Contents
Preface xv
About the Author xvii
Introduction xix
Acknowledgments xxi
PART 1 High Definition: A Quick Overview 1
1 Why shoot on HD? 3
1.1 What do we mean by High Definition (HD)? 3
1.1.1 The knowledge base 3
1.1.2 What does it mean to the Producer - saving money! 4
1.1.3 What does it mean to the Director? 4
1.1.4 What does this mean for the Director of Photography? 4
1.1.5 What does it mean to the other crafts? 4
1.1.6 Editing and post-production 4

PART 2 Production Decisions 7
2 Which formats to shoot on? 9
2.1 Progressive or interlace? 9
2.2 How many pixels do you need? 9
2.3 Recording formats 9
2.4 HDV - can you get away with it? 10
3 Picture quality 11
3.1 What does HD look like? 11
3.2 HD images compared with 35 mm 11
3.3 Anamorphic 35 mm 12
3.4 Comparisons with Super 16mm 12
3.5 Comparison with Digi Beta 13
4 Display quality 14
4.1 High definition shown on television 14
4.2 HD written to film and projected mechanically 14
4.3 HD shown on a state-of-the-art digital projector 14
4.4 Digital projectors 15
4.4.1 The Barco D-Cine Premiere DP 50® 15
4.4.2 The Barco SLM R8 16
5 Delivery requirements 17
5.1 For delivery on film 17
5.2 Multi-format delivery requirements 17
5.3 HD projection 18
5.4 Encryption 18
5.5 Broadcast delivery 18
5.6 Convertibility 18
5.6.1 Picture 18
5.6.2 Sound 18
5.6.3 Time code 19
6 Sales potential 20
6.1 Multiple standard sales 20
6.2 Multiple venue sales 20
6.3 Additional sales to HD users 20
6.4 Future proofing 21
7 Cost implications 22
7.1 Savings 22
7.1.1 Origination costs 22
7.1.1.1 Stock savings 22
7.1.1.2 Insurance savings 22
7.1.2 Savings in print costs 23
7.1.3 Shooting for anamorphic release 24
7.2 Added costs 24
7.2.1 Camera kit rental 24
7.2.2 Editing costs 24
7.2.3 Writing out to film 25
7.3 A cost comparison example - Oklahoma! 25
7.3.1 Stock and processing savings 25
7.3.2 Camera rental 25
7.3.3 Additional costs 26
7.3.3.1 Overall savings 26
7.3.4 Competitive pricing 26
8 Crewing 27
8.1 Should the DP operate? 27
8.2 Do you need a focus puller? 27
8.3 Do you need a loader? 28
8.4 Naming the camera assistants 28
8.5 Do you need a clapperboard? 28
8.6 Do you need a dolly grip? 28
8.7 Sound 29
8.8 Electricians 29
9 Different shooting requirements 30
9.1 General considerations 30
9.2 Shooting in the USA 30
9.2.1 Theatrical productions 30
9.2.2 US prime time television productions 30
9.2.3 US commercials 31
9.2.4 Other US productions 31
9.2.5 What frame rate to choose 31
9.2.6 Potential cost savings 31
9.3 European productions 33
9.3.1 European feature films 33
9.3.2 European television 33
9.4 Performance shows 34
9.4.1 The Merchant of Venice 34
PART 3 The Technology 35
10 Digital imaging 37
10.1 The history of digits 37
10.2 Digital tonal range 37
10.3 Linear and logarithmic sampling 38
10.4 Image resolution, why so many pixels? 40
10.5 Required resolution for HD 41
10.6 Data quantity 43
11 Scanning the image 44
11.1 A little of the history of television 44
11.2 Interlace scanning 45
11.3 Progressive scanning 46
11.4 Traditional cinema flicker 47
11.5 How are images captured by the two scanning formats? 48
11.6 Printing out to film 53
12 Line standards and definition 55
12.1 Line summation 55
12.2 Apparent picture quality 56
12.3 1080 versus 720 in television 57
12.4 Conclusions 59
12.5 Is HD worth the trouble? 60
13 Three chip technology 63
13.1 Additive color imagery 63
13.2 The three chip camera's beam splitter 64
13.3 The image sensors 65
13.4 The sensor chip 68
14 Single chip technology 70
14.1 What's available? 70
14.2 CCD sensors 70
14.3 CMOS sensors 70
14.4 CCDs versus CMOS chips 71
14.5 Color filtering in single chip cameras 71
14.6 Bayer pattern filtering 72
14.7 Sequential filtering 73
14.8 The effect of increasing the pixel count 74
15 The video tape recorder - the VTR 75
15.1 The HDCAM format 75
15.2 Helical scan recording 75
15.3 Mechanical considerations 76
15.4 The drum lacing mechanism 78
15.5 Operational considerations 78
15.6 A jammed mechanism 78

