The new system first transfers the film negative to tape, where an HD master is created. The HD video with audio is fed into a TANDBERG Television E5821 encoder, which feeds a MediaSonic ASI Capture Station.
The viewing of feature film dailies projected in high- definition video is increasing in popularity, especially on film locations away from film projection facilities. Now, two companies have created the industry’s first HD MPEG encoding system for digital viewing of dailies in the field.
Developed by Cohen Communications and Heuris, the new system first transfers the film negative to tape, where an HD master is created. The HD video with audio is fed into a TANDBERG Television E5821 encoder, which feeds a MediaSonic ASI Capture Station. The HD master is controlled serially though the Capture Station. The ASI broadcast stream is converted to a data stream and recorded onto USB 2.0, FireWire or DVD-RAM media. For playback, the system uses Heuris’ Rushplay software running on MediaSonic MS9100 DP high-definition video players. The video is viewed on a JVC high-definition projector or Panasonic plasma screen.
Several large-scale feature films to be released in 2003 have made extensive use of the new HD system, including: “Biker Boys” for DreamWorks, “Human Stain” and “Underworld” for Lakeshore Entertainment, and “Bulletproof Monk” for MGM Studios.
ARRI Film, a film lab and post facility with headquarters in Munich, Germany, is currently using the encoding package to produce digital dailies that are sent as MPEG files on USB drives to a remote film location in Budapest, Hungary. When using the system, the director of photography is able to view the dailies and quickly inspect the color grading. The specific look is said to be close to the final look of the film, which means it requires only minor corrections and saves considerable time when it comes to final color grading.
For more information visit www.cohencomm.com and www.heuris.com.
