Canon EOS C300

The Canon EOS C300/C300 PL’s newly developed Super 35 mm-equivalent CMOS sensor incorporates approximately 8.29 million effective pixels and has a pixel size that is larger than that for conventional professional camcorders, enabling greater light-gathering capabilities for enhanced sensitivity and reduced noise. The sensor reads Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) video signals for each of the three RGB primary colors, decreasing the incidence of moiré while realizing high resolution with 1,000 horizontal TV lines.

Supported by a heightened signal read-out speed, the CMOS sensor reduces rolling shutter skews, a phenomenon prevalent with CMOS sensors in which fast-moving subjects may appear diagonally distorted. Additionally, the powerful combination of the sensor with Canon’s high-performance DIGIC DV III image processor facilitates high-precision gamma processing and smooth gradation expression.

In addition to MPEG-2 Full HD (MPEG2 422@HL compliant) compression, the EOS C300/C300 PL employs 4:2:2 color sampling for high-resolution performance that minimizes the appearance of “jaggies” at chroma edges. Additionally, with a maximum recording rate of 50 Mbps, the camera supports the recording of high-quality video.

The camera’s video and audio recording file format adopts the industry-standard MXF (Material eXchange Format), an open source file format ideally suited for non-linear editing systems. Recording to versatile, readily available CF cards, the EOS C300/C300 PL realizes high cost-performance and, equipped with two CF card slots, makes possible the simultaneous recording of video data to two CF cards.

Canon EOS C300 Specifications

Recording/Codec

Signal System: NTSC and PAL Compression: 8 Bit MPEG-2 Long GOP Color Space: 4:2:2 at 50Mbps recording Maximum Bit Rate: 50Mbps (CBR) Canon Log Gamma: Available File Format: MXF (OP-1a)

Recording Options:

50Mbps (CBR) 4:2:2 422P@HL 1920×1080: 59.94i/29.97p/23.98p; 50i/25p; True 24 (24.00) 1280×720: 59.94i/29.97p/23.98p; 50p/25p; True 24 (24.00) 35Mbps (VBR) 4:2:0 MP@HL 1920×1080: 59.94i/29.97p/23.98p; 50i/25p 1280×720: 59.94p/29.97p/23.98p; 50p/25p 25Mbps (CBR) 4:2:0 MP@H14 1440×1080: 59.94i/29.97p/23.98p; 50i/25p

Audio

Linear PCM; 2-Channel; 16-Bit; 48kHz Built-in Microphone: None External Audio Inputs: 2 – XLR inputs (Auto and Manual level settings) Recording Channel Selection: Two channel recording XLR Mic Trimming: Available; -12dB, -6 dB, 0dB or +12dB Recording Level Adjustment Range: – Infinity to +18dB Phantom Power: Available: +48V Headphone Adjustment: 16 Settings; Volume is muted at lowest setting 1KHz Tone: Available: -12, -18 or -20 dB

Image Sensor

Sensor Type: CMOS sensor (single-panel), equivalent to Super 35mm Sensor Size: 24.6 x 13.8mm effective screen size (6.4 x 6.4 micrometer pixel pitch) Scanning System: Progressive Number of Sensors: 1 Filter: RGB Primary Color Filter (Bayer Array) Imaging Processor: DIGIC DV III

Effective Pixels

Approx. 8.29 megapixels (3840 x 2160)

Total Pixels

Approx. 9.84 megapixels (4206 x 2340)

Max. Movie Recording Time

64GB Compact Flash (CF) card Greater capacity is possible when both are used.

