 2009, providing a new look and feel for some of the station’s local and international content. Dubai Racing Channel’s new lighting control system was installed in DMI’s ‘studio A’ by local ETC provider, Oasis Enterprises, as part of the upgrade, which commenced in late September. Ziad Haddad, DMI’s senior lighting engineer, is unable to hide his excitement over the station’s lighting control system while sitting proudly at the studio’s new ETC Ion lighting console. Although it is comparatively smaller than most lighting control desks at a width of 19 inches, it is most definitely the centerpiece of the upgraded studio’s lighting arsenal. Haddad gives several reasons for the selection of the console, from which the studio’s array of conventional and moving light effects are directed, with its ability to

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back up essential configurations for certain programs one of the primary elements behind its selection. “The first time I played around with the system, I found that it was quite userfriendly, and because the DMI lighting crew is already familiar with ETC products, I assumed that the majority of them would have no problem using it,” he explains. “We chose the Ion console because in a small studio, you can use it to control both conventional lighting and moving light effects at the same time. “Our old system also included an ETC console which we have now shifted to another studio. It is the same console essentially, but this new model is much more conducive to the operation of moving lights.” DMI chose to acquire the 1024 output

Haddad demonstrates the capabilities of DMI’s new ETC Ion console.

MARCH 2009 33

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LIGHTING DUBAI TV

Flexibility of the console is one of the most important aspects to an installation such as this. – Karim Abdel Massih, lighting product manager, Oasis Enterprises configuration Ion model against the alternative 1536, 2048 output configuration options. The console also contains various additional benefits such as touch screen DVI monitor compatibility, and most importantly, the ability to backup essential information and configurations in the event of an on-air crisis. The after-sales support provided by local ETC representative Oasis Enterprises was also a key factor in selecting much of the new lighting equipment for the upgrade, according to Haddad. “The Oasis team came and gave the crew a few training sessions post-installation, and

later, our crew asked them to come back and clarify one or two issues they were experiencing with the new technology, so they returned and gave our crew the missing information that they needed,” he explains. “It is all working fine now. Management, operators, technicians and the designers are all happy with it.” Karim Abdel Massih, lighting project manager for Oasis, says the flexibility of lighting control offered by the Ion was one of the key reasons for its selection. “The Ion console was perfect for this job as it allows for accurate control of both conventional and dynamic light,” suggests Massih. “Flexibility of the console is one of the most important aspects to an installation such as this. “Another is the flexibility of the lighting installation in the ceiling itself. Without adequate flexibility of movement, you won’t be able to get the equipment into the position that the lighting designer requires.” ETC lighting consoles are quite obviously a favorite amongst DMI’s lighting staff. The company’s Congo console is used in one of DMI’s largest studios (studio F) to operate lighting on several sets used for a variety of different stations. The Congo console was the first of its kind in Dubai when it arrived in 2006, with an expert being brought in from Germany to train staff in its use. Studio A’s Ion console was

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1xETC sensor CE ESR48 - 48 module enclosure 12xDesisti DE-LUX 230V 2x55 MO phase control 12xDesisti base light ﬂuorescent video luminaries Manual operated stirrup, for lamps 55W. Light intensity control through a standard dimmer output, colour frame 12xDesisti egg-crate for DE-LUX 2x55W units, 1/2 12xDesisti eighth leaf barn door for DE-LUX 2x55 12xDesisti MAGIS 650 W 1xETC Congo console 1024 DMX channels 1xWRC for Congo (wireless remote control)

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MARCH 2009 35

LIGHTING DUBAI TV

We are transforming the office space into a studio by creating acoustic isolation and a grid for all the power needed – Ziad Haddad, senior lighting engineer, DMI

Karim Abdel Massih of Oasis Enterprises says flexible studio lighting is essential.

also the ﬁrst such control system in the UAE, according to Oasis management. But despite the engineering department’s satisfaction with the Ion and its control capabilities, it wasn’t all smooth sailing during the upgrade of the studio. Both the Oasis installation crew and the DMI team had to come up with some innovative tactics in order

36 MARCH 2009

to proceed with the upgrade while broadcasts continued from studio A. Haddad says the implementation of the studio’s dimmers presented some difficulties. “We had some external power cables running from the main power system to some IES touring rack dimmers on the studio floor, and we kept the studio operational until the new dimmers were completely installed,” he said. “We were forced to do some of our editing externally which was a little bit difficult because of the way the cabling had to be arranged.” But he says despite the obstacles, the lighting upgrade was still completed ahead of other parts of the studio revamp. In what seems to be an ongoing relationship between lighting distributor and integrator Oasis Enterprises and DMI’s

engineering team, the two entities are also working together to convert a space previously used as offices into a newsroom for the Dubai Sport Channel. “Oasis took care of the grid, the installation and the cabling in the studio F news room, but they were the first ones to finish the job while the production infrastructure was still being put in place,” said Haddad. The importance of supporting structures to accommodate the lighting upgrade within the limited space available in Dubai Sport Channel’s studio F is another aspect of the project that Oasis Enterprises staff ensured was not overlooked. Massih says the flexibility and accuracy of ceiling structures and pantographs is as important as the control and adaptability within the lighting console itself.

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LIGHTING DUBAI TV

“If it isn’t flexible enough, you won’t be able to get the equipment into the position that the lighting designer requires,” he says. “Problems are bound to occur without adequate flexibility of movement.” The ‘studio F news’ project is entirely different to the other traditional studio sets, therefore requiring a slight rethink of procedure for those involved. The lower-than-usual ceiling and typically long narrow space often seen with office buildings has led to an adjustment in the way technology is being deployed on the set. Despite the differences in the projects, Haddad says that working within tighter parameters presents different issues, yet is usually not as complex as conducting an installation in a larger, multi-studio setting. It can also have its bonuses in that it requires a cheaper, yet still effective, lighting kit. In the case of the Dubai Sports Channel newsroom, however, its conversion from an office environment to a functioning studio

brought about some difficult work, but according to Haddad, it was nothing out of the ordinary. “We are transforming the office space into a studio by creating acoustic isolation and a grid for all the power needed,” he says. “We are putting in ETC sensor dimmers and we are going to be using a second ETC Congo console that was previously operating as a second back up console for Studio F.” “Treating the space acoustically and installing some lighting supports in the ceiling presented a few difficulties, but there are challenges involved with adapting any existing location, and you have to live with the fact that you can’t do everything exactly the way you want with limited space.” Throughout all the DMI studios and, of course, those of other television stations, lighting can make or break the presentation of certain programs. With spatial and time constraints, a constant cause for concern

ETC Congo lighting consoles are still used by staff at Dubai Media Incorporated .

during a busy broadcast schedule, it is important to maintain strict control of lighting arrangements, while providing adequate flexibility and freedom of movement within supporting structures. Maintaining this control post-installation is heavily, if not entirely dependent on the lighting operation console and, of course, the professionalism of the staff responsible. DMI engineers appear confident that the Ion and Congo consoles the company possesses are providing the perfect solution to achieve total control over its complex lighting arrangements across several hightech studios.

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AUDIO EDITING DAW

DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATIONS CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR WORKFLOW When choosing a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), end users need to look for a system that fits well into the overall workflow of a post production or media environment, says audio engineer Peter Nash One of the most significant issues affecting everyone involved in the production of audio – whether it’s for radio, television, film post production or location recording – is workflow. Over the last two decades, production budgets have been continually coming down and it is no surprise that the people feeling the pinch the most are those who use the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) equipment that forms part of the workflow model. Equally true, whether you are a studio manager in a team for a large broadcasting corporation or a single operator in a postproduction facility, the need to comprehend the role of a DAW operator as being a fast, efficient and accurate component is essential. Of course, part of this is making the right choice of system as your workstation. A system that offers complete flexibility in terms of editing as well as import/export and compatibility is vital. With the industry having standardised on one form of audio file, namely the Broadcast Wave (or BWF), the choice of system needs to focus on the editing of such files, their compilation and

40 MARCH 2009

delivery in as seamless a method as possible. So what makes a good DAW? Basically, the DAW needs to be good as an editing tool and be as efficient in stereo, surround and multi-track editing. We are assuming the DAW can record efficiently, without latency or rendering in a multi-channel environment if necessary, and that the move by the operator from stereo recording and editing to multi-channel is as simple as just adding new channels. But what separates the professional systems that allow seamless workflow from the plethora of ‘home’ systems is the workflow process of the DAW itself. Sample accurate editing is a must, but so too is the way the edits are presented to the operator without other files being created each time a fade is made. It needs to be free from clicks of course (which really narrows the field). When making drama or film soundtracks, you cannot be burdened with having to create a crossfade each time you do an edit. I frequently find myself performing 2500 edits in a 45-minute drama-documentary; this really separates the systems! Processing, which is an inherent part of the DAW

workflow should be based on a floating-point platform so that your internal headroom is massive, thereby allowing the processing somewhere to go and not crunching as it runs out of digits – assuming you want your sound to be pure! To have a DAW that you can take out on the road is a real benefit. When recording 48 channels of high-quality audio, the end user does not want to be lugging racks of gear around with them; a simple system that can effectively mirror record, is robust, reliable and secure in the event of power failure is an absolute must. The SADiE LRX2, for example, performs this task well and you can record on it, then edit in ProTools, SADiE or Pyramix – in fact any system that can read the standard file formats that SADiE, in this case, records.

THE STORY AS IT WERE Historically, many of the original concepts of DAW used as part of a workﬂow for postproduction or broadcasting came about in a haphazard way because broadcasters were using a mishmash of audio systems. Technologies such as AudioFile, SADiE and

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AUDIO EDITING DAW

Pro Tools, all of which were introduced during the 1990s, were rapidly adopted by audio professionals but little thought was given to ‘best practice’ when it came to using them as part of the greater broadcasting picture. As production companies and broadcasters got to grips with new ‘tapeless’ technologies, particularly with regard to playout servers and automation systems, best practices for DAW use began to emerge and workflows were considered against the backdrop of reduced capital expenditure on digital technology, and of course the resultant reduction in people to operate them. So what does this mean to the process in audio terms? Workflow is really the process, from start to finish, of capturing audio, editing the audio as part of a production and delivering it to the end user. There are many elements and components to a workflow model and the DAW is only one. Everything from the ideas stage to the scheduling, form ingesting, editing, mixing

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and server delivery form part of the broadcast workﬂow model. The slicker the model, the more all of these elements are integrated. This, in turn, means the ability to integrate becomes a signiﬁcant feature of any DAW.

DAW COMPONENTS Digital Audio Workstations have always formed a central creative component of the workflow model; one where operators, producers or sound-designers get a chance to be imaginative. These ‘craft editor’ elements of the greater workflow model provide for speed of operation, flexibility, ability to ‘undo’ and ‘re-do’ and sample-accuracy in edits, as well as the ability to retrace one’s steps so that another creative pair of ears can follow a previous operator’s trail and, if necessary continue the project or refine it. All of these elements need to be smooth and seamless. There aren’t many that can really do all of this effectively, which is why the choice of DAW is often a major headache for post-

production operators. Those who do ﬁnd a system they are happy with tend to buy in large quantities and stick with it for the long term. A good example of this is the BBC, the UK’s national broadcaster, which has chosen the SADiE system and is using

MARCH 2009 41

AUDIO EDITING DAW

The BBC chose SADiE because it integrates with the rest of the broadcaster’s workflow.

it as the de facto craft editor for its national radio requirements. A key reason for this choice was the eﬃciency of the system and the fact that it integrates easily with the BBC’s huge automation playout server systems.

THE HOLISTIC VIEW

Professional systems give instant recall and manipulation of edits back to the original.

