Cynematik • Cyndi Greening

PODCAST - Cyndi Greening & Mike Curtis
The Inside Scoop for 2005-08-28 (Part 1 of 2)

Podcast on Sunday, August 28, 2005
Posted from Phoenix, Arizona

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By Cyndi Greening. Phoenix, Arizona USA (Cinema Minima) — HD and Post Producton Expert MIKE CURTIS of HD for Indies discusses a number of topics of great interest to the independent filmmaker. A frequent panelist at SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Mike offers great insight and detail on high-definition specs, film deliverables and DV/HDV cameras. This excellent podcast covers …

• Various Flavors of HD
• Various Resolutions of HD
  • 720p = 1280×720
  • 1080i or 1080p = 1920×1080
• Currently, Panasonic Varicam Camera very popular 720p
  camera
• Progressive versus Interlaced
  • (p) = Progressive; whole frame at once, more like film
  • (i) = Interlaced; every other line, traditionally for broadcast video
• Early Canon XL2 and Sony DVX100A conversions from 30i
  to 24p possible but lossy
• Also, other considerations must be in place, cannot change frame rate and
  so on

As an independent filmmaker, where to begin thinking?

• Where do you want to go with this? What do you want for a deliverable?
• Sony HDR-FX1 and Sony HVR-Z1U reasonably
  priced cameras for independent filmmakers
  • HVR-Z1U offers better controls and better inputs (XLR
    for audio) and better post-production options like true timecode.
  • Also, HVR-Z1U records at both 50i (interlaced) PAL and 60i NTSC frames
    per second allowing for PAL interlaced recording, converted to 24 progressive
    with a slight speed change
• Comparison between higher end Sony F900 ($100,000 camera)
  and inexpensive camera; sensor, lenses, recording formats, latitude and sensivity
• Discussion about Panasonic SDX900, larger sensor, 24p,
  better light latitude, uses DVCPro50
• In Mike’s opinion, the best low budget cameras:
  • Sony PD170, Sony PD150
  • Canon XL2
  • Panasonic DVX 100A
• HD for Indies Five
  Camera Shoot and Comments
  & Pictures
• Post Production Tools for DV and HDV
  • Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Express, AVID and AVID Express editing
  • AJ and Black Magic DV input cards
  • F900 camera editing challenges because of cost of converting HDCAM to
    DV
  • Challenges with FAST storage
• Right Camera, Right Editing System, Final Deliverable