Premonition is a 2007 drama film directed by Mennan Yapo and starring Sandra Bullock and Julian McMahon. The film was shot at locations throughout Louisiana.
IMDB User Rating: 5.6/10 (8,953 votes)
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Multiple-camera setup
The multiple-camera setup (aka, multiple-camera mode of production) is a method of shooting films and television programs. Several cameras—either film or video—are employed on the set and simultaneously record (or broadcast) a scene. It is often contrasted with the single-camera setup, which uses just one camera on the set.
Generally, the two outer cameras shoot close shots or crosses of the two most active characters on the set at any given time, while the central camera or cameras shoot a wider master shot to capture the overall action and establish the geography of the room. In this way, multiple shots are obtained in a single take without having to start and stop the action. This is more efficient for programs that are to be shown a short time after being shot as it reduces the time spent of editing the footage. It is also a virtual necessity for regular, high-output shows like daily soap operas. Apart from saving editing time, scenes may be shot far more quickly as there is no need for re-lighting and the set-up of alternate camera angles for the scene to be shot again from the different angle. It also reduces the complexity of tracking continuity issues that crop up when the scene is reshot from the different angles. It is also vital for live television.
While shooting, the director and assistant director create a line cut by instructing the technical director to switch the feed to various cameras. In the case of sitcoms with studio audiences, this line cut is typically displayed to them on studio monitors. The line cut may later be refined in editing, as the picture from all cameras is recorded, both separately and as a combined reference display called the quad split. The camera currently being recorded to the line cut is indicated by a tally light on the camera as a reference both for the actors and the camera operators. A recent addition to this technique, borrowed from sports broadcasting, is called the "iso" recording (for "isolated" camera), where each camera's signal is recorded independently, in addition to feeding the switcher for the line cut.
History and use
Although it is often claimed that the multiple-camera setup was pioneered for television by Desi Arnaz and cinematographer Karl Freund on I Love Lucy, other television shows had already used it, including another comedy on CBS, The Amos 'n Andy Show, which was filmed at the Hal Roach Studios and was on the air four months earlier. The technique was developed for television in 1950 by Hollywood short-subject veteran Jerry Fairbanks, assisted by producer-director Frank Telford.[1] Desilu's innovation was to use a multiple-camera setup before a live studio audience.
The multiple-camera mode of production gives the director less control over each shot, but is faster and less expensive than a single-camera setup. In television, multiple-camera is commonly used for sports programs, soap operas, talk shows, game shows, and some sitcoms. However, many sitcoms from the 1950s to the 1970s were actually shot using the single camera mode of production, including The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Leave It to Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show, The Addams Family, The Munsters, Get Smart, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Gilligan's Island, Hogan's Heroes and The Brady Bunch. These did not have a live studio audience and were shot using the single-camera technique, as are more recent programs such as The Larry Sanders Show (1992–1998), Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006), Scrubs (2001–2008), and My Name Is Earl (2005–).
Television prime-time dramas are usually shot using a single-camera setup. Most films also use the single-camera setup. In recent decades larger Hollywood films have begun to use more than one camera on-set, usually with two cameras simultaneously filming the same setup, however this is not a true multicamera setup in the television sense. Sometimes feature films will run multiple cameras, perhaps four or five, for large, expensive and difficult-to repeat special effects shots such as large explosions. Again, this is not a true multicamera setup in the television sense as the resultant footage will not always be arranged sequentially in editing, and multiple shots of the same explosion may be repeated in the final film — either for artistic effect or because the different shots are taken from different angles they can appear to be different explosions to the audience.
The choice of single-camera or multiple-camera setups is made separately from the choice of film or video. That is, either setup can be shot on either film or video.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Arriflex D-20
The Arriflex D-20 is a film-style digital motion picture camera made by Arri first introduced in November 2005. The camera's main attributes are its modularity and the size and type of its sensor.
The D-20 uses a single CMOS sensor the size of a Super 35mm film gate aperture. Effectively the D-20, when used with current 35mm PL mount motion picture lenses, yields the same field of view and depth of field as that of traditional 35mm film motion picture cameras.
The D-20 captures images in two main modes.
In Data mode (4:3 aspect ratio) the sensor has 3018x2200 active pixels generating RAW Bayer-data at 12-bits. The RAW data needs to be processed outboard to generate a full color image. A delivery aspect ratio for theatrical release, commonly 1.85:1, is achieved by cropping from the original image, similar to the cropping necessary when shooting 35mm film. In Data mode the sensor size also allows for the use of anamorphic lenses, producing the 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio.
In HD Video mode (16:9 aspect ratio) the sensor uses 2880x1620 active pixels. This output is 1920x1080 pixels in either YUV 4:2:2 10 bit (via single link HD-SDI) or RGB 4:4:4 10 bit (via dual link HD-SDI).
The D-20 has a mechanical shutter, variable from 11.2° to 180° and an electronic shutter variable from 66° to 360° at 24fps. The camera is capable of running at speeds from 1 to 60fps, though this is currently limited. Numerous components of the camera were borrowed from Arri film camera models (most notably the 435ES), assuring full compatibility with most of the film camera accessories.
Film Shot with D-20:
Advantages
Like the Dalsa Origin, the D-20 features a detachable optical viewfinder. Digital and electronic viewing systems have different advantages.
optical viewfinder advantages
abiity to use camera to set framing without having connection to a power supply
extremely high viewfinder resolution
electronic viewfinder advantages
monitoring the final image after capture. optical viewfinder monitor before capture and therefore don't show what the camera records, but what the lens shows.
electronic viewfinders can display more information (as foucs charts, wavemeter, zebra etc) which help the dp.
both systems, electronic and optical can have
fractionally greater field of view than the sensor, allowing for more accurate and predictive framing
ability to optically zoom in within the viewing system to check critical focus.
the two points above are only available on very good electronical viewfinder/camera systems. Additionally, a wide variety of electronic viewing options can be added to the camera, giving it many advantages of purely electronic viewing systems.