25Mbps: 310 minutes 35Mbps: 225 minutes 50Mbps: 160 minutes

Lens

Interchangeable: EF mount

Focusing System

Manual; Autofocus system not available

Max. Shutter Speed

1/2000 sec

ISO Range

320 to 20,000, 1-stop or 1/3-stop

ND Filter Settings

Mechanical ND filter system with option of clear, 2 stops, 4 stops, and 6 stops

White Balance

Auto, Manual, 2 Custom (2000K – 150,00K in 100K increments), Daylight, Tungsten

Frame Rate

NTSC: 59.94P, 59.94i, 29.97P, 23.98P PAL: 50P, 50i, 25P Film: 24P

Minimum Illumination

Full AUTO mode: TBA lux Manual mode: TBA lux

Illumination Correction

Compensates for each lens’ light fall-off. Lens specific data stored in firmware

Genlock Terminal

BNC (input only)

HD/SD-SDI Terminal

BNC (output only), with embedded audio

Timecode Terminals

BNC (input/output), Sync Out (BNC)

Viewfinder

0.52-inch diagonal, color 16:9 rotatable LCD +2.0 to -5.5 diopter eye adjustment

LCD Screen (Monitor Unit)

4-inch diagonal, 1.23 megapixel color 16:9 rotatable LCD 100% field of view adj. brightness, contrast, color, sharpness and backlight

Microphone

None built-in

Recording Media

CF Card (Type 1 Only): 2 slots (Movie files); UDMA supported SD Card: 1 slot: Still images, Custom Picture Data*, Clip Metadata and menu settings *Custom Picture Data and settings are not compatible with data from other Canon models

USB Terminal

N/A

Video Terminal

Same as HD/SD-SDI Terminal

Audio Terminal

XLR 3-pin jack (2), Switchable between MIC/LINE

HDMI Terminal

Yes (Type A), output only

AV Mini-terminal/Headphone Terminal

3.5mm stereo mini-jack

WFT Terminal

For compatible Wi-Fi Accessory

Operating Temperature Range

Performance: 32°-104°F / 0°-40°C, 85% (relative humidity) Operation: 23°-113°F / -5°-45°C, 60% (relative humidity)

Dimensions (W x H x D)

EOS C300 + Thumb Rest: 5.2 x 7.0 x 6.7 in / 133 x 179 x 171mm EOS C300 + Grip: 6.9 x 7.0 x 6.7 in / 174 x 179 x 171mm Camera + Monitor: 7.3 x 9.8 x 7.4 in / 185 x 249 x 187mm Camera + Handle + Monitor: 7.3 x 11.2 x 11.9 in / 185 x 284 x 301mm (not including lens hood, eyecup, grip belt)

Weight (not including lens)

Main Unit: EOS C300: 3.2 lb / 1430g

Grip: 8.1 oz / 230g Monitor Unit: 1.4 lb / 620g Handle Unit: 6.3 oz / 180g Thumb Rest: 0.35 oz / 10g BP-955 Battery: 7.8 oz / 220g Attachment fitting: 0.32 oz / 9g CF Cards x 2: 0.63 oz / 18g Measure hook: 0.11 oz / 3g Body Cap, Camera Cover (either type): 0.63 oz / 18g EOS C300 w/: Grip, Monitor, BP-955, 2@CF 5.6 lb / 2520g Grip, Monitor, Handle, BP-955, 2@CF 6.0 lb / 2700g

ARRI ALEXA camera offers native ProRes capture for Final Cut Studio

ARRI announced that its new ALEXA digital camera now includes native support for Apple ProRes codecs used in Final Cut Studio. The ALEXA camera supports Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) and ProRes 4444, and allows stunning HD images to be captured and recorded onto commercially available removable storage media. These unique recording and workflow capabilities, combined with the unparalleled image quality of ARRI's new CMOS sensor, create an ergonomic, lightweight and portable camera ideally suited to both high fidelity studio and location production.

"Combining our digital imaging technology directly with ProRes makes the ALEXA camera the highest quality digital camera system available," says Adrian Widera, ARRI Strategic and Business Development. "The simple, immediate access to ProRes brings a whole new level of productivity to the professional motion picture and broadcast market."

"Final Cut is already the first choice of professional video editors," says Richard Townhill, Apple's director of Video Applications Marketing. "By recording directly to ProRes, the new ALEXA camera gives editors the most efficient workflow possible."