During early part of the new millennium, PC-based audio editing systems became so much cheaper and more accessible that it was possible for them to make inroads into the semi-professional and home recording

markets. The opportunity to make capital investments in this cheap technology was not lost on some broadcasters, but although this resulted in cost savings there was also a downside – namely the disruption this cheaper technology caused to the workflow pattern and workflow best practise. Eventually, the more successful post production houses, freelance professionals and media houses began to look holistically at their major capital investments and came to the conclusion that effective, seamless workflow was a significant factor that had to be taken into account when considering long term expenditure. They were undoubtedly right, but this philosophy shouldn’t just apply to the big boys because no matter what scale of workflow – whether it’s for a major national broadcasting system, a simple one-man editing or mastering project or a location recording task — workflow needs to be considered in order for budgets to be maximised. In a business where, increasingly,

Which way is your workﬂow going? • Are you still using tape? • Wasting work and duplicating effort? • Not able to access content when you need it? It’s easier than you think to make massive improvements in broadcast and professional video production workﬂow.

work ﬂows with See Curator on Stand No: ZN13 Zabeel Hall

42 MARCH 2009

To ﬁnd out how you CAN with Curator, visit Stand ZN16, Zabeel Hall, or go to www.ipv.com

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AUDIO EDITING DAW

time is money, the time lost to bad workflow planning will nearly always negate the ‘saving’ made by buying cheaper equipment that is simply not up to the task. As an audio engineer, I am often asked ‘why spend several thousand dollars on a Pro Tools, SADiE or Pyramix system when I can get my PC to do the editing for several hundred?’ It’s an important question, but when you look at the workflow over time, the figures balance out and ultimately move in favour of the more ‘expensive’ systems. The larger initial outlay approach gives you significant advantages such as (with certain systems), no rendering, no latency, no graphic redrawing, no ‘bouncing’ to a second system for further editing, no time lost from setting up sound-cards, and no quality lost from the same. These more expensive ‘professional’ systems also give you instant recall and manipulation of edits back to the original, integration with playout servers and so on. All of this equates to a massive time

44 MARCH 2009

saving, not to mention massive savings on budgets, because less time is needed in the studio, there is less need to re-work material and there is a much better chance that a professional system will integrate with other equipment in the broadcast chain. Ultimately you get what you pay for – and that applies whether you are making the investment as a corporation or as an individual. Of course not all the big systems can do all of this – every DAW manufacturer oﬀers a diﬀerent set of features and in the end, it comes down to doing your research so that you end up with the right recording and editing system for your own needs.

INTEGRATION If each component of the workﬂow is doing its own thing in isolation to everything else in the chain, then there is a risk of chaos. This is why, when considering investing in audio equipment, the major players turn to professional systems that allow for integration and a speedy conclusion of their

part of the workflow chain. There are a number of professional DAW systems on the market but the end user needs to look at which one offers better workflow advantages and integrates better with their existing systems. The reward of investing in the right DAW system doesn’t take long to manifest itself. An efficient DAW paradigm results in a slick and highly accurate architecture, which means a user spends less time fiddling with bad edits, less time waiting for the processing of the DAW itself, and ultimately allows more flexibility for quickly fine tuning. Peter Nash is an audio engineer and consultant for the post-production and broadcast sectors.

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Picture perfect The ultimate HD monitor When the picture has to be perfect everytime, you can rely on the ﬂawless levels of performance delivered by JVC HD professional video monitors. Equipped with HD-SDI capability and a long list of high performance features, including waveform monitoring, the DT-V monitors deliver exceptional HD image reproduction. Each of the four monitors in the range, from 9" to 24", features high-contrast, wide viewing angles, with faithful colour reproduction and precise control of contrast and brightness, making them ideal for OB vans and studio applications. And with AC/DC operation on the 9" and 17" models, it’s easy to take them out on the road, so you can monitor in both HD and SD during your shoot. For further information, please visit www.jvcpro.eu.

Visit us at Stand ZA-21, Zabeel Hall 3 - 5 March 2009

PRODUCT REVIEW DECKLINK STUDIO

DECKLINK

STUDIO Targeted at small to medium post-production houses and freelance editors, the DeckLink Studio makes professional editing truly affordable, says Giorgio Ungania.

46 MARCH 2009

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PRODUCT REVIEW DECKLINK STUDIO

In January, Blackmagic Design launched its latest I/O card at Macworld in San Francisco. The DeckLink Studio is a PCI Express video card that can be installed on both PCs as well as Macs and supports a vast array of video professional applications. The unit matches the requirements of the professional video industry at this moment. We are living in an age of transition, where a large number of video assets are still on analogue media and need to be digitised to a variety of digital formats to preserve them. Regardless of the nature of our business, we all have material residing on various supports; the latest trend is to have everything stored on the “cloud”, meaning utilising off-site server solutions that can host our media and make it accessible regardless of our geographical position. This, however, is still difficult to achieve for video files as the file sizes are too big for the current average bandwidth. Therefore, the production industry is backing up information on drives or other data storage support. The DeckLink Studio supports a vast variety of analogue inputs and makes the digitising and archiving of video files assets a breeze. Let’s take a look at what we get in the box.

IN THE BOX - HARDWARE The PCI Express card has three connectors, one 10-bit SDI input, one 10-bit SDI output and one multi-breakout connector that handles the majority of I/O. The multi connector acts as the plug of the DeckLink Studio cable and is the door to a world of formats. On analysing the cables, we learn that the unit “talks” the following standards: Four channels balanced analogue audio Eight channels of SDI audio Two AES/EBU digital audio with sample rate converters SDI analogue component in

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S Video Composite Video SD-SDI out RS 422 Genlock In Pretty much, there is no analogue device out there that cannot be connected to the DeckLink Studio.

IN THE BOX - SOFTWARE The unit is bundled with some software applications for both Macs and PCs; let’s take a closer look: Blackmagic Deck Control The Blackmagic Deck Control drives the RS422 connection and allows automated three-point editing from the drive to the connected deck. On the PC, the software is called Media Express and supports a similar function set. FrameLink FrameLink is an application that converts video streams into image sequences; Quicktime and AVI ﬁles can now be mounted as volumes containing still sequences that can be edited and reencoded back as video streams. LiveKey LiveKey is a video keyer that can be used when working with standard deﬁnition. It is possible to key graphic assets with alpha channel in real time. A useful automatic mode permits programming a cycle of keys over time. The end user merely has to programme the interval and LiveKey will insert the selected graphic assets accordingly. Disc Speed Test A useful application to monitor the discs throughput of the host system

MARCH 2009 47

PRODUCT REVIEW DECKLINK STUDIO

WORKBENCH

The PCI Express has three connectors , one 10-bit SDI input, one 10-bit SDI output and a multi-breakout connector that handles most of the I/O.

48 MARCH 2009

It takes a few minutes to install the card and software and we are ready to go. We tested the device using a Mac Pro 8 cores with two Gigs of RAM. We used the card while running Final Cut Studio, Adobe After Effects and Photoshop CS4 as well as Autodesk Combustion. Final Cut Pro was used to ingest both SD and HD material coming from different sources such as a Panasonic AG-DVX102BE camcorder (DVCPRO), Digibeta SDI, Canon XL2 MiniDV, a JVC Everio HD (drive-based camera) and even an old Panasonic VHS. The process was flawless apart from some computer reboots that were required to make Final Cut Pro recognise the new input source. From the Blackmagic Design

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HOW RESOLUTION LA DID SOME BODYWORK TO A NISSAN. Get the full story at autodesk.com/bodywork

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The model enabled resolution LA to make design alterations, correct the lighting, and easily integrate the car into the commercial.

Using AutoCAD®, Autodesk® Maya®, and Autodesk® Flame® software, resolution LA saved time and money, and was able to make last-minute changes. This helped Nissan experience its creative vision before it was real.

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Please join MEDIASYS, Autodesk Authorised Value Added Reseller at CABSAT 2009 in Dubai. Take a closer look at the latest releases of Autodesk’s integrated digital color grading, effects and finishing solutions. Autodesk® Lustre® 2009, and the extension 1 releases of Autodesk® Inferno®, Flint®, Flame® and Smoke® are packed with features, bringing you the tools, and performance for an accelerated workflow. With a GPUaccelerated plug-in processing, and automated stereoscopic tools, Lustre 2009 now operates on a single-platform with the visual effects line, Inferno, Flame, Flint and Smoke. Learn how our integrated solutions can speed up your post production workflow so you can create at the speed of thought!

3-5 March 2009

Visit MEDIASYS at: Booth # FZ LLC Stand no. ZH – 25 Zabeel Hall

Authorized Value Added Reseller Autodesk, AutoCAD, Flame, Flint, Inferno, Smoke, Lustre and Maya are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or afﬁliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and speciﬁcations at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. © 2008 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

PRODUCT REVIEW DECKLINK STUDIO

web site, we learnt that 2.5 Gb/s video card also adds real-time effects capabilities to Final Cut. This is really handy when working uncompressed, as the Final Cut Pro 6 open timeline feature already handles natively many fades and effects. Included in the bundle is a Photoshop plug-in that allows the end user to extract single frames from video streams, perform digital editing and output the 16-bit render. This feature comes in handy when the user needs to remove artifacts from video signals without having to look into more time consuming workflows. Through DeckLink, it is also possible to import native Adobe PDF and EPS files without any conversion. One of our favorite features is the possibility of monitoring a signal simultaneously in HD and SD while working on the application. Nowadays, the majority of video production needs to be output both in HD as well as SD. The luxury of being able to monitor both simultaneously is a real time saver for end users.

50 MARCH 2009

All the applications utilised for the test were very stable and we never had a single system crash.

CONCLUSION The DeckLink Studio is very aﬀordable. By installing this unit into cheaper host computers, an end user can set up a small, low-budget post-production facility. For the same amount of “horsepower”, the user would have had to spend a fortune a few years ago. If it is true that we are witnessing the last days of tapes-based and linear media support, then it is absolutely the right time to start preserving all our intellectual property and store them on other more durable media, such as hard drives. The Decklink Studio is one of the most aﬀordable and reliable solutions in the market that can help us achieve this goal, and it comes with some interesting bundled software to boot. Giorgio Ungania is an avid video editor and the head of commercial services at SAE International .

USPS Cost-effective Supports most formats Cross platform (works on Mac and PC)

PRICE Price: US $695 Web: www.blackmagic-design.com. Local distributor: MediaCast FZ LLC, Dubai

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Relax with Hamlet. Knowing your test and measurement equipment has a future proof upgrade path from Analogue, through SD, HD to 3Gbps., with a selection of option modules to suite your needs, you know you can relax, rest assured that your investment has been well placed. TEST, MEASUREMENT, MONITORING AND SOFTWARE BASED QUALITY CONTROL INSTRUMENTS!

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SUPPORT SYSTEMS TRIPODS

52 MARCH 2009

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SUPPORT SYSTEMS TRIPODS

STABLE LEGS…. Choosing a tripod is tricky. Peter Harman of Vinten discusses some of the essentials to consider while choosing tripod systems Almost every camera operator has had the experience of shooting a scene only to ﬁnd that the image is not up to professional standard. And, in nearly all cases, the reason is the quality of the camera movement. While there will always be a place for handheld cameras, for total control of the framing, picture stability and production of seamlessly developed shots, choosing the right camera support system is essential. New generations of ultra-compact cameras enable camera operators to get into the action as never before, and longer lenses allow previously unobtainable close-up shots, but they also place much greater demands on camera support systems. Keeping up with the pace of new camera technology is a challenge for camera support systems.

tially save you money, you might spend more time and money in the edit suite correcting shooting deficiencies to get the right professional shot. If you have the right equipment, you spend less time in the edit suite. Tripods come in a variety of carrying capacities and materials ranging from plastic, carbon fibre and aluminium to wood. There are various configurations: single stage, twostage or the versatile multistage telescopic model, and then there are different interfaces for attaching the pan and tilt head. And these all come with a variety of accessories. Whatever the leg configuration, the tripod should allow both low and high shooting angles. For extremely low angle shots go for baby legs that are also able to accommodate standard pan and tilt heads.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR BACK TO BASICS Manual tripods have been in use ever since photography began, and the key factors inﬂuencing the choice of a tripod still remain the same. The weight and size of the camera Where it’s likely to be used Speed of repositioning Types of shots likely to be needed

THE CHOICE IS ENORMOUS WHAT TRIPOD TO CHOOSE? While many “low end” tripods appear to oﬀer the same features as more expensive tripods, professionals want reliability and quality. Few of the less expensive tripods will give you the performance you need for professional work, and while lower cost kit may ini-

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The essentials remain the same, whatever you are doing: Light weight, yet robust enough to take the knocks of professional work. Good torsional rigidity which will resist the tripod twist – spring back or wind up - caused by drag forces when panning. Without this rigidity, twist may be seen in the viewﬁnder when the pan bar is released – the picture typically springs back slightly. Legs that do not deform, and make sure that there is no clamp slip when the tripod is loaded. The tripod should be stable enough to withstand windy conditions. Simple reliable leg locks which are easy to maintain. Fittings and clamps which you can use when wearing gloves – you never know

what the conditions will be like. Tripod legs with enough clearance for the leg tubes to move freely during setup and break-down. But make sure that clearance is not so great that there is a “dead spot”, or backlash, when camera pan movement changes.

