Patrick O'Mara
12-30-2008, 02:14 AM
It is hard to believe that #101 (AKA "Scarlett O'Mara") arrived at my doorstep a year ago this week. It has been a year of learning, experimenting, modifying, refining, growing . . . and earning.
We just got back, before the Holidays, from Vancouver on another major campaign for Mattel. We spent more than a month shooting 10 spots: over 1 Terabyte of R3D files, 85 roll changes, 250 scenes, 4K, 3K, 2K, 30fps, 60fps, 120fps, 180, 90 & 45 degree shutters, interiors, exteriors, location, stage, sets, background plates, green screen, blue screen, smoke, mirrors, water, horses, monkey, dogs, kids, dolls . . . quite a variety of opportunities, and through all of this we had:
Zero dropped frames, Zero corrupt files, Zero record errors, Zero playback problems, Zero boot problems, Zero start/stop problems . . . #101 worked as well as any piece of equipment I have ever used.
There was never a down time due to camera . . . the Director never lost momentum due to a reload, thanks to the hard drives. The A.D. was always delighted when I checked the takes and told him we could move on. He could strike sets without waiting for dailies.
Everyone from the Director, Producer, Agency, Client, Editor, Colorist were thrilled with the results. They loved the images at Video Village and were even more pleased with the final transfers.
Our post workflow was as smooth as the capture. My DAS/2nd A.C. was in charge of reloading the camera, keeping track of the Roll numbers, rotating the 3 hard drives, downloading the files, checking the files, backing up to the Camera Department MacPro 8 core's RAID, resizing and downconverting to SD, sending a backup of both to the Editor's MacPro via Ethernet, where the Editor could begin editing on the set as we shot. At the end of the day a copy of all the day's work was sent off site as a further backup. All in all a very efficient system
#101 is outfitted with all of the glass from my Arriflex camera systems. A set of Zeiss Standard Primes (14, 16, 24, 32CF, 40, 50, 85, 135) An Arri 100 Macro, Angenieux HR 25-250, Innovision Probe II System (12, 16, 28, 32, 40, 55). It also has virtually all of Element Technica's marvelous accessories: 15mm Base, Top Mount, EVF Mount, Breakout Box, Top Handle, Quick Mounts, Hard Drive Mount, and lots of 15mm rods of different lengths. A View Factor remote on/off switch adds a very convenient touch . . . especially for the multi pass green screen lock off shots.
We used the camera in several different configurations, switching frequently between the jib arm with the Weaver/Steadman 3 Axis Head to the dolly with the Mitchell gear head and Tango Swing head to hand held.
The Director and Producer came up to me at the end of the shoot and said that this was the most flawless production they had ever experienced. They could not say enough great things about the RED camera.
5 years ago almost every commercial I shot was on 35mm Film. That year I shot over 500,000' feet of film. In 2008, for the first time in over 20 years as a D.P., I did not expose a single frame of FILM.
The REVOLUTION is NOW!
As I look back on this past year I am amazed at the changes that have taken place . . . not only in my life . . . but in the industry as a whole. Who could have believed that when #101 was delivered at the beginning of January that less than 12 months later we would be looking at #5000. BRAVO!
We all think we known what is on the horizon . . . but honestly do we?
I can hardly wait.
Everyone at RED deserves our congratulations and thanks for the incredible accomplishments they have achieved.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
We just got back, before the Holidays, from Vancouver on another major campaign for Mattel. We spent more than a month shooting 10 spots: over 1 Terabyte of R3D files, 85 roll changes, 250 scenes, 4K, 3K, 2K, 30fps, 60fps, 120fps, 180, 90 & 45 degree shutters, interiors, exteriors, location, stage, sets, background plates, green screen, blue screen, smoke, mirrors, water, horses, monkey, dogs, kids, dolls . . . quite a variety of opportunities, and through all of this we had:
Zero dropped frames, Zero corrupt files, Zero record errors, Zero playback problems, Zero boot problems, Zero start/stop problems . . . #101 worked as well as any piece of equipment I have ever used.
There was never a down time due to camera . . . the Director never lost momentum due to a reload, thanks to the hard drives. The A.D. was always delighted when I checked the takes and told him we could move on. He could strike sets without waiting for dailies.
Everyone from the Director, Producer, Agency, Client, Editor, Colorist were thrilled with the results. They loved the images at Video Village and were even more pleased with the final transfers.
Our post workflow was as smooth as the capture. My DAS/2nd A.C. was in charge of reloading the camera, keeping track of the Roll numbers, rotating the 3 hard drives, downloading the files, checking the files, backing up to the Camera Department MacPro 8 core's RAID, resizing and downconverting to SD, sending a backup of both to the Editor's MacPro via Ethernet, where the Editor could begin editing on the set as we shot. At the end of the day a copy of all the day's work was sent off site as a further backup. All in all a very efficient system
#101 is outfitted with all of the glass from my Arriflex camera systems. A set of Zeiss Standard Primes (14, 16, 24, 32CF, 40, 50, 85, 135) An Arri 100 Macro, Angenieux HR 25-250, Innovision Probe II System (12, 16, 28, 32, 40, 55). It also has virtually all of Element Technica's marvelous accessories: 15mm Base, Top Mount, EVF Mount, Breakout Box, Top Handle, Quick Mounts, Hard Drive Mount, and lots of 15mm rods of different lengths. A View Factor remote on/off switch adds a very convenient touch . . . especially for the multi pass green screen lock off shots.
We used the camera in several different configurations, switching frequently between the jib arm with the Weaver/Steadman 3 Axis Head to the dolly with the Mitchell gear head and Tango Swing head to hand held.
The Director and Producer came up to me at the end of the shoot and said that this was the most flawless production they had ever experienced. They could not say enough great things about the RED camera.
5 years ago almost every commercial I shot was on 35mm Film. That year I shot over 500,000' feet of film. In 2008, for the first time in over 20 years as a D.P., I did not expose a single frame of FILM.
The REVOLUTION is NOW!
As I look back on this past year I am amazed at the changes that have taken place . . . not only in my life . . . but in the industry as a whole. Who could have believed that when #101 was delivered at the beginning of January that less than 12 months later we would be looking at #5000. BRAVO!
We all think we known what is on the horizon . . . but honestly do we?
I can hardly wait.
Everyone at RED deserves our congratulations and thanks for the incredible accomplishments they have achieved.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!