DIT question

[Vladimir Eugene]

I've read a bit about owners going out on jobs with their cameras, as DIT or babysitters or something. Exactly what do you do all day in this capacity? What are you asked to do? What do you like to do?

Vladimir Eugene

[Michael Stanmore]

I'll let the technical people respond regarding helping the filmmakers with their workflow and such... but I hasten to add that I'd follow my camera around to make sure no-one put it in any sort of situation where it's going to become separated into smaller pieces...

[PaulClements]

For me, my job as DIT is being the individual responsible for the secure collection and backup of all footage shot on the camera. For that you must be confident in your equipment, regularly checking everything and attempting to offer the client 100% assurance that their footage is being recorded and backed up correctly.

I will also offer advice for production workflow and the camera itself. A camera assistant using the RedOne for the first time will be happy to have someone by their side helping them to understand what this button does or how to bring up the waveform or how to rig up a 30" monitor directly to the camera etc etc.

Frankly it's a mix of versatility of skills and understanding combined with a great amount of responsibility.

----------------------

To me baby sitting infers going out with your camera and watching others shoot with it. You wouldn't be paid for this work, you'd simply be there as personal insurance that your camera is not being messed up.

I think most clients would prefer a skilled DIT over a baby sitter as it doesn't feel like someone is watching their every move over their shoulder.

[Sanjin Jukic]

This question should be for sure addressed directly to Jarred Land as we know that he was a bit "baby-sitting" almost in all RED test shooting as we know (Milk Girls, Crossing the Line, Wanted, also maybe Soderbergh RED Guerrilla movies, etc,...!?

[Casey Green]

This depends significantly on the type of production you are working on.

On some union HD shoots I've been on, such as multi-cam SitComs, the DIT performs functions similar to a colorist or someone who "paints the camera". He/she is responsible for connecting cabling, monitors, and CCUs, but not necessarily responsible for recording any images.

Most times, in this situation, if the Cameras have media on board, the Camera Operators still roll the Camera and the Camera Dept is responsible for maintaining the recorded media.

The DIT will work with the DP to achieve the desired look of the image as well as maintain any on-set monitors and cables... but this may vary as the Video Assist's responsibilities also have crossover here.

It will all depend on the type of production, budget, and of course, personal preference.

In other situations, such as a non-union single camera drama, or perhaps a commercial, etc., you may be able to have one person be both the DP and the DIT (and also perhaps be the person responsible for managing the media).

But, as I said before, there will be so many different working environments that one definition of a DIT could not apply to all of them. Baby-sitting... that I believe would be a separate category, and each owner would have to decide on that individually, but would most likely consist of technical support and re-assurance on-set when an operator/DP requires it.

$.02

[Blair S. Paulsen]

My definition of a RED DIT is similar to Paul's. People are nervous about data based workflows in general and with the RedOne there are so many poorly understood aspects. It is my firm belief that the Red Team has provided superior workflow tools to any existing data centric pipeline. Now it is up to us to create a best practices protocol and prove it in the field.

I anticipate spending a lot of time wearing the RED DIT hat and it will be fun to figure out exactly what directors, production managers and DPs will expect of me. When I discuss my involvement with a project I always stress that my role is very scalable and that I can potentially be the entire camera department, but that's their call :help: . Seriously, if the crew is a well established unit I expect that I will just manage data and probably video village.

[Miguel "Macgregor" De Olaso]

When i rent an Arri camera that costs 20 times more than the RED, i dont have to bring with me an Arri technician to tell me what to do.

When i rent a Sony F900 that costs 3 times more i dont have to bring anyone to tell me how to use the menus and set up the camera.

I guess all the small owners of REDs that want to make a bit of money by renting fear that someone might damage the equipment. But that is why insurances exist.

[Greg M]

When i rent an Arri camera that costs 20 times more than the RED, i dont have to bring with me an Arri technician to tell me what to do.

When i rent a Sony F900 that costs 3 times more i dont have to bring anyone to tell me how to use the menus and set up the camera.