LIGHTWEIGHT, MEDIUM WEIGHT OR HEAVY DUTY? IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT THE SHOOT INVOLVES. LIGHTWEIGHT OR ENG PROFESSIONAL TRIPODS These usually have a 75mm or 100mm pan and tilt head interface which allows the pan and tilt head to be levelled accurately and locked oﬀ securely. Smaller tripods are mainly used for small bodied DV or HDV camcorders, commonly used for event videography, news and documentary programmes by camera operators and journalists. Here, working on foot and portability is the most important feature rather than stability and robustness.

MEDIUM WEIGHT OR EFP TRIPODS These usually have a 150mm pan and tilt head interface making them suitable for much larger camera conﬁgurations than an ENG tripod. With much larger leg tubes, they

MARCH 2009 53

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SUPPORT SYSTEMS TRIPODS

also offer much more rigidity than an ENG tripod, but importantly, they are still relatively lightweight. For camera work where you want speed and ease of set-up as well as stability and robustness, this is the tripod of choice. These tripods are frequently used in sports locations such as a pitch or running track, though they are still to be found in some television studios for fixed camera applications. Typical configurations are a 16mm film camera, an ENG or other portable style camera body with large lens, viewfinder, matte box and pan bar controls for zoom and focus. A teleprompter can be used where required.

HEAVY–DUTY TRIPODS Typically, these tripods are used to support full facility camera systems with a studio camera with box lens, viewﬁnder, pan bar controls, and a teleprompter where needed. They have a very substantial construction using a standard four-bolt ﬁtting, Mitchell screw or other proprietary quick release

A cameraman is only as good as the tripod system he uses so choose one with care.

system to attach the pan and tilt head. These tripods are used by studios, or in outside broadcast vehicles where absolute stability with long focal length zoom lens is of paramount importance. Quality materials and precise manufacturing methods give a user rigid camera support as well as smoothness of the pan and tilt head and accuracy of counterbalance. Elizabeth Pollock, ﬁlming a documentary in the South Paciﬁc said: “When you’re already worrying about salt water, dust, rust and convincing shy Polynesians to give you their frank views about climate change, you really don’t want to have to worry about spending hours to level a shot or fussing around with your tripod.” So no matter how good your camera or lens are, make sure that have a stable platform for smooth, controllable and quiet on-air movement. Choose a tripod which is robust, reliable, easy to maintain, simple to set up and adjust. Peter Harman is product manager of Vinten.

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MARCH 2009 55

broadcast graphics... Afresh

Unveiling WASP3D 2009 All new WASP3D 2009, the latest release from WASP3D redefines the broadcast graphics paradigm with fresh new design tools & features, enhanced workflow for speedy delivery and touch screen based application for presenting the content in a rich, engaging and an interactive way.

WASPi Mimosa: Zoom, Pan, Rotate, Telestrate and present your content on a touch screen panel.

Widgets for WASP (WFW): Quick access toolbar in Drone Designer for moving controls on a touch screen.

Unified Basic Templating (UBT): Virtually zero coding environment for creating basic data entry forms.

Software Developers’ Kit (SDK): For writing custom interactive broadcast applications.

Experience the ‘Touch of Freshness’ with all new WASP3D 2009 at:

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WASP3D 2009 Release

POST PRODUCTION ANIMATION - STAR WARS

COLLABORATION

IN ANIMATION Lucasfilm Animation recently brought one of the world’s most successful movie franchises, Star Wars, onto a new platform as a 3D animated television series. With some of the most devoted and obsessive fans in the universe, the technical crew of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series had to ensure that the meticulous attention to detail of die-hard Star Wars fans was replicated in the production aspect of the animation, lest the most minute glitch return to haunt them. On many occasions during the production of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series, it is likely that supervising director Dave Filoni frequently fantasised about having a clone army of his own to command. Conquering the plethora of tasks that confronted technical staﬀ during the show’s creation is deﬁnitely a feat worthy of such a force. But in the real world, without the assistance of clones, droids, or super-intelligent beings, it was the hard work of regular

58 MARCH 2009

humans that got the job done, with a little help from some of the most advanced CGI and animation technology in the market. Production of the 3D animated series began in 2005, following the release of Star Wars episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and was ﬁnally brought to the Middle East via Cartoon Network in February this year. The unique appearance and stylised design of the television series is indicative of the tremendous amount of man-hours and technological expertise that were applied to produce more than 30 episodes of the series.

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POST PRODUCTION ANIMATION - STAR WARS

Broad-scale collaboration between character designers, storyboard artists, animators, lighting designers and the hundreds of players involved in the production process was the key to achieving the visually-slick appearance of this animated adaptation of Star Wars. While internal collaboration at Lucasfilm Animation (a division of Lucasfilm) was essential, the spirit of cooperation was also extended outside the production house, to reach other contributors to the series, such as animation specialists CGCG and episodic directors who helped to bring different visual styles to the show. One example of this is Atsushi Takeuchi at Production I.G in Japan, who was recruited as an episodic director to bring an anime influence to the series. “The way we split up the production was that the story, design and the layout were done in California, and then all of the shot production happened overseas in Singapore and Taipei, and then came back to California

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SMOOTH MOVE Bringing a static character to life by creating a skeletal base for the development of a reliable system of movement within a 3D model for the use of animators, is the role of the character rigger. For the production of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Lucasfilm Animation employed multiple riggers to fulfill this task, highlighting its importance. Riggers play an integral role in any modern animation, particularly in this instance, with different movement systems being required for a multitude of creatures, machines and humanoids. Unnecessary in the cardboard cutout and stop motion animations of old, the importance of rigging within animated production will continue to grow unless a sudden reversion to traditional animation occurs – a scenario that in this case seems very unlikely, given the history of Star Wars’ pioneering role in visual effects creation over the past four decades.

MARCH 2009 59

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POST PRODUCTION ANIMATION - STAR WARS

GOOD VS EVIL  A SCULPTOR’S PERSPECTIVE The role of the sculptor in a large-scale animation project such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars is one that is rarely examined despite its importance. While it is not a computer-based art form, it is still one of great significance to the animation process, especially to technical staff further along the animation chain – when it comes to representing the correct proportions, individual pieces and general appearance of a character on screen. With armoured clones, complex creatures, space ships and an array of droids, including the heterogeneous robot, General Grievous, the job of Darren Marshall, maquette sculptor for the series, was definitely not an easy one. Although he phrases his role as simply as turning a “2D drawing into a 3D maquette so you can actually see what the design will look like in 3D,” he admits on the Star Wars website, that there were some challenges with sculpting certain characters in the show – in particular, the famed Jedi knights.

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“The heroes are always the diﬃcult ones to do, because they have to be really good looking, whereas the villains are quite easy because they have very severe shapes and proportions. Duku for example, has a really pointy chin that looks like a dagger and Palpatine has a series of deep-channeled grooves and wrinkles.”

for post production,” says Andrew Harris, CG and lighting supervisor at Lucasfilm Animation. Episodes were visually adjusted throughout the production process and frames were altered post-rendering in order to ensure the creation of the “illustrative stylisation” the crew was attempting to reproduce, based on Ralph McQuarrie’s original 1970s Star Wars concept art. Under the guidance of George Lucas, executive producer, and Dave Filoni, supervising director, each frame of footage was carefully scrutinised – or “noodled” - before moving on to the next stage of production, Harris tells fans via the show’s website. “When the episode is completely finished, we go through a process called colour crafting,” explains Harris. “When George Lucas had been very specific about how he wanted something to look, we could use this process to change the time of day and the overall look of the episode. “Even after we had finished rendering it,

MARCH 2009 61

POST PRODUCTION ANIMATION - STAR WARS

we had that last opportunity to go back and add some finesse to the appearance, which helped to capture the illustrative appearance of the show.” The process of step-by-step evolution and review of animated material in a big budget 3D production is always important, and in this instance, staff were designated to extremely specific roles in the production process from the animation’s 2D visual beginnings to its final 3D appearance. Each stage of the production process would see something added to the product while also serving as a reviewing station for the preceding steps. Storyboarding for the animated series was conducted in both 2D and 3D formats – with further collaboration between both 2D and 3D storyboard artists under the guidance of the series directors. 3D storyboard artists at Lucasfilms Animation were handed either a script or a 2D storyboard to turn into a crude dynamic moving picture

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POST PRODUCTION ANIMATION - STAR WARS

George Lucas took up the role of executive producer on Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

to provide a foundation for later stages in the animation process. Rather like a delicate house of cards, the production team was structured in such a way that the work of one was dependent on the performance of another. In order for animators to perform their roles at maximum eﬀectiveness, those involved in the early stages of production must ensure that attention to detail has been met despite various opportunities for ironing out minor glitches in the latter stages of the show’s development. Staﬀ say lighting was another key focus in the creation of the series from the outset. Lighting designers and concept artists took

countless storyboards and renders to add light-related colour and effects to the scenes. This resulted in some fantastic strong and soft light throughout the series to illuminate or darken certain planets, settings and scenes. With hundreds of eyes scrutinising every frame and shot, quality control at every stage during the production process was inevitable considering the passion of the technical staff working on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, many of whom are self-confessed Star Wars tragics. Since the groundbreaking release of the original Star Wars film, visual effects and graphics technology has moved into a new world. But now – like then – Star Wars con-

tinues to push the boundaries and set new limits for what can be achieved in the realm of visual possibilities. Benjamin Huber, lighting and compositing lead on the animation project, sums up this point extremely well in his video address to fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. “In the old days you used to build huge sets and mimic shots, but nowadays we’re doing all this digitally,” he says. “We are able to create planets, buildings, nebulas and cities, so it’s an immense amount of creative power we have just making all this stuﬀ up. We are drawing from the resources of thirty years of visual eﬀects and animation history.”

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64 MARCH 2009

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CASE STUDY AL DAFRAH CHANNEL

STRIKING A HIGH NOTE With investments in a full-HD studio environment, Abu Dhabi-based Al Dafrah Music Channel surges ahead of other channels in the region, writes Vijaya Cherian With several free-to-air Arabic music channels broadcast from the Middle East, it was thought this market was saturated and there was no room for more. Al Dafrah Music Channel, launched out of Abu Dhabi by Al Dafrah Group, however, is out to prove otherwise. In fact, the channel is one of the few music TV stations to invest in a full HD environment right from production all the way up to the point of transmission, where it is downconverted to SD. It is also one of the few music channels here to adopt a completely tapeless workflow at its studios all the way from ingest upto the time of delivery. The multi-million dollar project, which includes three studios and a four-camera OB van, was undertaken in conjunction with Abu Dhabi-based systems integrator, Tek Signals.

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The Abu-Dhabi based TV channel is spread out across three emirates including the UAE capital, Fujairah and Dubai Studio City. The TV station has three studios – two at Dubai Studio City and a smaller one at its facility in Abu Dhabi. Each of the three studios is fitted with Ikegami HDK-79 EX III camera heads, which in turn, are linked by digital fibre to Ikegami’s CCU-790A, camera control units. “We have a big 16m x 12m production studio at Dubai Studio City, which includes a 10m Movietech crane,” explains Graham Day, chief consultant, Al Dafrah Group. “This studio has mainly been designed to shoot music videos and other in-house productions. The advantage of having such a large production area is that we can easily accommodate six to eight sets at the same time. In addition, the studio has been fitted with three wall boxes to ensure easy camera movement

from one part of the studio to another,” he adds. The channel has a second three-camera 3D virtual studio. One of the key elements of this studio is Orad’s virtual system. The Orad solution includes a sophisticated camera tracking technology. Precise camera tracking is done by the system to ensure that a perfect match is achieved between the real world and the virtual world. By using an element called pattern recognition, the camera parameters are extracted from the video signal itself. This eliminates the need for any physical installation on the camera and offers an extremely accurate tracking and 360º shooting range. With the virtual studio, Al Dafrah Music Channel can create several different virtual sets, thereby creating fresh backgrounds for each of its programmes. The TV channel hopes to create at least

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CASE STUDY AL DAFRAH CHANNEL

KEY KIT 12x Ikegami camera heads HDK – 79 EX III 12x Ikegami CCU- 790 A 12x Canon lenses 12x Vinten Vision 250 tripods 4x GVGThomson Inﬁnity digital media camcorders 8x Ikegami HD high resolution monitors 8x BDL prompters 2x GVG Thomson Kayak HD 2 M/E multi-format production switcher 7x GVG Thomson DMR 1000 digital media recorders Genelec speakers 8x Orad CG, on air graphics, virtual studio system Evertz multi-viewers NEC 46” LCD monitors Sony HD recorders GVG Thomson Aurora Craft HD editing stations Glensound systems at voice over booth Tektronix test and measurement Pebble Beach automation

40% of its programmes in-house and the availability of the two studios at Studio City will help achieve this. Day, the channel’s consultant also adds that all production will be undertaken entirely in HD. “There is a dearth of HD content in the region. We plan to produce a lot of content for our music channel and for another entertainment channel that we will subsequently launch. We will be producing this in HD as well. Our aim is to gradually build a library of HD content here,” he says. As part of these efforts, the channel has also invested in four GVG Thomson Infinity INF-DMR-01 digital video camcorders for outside shoots. Al Dafrah’s approach to production is also slightly different to most other music channels who mostly acquire local music videos to broadcast them on

With a huge six-set production studio and a three-camera virtual studio at its facility in Dubai Studio City, Al Dafrah hopes to develop a library of HD content.