The ALEXA camera's workflow solution offers native recording of ProRes compressed HD images onto high performance SxS cards and provides instant access, viewing and editing of images in Apple's Final Cut Pro on Mac desktop and notebook computers. No ingestion or transcoding step is required.

The ARRI ALEXA will be shipping to customers worldwide in June, and is currently being used to shoot the new motion picture "Anonymous" for acclaimed director Roland Emmerich.

ALEXA has been designed to function as both a motion picture camera and a broadcast camera. For TV production, the time and cost savings as well as the extraordinary simplicity of ALEXA workflows will transform budgets and schedules, while the cinematic image quality will stagger viewers. For features, the sheer variety of outputs, functions, lenses and accessories will enable filmmakers to realize their visions without ever feeling restricted by technology.
Whether your production is destined for the silver screen or the TV screen, ALEXA will empower you to tell your story in exactly the way you think it should be told, with pictures of breathtaking richness and detail.


MULTIPLE OUTPUT OPTIONS

Different projects have different production requirements, budgets and distribution channels; the equipment chosen has to be flexible enough to accommodate those differences. The unique construction of the ALEXA and ARRIFLEX D-21 allows for various output signals to be generated, accommodating diverse production needs and pipelines.
ALEXA is unique in that it can simultaneously record Apple QuickTime/ProRes files, output uncompressed HD video or uncompressed ARRIRAW data. This output versatility makes it ideal for a myriad of productions and workflows from telenovellas to feature films.
As the best recording media for the QuickTime/ProRes files, ARRI has chosen SxS cards because of their high data throughput. Two SxS cards fit into a module on the camera's left side for convenient on-board recording and are hot swapable.
Two outputs which can be configured to 3G or 1.5G HD-SDI deliver an uncompressed high definition video stream with various options such as recording in 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 and ITU Rec709 or Log C tone mapping and color matrixes.
The two recording links can alternatively be used to output the ARRIRAW T-link signal, which can be recorded by a number of certified third party on-board recorders. ARRIRAW is the only way to access the full potential of ALEXA's sensor which has color and dynamic range capabilities far beyond standard HD. ARRI's own ARRIRAW Image Converter (ARC) provides image reconstruction features for the Windows, LINUX and Mac OS platforms. As a result of long term corporate initiatives with key development partners within the ARRIRAW Partner Program, a number of post production tools can now natively work with ARRIRAW files.
These output formats are well established standards that integrate the cameras seamlessly into the existing HD infrastructure.

CHE

Che is a two-part 2008 biopic about Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Benicio del Toro as the title character. Taking a cinéma vérité stylistic approach, the pictorial diptych comprises two merged films entitled The Argentine and Guerrilla. Each part is intentionally illustrated with differing approaches to narrative linearity, camerawork, and aspect ratios; with such duality intended to be reflective of the two military campaigns' divergent outcomes. The first part, The Argentine, focuses on the Cuban revolution from when Fidel Castro, Guevara and other revolutionaries landed on the Caribbean island to when they successfully toppled the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista two years later. The second part, Guerilla, meanwhile focuses on Che's futile attempt to bring revolution to Bolivia along with his ill-fated demise.

Filmmaker Terrence Malick originally worked on a screenplay to only depict Guevara's attempts to start a revolution in Bolivia, but when financing fell through, Malick went on to another project and Soderbergh agreed to direct. He realized that there was no context for Guevara's actions in Bolivia and decided that his participation in the Cuban revolution and his appearance at the United Nations in 1964 should also be depicted in the film. Peter Buchman was hired to write the screenplay and result was so long that Soderbergh decided to divide the film into two parts: one chronicling Cuba and other depicting Bolivia. Filmmakers decided to shoot the film almost entirely in Spanish to give it credibility, but the decision also made it difficult to finance with Hollywood studios. Soderberg's project was ultimately financed with foreign money. Soderbergh shot the films back-to-back in the beginning of July 2007 with Guerrilla shot first in Spain for 39 days and The Argentine shot in Puerto Rico and Mexico for 39 days.