I guess all the small owners of REDs that want to make a bit of money by renting fear that someone might damage the equipment. But that is why insurances exist.

So you rent a Arri and dont hire an AC and Loader??? Whats the difference?

[Miguel "Macgregor" De Olaso]

So you rent a Arri and dont hire an AC and Loader??? Whats the difference?

No, i get my own team. We are talking about a Red owner that comes just to take care of the camera. If the red owner is the camera assistant, pulls focus, loads CFs, sets the tripod, hell, of course i want him!
If he is only there to check his camera is ok, then it is a pain in the ass.

[Unwounded]

unfortunately, insurance won't cover the multiple missed opportunity costs when you have to get back in line to wait for a new red when someone drops your in the ocean. Personally, that camera is never gonna go out without me as at least AC/DIT or operator.

As far as DIT goes it's a maleable title. I'm guessing with the Red it'll mean Making sure you have the proper recording settings, managing and backing up the data (data managent), Making sure everyone is getting the right video feed, making sure all menu settings are correct (though this might overlap with the AC), trouble shooting when problems arise. ect.

[Miguel "Macgregor" De Olaso]

Personally, that camera is never gonna go out without me as at least AC/DIT or operator.

That´s the way to go. ;D

[donatello b]

"So you rent a Arri and dont hire an AC and Loader??? Whats the difference?"

depending on your project - you'll still have a 1st , 2nd AC's - what is the loader going to do ? shouldn't the loader be the person keeping track of the DATA ( loading - unloading ) ??

IMO the RED is not any more complicated then a 35mm film camera ... AC's learn very quickly ... a AC will usually go to a rental house before a shoot to learn a new camera or when they have free time just to keep up on new equipment ...

a DP will learn RED's raw limits just like they learn a new film stock - in pre production they will shoot test and IMO this is the time they will talk to a RED DIT ... now if the project is shooting RGB then perhaps a DIT might be needed but if they are shooting RAW i'm just not convinced a DIT is needed ......
so i think somewhere in all this is room for Red owners ( not hired as DP , operators) to find work as ? i think they'll be in the area that might cross into jobs already on a set - perhaps data management ( loader - but i think on large prodcution backing up data will go to editorial dept) , overlap a little with video village , and of course a little DIT for 1st time RED user ... IMO once a DP & AC uses RED on a job they'll have it down ....

[Brook Willard]

If I'm DIT on a RED show, my primary duty is that of a loader for film. The footage is my baby and I need to take it from the camera into the post workflow as quickly and safely as possible. To me, that duty is paramount. While there are certainly many other duties that a DIT should handle, dealing with footage is the one duty that simply has to happen.

As I said, it goes beyond that. The camera needs to stay up and running and settings need to match between cameras. The fact that these are digital cameras with menus and settings is often best kept invisible to the DP [and sometimes AC]. This is something that will vary from show to show and crew to crew.

Lots of different departments may need cabelage in and out of the camera [from video village to sound]. Some ACs will prefer to handle this duty, some will not.

Long story short, the DIT is the expert on the camera and everybody else is just using it. Making the camera and its settings an invisible part of the workflow is a good goal to have.

That said, all of these duties are still small fries next to dealing with footage.

So what can a DIT do? First off, they have to keep that footage safe. Get it from set to whatever/wherever your backup system is and get it on there. Different shows will have different preferences on how/where to put the footage - it's the DIT's job to figure out what needs to happen and make it happen. Before this can even happen, the DIT needs to be able to educate all concerned parties about how everything is going to work. What if they've never used the camera? What if they don't know what sort of post requirements they should have? What if they have a workflow that you might be able to improve? Once again, the DIT is the expert here and should be able to pass on the necessary information to make this workflow seamless.