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their respective channels. The channel has pursued a slight different strategy, whereby it hosts live music concerts in different parts of the Middle East, acquires the broadcast rights to them in most cases, produces it for television and then probably sells it to third parties. Al Dafrah Group also owns a large property in Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa City, which it plans to use to hold live concerts in the UAE capital. To cover live events, Al Dafrah Group has invested in a four-camera OB van, designed by Tek Signals. The integrator has designed the system in such a way that the two cameras at the channel’s studio in Abu Dhabi can also be roped in for shooting live events. “You can link

AL DAFRAH INVESTS IN OB VAN Al Dafrah TV has invested in a four-camera OB/SNG van that was designed and integrated by Tek Signals. The channel claims this is the first OB van in the Middle East to use the “REV PRO” Media (using GVG DMR 1000) hard drive. This van can be used as a standalone OB van, a stand alone SNG van or as a combination of both OB & SNG. All of the equipment including cameras, lenses and tripods are fitted into flight cases for easy storage. It can be linked with a TV studio or a second chain of OB vans for extending the cameras and their functionality. Four Ikegami HDK-79EXIII heads with CCU 790As GVG Thomson Kayak HD 1 ME vision mixer with 24 inputs Sound Craft audio mixer Vinten Vision 250 tripods A mix of 11x, 22x, & 17x lenses from Canon. Evertz HD multi-viewers with 46” NEC LCD displays used as monitor bank Tektronix SPG, TG 700 & HD Waveform WFM 5000 Leitch routers GVG digital media recorders DMR 1000 with recording format hard drive “REV PRO” media. Orad HD CG and on-air graphics Tektronix QC monitoring A built-in UPS, generator and equipment storage slots are provided for the OB & SNG. General Dynamics 1.5m KU Band fully motorized antenna Output video formats: HD SDI, SD SDI & PAL; Output audio formats: AES audio and analogue stereo.

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CASE STUDY AL DAFRAH CHANNEL

all six cameras together to shoot for any programme that is held here,” says Joseph Varghese, division manager, broadcast and professional systems, Tek Signals. Once the footage is received, it is then ingested onto Thomson Grassvalley’s K2 servers. The material is then transferred to an archive server. Subsequently, footages that need to be edited will be pulled from the archive into a production server. HD material on the production servers are edited using Aurora craft editors at speeds of 100Mb/s in HD MPEG 2 without rendering and can support an infinite number of layers. The station’s facility at Dubai Studio City also has five edit suites and Adobe Creation suites. Al Dafrah is a completely file-based TV station at 100Mb/s, comprising a fully automated workflow using Pebble Beach automation, capable of auto recognition, renaming and overall organising of files in different areas of the station, like

68 MARCH 2009

Al Dafrah’s two-camera studio at Abu Dhabi supports a multi-format environment.

ingest, production, playout and archive. A GVG Thomson archive system has been developed for archiving. Material can also be recorded onto REV Pro mediumbased Infinity camcoders, which store everything in MPEG-2 HD format. These discs can be plugged into the DMR and transferred as a file onto the archive server. They are then flagged as available for editing. As part of the channel’s workflow, everything that is ingested is first stored onto the archive server and from here, pulled into a production server for editing. Once it is edited, the files in the production server are deleted to ensure optimum functioning at all times. The finished piece is then moved back into a specific folder within archive called transmission. The production and virtual studio gallery boast two Kayak HD ME2 vision mixers and a Yamaha audio desk. Here, Adobe Premiere is used for

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CASE STUDY AL DAFRAH CHANNEL

The advantage of having a large production studio is that we can accommodate six to eight sets at the same time. — Graham Day, chief consultant, Al Dafrah Group

Day pushed for a complete HD environment and tapeless workflow at Al Dafrah.

generating backgrounds and graphics. A much smaller two-camera studio has been built at Al Dafrah’s facility in Abu Dhabi. Unlike Dubai, where everything is produced and edited only in HD until the point of transmission, the Abu Dhabi facility operates in a multi-format environment that supports both SD as well as HD. This studio includes a Thomson Indigo mixer, which supports both SD and HD and allows users to work in either format. Al Dafrah is played out of Fujairah and TECOM in Dubai. Tek Signals calls this installation one of its most prestigious projects in the UAE. ”We are happy to have worked with Al Dafrah in this project. It’s a state-of-the-art channel that showcases

our systems design, project planning, on-site installation and commissioning capabilities,” says Varghese. Al Dafrah Group has ambitious plans to gradually launch an entertainment channel as well. Already, Day says that the channel, which started with four members now has fifteen to man its operations across the three emirates. The channel is working towards producing a drama series and short in-house programmes for the channel. It has SMS functionality with servers in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah to support this. “We have followed a different strategy in our efforts to make this channel a commercial success and are confident that our combination of excellent technical expertise and business strategy will help us succeed,” claims Day.

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FACE TO FACE ZAID ADHAM

SHORT

TAKE

Jordanian filmmaker Zaid Adham chats with Vijaya Cherian about his films, the challenges Arab filmmakers face today and his latest project

Three years ago, at the first annual MINI film festival in Dubai, Zaid Adham, a young Jordanian filmmaker raised in Dubai, made headlines for his short film Black Coffee. A psychological thriller, the film revolves around the misadventures of Maxwell, a young womaniser whose attempt to flirt with a beautiful café proprietor leads to a twisted fate after she pleads for his help from her mysterious chef. The film won accolades in the local press and Adham was hailed as a promising filmmaker. Since then, there has been no looking back for Adham, who now resides in Canada, and has made a film dubbed Minus 1 and is looking to produce yet another. “The success of Black Coffee compelled me to think of a career in directing more seriously,” says Adham. “After working for a Dubai-based channel, I decided to move to Canada in order to cement this decision by seeking a market closer to North American media hubs such as

Los Angeles and New York City. A few months into my post-graduate degree in post-production, I got a script written by British writer Conor Ibrahiem. The poignant story of the harsh realities of teenage drug abuse really hit home for me, and I set out to create the canvas for that story. This led me to producers Michael Patrick and Eric Weigand who, having seen my work and vision in Black Coﬀee, collaborated with me on the project.” With a budget of US $8000 donated by his family, Adham set out to make the ﬁlm. The budget aided in making the production more professional and provided a wider berth for casting, locations, and post-production quality, Adham says. Minus 1 is set against an urban backdrop and revolves around Victoria, a teenager who is initially portrayed as the paradigm of innocence. But she is soon forced into a life of depravity by her heroin-addicted mother. Victoria must battle both her mother’s demons as well as her

I always try to include one photographic sequence in my films. It’s simply a nod to my passion as a photographer but it adds a different flow to the film — Zaid Adham

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FACE TO FACE ZAID ADHAM

own under the sinister eye of their drug dealer. Addiction, theft, and prostitution are all at play with forces beyond anyone’s control setting the foul rules of their life cycle. Despite the fact that Adham had a shoestring budget to produce this film and this limited production flexibility, his team managed to give the film a professional look and feel thanks to them securing a good location that helped create the right mood for the film. “The very basics of production design were used to create the difficult living conditions of the inner metropolis. However the Metropolitan United Church in Downtown Toronto was a great place. We used it to film the final scenes of the film. Its fantastic location and atmospheric indoor lighting helped nail the final message of the film,” explains Adham. More importantly, Adham, who is also an accomplished photographer and a skilled musician, weaves elements of these arts into his films. “My films always try to convey an important social message while utilising the essence of these three arts, which are combined symbiotically,” explains Adham. “I always try to include one photographic sequence in my films. It’s simply a nod to my passion as a photographer but it adds a different flow to the film. I also like to emphasise the symbiosis between the audiovisuals in a production. When the sound design, the visual narrative, and the music come together in perfect harmony, the message becomes more clear to the audience,” he says. In Minus 1, Adham used a multi-layered audio canvas of human and non-human sounds to create the eerie effect of the drug fix taking over the characters’ lives. “This drew influences from the use of sound design and music in the classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, and pays respects to some of its more jaw-dropping moments. Again, the photomontage sequence in the film was used as a sort of director’s trademark. Those who have seen the film often compare its final incarnation to the earlier work of David Lynch, in the sense

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Zaid Adham (left) directs his team on the set of Minus 1.

that the film actually flows as a tonal poem than a straight-up story,” Adham says. The crew used a Panasonic HXV-200 with P2 memory cards and a wide-angle lens for the film. Basic Kino lighting, gels and reflectors helped create mood lighting for the film, explains Adham. “Our director of photography was Kar Wai Ng, a student of the famous cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond (Close Encounters of The Third Kind, The Deer Hunter). He was very creative with his use of lighting to create the proper atmosphere. He also used lots of tungsten, spot and fresnel lights for the purpose. The film was edited and colour corrected using Final Cut Studio 2. “This has been my editing software of choice for the last five years,” says Adham. The film was subsequently given two audio mixes in ProTools LE, one in regular stereo and the other in Dolby 5.1 surround sound. “Originally, the sound design for the drug fix in the film was also meant to come with a 3D CGI visualisation of the fix, but initial tests on Maya revealed that it was taking away from the atmosphere of the story rather than adding to it like I had first envisioned so we canned it,” explains Adham. On another note, the filmmaker claims that he feels just at home in Canada as well as in Dubai although his next film will touch upon the issue of racial, religious and political tolerance in post 9/11 society. “I have always prided myself on being a cosmopolitan thinker having lived in cities such as Dubai and London most of my life, and so my work in North America serves a few purposes. “First, it is a medium for me to express myself as a new talent in the industry hoping to make it big. It serves to also break the stereotype that Hollywood is the centre of all media talent in the world and that very little can come

MARCH 2009 73

FACE TO FACE ZAID ADHAM

from anywhere else. Most importantly, because I do not wish to solely work in English, I intend on using my work in portraying social issues that are relevant to both sides of the coin as a bridge over the cultural gaps in understanding. As such, my next project, which I hope will be able to find financiers and interested investors, will be shot in Arabic in the Middle East. I intend to show the world that internationally-acclaimed Arab production and performance didn’t stop with Omar Sharif and Youssef Chahine.” Adham feels that more Arab filmmakers need to be ambassadors to the world around us ‘through a common denominator: a medium which is easily understandable and accessible to everyone.’ Unfortunately, he believes that art is vastly ignored in the Middle East. “A recent exception for this would be The Royal Film Commission of Jordan which helped launch the careers of directors Mahmoud Al-Massad (director of the award winning documentary Recycle) and Amin Matalqa (director of Captain Abu Raed). Matalqa is based in Los Angeles but came to Jordan to film his feature debut with the help of the RFC. So yes, it is possible to break into both scenes. It just takes perseverance.” Adham, however, has had no luck in his own country. Minus 1, for

BLACK COFFEE Black Coffee was shot in London in late 2005 with a Sony Z1E HDV camera and edited using Final Cut Pro. Casting auditions were held at Adham’s neighbour’s house in London, he says. The film was written by a Sharjah-based British writer George Hopkin and shot with zero budget on location at a small London café in Holborn. “I assembled a cast of theatrically-based actors and a crew with varying levels of industry experience from students in the sound department to my first assistant director who worked in the art department for Peter Jackson’s Lord of The Rings trilogy. Utilising mostly natural lighting and reflectors as and when required. It was a great success,” says Adham.