Che was screened as a single film at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. There, it received mixed reviews, and Del Toro won the Best Actor Award. IFC Films, which holds all North American rights to Che, initially released the combined film for one week on December 12, 2008 in New York City and Los Angeles in order to qualify for the year's Academy Awards. Strong box office performance led to the "special roadshow edition" being extended in New York and Los Angeles and later expanded into additional markets. The films were released in 25 markets beginning January 16 and 22 both as a single film and as two separate films, titled Che Part 1: The Argentine and Che Part 2: Guerrilla, and distribution expanded further after that. IFC released the films via video on demand on January 21 through all major U.S. cable and satellite providers in both standard and high definition versions.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a 2008 film written and directed by Woody Allen. The film stars Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall.

The plot centers on two American women, Vicky and Cristina, spending a summer in Barcelona, where they meet an artist who is attracted to both of them while still enamored of his mentally and emotionally unstable ex-wife María Elena. The film was shot in Avilés, Barcelona, and Oviedo, and was Allen's fourth consecutive film shot outside of the United States.

The film premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. The film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Woody Allen won his first Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay and was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Penélope Cruz won the Best Supporting Actress award from numerous organizations including: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the Independent Spirit Awards, the Boston Society of Film Critics, the Goya Awards, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the National Board of Review, the New York Film Critics Circle, and the Southeastern Film Critics Association.

Entre les murs [Between the Walls]

Entre les murs (English title: The Class) is a 2008 film directed by Laurent Cantet, based on the 2006 novel of the same name by François Bégaudeau.
The film received the Palme d'Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, making it the first French film in 21 years to do so.

The novel is a semi-autobiographical account of Bégaudeau's experiences as a literature teacher in an inner city middle school in Paris. The film stars François Bégaudeau in the role of the teacher.

"Three Monkeys"

"Three Monkeys" [Üç Maymun]is a 2008 Turkish film directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan.
The film premiered in competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, where Ceylan won the Award for the Best Director.
Ceylan also received the award for the Best Achievement in Directing at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

Plot
The film opens as a wealthy businessman Servet who is running a campaign for the upcoming election driving in his car alone and sleepy, struggling to keep his eyes open.Seconds later he hits and kills a pedestrian in the middle of the road. Servet panics when another car with a couple inside approaches nearby and then he sneaks away. Eyüp a low-class man living in a slum at Yedikule neighbourhood in İstanbul with his wife and only son; who is in fact the driver of Servet wakes up in the middle of the night with his cell phone ringing. It's his boss calling up, telling Eyüp to meet him immediately. Shivering in shock Servet explains the current events to his driver. He excuses as if the fatal accident comes out in press it would terminate his political career so he proposes Eyüp to take over the penalty and stay in prison for a brief period of time in exchange for a load of cash upon his release and still paying his salary to his family so they can get by. Eyüp accepts the deal.

An unspecified time passes, summer arrives and Eyüp's son İsmail fails to enter a collage again. His mother Hacer who works in the catering division of a factory start worrying about his son after unpleasant events and tries to convince him into getting a job. İsmail wishes to drive kids between home and school but of course they don't have any financial source for this kind of an enterprise. İsmail asks his mother to take some advance payment from Servet, naturally non of them would tell Eyüp about this. Hacer meets with Servet in his office after the elections which he lost and requests money. After Hacer leaves the office and starts waiting for a bus at the stop Servet persuades Hacer into driving her back to her home even if she was so reluctant at the very begging. And the kid dies of drowning i think, i mean you can't really tell it's very confusing.

