Digital FX Design | Production | Post

Operating a facility 1500 miles from either Los Angeles or New York can present challenges. After all, we can’t just run down the road and collimate our lenses or check the back focus on our Red One cameras. We have learned to adapt, and in the process built our own rental facility to supply our own needs for top quality equipment and services. But until recently we were still forced to send our cameras and lenses out to check for proper flange focal depth or back focus issues and lens collimation. Fortunately, some new affordable products have become available that allow us to handle this locally. These optical collimation devices allow us to set the PL mount of a digital cinema camera relative to the sensor. Several months ago Abel CineTech released the IB/E Null Lens for the RED One camera. At the time, the Null was the only option shipping – until now. Optitek has released the Optimator. Optitek claims this new tool improves and expands on the Null concept with greater ease of use and makes all tests “laboratory condition” compliant regardless of location. Accuracy really isn’t an issue here, since both devices are accurate to within 5 microns which is literally splitting hairs.

We just got our hands on the Optimator and our tests have proven very promising.

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Until very recently, 3D was considered little more than a novelty. Most of our experiences with blue and red paper glasses left us dizzy and in need of Aspirin. But Avatar, along with recent announcements of 3D TV channels from Discovery and ESPN, are changing that perception. Now it seems everyone is jumping on the bandwagon.

At my company, we’re gearing up for 3D as well. But as excited as I usually am about new technologies, I’m skeptical about 3D…

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If you’ve read any of my columns, you probably know that I’m a gadget freak. I like to use the term “early adopter” because it makes my unhealthy obsession sound somehow adventurous. So, it’s no surprise that I was on pins and needles leading up to Steve Jobs’ announcement of the iPad. Honestly, I was underwhelmed.

Let’s be honest here – the iPad is basically a giant iPod touch. There are a few tweaks here and there, but nothing groundbreaking in my opinion. There’s no camera, no real business-friendly operating system, no multitasking, no Flash and limited hard drive space. But, there is the potential that the iPad could have real promise for those of us in the film and video business…

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Point and click. It’s as ubiquitous as peanut butter and jelly or plug and play. It communicates ease of use, no hassle photography. But almost as soon as it came, it appears to be going away. With the proliferation of high-end video in reasonably priced digital still cameras, the point and click is quickly becoming simply point. Folks are using their still cameras for family videos, kid’s recitals and yes even professional commercial video productions.

The opposite is true as well. HD video cameras are producing high enough resolutions where photographers are able to pull out single frames from the video and use them for high-end photography. The RED camera, a personal favorite of mine, was used recently for a Time magazine cover spread. The result was a super high-end resolution still image with video to go along.

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People ask me all the time why Louisiana has become such a hotbed for film and video production. They expect I’ll respond with talk of tax incentives and exotic locations. Those things help, a lot. But the truth of the matter is creative film production in Louisiana is a natural evolution for us. Creativity, entertainment, art, music, food and culture - it’s in our blood. Whether we’re producing a work of art on a canvas, dinner plate, trumpet or on screen, we are unique and we are most definitely creative.

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