Once the footage is copied and confirmed and the cards have been wiped and returned to set, there may be down time. Once again, depending on the show, this is when some coloring could occur. On digital shows that require constant attention from a DIT, he or she will often sit at a paintbox and color the footage on the fly. But what about RED? Assuming the DIT has spoken with all concerned parties beforehand, he or she could color some of the footage in REDCINE to show to the DP or director at an opportune time. The purpose of this coloring could be to create a LUT to put into the camera to feed video village. With RED, this is obviously non-permanent grading... but what director wouldn't want to see a nice, graded look at video village? This is a part of the workflow that may or may not be required by a given shoot, but it's still the DIT's job to make sure that the concerned parties are aware that this could happen on set.

I've missed a lot of little duties [and even some hefty ones] that a DIT should take care of. Everybody will have a different definition of what a DIT should or shouldn't be. Mine is simple: the DIT is the on-set RED genius [or Ninja, if you will... :)]. They should never have a question asked that they can't answer [in a way that mere mortals can understand]. The camera and its finer points should be as invisible to the production as a finely-tuned engine is to a driver - the driver needs to know what is possible, but they don't need to know exactly how it happens. When a driver put their foot down, a result needs to happen instantly... and they don't need to know about throttle linkage or air/fuel ratios. If the concerned parties are aware of what you and the RED ONE can do, that's enough. Be ready to make it happen when they ask.

That's the way I see it.

[Morning Glory]

Thanks Brook! That's exactly how I will approach producers. Perfect!

[Casey Green]

If I'm DIT on a RED show, my primary duty is that of a loader for film. The footage is my baby and I need to take it from the camera into the post workflow as quickly and safely as possible. To me, that duty is paramount. While there are certainly many other duties that a DIT should handle, dealing with footage is the one duty that simply has to happen.

As I said, it goes beyond that. The camera needs to stay up and running and settings need to match between cameras. The fact that these are digital cameras with menus and settings is often best kept invisible to the DP [and sometimes AC]. This is something that will vary from show to show and crew to crew.

Lots of different departments may need cabelage in and out of the camera [from video village to sound]. Some ACs will prefer to handle this duty, some will not.

Long story short, the DIT is the expert on the camera and everybody else is just using it. Making the camera and its settings an invisible part of the workflow is a good goal to have.

That said, all of these duties are still small fries next to dealing with footage.

So what can a DIT do? First off, they have to keep that footage safe. Get it from set to whatever/wherever your backup system is and get it on there. Different shows will have different preferences on how/where to put the footage - it's the DIT's job to figure out what needs to happen and make it happen. Before this can even happen, the DIT needs to be able to educate all concerned parties about how everything is going to work. What if they've never used the camera? What if they don't know what sort of post requirements they should have? What if they have a workflow that you might be able to improve? Once again, the DIT is the expert here and should be able to pass on the necessary information to make this workflow seamless.

Once the footage is copied and confirmed and the cards have been wiped and returned to set, there may be down time. Once again, depending on the show, this is when some coloring could occur. On digital shows that require constant attention from a DIT, he or she will often sit at a paintbox and color the footage on the fly. But what about RED? Assuming the DIT has spoken with all concerned parties beforehand, he or she could color some of the footage in REDCINE to show to the DP or director at an opportune time. The purpose of this coloring could be to create a LUT to put into the camera to feed video village. With RED, this is obviously non-permanent grading... but what director wouldn't want to see a nice, graded look at video village? This is a part of the workflow that may or may not be required by a given shoot, but it's still the DIT's job to make sure that the concerned parties are aware that this could happen on set.

I've missed a lot of little duties [and even some hefty ones] that a DIT should take care of. Everybody will have a different definition of what a DIT should or shouldn't be. Mine is simple: the DIT is the on-set RED genius [or Ninja, if you will... :)]. They should never have a question asked that they can't answer [in a way that mere mortals can understand]. The camera and its finer points should be as invisible to the production as a finely-tuned engine is to a driver - the driver needs to know what is possible, but they don't need to know exactly how it happens. When a driver put their foot down, a result needs to happen instantly... and they don't need to know about throttle linkage or air/fuel ratios. If the concerned parties are aware of what you and the RED ONE can do, that's enough. Be ready to make it happen when they ask.

That's the way I see it.



I agree with some points and disagree with others here.