Another unspecified time passes and on a regular day which İsmail intends to go on a visit to his father things take a catastrophic turn when he needs to return home early to change his shirt only to find his mother have been having an affair with Servet. İsmail goes nuts nevertheless he stands passive. When an another unspecified time passes Eyüp has been released from prison after he completes his sentence only to observe and sense things going around "a little peculiar" inside his home between three people and also between him and his boss. Hacer falls in love with Servet and insists to maintain their affair however Servet thinks of it as an impossible act after Eyüp's release and defies Hacer brutally. Later that night Hacer and Eyüp had been invited to the police station to be informed that Servet has been murdered.Police officers interrogate to two and Eyüp officially finds out that Hacer was cheating on him from a police officer but he denies knowing nothing about it. Back at home an uproar breaks out and his son İsmail confesses that he murdered Servet. Eyüp calms down when he pays a visit to a mosque. Afterwards Eyüp goes on to speak with a very poor man who works and also sleeps inside a small, messy tea house in the neighbourhood -which he hanged around to be greeted after his release-. Eyüp makes the very same proposition to the poor man Bayram; to take over the crime committed by his son İsmail. Bayram accepts the deal. The last scene of the film portrays Eyüp at his home's balcony staring at the Marmara Sea and alongside with thunder it stars to rain.

"Milk"

"Milk" is a 2008 biographical film on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Directed by Gus Van Sant, the film stars Sean Penn as Milk and Josh Brolin as Milk's assassin, Supervisor Dan White. The film received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, winning two, for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Sean Penn and Best Original Screenplay for Dustin Lance Black.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is a 2008 American drama film, inspired by the 1921 short story of the same name written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film was directed by David Fincher, written by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, and stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett.
The film received thirteen Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Pitt, and Best Supporting Actress for Taraji P. Henson. It won three Oscars for Art Direction, Makeup, and Visual Effects.

"Turtles Can Fly"

"Turtles Can Fly" (Persian: Lakposhtha ham parvaz mikonand) is a 2004 film written and directed by the Kurdish Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi, with notable theme music composed by Hossein Alizadeh. It was the first film to be made in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Plot

The film is set in a Kurdish refugee camp on the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of the US invasion of Iraq. Thirteen-year-old Satellite (Soran Ebrahim) is known for his installation of dishes and antennae for local villages who are looking for news of Saddam Hussein and for his limited knowledge of English. He is the dynamic, but manipulative leader of the children, organizing the dangerous but necessary sweeping and clearing of the minefields.

The industrious Satellite arranges trade-ins for unexploded mines. He falls for an orphan named Agrin (Avaz Latif), a sad-faced girl traveling with her disabled, but smart brother Henkov, who appears to have the gift of clairvoyance. The siblings care for a toddler, whose connection to the pair is discovered as harsh truths are revealed.

The film won the following awards:
Glass Bear, Best Feature Film and Peace Film Award, Berlin International Film Festival, 2005.
Golden Seashell, Best Film, San Sebastián International Film Festival, 2004.
Special Jury Award, Chicago International Film Festival, 2004.
International Jury and Audience Awards, São Paulo International Film Festival, 2004.

City of God (Cidade de Deus)

City of God (Portuguese: Cidade de Deus) is a 2002 Brazilian crime drama film directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, released in its home country in 2002 and worldwide in 2003. It was adapted by Bráulio Mantovani from the 1997 novel of the same name written by Paulo Lins which are both based on a true story; the war between Knockout Ned and Li'l Zé is based on their real life counterparts. It stars Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino da Hora, Jonathan Haagensen, Douglas Silva and Seu Jorge. The tagline is "Fight and you'll never survive..... Run and you'll never escape."

Most of the actors were, in fact, residents of favelas such as Vidigal and the Cidade de Deus itself.

The film received four Academy Award nominations in 2004: Best Cinematography (César Charlone), Best Directing (Meirelles), Best Editing (Daniel Rezende) and Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) (Mantovani). Before that, in 2003 it had been chosen to be Brazil's runner for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but it was not nominated to be one of the five finalists.

Meirelles and Lund went on to create the TV series and film City of Men, which share some of the actors (notably leads Douglas Silva and Darlan Cunha) and their setting with City of God.