Like Arri film cameras, the D-20 is modularly constructed. Both the mechanical and electronic components are upgradable. This also applies to the sensor, which can be changed as advances are made.
Limitations
At present the Data output and variable speed capabilities of the camera are disabled, awaiting upgrades from Arri.
Super 35 mm
Super 35 (originally known as Superscope 235) is a motion picture film format that uses exactly the same film stock as standard 35 mm film, but puts a larger image frame on that stock by using the negative space normally reserved for the optical analog sound track.
Super 35 was revived from a similar Superscope variant known as Superscope 235 which was originally developed by the Tushinsky Brothers for RKO back in 1954. When cameraman Joe Dunton was preparing to shoot Dance Craze in 1982, he chose to revive the Superscope format by using a full silent-standard gate and slightly optically recentering the lens port. These two characteristics are among the central ones of the format. It was adopted by Hollywood starting with Greystoke in 1984, under the format name Super Techniscope. Later, as other camera rental houses and labs started to embrace the format, Super 35 became popular in the mid 1990s, and is now considered a ubiquitous production process, with usage on well over a thousand feature films. It is also usually the standard production format for television shows, music videos, and commercials, since none of these require a release print, thus have no reason to reserve space for an optical soundtrack. James Cameron was an early, consistent, and vocal supporter of the format, first using it for The Abyss. It also received much early publicity for making the cockpit shots in Top Gun possible, since it was otherwise impossible to fit 35 mm cameras with large anamorphic lenses into the small free space in the cockpit.
Super 35 is a production format. Theatres do not receive or project Super 35 prints. Rather, movies are shot in a Super 35 format but are then - either through optical blowdown/matting or digital intermediate - converted into one of the standard formats to make release prints. Because of this, often productions will also use Super 35's width in conjunction with a 3-perf negative pulldown in order to save costs on "wasted" frame area shot and allow for camera magazines to shoot for 33% longer in time with the same length of film.
Read More
Super 35 was revived from a similar Superscope variant known as Superscope 235 which was originally developed by the Tushinsky Brothers for RKO back in 1954. When cameraman Joe Dunton was preparing to shoot Dance Craze in 1982, he chose to revive the Superscope format by using a full silent-standard gate and slightly optically recentering the lens port. These two characteristics are among the central ones of the format. It was adopted by Hollywood starting with Greystoke in 1984, under the format name Super Techniscope. Later, as other camera rental houses and labs started to embrace the format, Super 35 became popular in the mid 1990s, and is now considered a ubiquitous production process, with usage on well over a thousand feature films. It is also usually the standard production format for television shows, music videos, and commercials, since none of these require a release print, thus have no reason to reserve space for an optical soundtrack. James Cameron was an early, consistent, and vocal supporter of the format, first using it for The Abyss. It also received much early publicity for making the cockpit shots in Top Gun possible, since it was otherwise impossible to fit 35 mm cameras with large anamorphic lenses into the small free space in the cockpit.
Super 35 is a production format. Theatres do not receive or project Super 35 prints. Rather, movies are shot in a Super 35 format but are then - either through optical blowdown/matting or digital intermediate - converted into one of the standard formats to make release prints. Because of this, often productions will also use Super 35's width in conjunction with a 3-perf negative pulldown in order to save costs on "wasted" frame area shot and allow for camera magazines to shoot for 33% longer in time with the same length of film.
Read More
Low-key lighting
Low-key lighting is a style of lighting for film or television. In traditional lighting design for black and white photography, also called three-point lighting, there are a key light, a fill light, and a back light.
Low key light shows the contours of an object by throwing areas into light or shadow while the fill light provides partial illumination in the shadow areas to prevent a distracting contrast between bright and dark. For dramatic effects, one may wish the contrast to be high — to emphasize the brightness of the sun in a desert scene, to make a face look rugged, seamed, and old, or to isolate details in a mass of surrounding shadow. A variety of methods can be used to create these effects.
Demonstration
The key to fill ratio, as measured using an instrument to measure light intensity, e.g., a light meter, is the ratio of the intensity of the key light to the fill light. Low key lighting actually has a much higher ratio, e.g. 8:1, than does high key lighting, which can approach 1:1.
It is perfectly possible to use fill light in these large areas of shadow, reducing the contrast. Generally the term 'low key' refers to cases in which no such care is taken.
Low key is also used in cinematography to refer to any scene with a high contrast ratio, especially if there is more dark area than light. Compare with high-key lighting.
Mood lighting is a term used to describe the use of light to illuminate an object or background in a deliberate manner to evoke a certain mood or emotion. This highly skilled lighting technique is very subtle but nevertheless can achieve highly effective outcomes. An example of this is an evil character deliberately illuminated from beneath the chin giving them a certain eerie and demonic appearance.
Ambient lighting refers to the overall illumination of an environment without the addition of lighting for photography. This includes practical lamps, overhead fluorescent, sunlight or any previously existing light.
Low key light shows the contours of an object by throwing areas into light or shadow while the fill light provides partial illumination in the shadow areas to prevent a distracting contrast between bright and dark. For dramatic effects, one may wish the contrast to be high — to emphasize the brightness of the sun in a desert scene, to make a face look rugged, seamed, and old, or to isolate details in a mass of surrounding shadow. A variety of methods can be used to create these effects.