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FACE TO FACE ZAID ADHAM

I intend to show the world that internationallyacclaimed Arab production and performance didn’t stop with Omar Sharif and Youssef Chahine — Zaid Adham instance, has been rejected by the Royal Film Commission of Jordan on account of its controversial subject matter. The filmmaker hopes to have more luck at the Dubai International Film Festival. In the meantime, Adham is also simultaneously souring the market for potential investors to fund his next film project. According to him, funding is the single biggest challenge for young filmmakers. “The current economic situation around the world especially does not allow many people to see the entertainment industry as a viable investment or source of profit. Statistics have, however, shown that in the last great depression, the cinema industry

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survived and profited because it became the escapist culture for those wishing to leave the woes of their life behind them. “Film is the perfect medium for imagination to take shape and form, as well as being a fantasy world made real for those wishing for a slice more of excitement and adventure to break the mould of their lives.” Although discouraged by the lack of support in the Middle East for filmmakers, Adham is hopeful that things will change and more local investors will see business opportunities in funding film ventures. Adham hopes to come to Dubai during the upcoming film festivals to showcase his work and pitch for funding for his next project.

MARCH 2009 75

VIEWPOINT STEREOSCOPIC HD

STE 3D REO CO SC ME OP S H IC OM E

Ste r the eosco a p pas tre di ic 3D s t p lon but w play m heno g-t erm ith to ay ha meno out da ni ve of t in hei vestm y’s co com s not e r fa ju mb mil ent g ina and g st a f y ro o ti a o om als, a on of ne at d any nd m s, 3 d D is thea igital least t ore. St w tr te her e to e own chno o tim ereos es co lo ers sta ’ ne gy, H in th pic y e o ed to p llywo o ull vie d’s we rs 76 MARCH 2009

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VIEWPOINT STEREOSCOPIC HD

3D screens are opening every month in theaters across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Even more are popping up in places like China. In my view, the format could spread faster in the developing world than elsewhere because there is less theater infrastructure in these areas to replace. In the current wave of theatrical 3D, two outstanding technologies are competing for marketplace dominance, namely Real-D and Dolby. In an interesting example of the law of unintended consequences, the film industry has benefited from sophisticated and expensive research conducted for the military and NASA, who have been perfecting 3D technology in flight simulators and satellite image assessment. Even pharmaceutical companies

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use 3D to visualise and modify chemical compounds. The result of this research is more comfortable 3D glasses for viewers and a better understanding of the ergonomics, physiological and psychological aspects reducing earlier complaints of eye fatigue and headaches. Circular treatments for the projector lens and glasses have been deployed in place of the old-fashioned variety that had either horizontal or vertical anaglyphic and polarization. Computer gaming has already embraced the stereoscopic world. Stereoscopic production comes in four genres: CGI, live-action, 2D converted to 3D or a combination of all of the above. No matter which method is used, the post-production pipeline is becoming more complex – a fact that is demon-

MARCH 2009 77

VIEWPOINT STEREOSCOPIC HD

strated by the lengthy post-production schedule for director James Cameron’s 3D movie, Avatar. The main reason for the longer post-production schedule is that stereoscopic content comprises two distinct eye-streams – left and right. From the editorial and VFX standpoint, this means two times the work! Among the questions 3-D has posed for post-production is how to deal with the two streams of content that have identical timecodes in order to remain synchronised. An oﬀset or other scheme must be created to ensure the left and right eye streams remain related. Thus far, each project seems to have its own unique solution. In fact, stereoscopic

tools, protocols, and workflows are still being constantly invented – which reflects the evolving nature of this new 3-D centric postproduction era. Stereoscopic colour grading takes advantage of the fact that we use two eyes subconsciously to perceive depth, distance, and size of objects in our field of view. Most people have a dominant or primary eye, which is relied upon for precise positional information (such as distance). Thus, the first step in colour grading stereoscopic content is for a colourist to perform a two-dimensional grade on the video stream seen by the primary eye – a determination that is made when the project is shot. Grading the left or right eye streams independently enables the intraocular distance to be tweaked or a camera’s angle or position to be adjusted as necessary during post-production. Ideally, these adjustments should be made in-context and in real time during a grading session. Likewise, it greatly simplifies matters if, once the colour grade has been completed

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VIEWPOINT STEREOSCOPIC HD

on one eye, it can automatically be copied to the other eye. Also, because editorial continues to evolve throughout the digital grade, it is tremendously helpful and saves time when there are tools available that automatically update a colour grading session to match the editorial changes for each eye stream. Sometimes, it is determined during a session that the primary eye should be switched. For example, the view could be unexpectedly better from the left than from the right. In this case, it is desirable for the colour grading equipment to have the capacity to switch from one stream to the other in real time during the session. Stereoscopic production sometimes gives rise to glitches that could not happen during traditional production. For example, the size of some very high-resolution digital cameras makes it diﬃcult to align two cameras sideby-side to achieve an on-set stereoscopic capture. One solution is to shoot into a mirror or prism with the cameras mounted to face each other. But this shooting process can cre-

ate a rainbow effect or other image artefacts that have to be fixed during post-production. It is crucial that a full range of colour grading tools is available during the finishing process to easily and quickly make these kinds of adjustments and fixes. While digital grading is currently accomplished one eye-stream at a time, the ultimate goal is for the director and the colourist to sit together in a session, don their 3D glasses – perhaps their personal pairs designed by Nike or Gucci – and work on the project as it is displayed in stereo, just the way the viewer in the theatre will see it (with designer glasses on). With Hollywood feature production fully invested in stereoscopic 3D, it won’t take long for the studios to provide that content to the home. As it happens, Blu-ray technology is well suited to display 3D content. While it may not be possible to achieve the full in-theatre 3D experience at home, some kind of 3D will be available from the vantage of one’s sofa soon. Once the 3D capability extends

to the home, the viewer will want to watch live sports in stereoscopic, and that will lead naturally to stereoscope commercials and, by that time, there will be a demand for postproduction equipment to meet the needs of all of the markets served by the film and television industry throughout the world. When it comes to stereoscopic 3D presentation, the fluidity of this evolutionary moment may cause more than headaches for practitioners, but for companies that specialise in systems for colour enhancement, DI finishing, and content mastering, this offers new opportunities. Because 3D represents the future, content makers will continue to clamor for more tools and capabilities to free their creative processes. Manufacturers will need to provide the solutions that will help them advance this next generation of visual experience and storytelling. And once stereoscopic 3D finishing is mastered, there’s more on the horizon. Think holography! Dean Lyon is VP of Marketing at da Vinci Systems.

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MARCH 2009 79

SPECIAL REPORT DUBAI CRICKET STADIUM

DUBAI’S HAT TRICK Dubai Cricket Stadium, which opens to the public next month, has been designed with TV broadcasting in mind. Vijaya Cherian looks at some of the key elements that make this impressive stadium broadcast-ready. Come next month, Dubai cricket fans will ﬁnd themselves spoilt for choice with the number of one-day cricket matches slated to be played at the brand new Dubai Cricket Stadium in Dubai Sports City. More importantly, the new stadium has been built with television in mind and consultant Taj TV was involved in the project from day one to ensure that appropriate cabling was undertaken to ensure the best camera positions for live production. “From a television point of view, the good thing is that we did it all very early and got the infrastructure in, so the stadium is completely broadcast ready,” says Peter Hutton, senior vice president for programming and production. “Usually, arrangements for TV tend to be at the bottom of the barrel and this was a welcome change to that. We were there from the start and now, it’s ready to go on air from when the ﬁrst series of events begins in April-May.” Careful attention was paid to camera placements to ensure that TV viewers would be given the best views of the match. “We have been careful to look at the eyelines and camera positions before the stadium was built. We looked at where the ball would go and what the angle of the camera would

80 MARCH 2009

have to be. We tried to work out the correct positions within the stadium. We were able to work with the architects at the beginning stage where we could discuss where we could place a certain camera. The German architects had never dealt with the problems of televising cricket before so this was something that Taj TV did entirely on its own.” The consultant ensured that every aspect of cricket was carefully planned and designed to ensure the best coverage. Even issues like lighting were given due consideration as they diﬀer from sport to sport. “In football, for instance, we need an even spread of light across the whole stadium while for cricket, the key thing is the lighting on the

square. Although the rest of the lighting also needs to be good, the focus is very much on one small area of the pitch. These issues have been addressed at the cricket stadium,” explains Hutton. One successful element of this project was ensuring that all the cabling infrastructure was already laid out right at the beginning. UKbased systems integrator Gearhouse Broadcast undertook this part of the project. As a result, ugly cables do not ruin the aesthetic appeal of the stadium while also not posing any safety hazard for operations personnel. “This is the only cricket stadium in the Middle East and the Subcontinent and perhaps, worldwide, that has all of the infrastruc-

GEARHOUSE DELIVERS BROADCAST INFRASTRUCTURE Gearhouse Broadcast delivered an integrated broadcast system for the cricket complex, a stadium that can seat a 25,000 and be expanded to 30,000 in the future. The installation enables any outside broadcast provider to come to the venue and interconnect into a purpose-built control room so that they can broadcast video and audio from the venue. The installation comprises 37 wall boxes, 33 triax

camera positions, 27 fibre camera positions, 53 video tie lines, 92 data tie lines and 136 audio tie lines, all of which use Belden or Draka cable. The wall boxes have triax camera positions and HD fibre camera positions to cater to HD productions in the future. To complete the installation, Gearhouse provided a crew of five riggers, three wiremen, a project engineer and a project manager as well as using some local labour.

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SPECIAL REPORT DUBAI CRICKET STADIUM

One-day cricket matches are scheduled to begin at Dubai Cricket Stadium in April.

ture laid in. By doing this, we have ensured that to cover an event, we just need to go to the venue and plug the cameras in when the game begins. We actually laid cables under the pitch even before the actual grass was grown there so that the stump cameras and the microphones by the stump could be cabled in that early,” says Hutton. While production will initially be performed in SD, Hutton adds that the installation supports HD and has been set up with the intention of moving to the new format in the future. Some of the key elements that Taj TV paid attention to were potential camera placements. “Camera positions were key to this project. With this installation, we have a great view of the stadium from behind the presenters. Additionally, we have made sure the glass is tinted in such a way that it minimises any reflection. We have also made sure the power lines are all in place. This may look like a lot of backend stuff but this is key to making pictures look good in the end,” Hutton says. One other element of this project has been laying out a fibre system that links the stadium to Taj TV’s studios in Dubai Studio City. “We have worked with du Broadcast Services on this project. Du connects Samacom, the uplink provider in Dubai, to the stadium. This way, we do not need to put in a satellite dish to uplink the pictures back from the stadium

82 MARCH 2009

Peter Hutton, senior VP of programing at Taj TV says Dubai Cricket Stadium is the only one in the region that has been designed with TV broadcasting in mind.

all the way to Ten Sports in Media City. We can easily plug in and play it out of the fibre connections here. This is not just a cost saving; it is a significant technical improvement as well,” explains Hutton. “For a cricket stadium, it is quite novel to have everything fibred in. Of course, while this is done for football stadiums all over the world, this is probably the first time it’s being done for cricket,” Hutton adds. Ten Sports presently has plans to use between 24 and 25 cameras for an event. The company is also looking to put a blimp camera at the stadium. “When that happens, it will be a first for this region. A camera placed in a balloon will enable us to provide aerial pictures of Sports City within the context of DubaiLand,” explains Hutton. One-day cricket matches are scheduled to begin next month at the cricket stadium.

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Traffic, Media Assets Management & Scheduling System

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Please come back to us to book a private demonstration in Broadcast exhibitions, or give us your details for receiving a free evaluation version of LETraffic. Do not hesitate to contact us for getting our last price list, you will find it very interesting.