The difficult thing about RED (and let alone HD) is that several job descriptions are now overlapping. This is fine on non-union shows where decisions on who's doing what can be worked out easier, but it begins to get tricky when Union regulations come in to play.

Here are some of the various crew positions that are beginning to intermix. In fact, there are ongoing debates happening within the various unions as to how to deal with and categorize these new technologies and work flows, as well as which Union (Camera (600), Sound/Video Engineers (695), etc) is to be responsible.

Director of Photography
Camera Operator
1st Assistant Camera
2nd Assistant Camera
Camera Loader
Digital Image Technician
Video Assist
Camera Technician (on call)

On most Union productions, yes, the Camera Loader position would be responsible managing the media (formatting drives/cards/tapes) and getting them to Editorial.

The DIT, however, would still be a separate position where that person would be acting as a colorist and working with the DP to fulfill the desired look and also to actively monitor waveform and vector scopes to ensure the recorded images are accurate. They would provide a WYSIWYG monitor for the DP when possible, as well as potentially generate LUTs for the Camera(s). Other responsibilities of the DIT would be providing Tri-level Sync, and Timecode, depending on the project.

The DPs, Camera Operators, and ACs should be well versed in the basic operation of the Camera as it is standard practice for Camera Crews to do Camera Tests in pre-production. By the time the shoot comes around, the fundamentals of operating the RED should be understood.

Anything that is not understood or any technical issues from that point would be directed to the Camera Technician (usually someone assigned from the Rental House, not on set, but on-call). If there is a lack of experience with the Camera, this person could be called in on-set (or by phone) in the early goings or as long as the production thought they required the technicians hand holding.

But most of the Camera Settings and Controls should be learned and adjusted by the ACs, and perhaps the Camera Operator and/or DP, depending on the project and preference.

The Video Assist position is still required, but would vary greatly depending on the shoot. The main difference would be how the Assist gets the image to record and playback and which format of Video they are dealing with. In many situations there would be a separate Video Assist cart for recording/playback and separate monitors for the Director. This way, the Director/DP could watch back takes while the DIT is working to setup for the next shot or making changes to live Camera images.

Again, this is based on some shows I've worked on, but I also must stress that these views are based on Union productions and, of course, are only a small sampling of the many variations that do and will exist. :)

[Brook Willard]

Very good points, I completely bypassed the union structure. Your union description of what a DIT should do is spot-on. In a union environment, I still feel that the DIT should possess the necessary knowledge to teach anybody who is not completely familiar with the camera system what to do. While ACs will certainly learn what they need to learn about the camera system from their rental house, I've worked with many a cranky AC who has a simple "f*ck this" mentality towards digital. In that particular case, being the AC's "backup plan" is not a bad idea. If they forget how to do something or get frustrated, the DIT should be standing by to offer assistance. That said, basic operation [start/stop, frame-rate and shutter adjustments, plugs/connectors, accessory interaction] should be a given to all ACs.

My description of the DIT in that respect is nearly identical to that of a camera technician [minus the added DIT responsibilities]. I personally see benefit for a DIT to be able to swing into camera tech mode if the situation calls for it. That said, union responsibilities may limit this.

It should be noted that Casey has significantly more feature experience than I, particularly in the union realm.

[Blair S. Paulsen]

Great thread here. One of the many approaches I have considered is to offer a version of "white glove delivery" when renting my RedOne. If the crew is professional, well insured and I have a fat deposit in hand here's my plan:

I host a testing session or two. A day or 2 before principal photography starts I personally take the camera to the first location and go through the drill with the camera department and anyone else the client requests. We shoot tests, dump the footage into the copying and editorial pipelines, etc. I hang out for the first couple of days as a resource of camera info, fine tune on set LUTs, etc and any troubleshooting - then I go home.

I am happy to be on the crew as a DP, Operator, AC or Loader - all jobs I have done over the years, but I know some crews are well oiled machines and aren't really interested in new blood in the mix. Simply being a babysitter makes sense on short gigs or if you don't have much trust level but with a solid DP / Production company its overkill.
I also think just sending out the camera assuming crews will figure it out in 5 minutes is a bit unrealistic, at least until a best practices workflow propagates. The "white glove delivery" seems like the right middle ground - comments...

