Lightstorm Entertainment used an extensive array of Blackmagic products, including the Teranex AV, Smart VideoHub 40×40 12G, ATEM 4 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K and more for their recent work during production for the Avatar sequels.
With the release of Avatar in 2009, the company once again proved that there were no limits in filmmaking. But just as the story of the Na’vi will evolve in the sequels, so will the technology behind the films. A key element is the ability to evaluate content as it’s being shot, rather than waiting until postproduction. “We evaluate live camera feeds in a manner as close to the theatrical experience as possible, so we can make real time decisions on set,” said Geoff Burdick, SVP of production services & technology for Lightstorm. “This saves time during shooting, benefits Weta Digital, our visual effects vendor, and helps streamline our postproduction and mastering process.”
This necessitated viewing live feeds from multiple 3D camera systems, simultaneously. “In the past, we viewed live and playback material in 3D HD at 24fps,” said Burdick. “Now, we acquire at 4K 3D, and feed through our pipeline at various resolutions and frame rates.” These include 3D 48fps in 2K and 4K, 3D 24fps in 2K and 4K, and 3D 24fps in HD.
Blackmagic Design provided a unique and comprehensive product set that allowed for numerous solutions throughout the pipeline. The key to the workflow was creating seamless viewing and playback, despite the massive amount of data necessary. Having the ability to review multiple resolutions and frame rates in real time allowed the team to remain in step with issues that may have gone unnoticed before, only to be found later in post. “
One of Blackmagic’s simplest products became a production workhorse. The Teranex family allowed for a hybrid HD 24fps/4K 48fps workflow on set.