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TECHNOLOGY UPDATE PRESERVING CULTURE

CONSERVING THE WORLD’S VIDEOTAPE TREASURES Major content producers such as Walt Disney as well as other Hollywood and Bollywood studios still grapple with stacks of tape that have been collecting dust on their racks. Unless these firms decide to digitise their footage, many of the old classics will no longer be available for posterity

Traditionally, it has taken so much time and labour to migrate video content from videotape to digital files that most production houses and other media organisations have yet to attempt it with any meaningful portion of their archives. This is a shame. Estimates are that as much as five percent of the world’s video content is irretrievably lost each year. Fortunately, a fast and comparatively easyto-use videotape-migration technology has since come into the market. The successful application of this technology could have far-reaching implications not only for improving the efficiency and revenue potential of media operations but, at the most fundamental level, for preserving global cultural heritage. According to industry estimates, there are some six billion videotape cassettes in existence, a billion of which contain historic, rare, or otherwise valuable content. That is the equivalent of 7.5 exabytes of high-value data stored only on videocassette. In Europe,

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the estimate is that there are 300 million of these valuable cassettes. Serviceable as it has been since its introduction in 1953, videotape is an imperfect storage medium. Its most basic flaw — as anyone who works with it knows — is that it is inherently unstable, deteriorating as a result of humidity, temperature, dirt, and simply time itself. Besides its vulnerability, videotape is also heavy and voluminous; and its opacity makes finding, retrieving, and using content stored on it time- and labor-intensive — even when that content has been meticulously indexed, labeled, and stored. In the last few years, the advent of digital workflows and in particular of media asset management and content storage management (CSM) technologies

has stemmed the accumulation of videotape. Content ingested into a digitised workﬂow relying in most cases on a combination of video servers and Linear Tape-Open (LTO) tape libraries can be tagged with a com-

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TECHNOLOGY UPDATE PRESERVING CULTURE

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86 MARCH 2009

• No epoxy - no polish • Easy and fast assembly • Field repair kit available

prehensive set of metadata, copied, transcoded, and transferred where needed when needed, and browsed and retrieved from workstations. The workflow processes run automatically once they have been configured by the user — greatly reducing staff time in comparison to a videotape-based system. A good CSM system further protects content because it recognises potential deterioration of LTO tapes and moves clips as necessary. These management technologies have been proven in many applications. Until recently, however, the formidable challenge of migrating the content stored in legacy videotape archives to digital files has been addressed mainly on an ad hoc level by content owners themselves. Now, however, new integrated videotape-migration systems that can be semi-automated or fully automated in a robot are available. These systems dramatically speed-up the formerly cumbersome process and relieve the burden on staff time. They are becoming available in single-track format for smaller operations, and in multi-track format for larger ones. For the largest applications, there are robots that accommodate cassettes in VHS, U-Matic, or Betacam formats large and small, feeding up to seven VTRs simultaneously. Their loading capacities of as many as 48 U-Matic or 60 Betacam or VHS cassettes enable automatic eight-hour shift migration and 24/7 operation. In addition, there are new systems available that take the operation a step further – bringing newly digitised content into the managed storage environment. These new systems feature signal analysis that automates much of the evaluation, monitoring, and documenting process so that problems are identified and corrected with little or no staff time. They also integrate complementary functions into a single solution. The videotape-migration solution that results is fast, cost-effective, and easy to use. It consists of three components: a robot that provides real-time, simultaneous encoding of content stored on videotape into digital files; a CSM system to manage the storage and security of those files and a browser-based media asset manager that allows the desktop editor access to stored content. These systems are designed to be custom configured for an individual organisation’s needs onsite. They can control multiple types of VTRs with RS422 nine-pin Sony protocol, or video servers over Ethernet, or they can run in manual-start-mode for video sources that have no external controls, such as 1-inch reel-to-reel tape players. To begin the video digitisation process, an operator loads cleaned videotapes into a robot, closes the door, and clicks “start” on a computer screen. The system manages the actual loading of the tapes into VTRs, starts the signal processing and encoders, and monitors the system’s performance. The system’s signal analysis software now kicks in to detect the

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TECHNOLOGY UPDATE PRESERVING CULTURE

end of programming and at that point ends migration; monitors levels and logs above-threshold excursions into an XML ﬁle; and recognises potential problems in the source video. As the migration continues, a comprehensive set of metadata detailing videotape quality is captured for later reference. Such systems typically hold about 1TB of encoded video internally. High resolution content is automatically moved to nearline spinning discs and then to high density LTO data tapes within an automated robotic system while low-resolution, proxy versions of the content are moved along with the metadata to the Web-based, media asset management system for desktop access. One of the key time-saving advantages of such migration systems are the ability to generate multiple essence formats simultaneously in a single pass in real-time. These formats range from preservation (master)

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copies in uncompressed or lossless JPEG2000 compressed for archive, to MPEG-2, DV for editing, and H264 for proxy viewing. This speed advantage is beneficial in any application but particularly for large archives. Digitisation of the video archive comprises various benefits including the fact that data tape can store the same content as analogue videotape in one percent of the space — potentially freeing up entire floors of office facilities. In addition, digitising potentially brings hidden and sometimes forgotten content out of the cassette box and into the light, making it readily available and viewable frame-by-frame from desktops. There, it can be made available to whoever needs it —scholars, producers, journalists, entrepreneurs, and even the public — for a limitless variety of new uses. Most importantly, digitising this vast trove of media assets is the only effective way to preserve invaluable information and cultural resources for posterity.

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MEDIORNET Product Launch Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 Time: 11:00 a.m. Location: NAB, Las Vegas, USA Stand: C7637

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SERVICES LOCATIONS

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Digital Studio offers a comprehensive look at filming locations in the Middle East and North Africa Selecting the perfect location for film shoots is of utmost importance, but sometimes, more remote locations are overlooked for want of information about the availability of crew, equipment or the red tape involved in shooting there. Many production companies view the challenge of finding and utilising certain locations as insurmountable, and therefore resign themselves to second best. Indoor locations usually require exclusive access to be arranged, and more often than not, high costs are involved. When it comes to outdoor locations, issues involving transportation, equipment protection, access and unpredictable weather can arise. These are the bugbears that plague location service providers worldwide. When it comes to the Middle East specifically, these challenges continue but as with every other region in the world, there are unique challenges and potential benefits. Film production in the region, like so many other industries, is seen as an emerging market by international companies. What makes the local industry stand out when compared to other sectors is the swift pace of its commercial development. TVC producers in particular are gradually discovering the innumerable benefits of

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filming in the Arab world. In-house production and TVC shoots have flourished in the GCC states recently thanks to the large number of free-to-air TV channels that are available in the region. The number of feature-length movies being shot in Middle East locations is also rapidly increasing. One key example of this growth was evident at the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), which screened 181 films from 66 countries last year, with Arab films making up a strong majority. Abdulhamid Juma, chairman of DIFF says the Muhr Award for Arab excellence in cinema also drew a significant number of entries in 2008. “We received over 450 submissions which is 33% more than in our first year,” says Juma. “Of these submissions Tunisia, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Morocco were all very well represented. “Promoting Arab cinema is one of our most important mandates,” he adds. Morocco remains the region’s leading location services provider, due to its rugged scenery, adequate local infrastructure and governmental incentives. However, Syria, Egypt, Jordan and the UAE area also are also emerging as major contenders. Many Hollywood blockbusters including

Gladiator, Blackhawk Down, Kingdom of Heaven and The Mummy, just to name a few, have utilised Moroccan locations during production, which leaves the contenders with some significant ground to make up. However, they appear to be up to the task. Egypt and Jordan were recently used as filming locations for the anticipated Transformers sequel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and an episode of one of the BBC’s most successful exports – Doctor Who – was filmed in Dubai last month. Led by Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the last few years have seen a dramatic increase in filmmakers scouting various new locales in the UAE, and across the entire Arabian Peninsula as a whole. The UAE is increasingly demanding attention from both local and international film scouts due to the versatile nature of the landscapes in each of the country’s seven emirates. The easy access and availability of beaches, souqs, deserts, mountains, modest towns and a mix of traditional Middle Eastern buildings and contemporary urban landscapes all within a small area makes the country an appealing prospect for many filmmakers. But despite the UAE’s promising progress, Morrocco still remains the dominant player in the regions on-location services market.

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SERVICES LOCATIONS

Reports suggest that Dubai narrowly missed out on hosting the shooting of a significant portion of Ridley Scott’s thriller, Body of Lies, due to concerns over the highly politicised nature of the film. Scott’s crew then fell back on the everpopular location of Morocco as the primary filming location for the action-thriller. The growing infrastructure of Dubai Studio City still threatens to throw a spanner in the Moroccan film works however, with the city’s comparable desert terrain and rapidly developing film infrastructure providing an attractive alternative. However, Morocco still remains well ahead of Dubai in the feature film department. The main reasons for this are because country has opened its doors for all films to be made in its land irrespective of content. Additionally, there are some healthy tax breaks and other incentives for filmmakers – something that the UAE sorely lacks. The one big question that plagues many of the region’s most scenic locations still looms: is the appropriate infrastructure in place? In some cases, the answer is a resounding yes, but with others, it is a matter of debate. Saudi Arabia, for example, is widely regarded as a difficult location for filmmakers to operate in. The perceived obstacles deter many of the world’s producers from filming in the Kingdom, despite it having some of the region’s most unique desert terrain, wildlife and architecture within its borders. TVC production continues to flourish within the Kingdom due to the strength of its domestic television broadcast industry. However, the suggestion that restrictions make the the Kingdom a difficult place to operate deters many international filmmakers from pursuing projects there. This suggestion is one that is wide-

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ly disputed by many of the country’s local filmmakers. One producer even comments that this preconception has been manufactured by some of the more influential players in the regional film market to protect their investments elsewhere. “It is a false perception. I have never had a problem operating in Saudi Arabia in the several years that I have worked here, and we have worked on some very complicated projects,” says Silvio Saade, CEO of SilverGrey Picture and Sound. “Enquiries from people wishing to film in Saudi Arabia are becoming much more common now. In fact, I get about 10 or 15 requests on a daily basis. Not only for feature films, but also for producers who want to see if it is actually feasible for them to operate in the Kingdom,” he adds. Looking back towards the Levantine Sea, Lebanon looms as the dark horse of the region’s film production market. The country’s media industry, as a whole, remains vibrant despite recent political turmoil within its borders. Although film production has been lagging behind, many compelling movies continue to emerge from the nation. While the list of Middle East nations with the desire to host big budget films is long, the list of nations that can actually provide adequate underly-

ing infrastructure to support this desire is significantly shorter. For those that have the infrastructure in place, the question that must be asked is whether the location is desirable for filmmakers in terms of terrain, architecture and so on, and whether there are good regulations and financial incentives in place to make it appealing to filmmakers. But regardless of the future of this industry, it is definitely an exciting time to be involved in providing locations services assistance in the MENA region.

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SERVICES LOCATIONS

PRODUCTION SPOTLIGHT  UAE COUNTRY: United Arab Emirates.

BIGGEST INCENTIVES: Infrastructure. Dubai alone currently plays host to more than 50 registered ﬁlm production houses. The growth of Dubai Studio City is expected to signiﬁcantly increase this number; the same can be said about TwoFour 54 in Abu Dhabi. An abundance of location service providers, and the presence of sophisticated equipment rental suppliers, trained technical crew and established production houses are available to provide logistical casting assistance needed.

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BIGGEST DRAWBACKS: Producers cite a lack of governmental incentives as one of the primary factors deterring some of the large ﬁlm projects from choosing the UAE for productions. As with many MENA locations, heat can become an issue during outdoor shoots during the summer months. NATURAL FEATURES: Although small in land area, the UAE has a relatively large variety of natural landscapes within its seven emirates. As with all GCC nations, the potential for stunning desert scenes is abundant, but the country’s wadis, mountains and beaches are also readily accessible. Native wildlife is uncommon and permissions may need to be secured to shoot them as most are housed at nature reserves. Aquatic critters are the most commonly visible, and camels are in no short supply, but for camera-friendly mammals in great number, the UAE is not the Middle East’s best option.

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SERVICES LOCATIONS

PRODUCTION SPOTLIGHT  UAE MANMADE FEATURES: For impressive man-made spectacles, the UAE is arguably the region’s most desirable location. The skylines of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are ﬁlled with creative and unique architecture. With some of the world’s biggest shopping malls and modern building designs available here, producers are spoilt for choice. RECENT PRODUCTIONS IN THE UAE: The Kingdom Keif Al Hal? Mobily All Star TVC Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead Nissan TVC Syriana City of Life (in progress) IN THE FUTURE: The reported development of a UAE National Film Commission should help to formulate set regulations and incentive programmes to attract international ﬁlmmakers.