Demonstration
The key to fill ratio, as measured using an instrument to measure light intensity, e.g., a light meter, is the ratio of the intensity of the key light to the fill light. Low key lighting actually has a much higher ratio, e.g. 8:1, than does high key lighting, which can approach 1:1.
It is perfectly possible to use fill light in these large areas of shadow, reducing the contrast. Generally the term 'low key' refers to cases in which no such care is taken.
Low key is also used in cinematography to refer to any scene with a high contrast ratio, especially if there is more dark area than light. Compare with high-key lighting.
Mood lighting is a term used to describe the use of light to illuminate an object or background in a deliberate manner to evoke a certain mood or emotion. This highly skilled lighting technique is very subtle but nevertheless can achieve highly effective outcomes. An example of this is an evil character deliberately illuminated from beneath the chin giving them a certain eerie and demonic appearance.
Ambient lighting refers to the overall illumination of an environment without the addition of lighting for photography. This includes practical lamps, overhead fluorescent, sunlight or any previously existing light.
DVD Pick of the Week - Freedom Writers
Freedom Writers is a 2007 American film starring Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton and Patrick Dempsey. It is based on the book, The Freedom Writers Diary, by teacher Erin Gruwell. The title is a play on the term "Freedom Riders", the black and white civil rights activists who tested the U.S. Supreme Court decision ordering the desegregation of interstate buses in 1961.
Trailer:
IMDB User Rating: 7.6/10
Trailer:
IMDB User Rating: 7.6/10
Saturday, August 11, 2007
New Site on Film Making
www.collativelearning.com
Check this site out.... very informative and useful for amateur film makers.....
Check this site out.... very informative and useful for amateur film makers.....
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Non-linear editing
Non-linear editing
for film and television postproduction is a modern editing method which involves being able to access any frame in a video clip with the same ease as any other. This method is similar in concept to the "cut and glue" technique used in film editing from the beginning. However, when working with film, it is a destructive process, as the actual film negative must be cut.Non-linear, non-destructive methods began to appear with the introduction of digital video technology. Video and audio data are first digitized to hard disks or other digital storage devices. The data is either recorded directly to the storage device or is imported from another source. Once imported they can be edited on a computer using any of a wide range of software. For a comprehensive list of available software, see List of video editing software, whereas Comparison of video editing software gives more detail of features and functionality.
In non-linear editing, the original source files are not lost or modified during editing. Professional editing software records the decisions of the editor in an edit decision list (EDL) which can be interchanged with other editing tools. Many generations and variations of the original source files can exist without needing to store many different copies, allowing for very flexible editing. It also makes it easy to change cuts and undo previous decisions simply by editing the edit decision list (without having to have the actual film data duplicated). Loss of quality is also avoided due to not having to repeatedly re-encode the data when different effects are applied. Compared to the linear method of tape-to-tape editing, non-linear editing offers the flexibility of film editing, with random access and easy project organization.
With the edit decision lists, the editor can work on low-resolution copies of the video. This makes it possible to edit both broadcast quality and high definition quality very quickly on normal PCs which do not have the power to do the full processing of the huge full-quality high-resolution data in real-time.
A computer for non-linear editing of video will usually have a video capture card for capturing analog video or a FireWire connection for capturing digital video from a DV camera, as well as video editing software. Modern web based editing systems can take video directly from a camera phone over a GPRS or 3G mobile connection, and editing can take place through a web browser interface, so strictly speaking a computer for video editing does not require any installed hardware or software beyond a web browser and an internet connection. Various editing tasks can then be performed on the imported video before it is exported to another medium, or MPEG encoded for transfer to a DVD.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Fast & Slow Cutting
Fast Cutting
It is a film editing technique which refers to several consecutive shots of a brief duration (e.g. 3 seconds or less). It can be used to convey a lot of information very quickly, or to imply either energy or chaos. Fast cutting is also frequently used when shooting dialogue between two or more characters, changing the viewer's perspective to either focus on the reaction of another character's dialog, or to bring to attention the non-verbal actions of the speaking character. One famous example of fast cutting is the murder-scene in Alfred Hitchcock's film Psycho (1960).
Check this link.... Very Good Demonstration....
Slow Cutting
It is a film editing technique which uses shots of long duration. Though it depends on context, it is estimated that any shot longer than about fifteen seconds will seem rather slow to viewers from Western cultures. A famous example of slow cutting can be found in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971). In a segment that lasts three minutes and fifteen seconds and contains only three shots, the main character (Alex de Large) is followed as he walks the length of a futuristic record store, meets two young ladies, and brings them back to his (parents') house. Another example is Alfred Hitchcock's film Rope (1948) consisting of only eight cuts. Each cut lasts about as long as a full 1000 foot roll of 35 mm film (about 10 minutes). And of course, the prime-beef of slow-cutting being Russian Ark, which consisted of one long two hour plus shot.
It is a film editing technique which refers to several consecutive shots of a brief duration (e.g. 3 seconds or less). It can be used to convey a lot of information very quickly, or to imply either energy or chaos. Fast cutting is also frequently used when shooting dialogue between two or more characters, changing the viewer's perspective to either focus on the reaction of another character's dialog, or to bring to attention the non-verbal actions of the speaking character. One famous example of fast cutting is the murder-scene in Alfred Hitchcock's film Psycho (1960).
Check this link.... Very Good Demonstration....
Slow Cutting
It is a film editing technique which uses shots of long duration. Though it depends on context, it is estimated that any shot longer than about fifteen seconds will seem rather slow to viewers from Western cultures. A famous example of slow cutting can be found in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971). In a segment that lasts three minutes and fifteen seconds and contains only three shots, the main character (Alex de Large) is followed as he walks the length of a futuristic record store, meets two young ladies, and brings them back to his (parents') house. Another example is Alfred Hitchcock's film Rope (1948) consisting of only eight cuts. Each cut lasts about as long as a full 1000 foot roll of 35 mm film (about 10 minutes). And of course, the prime-beef of slow-cutting being Russian Ark, which consisted of one long two hour plus shot.