[donatello b]

" A day or 2 before principal photography starts I personally take the camera to the first location and go through the drill with the camera department "

strongly agree here - it is pre-production that a RED DIT will be most useful ... i would say you should be there thru all camera TEST ...and perhaps 1-2 days just with the DP making sure he knows that RED has X stops at ASA 500 ... and X stops at ASA 1000 , X stops at 2000 etc = the DP needs to see this on screen/ monitor /photoshop - needs to know when noise appears and when it clips on highlights .. the DIT will need to relate this info to how the DP goes about exposure/lighting ... i.e. if the DP uses light meter then you explain to him/her in light meter terms ... if DP uses waveform - then you explain in waveform terms ....

[mezmo]

Hi Guys,
As a producer I would be looking to hire a DIT for
Red/SI/P2 style workflow on feature/TV drama work.
Start him/her late morning so they could clone data
from the morning shoot and have them work late
cloning and processing to a suitable codec for editorial.
A small van including computer and generator may be necessary
for work after the main crew wraps.
This workflow is a lot different to film and tape as the "rushes"
have to be processed ASAP and for insurance reasons the work
would probably need to be done on the spot or at the end of a
shoot day.
I would probably insist that original data be stored on one machine/computer, cloned to data tape and processed to a high quality HD
editing codec for distribution on disk, my butt's then well covered. Blair,Brook and others
have the right idea here, make it easy for producers to adapt to
this NEW technology.
DP's AC's will get the hang of this camera and be able to use it
safely without the the DIT present at all times. The upside, no
early morning starts. Luv that, why do you think I got into producing?
Cheers Mezmo

[Blair S. Paulsen]

Mezmo - you da' man!

[Casey Green]

...While ACs will certainly learn what they need to learn about the camera system from their rental house, I've worked with many a cranky AC who has a simple "f*ck this" mentality towards digital. In that particular case, being the AC's "backup plan" is not a bad idea. If they forget how to do something or get frustrated, the DIT should be standing by to offer assistance.

That brought a smile to my face. :)


Great thread here. One of the many approaches I have considered is to offer a version of "white glove delivery" when renting my RedOne. If the crew is professional, well insured and I have a fat deposit in hand here's my plan:

I host a testing session or two. A day or 2 before principal photography starts I personally take the camera to the first location and go through the drill with the camera department and anyone else the client requests. We shoot tests, dump the footage into the copying and editorial pipelines, etc. I hang out for the first couple of days as a resource of camera info, fine tune on set LUTs, etc and any troubleshooting - then I go home...


Sounds like a good plan... and one that would be acceptable to many Camera Depts.


Hi Guys,
As a producer I would be looking to hire a DIT for
Red/SI/P2 style workflow on feature/TV drama work.
Start him/her late morning so they could clone data
from the morning shoot and have them work late
cloning and processing to a suitable codec for editorial.
A small van including computer and generator may be necessary
for work after the main crew wraps.
This workflow is a lot different to film and tape as the "rushes"
have to be processed ASAP and for insurance reasons the work
would probably need to be done on the spot or at the end of a
shoot day...

This sounds more like the Camera Loader / Assistant Editor positions to me. Keep in mind that your DIT will need to keep working on set throughout the day with the Camera crew rather than be cloning data. Perhaps there becomes an assistant DIT position here, but traditionally, I believe the Camera Loader would give the Media to Editorial and they would then take care of it from there. (Perhaps Editorial could set up a Data Verification / Backup Area on set for use before leaving with the footage.)

[Alex Boothby]

Hey Casey - I just noticed your extensive 'video / computer playback' credits on IMDB. I've been thinking a bit about the future of playback on a Red production - a department that seems ripe for evolution. Most of the playback guys I know are still stuck in the shitty SD world with crappy switchers, and DV clamshells (often expensive, yet dated setups). Meanwhile, their simple mac laptops could do a better job of presenting, organizing and manipulating Red footage... albeit not as quickly... It seems to me that a future department (2 guys perhaps) could evolve on smaller shoots which combines playback / DIT / data management and data backup services - given that these roles do overlap quite a bit on data productions.