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SERVICES LOCATIONS

UAE LOCATION SERVICES PROVIDERS Abu Dhabi Film Commission – Location service to be established. Action Filmz – crispin@actionfilmz.com – 043416638 Aether Films – arnab@aetherfilms.com – 043902418 Bareface Productions – locations@bareface.com – 043902040 BigWig Productions – info@bigwigproductions.tv – 0507752101 Big Kahuna Films – info@bigkahunafilms.com – 04407646314 Blink Studios – info@bilnkstudios.ae – 044253503 Boomtown Productions – info@boomtown – productions.com shane@boomtown-productions.com paul@boomtown-productions.com – 043903970 - 5 Clipps Film Production – info@clipps.com – 0505587591 Central Films – ian@centralfilms.com karen@centralfilms.com – 043410981 Dolcevita Films – piero@dolcevitafilms.com – 043600855 Don Productions - dubai@donproductions.com – 043911378 Dice Productions – info@dicedxb.com – 0504102902 Dubai Studio City Location Approval Services – LAS@dubaistudiocity.ae – 043914664 Elph Ant Films – info@elph-antfilms.net – 0507188595 Eye Squad – 043419901 Eyeshot Production – eyeshot@emirates.net.ae eyeshot@dubaimediacity.com – 043902895 The Fantastic Film Factory – lebanon@thefantasticfilmfactory.com – +9611512515 Filmworks Dubai – info@filmworksdubai.com – 043473085 The Frame – info@theframe.tv – 044293177

The Goldmine Films – danish@thegoldminefilms.com – 044331541 Imagenation – imagenation@admedia.ae – 024144448 Independent Productions – t.trabouisi@independent-productions.com – 043916487 Movie Media – info@moviemedia.tv – 042683873 Muddville Dubai – leigh@mvdubai.com – 044332535 Nomada - 043961199 Oursinfilms – contact@oursinfilms.com Phoenix Film - mail@phoenixfilmdxb.com – 043903160 Pinkhouse Films – info@pinkhousefilms.com – 043671329 Pyramedia – contact@pyramedia.biz – 026330334 Rahbani Productions – rahbani@emirates.net.ae – 043389000 Rolling Thunder – info@rtdubai – 044393707 Scorpion Dubai – info@scorpiondubai.com – 044233848 Signature Productions – paul.s@signature-productions.com – 043900988 The Talkies – info@thetalkies.com – 043671107 Tambi Studios – kinjal@tambistudios.com – 043356064 Twofour54 – 024012454 VAP Production – info@vapproduction.com – 0505025640 VIP Dubai – vipdubai@vipfilms.com – 043914789 Visual Effects and Production – vfxdubai@gmail.com – 043471248 NOTE: All shoots in Dubai must be granted permission by Dubai Studio City’s Location Approval Services department.

Does your company provide location services in the UAE? Please contact Digital Studio’s editorial staﬀ to ensure we have your contact information.

Designers, Coachbuilders and Turnkey Systems Integrators

ARET will introduce: SLOW MOTION SERVERS

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MARCH 2009 95

CABSAT 2009 WHAT’S SHOWING

ADVANCED MEDIA GOES PRO

SONY TARGETS FILMMAKERS WITH ALL-IN-ONE CAMERA KIT

Advanced Media Trading will be showcasing P+S Technik’s STAND NO. new PRO35 image converter, ZF11 which can be used to get the three-dimensional quality of 35mm film with a Sony PMW-EX3 camera. The PRO35 for Sony PMW-EX3 contains specially designed lenses to fully project the image from a user’s 35mm lens onto the 1/2” triple chip CMOS sensor. The design is similar to the PRO35 2/3” digital image converter. All accessories for the other PRO35 versions are compatible with the EX3 version. This specially designed relay lens avoids a high loss of light and the lens scales stay as marked. The PRO35 is delivered with a mounting kit, which keeps the weight off the SONY 1/4“ thread on the bottom of the camera as well as off the camera lens mount, and stabilises the whole combination.

Sony’s HXR-MC1P camera is an easy-to-use HD camera STAND NO. system, consisting of a small ZA11 camera head and a handheld controlling unit with LCD panel and recording function. This tiny all-in-one camera system needs no extra equipment and is designed for ﬁlmmakers and cameramen who want a no-frills camera. Also, the camera unit is splash-proof, allowing safe use in tough outdoor conditions, such as rain or when you are shooting near water. Furthermore, the style of the HXR-MC1P enables users to record HD video in unusual conditions and from interesting angles, such as shooting a sports scene from the participant’s point of view or a motor sport event from onboard a vehicle.

CABSAT

Thanks to the built-in LCD panel on the main unit, users can play back and review their material immediately after it has been shot. The HXR-MC1P camera and recorder opens up a whole new range of creative HD shooting possibilities and will be showcased at the Sony stand at CABSAT.

ARET MARKS ENTRY INTO GULF OB MARKET ARET, which supplies video and audio integrated systems for the STAND NO. production and post sector as ZR31 well as to broadcast, cable, satellite and mobile television clients, is aggressively marketing its expertise in doing OBs in the Middle East. It will also focus on three brands it distributes in the region including its BLT slow motion server, its Multidyne video and audio ﬁbre optics systems and its Xformsystems. “We will agressively promote our OB ser-

CABSAT

96 MARCH 2009

vices in the region this year as we have provided several turnkey projects over to clients in the Middle East,” stated Alessandro Asti of ARET. “We do both coach building as well as systems integration and are capable of providing a balance between ﬂexibility, redundancy, space saving, consumption and time to operation. This is why we have several Middle East government organisations on our client list.” Besides using a patented construction technique for the external structure of its OB vans to counter harsh weather conditions. “This technique combines the lightness and strength of an aluminium structure with the durability and insulation of its synthetic materials. The result is a light, strong, acoustic and thermal insulated product,” explained Asti. ARET will also showcase its video and audio system design at CABSAT and showcase some of the projects it has done in the region. “We did a van for a customer in the Middle East.

He likes it so much he followed it up with a second order for a 10 to 12 HD cam OB van. We are also working on another project for a Middle East customer who wants a 14 HD cam fully expandable 14m trailer. This van is designed for superior production standards and will be equipped with two independent productions which are able to work stand alone sharing the resources like cameras, intercoms, tallys that must be assignable in a ﬂexible way.”

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live switching - live virtual sets - web streaming - real-time keying - titling - SD & HD editing

Communication multimédia - Tél. +33 (0)5 57 262 264 TriCaster, TriCaster PRO, TriCaster STUDIO , TriCaster BROADCAST and TimeWarp are trademarks of NewTek, Inc. Copyright (c)2009 NewTek, Inc. and NewTek Europe. All rights reserved.

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CABSAT 2009 WHAT’S SHOWING

ARRI SHEDS LIGHT AT SHOW ARRI’s True Blues generation of lighting products represent an STAND NO. evolution of studio and tungsten ZP 21 fixtures that have been popular workhorses for over two decades. Following research and feedback from lighting professionals, ARRI introduced a selection of lampheads with over 30 new improvements for studio and location lighting. Reduced weight, compact size and maximum light output are just a few of the benefits. While the overall weight of the True Blue fixtures has been reduced, there have been no sacrifices to quality; in fact, many components now offer greater strength and resistance to corrosion. Maintenance and repair are facilitated by simplified access to internal

CABSAT

components, and the smooth lamp housing surfaces are now easier to clean. The lampheads are greatly adaptable to accessories. The tilt lock has been dramatically improved by a stainless steel friction disc that locks tight to eliminate the danger of forward tilting when heavy, front-mounted accessories are in use. In addition, a new stirrup centre adjustment allows the lamphead to slide until its centre of gravity is either at or near the tilt lock, depending on the accessories attached.

JVC CAMCORDERS MAKE DEBUT Oasis Enterprises will be at CABSAT STAND NO. in full force to ZA21 showcase solutions from all the manufacturers it represents in the Middle East including products from JVC, For-A, HHB, ETC and Rosco. The highlight of the Oasis stand will be JVC’s newest Final-Cut-Pro-ready solid state camcorders, the GY-HM100 and GY-HM700. JVC’s GY-HM700 is a compact shouldermounted professional camcorder that has been developed for mainstream production, electronic newsgathering and cinematography. The camera records directly to inexpensive SDHC memory cards in the QuickTime (.MOV) format for FCP, and optionally to SxS media compatible with Sony’s XDCAM EX format. Recording in the editing system’s native format eliminates the time-consuming transfer step and speeds up the post-production workﬂow, a major advancement for JVC and the industry. Additionally, the GY-HM700 includes several key technology innovations that result in signiﬁcantly improved resolution

CABSAT

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in the camera’s core components: CCD/optical block, lens and viewfinder. The GY-HM700 natively records the QuickTime file format used by Apple for FCP. The camera utilises three precisely-aligned 1/3-inch progressive scan full HD CCDs. JVC engineers developed a 1/3-inch optical block with diagonal offset and a patented exclusive Adaptive Pixel Correlation Technique that produces resolution significantly higher than previous JVC models and comparable to cameras with larger image sensors. The GY-HM700 supports all major HD signal formats including 1920 x 1080, 1440 x 1080 and 1280 x 720. Weighing under 4kg, including lens, viewfinder, microphone and battery, the GY-HM700 can rest comfortably on the right shoulder to provide stable and steady shots.

MARCH 2009 99

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CABSAT 2009 WHAT’S SHOWING

WASP3D CREATES A BUZZ Beehive Systems will launch its WASP3D 2009 solution at STAND NO. CABSAT. WASP3D 2009 claims to ZH11 redeﬁne the broadcast graphics paradigm with a host of new features and interactivity. Added to the existing module is WASPi Mimosa, a touch-screen based application that gives the user (anchor) extreme ﬂexibility and total control over the graphics system. Instead of using a mouse click, or cueing for graphics change, the anchor can simply use their hands for pointing, clicking and interacting with the graphics on screen. Mimosa gives the presenter host of interactive features like telestration (for drawing arrows, highlighters, ellipses etc.), gesture

CABSAT

based actions (including zoom, pan, rotate), multi touch options, menu & other tools for building complex interactive scenes. Few of the key features of WASP3D 2009 include UBT (Unified basic Templating) for virtually zero coding, SFW (Shot box for WASP), Mirror Reflection & Refraction and more. “WASP3D 2009 will completely change the broadcast graphics landscape with its unmatched design capabilities, unique features and interactivity,” commented Tushar Kothari, director of Beehive Systems. “We are confident of creating a strong pull in the Middle East broadcast market with the new release.”

EVS HIGHLIGHTS INSIO AT CABSAT EVS has launched Insio, a new software application for STAND NO. pre-recorded TV programmes. LB3 Insio’s release coincides with the launch of the EVS Silverline, a new brand developed to cater to near-live and prerecorded studio productions. Insio is engineered for pre-recorded programme production. Combined with any EVS production server, it oﬀers producers the perfect toolbox for controlling each production phase of pre-recorded TV programmes, including the control of multiple recording feeds, instant review, clip management, metadata creation, clip transfer and feed streaming to post-production. “Insio is an easy-to-use, easy-to-learn tool, speciﬁcally designed for the needs of producers working in a studio environment,” commented Pelle Larsson, product marketing manager at EVS. “Insio allows producers to control an unlimited number of cameras during recording, which gives producers direct control over the recording process with an exceptional level of integration with post-production.” Insio’s touch-screen interface makes clip management easy and provides numer-

CABSAT

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ous possibilities including the addition of production notes. “The main objective when designing this new software was to oﬀer producers a genuine tapeless solution that enhances and speeds up studio production workﬂows, but remains easy to use and integrates perfectly with existing post-production infrastructures,” commented Michel De Wolf, business unit manager, Media Management at EVS. Insio will be on display at CABSAT.

MARCH 2009 101

Spot the difference! Companies which display this mark are members of the IABM and strive to meet high standards in all aspects of their business. For details of the IABM Business Standard go to www.theiabm.org/businessstandard

Representing broadcast and media technology suppliers worldwide

CABSAT 2009 WHAT’S SHOWING

MENACAST TO DEMO MONITORING Abu Dhabi-based Menacast will be exhibiting at CABSAT this year STAND NO. to demonstrate a turnkey software Z17 solution that facilitates the process of transcribing and translating video and audio, offering users the flexibility to search, store and analyse video and audio content; across several languages. An automated process enables users to manage and analyse their video and audio assets. This enables the retrieval of content through specific name, topic, or segment searches. Users are also able to set up an alert system that will notify them via email or sms of their selected topics once they become available in near real time. “This solution has been developed to address the increased need of media content processing and analysis management,” commented Firas Aruri, director of sales at Menacast. “The solution assists and alleviates monotonous and costly manual activities that are performed in the process of collecting,

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translating and managing video and audio data. Furthermore, it offers users information retrieval and analytical tools that will effectively improve their day-to-day workflow activities while reducing the margins for human error and achieving a high return on investment for the organisation’s base line.” This media monitoring solution is targeted at defence organisations, news agencies, media monitoring companies, production houses, broadcasters and PR companies.