Freeze frame shot
A freeze frame shot is used when one shot is printed in a single frame several times, in order to make an interesting illusion of a still photograph. Hong Kong director John Woo also makes extensive use of freeze frames shots, usually to gain a better focus on to a character's facial expression or emotion at a critical scene.
Freeze Frame is also a drama medium term used in which, during a live performance, the actors/actresses will freeze at a particualar, pre-meditated time, to enhance a particlular scene, or to show an important moment in the play/production. The image can then be further enhanced by spoken word, in which each character tells their personal thoughts regarding the situation, giving the audience further insight into the meaning, plot or hidden story of the play/production/scene. This is known as thought tracking, another Drama Medium.
Freeze Frame is also a drama medium term used in which, during a live performance, the actors/actresses will freeze at a particualar, pre-meditated time, to enhance a particlular scene, or to show an important moment in the play/production. The image can then be further enhanced by spoken word, in which each character tells their personal thoughts regarding the situation, giving the audience further insight into the meaning, plot or hidden story of the play/production/scene. This is known as thought tracking, another Drama Medium.
Jump Cut
A jump cut is a cut in film editing where the middle section of a continuous shot is removed, and the beginning and end of the shot are then joined together. The technique breaks continuity in time and produces a startling effect. Any moving objects in the shot will appear to jump to a new position.
Demonstration of Jump Cuts
In classical continuity editing, jump cuts are considered a technical flaw. Most cuts in that editing style occur between dissimilar scenes or significantly different views of the same scene to avoid the appearance of a jump. Every effort is made to make cuts invisible, unobtrusive. Contemporary use of the jump cut stems from its appearance in the work of Jean-Luc Godard and other filmmakers of the French New Wave of the late 1950s and 1960s. In Godard's ground-breaking Breathless (1960), for example, he cut together shots of Jean Seberg riding in a convertible (see right) in such a way that the discontinuity between shots is emphasized. In the screen shots above, the first image comes from the very end of one shot and the second is the very beginning of the next shot — thus emphasizing the gap in action between the two (when Seberg picked up the mirror).
Demonstration of Jump Cuts
In classical continuity editing, jump cuts are considered a technical flaw. Most cuts in that editing style occur between dissimilar scenes or significantly different views of the same scene to avoid the appearance of a jump. Every effort is made to make cuts invisible, unobtrusive. Contemporary use of the jump cut stems from its appearance in the work of Jean-Luc Godard and other filmmakers of the French New Wave of the late 1950s and 1960s. In Godard's ground-breaking Breathless (1960), for example, he cut together shots of Jean Seberg riding in a convertible (see right) in such a way that the discontinuity between shots is emphasized. In the screen shots above, the first image comes from the very end of one shot and the second is the very beginning of the next shot — thus emphasizing the gap in action between the two (when Seberg picked up the mirror).
Match Cut
A match cut or raccord is a cut in film editing from one scene to another, in which the two camera shots are linked visually or thematically. It can be used to underline a connection between two separate elements, or for purely visual reasons. In a match cut, an object or action shown in the first shot is repeated in some fashion in the second shot; the objects may be the same, be similar, or have similar shapes or uses.
More
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Speed Ramping
David Cox
Many ads and feature films these days use a process described by industry insiders as "speed ramping" in which onscreen characters and events are shown to suddenly speed up and slow down. It is a "look" which for filmmakers and critics of my generation (over 35) is associated with experimental and avant-garde film, particularly the types of films made with Bolex and Arriflex 16mm cameras which enable real-time shutter speed manipulation while the camera is running. When you film someone at 24 frames per second, and then slow the frame rate down to 12 frames per second while the camera is running, two things happen. 1)The person appears to speed up (fewer frames to cover the same action means that at a constant frame playback rate of 24 fps the action appears faster); and 2) unless the aperture of the camera is altered to keep the exposure consistent with the frame rate, the film gets overexposed, as more light is allowed to land on the slowed down film.
Now computer based non-linear editing and post-production tools are used to manipulate the speed of the images, as well as the other spin-off effects associated with multiple speed coverage of shots. Computers can mimic many of the attributes of traditional film, including the familiar scratching-of-the-emulsion, various dust and light leak effects, when the material has in fact been shot on digital video. I've lost count of students who ask me how to make their miniDV sourced video material look as if it had been filmed on 35mm panavision, with 1:185 aspect ratio.
Here's a Sample
These now commonplace digital techniques are used to connote the "look and feel" of film and have often been developed to help blur the distinction between video and film material, or computer generated film material such as 3D computer graphics. The aim is to create a naturalistic sense that material has been photographed in the most analogue and traditional ways possible. There can almost be said to be a fetishism of the attributes of traditional film, with the details of the passage of film through a gate, sprockets, film grain speckles, flickering image quality and all the other attributes which have lent film its status as the domain of "true professionals". The fetishism of film is to some extent the fetishism of motion picture-making as a profession. 'If only I could make my material look like that of the professionals, then I too might have a chance at mainstream success...' What is seldom questioned however are the assumptions and values which lie behind the mainstream industry-- its use of budgets, its use of labour, and the crippling distribution system which not even the biggest mavericks of the (Hollywood) century have been able to crack, Coppolla, Lucas, Speilberg --none of them.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Dolly Zoom
The dolly zoom is an unsettling in-camera special effect that appears to undermine normal visual perception in film.