For the time being I imagine that the role and methods of playback will be maintained on Red shoots - they will continue record a tap of live footage (either tethered or wirelessly) onto their own system using their own preferred codec (something 720p?). In that respect their role will not change considerably although the technology and interface are different. But in the future it may be possible for playback to capture Redcode directly (a duplicate stream as the camera records the master to flash or Reddrive). This would certainly have advantages for reviewing takes, and simple effects and color treatments. Certainly, that is years away, but in the meantime I imagine some enterprising young buck could sell himself as a ''playback / DIT" hybrid... if only because of the investment in gear, monitors, cables, transmitters, receivers, etc...

I would love to hear your thoughts on how playback will be handled on a RED set and how it might evolve in the future.

[Casey Green]

Boothba,

You have a lot of good ideas and I think many of them will start to be adopted within the next couple of years. Some of what you mentioned is what I was getting at with the "DIT Assistant" position - someone who could manage the media and do QA, (even do Video Assist?). On smaller productions, this certainly will happen.

A lot of my experience has also been in the realm of Video / Computer Playback which actually is a different position than Video Assist. In that role, one is responsible for Coordinating the needs of on-set Video / Computer Monitors within the scene, which is an entirely different ballgame. :) Sometimes it is referred to as "24 Frame" and involves syncing Cameras, Color Correcting Monitors, managing playback assets, and playing video on cue. It falls into the same Union as the Video Assist operators and Sound Engineers.

But I see the Video Assist position evolving quickly and the need for higher quality playback will become the standard soon. There are several solutions on the market or coming soon which provide for excellent Digital Video Assist options, from D/A converters to digital wireless systems. I still see there being a stand alone Video Assist operator, but perhaps the DITs Dept will grow.

[Alex Boothby]

Thanks Casey for your insite. Oh, and sorry I screwed up your job description. :blush:

[Casey Green]

No worries Boothba. :)

I'm happy to contribute any small bit of knowledge or experience I may have to the incredible community here.

[Chris Parker]

I am a video assist operator. I have two REDs on reservation. And I plan on merging the two into one service, as a two person team.

I would love to post my ideas on this, but now have take my daughter to soccer.

i love this thread and will post more later.

For the record, I love what Blair is thinking, and Casey. This is the direction I will go. I have been thinking about this for the past 2 years while sitting on set with my old, crappy, analog clamshells and digital units.

The time for change is upon us, and I plan on making it happen for me.

Blair, I still want to come down to meet you in person. Maybe October some time??? The Red Sprinter idea. Video village, RED data tech combo will be killer.

[Alex Boothby]

Exactly my thinking - a two man crew with a kit of Red One(s), playback gear, client monitors, etc - offering services of DIT, playback, and Redcine for on set monitor-LUT color correction. Plus maybe Final Cut and Shake for editorial and simple comp work. The whole show could run off a Mac pro laptop (or two). Plus throw in some Lacie drives for onset duplication and backups. Also any Red owner should be familiar enough with the camera to function as camera technician in case questions come up. That way there would be no conflict with the existing camera department - no stepping on toes or resentment.

This would be a busy little crew - but the combination of gear, services and responsibility would be formidable and they should be able to charge a pretty penny on kit rental and day rates.

I wish I didn't already have a job or I would do this. :wink: I would love to hear more of your thoughts Skipdivils.

[Chris Parker]

I wish I didn't already have a job or I would do this. :wink: I would love to hear more of your thoughts Skipdivils.

What is your job boothba?

[Alex Boothby]

Post guy. Compositor mostly but I wear other hats.

[Chris Parker]

This is the best thread for me I have seen in a while. Makes you feel good when others share your excitement about SPECIFIC directions to take the Red 'on set service'.