HITACHI ANNOUNCES SK-HD 1000 Hitachi will be showing its new SK-HD 1000 at CABSAT. The SKSTAND NO. HD 1000’s streamlined camera LC1 body design delivers broadcast quality HDTV images. It is a high-performance portable HDTV studio and EFP camera. With its new 2.3 million pixels native 1080i 3-CCD, the SK-HD1000 provides outstanding performance. The camera offers sharper and cleaner HD images due to its 14-bit A/D converters and Hitachi’s implementation of the latest digital processing technology. The camera has high sensitivity and low vertical smear specifications. The latest generation 2/3-inch 2/.3 million pixels CCD with micro lenses and digital multi-speed signal processing circuits provide a horizontal resolution performance of change to 1100TVL. Its brand new, power efficient digital signal processor LSI and 14-bit analogue-todigital conversion provides video image pro-

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duction and quality. Digital video processing and encoding provide low interference and high stability. Its low noise circuit technology provides a signal-to-noise ration of 60dB. Even at high gain, clear images are obtained with little noise. The standard sensitivity is F10 at 2000 lx. In addition, the +24 dB high gain mode, +18 dB digital gain function can increase the gain up to +48 dB to reproduce dark images with a minimum illumination of 0.25 lx (F1.4). A small plug-in setup card stores the user setup and scene file information. The adjustment data can then be recalled and used for future scenes and productions, thereby, assuring the exact video look and characteristics as the original scene file and adjustment settings. This model comes with several different features and options. Visit the Hitachi stand for a full demo.

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AUTODESK INFERNO ®

AUTODESK FLAME ®

AUTODESK FLINT ®

AUTODESK TOXIK ®

AUTODESK SMOKE ®

AUTODESK LUSTRE ®

AUTODESK 3DS MAX ®

AUTODESK MAYA ®

AUTODESK MOTION BUILDER ®

AUTODESK FIRE ®

AUTODESK COMBUSTION ®

Autodesk, Inferno, Flame, Flint, Fire, Smoke, Lustre, Toxic, 3Ds Max, Combustion, Maya and MotionBuilder are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc./Autodesk Canada Co. in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. © 2006 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

CABSAT 2009 WHAT’S SHOWING

LIVE SHOWCASES FLAGSHIP OB VAN LIVE, Abu Dhabi Media Company’s wholly-owned outside broadcast STAND NO. subsidiary, will be showcasing ZY11 its high definition technology at CABSAT 2009, allowing visitors to explore the inside of its OB van. CABSAT attendees will be able to see first hand Al Thuraya vehicle, Live’s flagship OB van. “In six months, LIVE has established itself as a pioneer in High Definition broadcasting with unmatched technological capabilities in the Middle East,” commented managing director and CEO Abdul Hadi Al Sheikh. “LIVE is the only company with a fleet of full HD OB vans in the region. It has broadcast the most exciting sporting and cultural events in the region to millions of viewers globally. We

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are looking forward to showing visitors the technology and creative team behind the most unique mobile broadcast facility in the region,” added Al Sheikh. The company’s fleet of HDTV OB vans each carry between eight and sixteen cameras with features such as hydraulics, fire alarm systems, electric converters and environmentallyfriendly air conditioning systems. LIVE is the official producer of the UAE Football League, producing six matches every week, including coverage of six matches of the UFL Cup and one Challenge Cup match and has covered The Million’s Poet, The Dubai Desert Classic Golf Tournament and the 2008 Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF) among many others.

PANASONIC UNVEILS AG-HPX301E Panasonic has unveiled the world’s first affordable profesSTAND NO. sional camcorder with 10-bit, 4:2:2, ZC2 individual frame recording and native 2.2 megapixel imagers. Incorporating a low-profile shoulder-mounted design, the 1/3” AG-HPX301E P2 HD camcorder offers the flexibility of an interchangeable lens but comes standard with a 17x HD Fujinon lens. The AG-HPX301E imager incorporates advanced 1/3 inch 2.2-megapixel 3-MOS technology to acquire full native resolution HD images. With a redesigned optical block and a high-precision prism bonding technology, these advanced 3-MOS imagers provide exceptional image quality while minimizing any flare and chromatic aberration. A new 20bit digital signal processor (DSP) also enhances the HPX301E’s image performance. The solid-state 1/3 inch HPX301E offers the security of a five-year warranty program (one year plus four additional years with

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registration), ultimate quality and flexibility in an affordable, full-size HD camcorder. “The HPX301E establishes a new benchmark for performance within this price range,” stated Nela Pertl, European Provideo product manager at Panasonic Professional & IT Systems Europe (PBITS). “It not only captures full native 1920 x 1080 HD resolution but it allows professionals to record at a quality level that no other camcorder in this price range can equal. Superseding the compromise of 8-bit, long GOP, 4:2:0 recording, the HPX301E provides master-quality, 10-bit, 4:2:2 individual frame capture using our AVC-Intra codec. Video professionals will immediately realise that this camera is in a field of its own.”

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CABSAT 2009 WHAT’S SHOWING

OMNEON HOT UBMS PROMISES BUDGET OFFERINGS WITH REDROCK ON STORAGE United Broadcast & Media Solutions will launch Redrock Micro’s STAND NO. advanced microMatteBox and ZB11 microShoulderMount accessories for digital filmmakers. These new products build on Redrock’s family of cinema accessories that enable filmmakers to create dramatic film-style footage using standard digital video cameras.

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The microMattebox is the first cinemagrade matte box designed for the budgets of indie filmmakers, owners/operators, film students and educators, and budget-conscious studios. It offers a flexible solution for managing light and controlling flare, allowing the user to configure eyebrows/flags and filter stages to exact requirements. The microMattebox works with video cameras, 35mm lens adapters, and film cameras. It is also compatible with the Red One camera. Expect also to see the Redrock microShoulderMount, run-and-gun style rig. It delivers a cinema-grade shoulder mount at a fraction of the price of similar solutions. The standard bundle includes handgrips and shoulderpad, extension rods for the handgrips, removable rod clamp, and a microMount connector.

Hot on the Omneon stand will be version 2.1 of the Omneon STAND NO. MediaGrid active storage, which ZG21 enables a smaller, more affordable, entry-level system configuration suitable for a wider range of facilities, such as local broadcast stations, post-production facilities, and corporate A/V departments. The Omneon MediaGrid 2.1 creates storage reservations so that individual users are guaranteed a minimum amount of storage, tail-mode FTP to support active workflows in conjunction with third-party servers. Besides this, Omneon will highlight its Spectrum media server system, which it claims is the most scalable, reliable, and cost effective video server and storage infrastructure for the TV industry.

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CABSAT 2009 WHAT’S SHOWING

MONARCH DEMOS 3D SOLUTIONS AT CABSAT Indian company Monarch Innovative Technologies will STAND NO. be back at CABSAT this year ZK11 to display a range of its core products including the DScript 3D live on-air graphics system, the Virtuoso 3D virtual studio system and its media asset management solution. DScript 3D is a powerful yet cost effective CG solution that brings a host of new features to the CG platform. It oﬀers a feature rich design system for creating 3D graphics and animation. Based on GPU processing architecture and DirectX 3D technology, it provides powerful 3D real-time rendering performance. It provides the user with a complete graphics solution and includes character generator, sequencer, key frame animation editor and multiple layer compositing and play-

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out capabilities. Look out also for Monarch’s Virtuoso, a proprietary 3D Virtual Studio system. It supports realtime virtual shadows and reﬂections, giving the illusion of reality. With single (or dual) static physical cameras, users can seamlessly integrate live camera inputs with 3D virtual sets and move around the set without moving the camera. Virtuoso does away with rendering of 3D motion on account of specially designed hardware and software, which does this in real time. Virtuoso incorporates state-of-the-art features as required by high-end broadcasters, including trackless camera system, multiple camera display and motion, virtual camera switcher, real-time 3D rendering, advanced chromakeying, live streaming, graphics overlay, lower-thirds CG scroll, AVI support, digital recorder, audio mixer and so on.

The trackless camera motion and animation feature eliminates the need for expensive camera trackers. With a single static physical camera, a user can seamlessly integrate live camera input worth 3D virtual set and move around the set without moving the camera. Multiple virtual camera display & switching can be achieved with single physical static camera. Up to 12 virtual camera positions can be programmed and moved within the 3D set. A small studio, as small as 10 ft x 10 ft, can be easily turned into a spacious set giving the look and feel of a huge and futuristic looking ultra modern television studio. The Virtuoso oﬀers two full D1 resolution live video I/O in S-Video, component, composite and SD-SDI formats.

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CABSAT 2009 WHAT’S SHOWING

AUTOSCRIPT PUTS POLECAM REACHES OUT TO ARABIC IN FOCUS MIDDLE EAST WITH NEW TOOLS Autoscript will be at CABSAT to showcase specific solutions STAND NO. tailored for the Arab market. The ZN1 manufacturer recently provided systems and services including a dedicated Farsi-speaking teleprompter that took the new BBC Persian television channel to air. The production facility built for BBC Persian was modelled on the one built for BBC Arabic, which launched last year also featuring Autoscript prompting systems and included the +WinPlus+ prompting application which works with any language or character sets including Arabic, Chinese, Hindi and Farsi. Autoscript will share further customer driven developments at its stand. Chief among these will be a new LED, high-brightness TFT flat screen range that addresses the unreliability and energy inefficiency of conventional TFT screens. This technology substitutes the environmentally hazardous fluorescent tubes of lastgeneration monitors with energy efficient, superior brightness LED backlighting.

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Four new Polecam mobile production tools will be introduced to STAND NO. the Middle East video production ZM33 market at CABSAT. All are additions to Polecam’s long-reach transportable camera rig and will be shown in cooperation with Polecam’s new UAE distributor, Tevido. New to the show is the FishFace swimAlone underwater housing, which is a combined underwater head and waterproof HD/SD camera housing for the Polecam rig. At CABSAT 2009, the waterproof housing will be oﬀered for the ﬁrst time for use with whatever immersion support the camera operator chooses. The FishFace SwimAlone underwater housing comes complete with a clamp and threaded tripod-mounting socket for attachment to the support device. A waterproof gland seals the camera cable at the entry to the housing, eliminating the need to cut and resplice the cable. A waterproof plug and socket are provided for iris control. The complete FishFace head and waterproof housing can be used down to 4 metres on a Polecam rig or to a depth of 10 metres as an independent system.

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The head has the same fully unrestricted movement as a standard Polecam dry head, including 360 degree pan capability. Also making its debut will be the Polecam 3D Head dual-camera mount; the Polecam Full Frontal ﬁlter attachment system that allows easy attachment of front-mounting lens ﬁlters, hoods and accessories to mini HD/SD cameras and the Dumbell counterweight interface that enables mobile camera crews to achieve a reduction in airline baggage charges by leaving their Polecam counterweights at home and sourcing low-cost sport-practise weights at their destination.

ORAD BOOSTS CREATIVITY WITH 3D SOLUTIONS Orad brings to CABSAT a range of solutions including the MorSTAND NO. pho 3D graphics and character ZR1 generator solution, ProSet virtual studio and Maestro turnkey news graphic solution. Orad’s Morpho 3D graphics is HD/SDswitchable and oﬀers full 3D graphics capabilities. Delivered in a 2RU rackmountable chassis, Morpho 3D features ﬂexible playback based on a single application, with real-time graphics rendering. One of Morpho 3D’s specialties is its “smart” graphic design tools, which provide a built-in tutorial for the operator or designer. Morpho 3D is equipped with a linear keyer and can play video clips

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from all popular ﬁle formats including AVI, QuickTime and MPEG. Morpho 3D is used for on-air graphics, channel branding, and as a CG solution. Orad will also demonstrate the latest version of its ProSet virtual studio system at CABSAT along with its Maestro 3D character generator. ProSet is Orad’s high-end HD/SD virtual set system that imports virtual set models, geometry, textures, and animations, then uses Orad’s HDVG video graphics rendering platform to run even the most complex virtual set in real time. The new version of Orad’s Maestro 3D character generator features a complete integration with the company’s graphic asset management (GAM) system, enabling users to store all

graphic assets in a central database along with relevant metadata. Maestro includes sophisticated user-rights management that manages the access permission rights associated with diﬀerent assets. A new scene-edit module makes it easy for users to modify or even create new graphic scenes from scratch. To support post-production tasks, Orad updated Maestro with functionality including subtitle playout, video and audio ingest, and interoperability with commonly used NLE systems. Other highlights of the newest Maestro system include support for insertion and playback of up to 12 video clips, sophisticated 3D text handling, and dynamic scene blending.

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DMI UPGRADES ITS OB FLEET One of Dubai’s largest free-to-air broadcasters, Dubai Media Incorporated, has upgraded its ﬂeet of six OB vans with new technology. http://www.digitalproductionme.com/news

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KAEC DEAL INKED

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Saudi Arabian production house scores unique documenting and archiving project

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