The effect is achieved by using the setting of a zoom lens to adjust the angle of view (often referred to as field of view) while the camera dollies (or moves) towards or away from the subject in such a way as to keep the subject the same size in the frame throughout. In its classic form, the camera is pulled away from a subject whilst the lens zooms in, or vice-versa. Thus, during the zoom, there is a continuous perspective distortion, the most directly noticeable feature being that the background appears to change size relative to the subject.
As the human visual system uses both size and perspective cues to judge the relative sizes of objects, seeing a perspective change without a size change is a highly unsettling effect, and the emotional impact of this effect is greater than the description above can suggest. The visual appearance for the viewer is that either the background suddenly grows in size and detail overwhelming the foreground; or the foreground becomes immense and dominates its previous setting, depending on which way the dolly zoom is executed.
The effect was first developed by Irmin Roberts, a Paramount second-unit cameraman, and was famously used by Alfred Hitchcock in his film Vertigo.
Here's a Sample
The dolly zoom is commonly used by filmmakers to represent the sensation of vertigo, a "falling away from oneself feeling", feeling of unreality, or to suggest that a character is undergoing a realization that causes him to reassess everything he had previously believed. After Hitchcock popularized the effect (he used it again for a climactic revelation in Marnie), the technique was used by many other filmmakers, and eventually became regarded as a gimmick or cliché. This was especially true after director Steven Spielberg repopularized the effect in his highly regarded film Jaws, in a memorable shot of a dolly zoom into Police Chief Brody's (Roy Scheider) stunned reaction at the climax of a shark attack on a beach (after a suspenseful build-up). Spielberg used the technique again in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
The effect is achieved by using the setting of a zoom lens to adjust the angle of view (often referred to as field of view) while the camera dollies (or moves) towards or away from the subject in such a way as to keep the subject the same size in the frame throughout. In its classic form, the camera is pulled away from a subject whilst the lens zooms in, or vice-versa. Thus, during the zoom, there is a continuous perspective distortion, the most directly noticeable feature being that the background appears to change size relative to the subject.
As the human visual system uses both size and perspective cues to judge the relative sizes of objects, seeing a perspective change without a size change is a highly unsettling effect, and the emotional impact of this effect is greater than the description above can suggest. The visual appearance for the viewer is that either the background suddenly grows in size and detail overwhelming the foreground; or the foreground becomes immense and dominates its previous setting, depending on which way the dolly zoom is executed.
The effect was first developed by Irmin Roberts, a Paramount second-unit cameraman, and was famously used by Alfred Hitchcock in his film Vertigo.
Here's a Sample
The dolly zoom is commonly used by filmmakers to represent the sensation of vertigo, a "falling away from oneself feeling", feeling of unreality, or to suggest that a character is undergoing a realization that causes him to reassess everything he had previously believed. After Hitchcock popularized the effect (he used it again for a climactic revelation in Marnie), the technique was used by many other filmmakers, and eventually became regarded as a gimmick or cliché. This was especially true after director Steven Spielberg repopularized the effect in his highly regarded film Jaws, in a memorable shot of a dolly zoom into Police Chief Brody's (Roy Scheider) stunned reaction at the climax of a shark attack on a beach (after a suspenseful build-up). Spielberg used the technique again in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
The Power of Editing
This is a treat for all the MATRIX lovers......
A freelancer has edited some of the brilliant scenes in Matrix with an excellent background score.... Do remember to turn your speakers on while watching the video, else it would be a kiss without a moustache.... enjoy.....
A freelancer has edited some of the brilliant scenes in Matrix with an excellent background score.... Do remember to turn your speakers on while watching the video, else it would be a kiss without a moustache.... enjoy.....
DVD Pick of the Week - Déjà Vu
Déjà Vu is a science fiction crime thriller directed by Tony Scott, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and starring Denzel Washington. The film was released on November 22, 2006.
Cast
Actor Role
Denzel Washington Douglas Carlin
Paula Patton Claire Kuchever
Adam Goldberg Alexander Denny
Bruce Greenwood Jack McCready
Val Kilmer Agent Andrew Pryzwarra
Matt Craven Larry Minuti
James Caviezel Carroll Oerstadt
Trailor
Plot
In Algiers, New Orleans, after the explosion of a ferry transporting the sailors from the USS Nimitz and their families with 543 casualties, the lonely ATF agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) is assigned to investigate the terrorist attack. Without any lead, he is informed by Sheriff Reed about a corpse of a woman that was found one hour before the explosion, but burnt with the same explosive. He is invited by FBI Agent Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) to join the surveillance team led by Jack McCready in the investigations, using a time window and Einstein-Rosen bridge through seven satellites to look back four and a quarter days in time. He discloses the identity of the mysterious dead woman called Claire Kuchever and decides to follow her last moments trying to find the criminal. Along the surveillance, Doug falls in love for Claire and tries to change destiny, saving her life.
IMDB User Rating: 7.1/10
Cast
Actor Role
Denzel Washington Douglas Carlin
Paula Patton Claire Kuchever
Adam Goldberg Alexander Denny
Bruce Greenwood Jack McCready
Val Kilmer Agent Andrew Pryzwarra
Matt Craven Larry Minuti
James Caviezel Carroll Oerstadt
Trailor
Plot
In Algiers, New Orleans, after the explosion of a ferry transporting the sailors from the USS Nimitz and their families with 543 casualties, the lonely ATF agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) is assigned to investigate the terrorist attack. Without any lead, he is informed by Sheriff Reed about a corpse of a woman that was found one hour before the explosion, but burnt with the same explosive. He is invited by FBI Agent Pryzwarra (Val Kilmer) to join the surveillance team led by Jack McCready in the investigations, using a time window and Einstein-Rosen bridge through seven satellites to look back four and a quarter days in time. He discloses the identity of the mysterious dead woman called Claire Kuchever and decides to follow her last moments trying to find the criminal. Along the surveillance, Doug falls in love for Claire and tries to change destiny, saving her life.