Taking place over the course of over two decades, City of God tells the story of Cidade de Deus (Portuguese for City of God), a lower class quarter west of Rio de Janeiro. The film is told from the viewpoint of a boy named Rocket (Busca pé in Portuguese) who grows up there as a fishmonger's son, and demonstrates the desperation and violence inherent in the slums. Based on a real story, the movie depicts drug abuse, violent crime, and a boy's struggle to free himself from the slums' grasp.

The movie begins cinematically depicting chickens being prepared for a meal. A chicken escapes and as an armed gang chases after it bumps into Rocket who believes that the gang wants to kill him. The movie then flashes back ten years earlier, to tell the story of how he got himself into that position.

The only professional actor with years of filming experience was Matheus Nachtergaele, who played the supporting role of Carrot. Most of the remaining cast were from real-life favelas, and in some cases, even the real-life City of God favela itself. From initially about 2000, about a hundred children and youths were hand-picked and placed into an "actors' workshop" for several months. In contrast to more traditional methods (e.g. studying theatre and rehearsing), it focused on simulating authentic street war scenes, such as a hold-up, a scuffle, a shoot-out etc. A lot came from improvisation, as it was thought better to create an authentic, gritty atmosphere. This way, the inexperienced cast soon learned to move and act naturally. Prior to City of God, the directors Lund and Meirelles filmed a short film Golden Gate as a sort of test run. Only after then, the final casting for City of God was finalized.

Carandiru

Carandiru (2003) is a Brazilian and Argentine film directed by Hector Babenco. The picture is based on the book Estação Carandiru (English: Carandiru Station) by Dr. Drauzio Varella, a physician and AIDS specialist.
Carandiru tells some of the stories that occurred in Carandiru Penitentiary, which was the biggest prison in Latin America. The histories culminate with the 1992 massacre where 111 prisoners died, 102 killed by police. In 2002, one year before the release of the film, the Carandiru Penitentiary was closed.
This episodic story is set in São Paulo's notorious jail known as Carandiru, one of Latin America's largest and most violent prison systems.
The doctor (Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos) is an oncologist who arrives in the jail as a volunteer to test the prisoners for HIV infection.
Seeing the disease, overcrowding, and rampant circulation of drugs, the doctor realizes much of the prison is controlled by the inmates. They decorate their cells and have an established pecking order. The strong inhabit messy individual suites, and the weak are jammed together, as many as sixteen sharing a 100-square-foot cell.
Several narratives develop in the film: the attempted murder of Peixeira (Milhem Cortaz), the solitary confinement of Chico (Milton Gonçalves), and the romance between Lady Di (Rodrigo Santoro) and No Way (Gero Camilo).
The doctor establishes a routine and comes to see the prisoners as survivors.
The picture ends with a violent prison riot that historically took place on October 2, 1992. The repression of the riot became known as the Carandiru Massacre.
The film was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 19, 2003.

Digital cinema

Digital cinema refers to the use of digital technology to distribute and project motion pictures. The final movie can be distributed via hard drives, DVDs or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional film projector. Digital cinema is distinct from high-definition television and in particular, is not dependent on using television or HDTV standards, aspect ratios, or frame rates. Digital projectors capable of 2K resolution began deploying in 2005, and since 2006, the pace has accelerated. HDTV and pre-recorded HD disks could put pressure on movie theaters to offer something to compete with the home HD experience.

*** 2K and 4K refer to images with 2048 and 4096 horizontal pixel resolution, respectively.

Technology

To match or improve the theater experience of movie audiences, a digital cinema system must provide high quality image, sound, subtitles, and captions. Theater managers require server controls for managing and displaying content in multiple theaters, and studios want their content encrypted with secure delivery, playback, and reporting of play times to the distribution company.

Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI), a joint venture of the six major studios, published a system specification for digital cinema. Briefly, the specification calls for picture encoding using the ISO/IEC 15444-1 "JPEG2000" (.jp2) standard and use of the CIE XYZ color space at 12 bits per component encoded with a 2.6 gamma applied at projection, and audio using the "Broadcast Wave" (.wav) format at 24 bits and 48 kHz or 96 kHz sampling, controlled by an XML-format Composition Playlist, into an MXF-compliant file at a maximum data rate of 250 Mbit/s. Details about encryption, key management, and logging are all discussed in the specification as are the minimum specifications for the projectors employed including the color gamut, the contrast ratio and the brightness of the image. While much of the specification codifies work that had already been ongoing in the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), the specification is important in establishing a content owner framework for the distribution and security of first-release motion picture content.

Digital cinema conforming to the DCI Standard is referred to within the film industry as D-Cinema while all other forms of digital cinema are referred to as E-Cinema. Thus, while D-Cinema is a defined standard, though one that is still partly being framed by SMPTE as of 2007, E-Cinema may be anything, ranging from a DVD player connected to a consumer projector to something that approaches the quality of D-Cinema without conforming to some of the standards. Even D-Cinema itself has evolved over time before the DCI standards were framed. However, the current DCI standards were made with the intention of standing the test of time, much like 35 mm film which has evolved but still retained compatibility over a substantial part of a century.

In addition to DCI's work, the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) released its Digital Cinema System Requirements. The document addresses the requirements of digital cinema systems from the operational needs of the exhibitor, focusing on areas not addressed by DCI, including access for the visually impaired and hearing impaired, workflow inside the cinema, and equipment interoperability. In particular, NATO's document details requirements for the Theatre Management System (TMS), the governing software for digital cinema systems within a theatre complex, and provides direction for the development of security key management systems. As with DCI's document, NATO's document is also important to the SMPTE standards effort.

Digital post-production

Film is scanned from camera-original film negatives into a digital format on a scanner or high-resolution telecine. Data from digital motion picture cameras may be converted to a convenient image file format for work in a facility. All of the files are 'conformed' to match an edit list created by the film editor, and are then color corrected under the direction of the film's staff. The end result of post-production is a digital intermediate used to record the motion picture to film and/or for the digital cinema release.

Digital mastering

When all of the sound, picture, and data elements of a production have been completed, they may be assembled into a Digital Cinema Distribution Master (DCDM) which contains all of the digital material needed for a show. The images and sound are then compressed, encrypted, and packaged to form the Digital Cinema Package (DCP).

Digital projection

There are currently two types of projectors for digital cinema. Early DLP projectors, which were deployed primarily in the U.S., used limited 1280×1024 resolution which are still widely used for pre-show advertising but not usually for feature presentations. The DCI specification for digital projectors calls for three levels of playback to be supported: 2K (2048×1080) at 24 frames per second, 4K (4096×2160) at 24 frames per second, and 2K at 48 frames per second.

3 PERFORATION - SAME IMAGE QUALITY AT LOWER COSTS

Less cost, more shooting time - with the same image quality

Instead of a traditional 4 perforation movement, which advances the film 4 perforations for each new image, a 3 perforation movement advances the film only 3 perforations, thus eliminating the previously unused space between frames. This results in a 25% savings in film stock and lab costs with no reduction in image quality. In addition, the film in each magazine lasts 33% longer, making film production more efficient.

How 3 Perforation works

Most wide screen 35mm projection formats, including 1.85 and Super 35/2.35, do not use the full 4 perforation height of the 35mm frame. They fit easily between 3 perforations. In fact, the only two formats that use the entire 4 perforation height for picture information are anamorphic photography and material originated specifically for 4:3 full-frame TV transfer.

3 perforation post production: efficiency up, costs down

3 perforation has been used extensively for television series to reduce production costs while still retaining a high quality 35 mm film master, which can be transferred to any future video format if needed. All modern telecines can accommodate film shot at 3 perforations per frame. But in the past theatrical productions have shied away from 3 perforations because of the difficulty of creating a 4 perforation release print from a 3 perforation negative.

With the advent of the Digital Intermediate and the fast rising popularity of the ARRILASER, two closely related developments, many producers are now looking at shooting 3 perforation for a theatrical release.