PART 4 HD Cinematography 79
16 Lighting and exposing for HD 81
16.1 An HD camera's equivalent ASA speed, or ISO rating 81
16.2 Tonal range 81
16.3 Lighting ratios 82
16.4 Lighting to a monitor 83
16.5 Highlights and shadows 83
16.6 Exposure 83
16.6.1 Using a monitor 83
16.6.2 Using a meter 84
16.6.3 Auto exposure 84
16.6.4 Exposing using a waveform monitor 84
17 Setting the color balance 86
17.1 White balance 86
17.2 What is white balance? 86
17.3 Neutral density filters 87
17.4 A warning! 87
17.5 Setting the white balance using a white card 87
17.6 Setting the white balance using a colored card 88
17.7 Setting the white balance under fluorescent lighting 88
17.8 The outer filter wheel on a Sony HDW camera 88
17.9 Black balance 89
18 Lenses 90
18.1 How to choose a lens 90
18.1.1 Resolution 90
18.1.2 Contrast 90
18.1.3 Perceived sharpness with regard to contrast 91
18.1.4 Color rendition 93
18.1.4.1 Overall color bias 93
18.1.4.2 Color fringing 94
18.1.4.3 What is fringing? 94
18.1.5 Breathing 94
18.2 Setting the back focus 94
18.2.1 Setting the back focus: zoom lenses 94
18.2.2 Setting the back focus: prime lenses 95
18.3 Focusing the lens using back focus charts-Beware! 95
18.4 Back focusing using the oval rings chart 97
18.5 Comparative focal lengths 97
18.6 Depth of field 98
18.7 Calculating depth of field 99
18.8 Neutral density filters 100
18.9 Limiting apertures 100
18.10 Filtration 101
18.10.1 Color correction 101
18.10.2 Diffusion 101
19 Monitors and cabling 102
19.1 What kind of monitors are available ? 102
19.1.1 Cathode ray tube monitors 102
19.1.2 Liquid crystal display monitors 102
19.1.3 Plasma screens 102
19.2 Lining up your monitor 103
19.2.1 An SMPTE line up 103
19.2.2 Lining up using EBU bars 104
19.2.3 Using an exposure meter 104
19.3 Cabling your monitor 105
19.3.1 Single coaxial cables 105
19.3.2 Triple coaxial cables 105
19.3.3 Termination 105
19.3.4 Serial monitors 105
19.4 Best practice 106
20 Playback 107
20.1 Don't use the camera for playback! 107
20.2 Using the Sony HDW F500 VTR for playback 108
20.3 Using digital video for playback 108
20.4 Using two DV recorders 109
20.5 Down converters 109
20.5.1 The Evertz down converter 109
20.5.2 The \4iranda down converter 109
20.6 Sound delay lines 111
20.7 Playback packages 111
21 Shipping 112
21.1 It's not ENG! 112
21.2 Shipping lenses 112
21.3 Transit cases 113
21.4 Camera set-up when shipping 113
21.5 Size and weight 113
21.6 Batteries 113
22 Multi camera shoots 114
22.1 Synchronization 114
22.2 Time code on location 115
22.2.1 Lock It boxes 115
22.2.2 Script Boy 115
22.3 Time code in a studio 115
22.3.1 Genlock 116
22.4 Menu set-ups 116
22.4.1 The Sony RMB 150 116
22.4.2 Using memory sticks 117
22.5 Matching lenses 117
23 Hazardous conditions 118
23.1 Re-setting the trips 118
23.2 Water 119
23.3 Heat 119
23.4 Cold 119
23.5 Dust 119
23.6 Gamma rays 119
24 Camera supports 121
24.1 Fluid heads 121
24.2 Geared heads 121
24.3 Remote heads 122
24.4 Underwater 122
24.5 In the air 122
24.6 Motion control rigs 122
25 How HD affects other crafts 124
25.1 Art and Design 124
25.2 Costume 124
25.3 Make up and Hair 125
25.4 Sound 125
25.5 Script supervision and continuity 125
25.6 The second assistant cameraperson or ex-clapper boy 125
26 Troubleshooting 127
26.1 Stating the obvious 127
26.2 Problems and solutions 127

PART 5 Examples of Shoots 131
27 Some pictures shot HD, and why? 133
27.1 The Children of Dune 133
27.1.1 Rushes requirements 134
27.1.2 The extended playback facility 134
27.1.3 The equipment list 134
27.2 Birthdays 134
27.2.1 The studio shoot 135
27.2.2 The location shoot 136
27.2.3 Exterior tracking shots 137
27.2.4 Interior lighting 137
27.2.5 Adding gain 139
27.2.6 Editing Birthdays 139
27.2.7 Viewings 139

PART 6 Post-Production 141
28 Post-production: an overview 143
28.1 Generations 143
28.2 How the choice of edit suite affects the generation game 143
28.3 The route to a film copy 145
28.4 Non-photographic distribution 146
28.4.1 An international standard 146
28.4.2 Where might it be shown? 147
28.4.3 Time code considerations 148
29 The Sony HDW F500 VTR 149
29.1 VTRs in general 149
29.2 An overview of the HDW F500 149
29.3 Editing and playback 149
29.4 Simultaneous playback 149
29.5 Slow motion replay 150
29.6 High speed picture search 150
29.7 Digital jog sound 150
29.8 Vertical interval time-code read/write 150
29.9 The control panel 150
29.10 Remote control 151
29.11 In/out capacity 151
29.12 Optional plug-in boards 151
29.13 Cassettes 151
29.14 Changing the frame rate 151
29.15 Available frame rates 152
29.16 Power supplies 152