IMDB User Rating: 7.1/10
Sunday, August 5, 2007
The Showdown: Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD
By Michael Grebb
Alan Parsons wishes it wasn't so. But like it or not, the senior vice president of Pioneer's industrial solutions business group has become a wary foot soldier in the battle over the future of the DVD format. As music blares from a band playing at a nearby exhibit at the 2005 International CES, Parsons sits at a small table in a meeting room contemplating how the next couple of years might play out. He remains relatively reserved, trying not to let his passion for the next-generation Blu-Ray Disc format devolve into vitriol against rival format HD-DVD. "I don't like the rock throwing," he insists. "I just want to excite consumers."
That may be true, but Parsons still finds it hard to resist getting in a few digs on the HD-DVD rival, which at about 15 gigabytes per layer has roughly 40 percent less storage capacity than the Blu-Ray format. "They might end up with something ho-hum," he says. "They're saying that [their capacity] is good, but people used to think that five gigs was good enough." Parsons shrugs his shoulders a bit, wearing a look of calm but certain exasperation. "Why would we limit ourselves to a lower capacity?" he asks.
To be sure, Parsons is among several CE manufacturers backing the Blu-Ray format, which they claim is superior to HD-DVD. But the HD-DVD format has its own backers, who while fewer in numbers, are equally adamant that their format will win out because of its lower transition and manufacturing costs—as well as other technical benefits and its expected quicker time to market. Indeed, either format is a vast improvement over the current DVD design, which maxes out at about 4.7 gigabytes. Even at standard-definition quality, that's barely enough space for a two-hour movie and a few hours of special features. And with that much space, forget about high-definition TV.
Read Full Article
Alan Parsons wishes it wasn't so. But like it or not, the senior vice president of Pioneer's industrial solutions business group has become a wary foot soldier in the battle over the future of the DVD format. As music blares from a band playing at a nearby exhibit at the 2005 International CES, Parsons sits at a small table in a meeting room contemplating how the next couple of years might play out. He remains relatively reserved, trying not to let his passion for the next-generation Blu-Ray Disc format devolve into vitriol against rival format HD-DVD. "I don't like the rock throwing," he insists. "I just want to excite consumers."
That may be true, but Parsons still finds it hard to resist getting in a few digs on the HD-DVD rival, which at about 15 gigabytes per layer has roughly 40 percent less storage capacity than the Blu-Ray format. "They might end up with something ho-hum," he says. "They're saying that [their capacity] is good, but people used to think that five gigs was good enough." Parsons shrugs his shoulders a bit, wearing a look of calm but certain exasperation. "Why would we limit ourselves to a lower capacity?" he asks.
To be sure, Parsons is among several CE manufacturers backing the Blu-Ray format, which they claim is superior to HD-DVD. But the HD-DVD format has its own backers, who while fewer in numbers, are equally adamant that their format will win out because of its lower transition and manufacturing costs—as well as other technical benefits and its expected quicker time to market. Indeed, either format is a vast improvement over the current DVD design, which maxes out at about 4.7 gigabytes. Even at standard-definition quality, that's barely enough space for a two-hour movie and a few hours of special features. And with that much space, forget about high-definition TV.
Read Full Article
Blu-ray Disc
A Blu-ray Disc (also called BD) is a high-density optical disc format for the storage of digital media, including high-definition video.
The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue-violet laser used to read and write this type of disc. Because of its shorter wavelength (405 nm), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on the DVD format, which uses a red, 650 nm laser. A single layer Blu-ray Disc can store 25 gigabytes (GB), over five times the size of a single layer DVD at 4.7 GB. A dual layer Blu-ray Disc can store 50 GB, almost 6 times the size of a dual layer DVD at 8.5 GB.
Blu-ray Disc is similar to PDD, another optical disc format developed by Sony (which has been available since 2004) but offering higher data transfer speeds. PDD was not intended for home video use and was aimed at business data archiving and backup.
Blu-ray is currently leading in the format war with rival format HD DVD.
Here is a Video Demo:
Technical Specifications
1. About 9 hours of high-definition (HD) video can be stored on a 50 GB disc.
2. About 23 hours of standard-definition (SD) video can be stored on a 50 GB disc.
3. On average, a single-layer disc can hold a High Definition feature of 135 minutes using MPEG-2, with additional room for 2 hours of bonus material in standard definition quality. A dual layer disc will extend this number up to 3 hours in HD quality and 9 hours of SD bonus material.
More
The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue-violet laser used to read and write this type of disc. Because of its shorter wavelength (405 nm), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on the DVD format, which uses a red, 650 nm laser. A single layer Blu-ray Disc can store 25 gigabytes (GB), over five times the size of a single layer DVD at 4.7 GB. A dual layer Blu-ray Disc can store 50 GB, almost 6 times the size of a dual layer DVD at 8.5 GB.
Blu-ray Disc is similar to PDD, another optical disc format developed by Sony (which has been available since 2004) but offering higher data transfer speeds. PDD was not intended for home video use and was aimed at business data archiving and backup.
Blu-ray is currently leading in the format war with rival format HD DVD.
