The past few years have seen the emergence of various digital cinematography cameras: The Arri D-20, Dalsa Origin, Panavision Genesis and Thomson’s Grass Valley Viper, among others. And with those cameras, new digital workflows have evolved, tapping into the benefits of HD as well as data. These workflows extend into post, as the materials must be prepared and delivered in a nontraditional manner.
As all of this occurs, the rental community seems to agree that the lines are blurring between where production ends and post begins. All who spoke with SHOOT confirm that rental houses are increasingly getting involved in postproduction planning and support. And they are more frequently seeing, on set, tools typically used for post tasks such as editing and color correction. Tools that enable communication between directors of photography and colorists are also becoming more common.
So where is this trend going? As digital technology continues to evolve, are some rental houses moving closer to the post realm?
At least one rental house says absolutely yes; a couple says not really. Others have a view somewhere in the middle, in some cases using the term “pre post” services to describe their offerings. Most of the change appears to be occurring in Los Angeles, where digital cinematography and the digital intermediate process are evolving the fastest.
A notable example of the changing business model was introduced a couple of months ago when The Camera House opened a unique postproduction unit at its North Hollywood location to support its data cinematography workflow.
The facility is designed for features, television and commercial productions. It features a digital intermediate/color grading suite equipped with an Assimilate Scratch color grading/mastering system, a digital projector and an eight-and-a-half-foot screen. It also offers editing suites for both Final Cut and Avid systems, sound services, 24 TB of storage and supports for formats including HD D5 and Digi Beta. The Camera House hired editor and colorist Robert Douglas. Or companies may rent the facilities and bring in talent to use the operation.
“It’s happening,” says Rufus Burnham, owner of The Camera House, reporting a successful start and positive customer response. “We did this mainly because of the digital workflow.”
The Camera House offers a 4:4:4 uncompressed data cinematography option with Thomson’s Grass Valley Viper and an S.two data recorder. Burham says that The Camera House built a full data infrastructure to support this uniquely designed workflow, explaining “most post houses today are tape based, and workflow from [an S.two] hard drive is what we are doing.”
“It is the workflow that is the future,” Burnham says of where production is heading, explaining that the company can now offer a complete service package when requested.
“Raw data, that is the only way you get the film look in digital,” he suggests.
The line between production and post is definitely blurring, acknowledges Robert Glassenberg, VP of marketing and sales at Plus8 Digital, which has locations in Burbank, New York, Vancouver, B.C. and Houston. He says rental houses are moving toward post “in the sense that more can be done on set; the newer workflows allow that … The equipment is more portable, and it’s easier to use. But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t say come and color grade on set. I would say grade dailies on set.”
He adds that on set look management-style systems are becoming more popular as a method of communicating to post talent. “Those kind of things are viable. It used to be a postproduction process, but it isn’t anymore,” Glassenberg says. “The line is at least blurred. But we are not intending to open a post house.”
Plus8 now offers L.A. and New Orleans-based startup Creative Bridge’s Mobile Digital Lab and Theater (MDLT), a mobile vehicle that inside is equipped to offer “pre-post” look management and supervision in a controlled environment at a production location. “We are not interested in doing postproduction services; we bill ourselves as pre-post services,” Creative Bridge partner Dan Lion says. “We started the company to assist in getting data from the camera and taking that information in and preparing it for postproduction.
“With data, you can just go to postproduction, but there needs to be data management and preparing for postproduction … We have [Assimilate’s] Scratch and Iridas’ Framecycler–tools traditionally used in postproduction. But we are trying to use the tools to make it more of an efficient experience in post….but we are not going into postproduction.”
Postproduction] requires an infrastructure,” Lion continues. “It requires having that equipment on hand. It also involves having a colorist, an IT guy–It is essentially a different business model.”
Tom Fletcher, VP of Fletcher Chicago, has a different perspective, saying he doesn’t intend to take a post route.
He explains that his company once did try to offer post tools–offering Apple’s Final Cut when it first came out, as well as an [Avid] DS. “They were failures from a rental standpoint,” he explains. “At least in my market, people would rather buy it.”
Recently, Fletcher instead made a large investment in film technology. “We spent about $2 million on new film cameras, mostly Arricam LT 35mm and we are going to buy the Arrri 416 [Super 16mm camera introduced at the recent NAB] later this year.” Fletcher also invested in Arri’s 435 Extreme, 535 B, 235, and Arri Master Primes.
He agrees that production and post are “becoming closer and closer. For instance there are [color/look] management systems that allow communication between a director of photography and colorist like never before…. But that’s not affecting us.”
James Pope, general manager of Chicago-based Schumacher Camera, has a similar perspective. “Postproduction’s a whole different ball of wax,” he relates. “It’s something that is constantly changing and the investment and expertise needed is huge. The most we do is purchase decks so their customers can down convert– with the new versions of Final Cut and Avid, it is within the price range of most people to just buy the [editing] systems.”
Pope relates that film makes up most of Schumacher’s business. “For international commercials, [productions] can take film and go back to their countries–and don’t have to worry about conversion to PAL [etc.].”
Directors Amy+Pilar and Jose Antonio Prat Join Reform School
Boutique content production company Reform has added comedy directing duo Amy+Pilar (Amy York Rubin and Pilar Boehm) and award-winning multicultural director Jose Antonio Prat to its roster for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded entertainment.
Partners in both life and art, Amy+Pilar are know for their sharp wit and comedic timing. Their synchronicity is evident in a body of work across TV, film and commercials. Prior to joining Reform School, Amy+Pilar had been repped in the ad market by production company Knucklehead.
Amy has directed high-profile comedy sketches featuring stars like Amy Schumer, Kate McKinnon, and Sarah Silverman. On the episodic front, Amy has helmed for series such as Fresh Off the Boat, Casual, Superstore and Angie Tribeca--as well as the pilot for the hit Netflix comedy Dead to Me.
Before joining forces with Amy behind the camera, Pilar was a psychotherapist, a background that informs her ability to create fascinating characters and stage irresistible, nuanced performances. Amy and Pilar’s shared passion for comedy brought them together. Their collaboration began with a Synchrony Bank campaign, starring cult-comedy favorite Maribeth Monroe (Workaholics), and they went on to direct the pilot of the Hulu series Love, Victor. Amy+Pilar’s ad fare also includes spots for Uber’s “Go-Get” campaign and “Shift,” starring Martin Starr.
“We have been fans of Amy and Pilar for a long time,” said Ryan Ennis, executive director at Reform School. “They excel at capturing comedic performances and dialogue. Coming from the TV and L.A. comedy scenes, they’ve built a strong following and collaborated with some of our favorite funny people.... Read More