The Digital Intermediate process makes it possible to scan the complete 3 perforation negative, perform all post-production steps in the digital realm, and then use the ARRILASER to record the images back onto 4 perforation Internegative (IN) or Interpositive (IP) to create standard spherical or anamorphic 4 perforation release prints.

Changes in lab processes have also improved the quality of the optical step necessary to go from a 3 perforation negative to a 4 perforation release print, providing a second alternative.

It doesn't matter which way you go in post - analog or digital:
3 perforation offers the most efficient and economical way to 35mm film production.

3 perforation pays for Digital Intermediate

Cinematographers, who like the flexibility and creative options provided by the Digital Intermediate, have successfully argued that the savings of 3 perforation can offset most or all of the cost of the Digital Intermediate. When going the Digital Intermediate route, there is no reason not to shoot 3 perforation.

ARRIFLEX 235

The ARRIFLEX 235 is a small and lightweight 35 mm MOS film camera designed for handheld and remote applications. It is a great 'C' camera for feature films and commercials to grab unique and spontaneous angles, be that on the operator's shoulder or when used for Steadicams, car rigs, motorcycle rigs, bicycle mounts, underwater applications, crash housings or aerial photography.

By focusing on essential features and employing the most up-to-date design and manufacturing techniques, the 235 is spectacularly lightweight, small and compact. It's body and viewfinder weigh about 3.5kg/7.7 Lbs, half the weight of a 435 body and viewfinder. With a smaller and lighter camera it is possible to work faster, use less rigging and utilize lighter support equipment.

The 235 was developed with economics in mind. Camera body and viewfinder incorporate existing, proven technology, resulting in a price half of the 435. And since it shares a large number of already available accessories with its ARRIFLEX siblings, the 235 is an affordable investment for rental facilities and individuals.

Despite its compact size, the 235 is a thoroughly modern motion picture camera, equipped with all the features cinematographers, producers and crews have come to expect. Super 35, a 3 perforation option, speed ramps and a high quality video assist save time and provide more creative options.

ARRIFLEX D-21

The ARRIFLEX D-21 and D-21 HD combine leading edge digital technology with film camera features that have been refined over ARRI’s 90-year history. They allow directors and cinematographers to shoot in the same way as they would with 35 mm film, while taking advantage of the immediacy and economy of digital acquisition.

As the top of the line digital cameras from ARRI, the market leader in professional imaging, they are equipped with a number of unique features: an optical viewfinder, the Mscope™ anamorphic output, a 4:3 format sensor, simple operation and an unequalled film-like image quality. In addition, the D-21 is the only camera capable of simultaneously outputting raw data and HD.

The bright optical viewfinder has zero delay, works without power and shows an image area outside the primary image. Through ARRI Imaging Technology (AIT), both cameras produces brilliant images with a cinematic look and feel, a high dynamic range, high contrast and the most film-like motion and color reproduction of any digital motion picture camera.

The cameras’ single, Super 35-sized CMOS sensor exhibits the same cinematic depth of field as 35 mm film. The industry standard PL lens mount accepts the same vast variety of prime, zoom and specialty film lenses used on 35 mm film cameras. Since both cameras are the only digital high-end cameras with a 4:3 aspect ratio sensor, they easily accommodate all image formats, including anamorphic 2.40:1. The anamorphic image can be recorded in the new and innovative Mscope™ mode, utilizing a standard HD workflow, or, on the D-21, also in Data Mode.

Further film style features include variable frame rates from 1 to 60 fps (D-21)/1-30 fps (D-21 HD), exposure compensated speed ramps, compatibility with ARRI film style accessories, simple to use controls and the robust construction and ergonomic design for which ARRI cameras are famous.

The ARRIRAW format enables the D-21 to output raw uncompressed data. Alternatively, both D-21 and D-21 HD can output an uncompressed HD signal that works perfectly in the established HD infrastructure. With such flexibility, both ARRIFLEX D-21 and D-21 HD easily adapt to a variety of production requirements and budgets.