Here is a Video Demo:
Technical Specifications
1. About 9 hours of high-definition (HD) video can be stored on a 50 GB disc.
2. About 23 hours of standard-definition (SD) video can be stored on a 50 GB disc.
3. On average, a single-layer disc can hold a High Definition feature of 135 minutes using MPEG-2, with additional room for 2 hours of bonus material in standard definition quality. A dual layer disc will extend this number up to 3 hours in HD quality and 9 hours of SD bonus material.
More
High Definition Video Production
High Definition Video production, is the art and service of producing a finished video product to a customer's requirement and consumption, on a High Definition format. High Definition formats are normally either interlaced 1080 line video with a frame rate of 30 fps, or 720 line video, progressively scanned, with a frame rate of 60 fps. However, there are variants that exceed these standards.
Formats
The following digital tape formats are commonly used for HD Video Production:
HDCAM. The Sony HDCAM format supports 1080 resolutions at frame rates of 24p, 25p, 50i, and 60i. HDCAM stores the video at 1440 x 1080, which is a 33 percent reduction horizontally from 1920. It also uses a unique color sampling of 17:6:6, which means that HDCAM has only half the color detail of other HD formats. HDCAM is 4.4:1 compressed and is 8-bit, but supports 10-bit input and output.
D5-HD. The Panasonic D5-HD format uses the D5 tape shell. Unlike HDCAM, D5-HD can do 720/60p, 1080/24p, 1080/60i, and even 1080/30p. D5-HD compresses at 4:1 in 8-bit mode and 5:1 in 10-bit mode, and supports 8 channels of audio.
Now Here is a Demo Video from Warner:
DVCPRO-HD. This Panasonic HD format, sometimes called D7-HD, is based on the same tape shell used for DVCAM and DVCPRO. D7-HD does 720/60p and 1080/60i, with 1080/24p in development. It uses 6.7:1 compression, and supports 10-bit input and output per channel. DVCPRO-HD supports 8 channels of audio.
HDV. This format is one of a number of emerging formats that are being used in lower-cost cameras. HDV was introduced with JVC's groundbreaking professional consumer (prosumer) HD camera, the JY-HD10, which records highly compressed MPEG-2 on a mini DV tape. HDV is a MPEG-2 transport stream that includes a lot of error correction. Its video uses interframe-compressed MPEG-2, at 19 megabits per second (Mbit/s) for 720p and 25 Mbit/s for 1080i. Audio is encoded with 384 kbit/s MPEG-1 Layer 2 stereo.
The interframe encoding enables HDV to achieve good quality video at lower bit rates, which means much more content per tape, but it increases the difficultly of editing the content. The next article in this series will provide additional details about interframe encoding.
Formats
The following digital tape formats are commonly used for HD Video Production:
HDCAM. The Sony HDCAM format supports 1080 resolutions at frame rates of 24p, 25p, 50i, and 60i. HDCAM stores the video at 1440 x 1080, which is a 33 percent reduction horizontally from 1920. It also uses a unique color sampling of 17:6:6, which means that HDCAM has only half the color detail of other HD formats. HDCAM is 4.4:1 compressed and is 8-bit, but supports 10-bit input and output.
D5-HD. The Panasonic D5-HD format uses the D5 tape shell. Unlike HDCAM, D5-HD can do 720/60p, 1080/24p, 1080/60i, and even 1080/30p. D5-HD compresses at 4:1 in 8-bit mode and 5:1 in 10-bit mode, and supports 8 channels of audio.
Now Here is a Demo Video from Warner:
DVCPRO-HD. This Panasonic HD format, sometimes called D7-HD, is based on the same tape shell used for DVCAM and DVCPRO. D7-HD does 720/60p and 1080/60i, with 1080/24p in development. It uses 6.7:1 compression, and supports 10-bit input and output per channel. DVCPRO-HD supports 8 channels of audio.
HDV. This format is one of a number of emerging formats that are being used in lower-cost cameras. HDV was introduced with JVC's groundbreaking professional consumer (prosumer) HD camera, the JY-HD10, which records highly compressed MPEG-2 on a mini DV tape. HDV is a MPEG-2 transport stream that includes a lot of error correction. Its video uses interframe-compressed MPEG-2, at 19 megabits per second (Mbit/s) for 720p and 25 Mbit/s for 1080i. Audio is encoded with 384 kbit/s MPEG-1 Layer 2 stereo.
The interframe encoding enables HDV to achieve good quality video at lower bit rates, which means much more content per tape, but it increases the difficultly of editing the content. The next article in this series will provide additional details about interframe encoding.
Matte Film Making
Mattes are used in photography and special effects filmmaking to combine two or more image elements into a single, final image. Usually, mattes are used to combine a foreground image (such as actors on a set, or a spaceship) with a background image (a scenic vista, a field of stars and planets). In this case, the matte is the background painting. In film and stage, mattes can be physically huge sections of painted canvas, portraying large scenic expanses of landscapes.
In film, the principle of a matte requires masking certain areas of the film emulsion to selectively control which areas are exposed. However, many complex special-effects scenes have included dozens of discrete image elements, requiring very complex use of mattes, and layering mattes on top of one another.
For an example of a simple matte, we may wish to depict a group of actors in front of a store, with a massive city and sky visible above the store's roof. We would have two images-- the actors on the set, and the image of the city-- to combine onto a third. This would require two masks/mattes. One would mask everything above the store's roof, and the other would mask everything below it. By using these masks/mattes when copying these images onto the third, we can combine the images without creating ghostly double-exposures. In film, this is an example of a static matte, where the shape of the mask does not change from frame to frame.
Other shots may require mattes that change, to mask the shapes of moving objects such as human beings or spaceships. These are known as travelling mattes. Travelling mattes enable greater freedom of composition and movement, but they are also more difficult to accomplish. Bluescreen techniques, originally invented by Petro Vlahos, are probably the best known techniques for creating travelling mattes, although rotoscoping and multiple motion control passes have also been used in the past. More...