My plan is to incorporate the camera rental, and the video assist, along with the data management. The true DIT part of it (colorizing, etc.) I would dabble in, but since we are shooting RAW now, that becomes less of an issue.

I was planning on recording on the camera (Red Drive, or Flash Cards depending on the shoot) and then having an on-set laptop with a RAID and dumping the footage as it is shot. Then, after the footage is mirrored, clearing the cards/drives and giving them back to camera dept. Final step would be to master everything to an LTO-3 data tape (to make the insurance companies happy).

After the recent posts from Jim about their newfound love of flash media, I am thinking that I may simply consider the flash cards themselves the 'master neg'. I would take the cards as they fill up, put them through Red Alert and verify the information. I would back them up onto hard drive (if there is time for this on the day, which only tests will show me).

Then, at the end of the job, I would give the flash cards to the producer, who would then have them run to wherever they want (post house, telecine house, etc.). Once the post facilities have downloaded the cards successfully and verified that they are now 'in control' of the footage, I would get the cards back from the production, clear them and put them out on the next job.

I am wondering if this system would be enough to pass insurance needs. It seems to me the failure rate of flash cards is so low that it would.

I would also have a full video assist package ready for the 'on-set' needs of production. Anyone who thinks this could be done simply by using the RedAlert or RedQuick off of a laptop is sorely mistaken. Video assist as it now stands will still be needed (unless you are on a very low budget type of shoot that doesn't use video assist anyways), and this will be part of my overall service.

I am thinking that a day-rate for a Red package with everything else I will bring would be about $3,000 or so. Not sure on that one yet, but that is the ballpark.

Of course the hourly is on top of that.

[Blair S. Paulsen]

The paradigm is changing. Production and post are going to interface in a new way. Existing job titles will morph and department turf wars may be inevitable, especially on union shows.

A professional set is a delicate ecosystem and the new tools are a disruptive force. I can come up with the greatest "solution" ever and still meet huge resistance. I agree with Gibby that non-union shoots will likely be the first to integrate the RED data workflow. Ultimately the technical and financial advantages of the RED system will overwhelm the entrenched interests, but IMHO it will NOT happen overnight.

[tj williams]

Current business models like STwo don't provide cameras. Current camera rental houses are providing the camera and lens/aks package with set up. Choosing a Dit on the basis of personal ownership of the camera may or may not be a good business practice. More producers chiming in about the decision to use a DIT or use the second asst. to Load unload backup digital files, will sure be useful as RED owners try to decide how to market the camera as a rental.

[Chris Parker]

Couldn't agree more Blair. I think you and I have been on the same page since the first post of yours I ever read. Which is why we are going to end up with very similar trucks full of gear I bet!

[Chris Parker]

Current business models like STwo don't provide cameras. Current camera rental houses are providing the camera and lens/aks package with set up. Choosing a Dit on the basis of personal ownership of the camera may or may not be a good business practice. More producers chiming in about the decision to use a DIT or use the second asst. to Load unload backup digital files, will sure be useful as RED owners try to decide how to market the camera as a rental.

That is a great point. The main difference is the workflow from a Viper camera (or D20, or whatever camera you normally find the STwo workflow on) is that there is WAY more data to deal with than with the Red camera, unless you shoot uncompressed, which most people won't.

Makes me wonder if STwo is going to release a cheaper 'STwo RED' product line...

But your point about camera rental not necessarily coming from the DIT is a very good one. The main reason is because if you don't have lenses, matte boxes, rods, etc. etc. etc. etc. that is in a normal camera package, production would have to rent this from a rental house anyways, and they would say, "What about the camera body? IF you rent that from us as well, we'll give you a package price and save you money." And then they will.

So those who expect to be able to only rent out a barebones RED package with the data management and video assist (like me) may be in for a rude awakening. Your point is one that I most need to consider, and can't make up my mind about.

Either I will bite the bullet, and buy a FULL camera package (which would be a HUGE investment), or I will not buy the RED cams and stick to the workflow only.

I am waiting a bit to see how people like Blair and Casey think this point affects things.