PART 7 Cameras 153
30 Cameras in general 155
30.1 The choice of cameras 136
30.2 My disclaimer! 156
31 The Arriflex D-20 157
31.1 The camera 157
31.2 The camera chip 159
31.3 Interface 159
31.4 Lenses 159
31.5 Recorders 159
32 The Dalsa Origin 163
32.1 The camera 163
32.2 The look through 164
32.3 The sensor 165
32.4 Interfaces 165
32.5 Conclusions on the Dalsa Origin 165
32.6 Currently available recorders 165
32.7 The Codex Digital Media Recorder 165
32.7.1 The touch screen 166
32.7.2 Monitoring via the Codex 167
32.7.3 Conclusions on the Codex 167
33 The Panasonic VariCam: AJ-HDC27H 168
33.1 The camera 168
33.2 Frame rates 168
33.3 Exposure times 169
33.4 The chips and the processor 169
33.5 The VTR 169
33.6 Time code 170
33.7 An overview 170
34 The Panavision Genesis 171
34.1 The camera 171
34.2 Menus 173
34.3 White balance 174
34.4 The camera sensor 174
34.5 Formats, outputs and interface 175
34.6 Viewing logarithmic images 175
35 The Panavision HDW 900F 176
35.1 Introduction 176
35.2 External modifications 176
35.2.1 The top handle 176
35.2.2 The viewfinder support 177
35.2.3 The viewfinder 178
35.2.4 The camera front plate and lens mount 178
35.2.5 The camera base plate 178
35.2.6 The voltage distribution box 179
35.3 Internal modifications 179
35.3.1 The internal filter 179
35.3.2 Electronic definition enhancement 179
36 The Sony HDW F750P and the F730 HD cameras 181
36.1 Frame rates 181
36.2 The camera body 1 8 1
36.3 Add-in boards, etc. 182
36.4 Image control via the menus 184
36.4.1 Multi matrix 184
36.4.2 Auto tracing white balance 184
36.4.3 Color temperature control 184
36.4.4 Selectable gamma curves 1 S4
36.4.5 RGB gamma balance 184
36.4.6 Variable black gamma range 184
36.4.7 Black stretch 185
36.4.8 Adaptive highlight control (auto knee mode) 185
36.4.9 Knee saturation function 185
36.4.10 The triple skin tone detail control 185
36.4.11 Level depend detail 185
36.5 Meta-data handling 185
36.6 The Sony Tele-File system 185
36.7 The optional HD SDI adapter 185
36.8 An overview 185
37 The Sony HDW F900R 187
37.1 The camera 187
37.2 The chips 188
37.3 The processor 188
37.4 Additional facilities 189
37.5 Menus 189
37.6 Overall impressions 189
38 The Thomson Viper HD camera 190
38.1 The camera body 190
38.2 Outputs from the camera 190
38.3 Recording a FilmStream signal 190
38.4 The Director's Friend 192
38.5 The beam splitter 194
38.6 The Vipers CCD array 194
38.7 The mechanical shutter 194
38.8 Frame rates 194
38.9 Resolution 194
38.10 The cameras processor configuration 194
38.11 The camera back 196
38.12 The arguments for a logarithmic recording format 196
38.13 Lenses for the Viper 196
38.14 Monitors for the Viper 197
38.15 Camera accessories 197
38.16 Shipping the Viper 197

PART 8 Camera Menus 199
39 Menus in general 201
40 The HDW F900 menus 202
40.1 Using the menus 202
40.1.1 The layout of the menus 203
40.1.2 Using the menus: some warnings 204
40.2 The Operation Menu 207
40.2.1 VF DISPLAY page 207
40.2.2 '!' INDICATOR page 207
40.2.3 MARKER page 207
40.2.3.1 MARKER 208
40.2.3.2 CENTER 209
40.2.3.3 SAFETY ZONE 209
40.2.3.4 EFFECT 209
40.2.3.5 ASPECT MODE 210
40.2.3.6 MASK 210
40.2.4 GAIN SW page 212
40.2.5 ZEBRA/VF DTL page 212
40.2.6 AUTO IRIS page 213
40.2.7 BATT ALARM page 213
40.2.8 OTHERS page 214
40.2.9 OPERATOR FILE page 215
40.2.10 LENS FILE page 217
40.3 The Paint Menu 217
40.3.1 SW STATUS page 218
40.3.2 VIDEO LEVEL page 219
40.3.3 GAMMA page 221
40.3.4 BLACK GAMMA page 222
40.3.5 LOW KEY SATURATION page 222
40.3.6 KNEE page 222
40.3.7 DETAIL 1 page 223
40.3.8 DETAIL 2 page 225
40.3.9 SKIN DETAIL page 226
40.3.10 USER MATRIX page 228
40.3.11 MULTI MATRIX page 230
40.3.12 SHUTTER page 231
40.3.13 SCENE FILE page 232
40.4 The Maintenance. File and Diagnostic Menus 235
40.4.1 PageM7 235
Index 239