In film, the principle of a matte requires masking certain areas of the film emulsion to selectively control which areas are exposed. However, many complex special-effects scenes have included dozens of discrete image elements, requiring very complex use of mattes, and layering mattes on top of one another.
For an example of a simple matte, we may wish to depict a group of actors in front of a store, with a massive city and sky visible above the store's roof. We would have two images-- the actors on the set, and the image of the city-- to combine onto a third. This would require two masks/mattes. One would mask everything above the store's roof, and the other would mask everything below it. By using these masks/mattes when copying these images onto the third, we can combine the images without creating ghostly double-exposures. In film, this is an example of a static matte, where the shape of the mask does not change from frame to frame.
Other shots may require mattes that change, to mask the shapes of moving objects such as human beings or spaceships. These are known as travelling mattes. Travelling mattes enable greater freedom of composition and movement, but they are also more difficult to accomplish. Bluescreen techniques, originally invented by Petro Vlahos, are probably the best known techniques for creating travelling mattes, although rotoscoping and multiple motion control passes have also been used in the past. More...
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Compositing
In visual effects post-production, compositing refers to creating new images or moving images by combining images from different sources – such as real-world digital video, film, synthetic 3-D imagery, 2-D animations, painted backdrops, digital still photographs, and text.
Compositing techniques, while almost exclusively digital today, can be achieved by many means. On-set in-camera effects have been utilized since the advent of film such as in the 1902 A Trip to the Moon. Optical compositing is the often complex process that requires an optical printer to photographically composite the elements of multiple images onto a single filmstrip. However, since the 1990s, digital techniques have almost completely replaced what was once the only method of post-production compositing.
Compositing is used extensively in modern film and television to achieve effects that otherwise would be impossible or not cost-efficient. One common use for compositing is scene or set extension which enables filmmakers to shoot on a relatively small set and create the impression of a significantly different location by adding additional surrounding and foreground imagery. A common tool to help facilitate composites is the bluescreen, a backdrop of a uniformly solid color--usually blue or green--that is placed behind an actor or object. During compositing, all areas of a frame with that color are removed and replaced, allowing the compositor to place the isolated image of the actor or object in front of a separately shot or synthetic background.
In feature film, movies are generally shot on 35mm film. For modern compositing, the film has to be digitized with a film scanner. It is then transferred to a computer where it can be edited. The compositors gather all the separately shot images and, with a compositing platform or software, combine elements of each image to achieve a resultant shot. As a result, a single frame of the finished shot may contain from anywhere between two to many hundreds of images from footage shot months or even years apart.
Compositing techniques, while almost exclusively digital today, can be achieved by many means. On-set in-camera effects have been utilized since the advent of film such as in the 1902 A Trip to the Moon. Optical compositing is the often complex process that requires an optical printer to photographically composite the elements of multiple images onto a single filmstrip. However, since the 1990s, digital techniques have almost completely replaced what was once the only method of post-production compositing.
Compositing is used extensively in modern film and television to achieve effects that otherwise would be impossible or not cost-efficient. One common use for compositing is scene or set extension which enables filmmakers to shoot on a relatively small set and create the impression of a significantly different location by adding additional surrounding and foreground imagery. A common tool to help facilitate composites is the bluescreen, a backdrop of a uniformly solid color--usually blue or green--that is placed behind an actor or object. During compositing, all areas of a frame with that color are removed and replaced, allowing the compositor to place the isolated image of the actor or object in front of a separately shot or synthetic background.
In feature film, movies are generally shot on 35mm film. For modern compositing, the film has to be digitized with a film scanner. It is then transferred to a computer where it can be edited. The compositors gather all the separately shot images and, with a compositing platform or software, combine elements of each image to achieve a resultant shot. As a result, a single frame of the finished shot may contain from anywhere between two to many hundreds of images from footage shot months or even years apart.
Bullet time
Bullet time (or bullet-time) is a computer enhanced simulation of variable speed(ie. slow motion, time lapse, other) photography used in recent films, broadcast advertisements and computer games. It is characterized both by its extreme permutation of time (slow enough to show normally imperceptible and un-filmable events, such as flying bullets) and space (by way of the ability of the camera angle--the audience's point-of-view--to move around the scene at a normal speed while events are slowed).
This is almost impossible with conventional slow-motion, as the physical camera would have to move impossibly fast; the concept implies that only a "virtual camera," often illustrated within the confines of a computer-generated environment such as a game or virtual reality, would be capable of "filming" bullet-time types of moments. Technical and historical variations of this effect have been referred to as time slicing, view morphing, slo mo, temps mort and virtual cinematography.
More...
This is almost impossible with conventional slow-motion, as the physical camera would have to move impossibly fast; the concept implies that only a "virtual camera," often illustrated within the confines of a computer-generated environment such as a game or virtual reality, would be capable of "filming" bullet-time types of moments. Technical and historical variations of this effect have been referred to as time slicing, view morphing, slo mo, temps mort and virtual cinematography.
More...
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Time-lapse photography
Time-lapse photography is a cinematography technique whereby each film frame is captured at a rate much slower than it will be played back. When replayed at normal speed, time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing. Time-lapse photography can be considered to be the opposite of high speed photography.
Processes that would normally appear subtle to the human eye, such as motion in the sky, become very pronounced. Time-lapse is the extreme version of the cinematography technique of undercranking, and can be considered a borderline form of stop motion animation.
For Further Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time-lapse
DVD Pick of the week - The Jacket
The Jacket is a 2005 psychological thriller, directed by John Maybury. Massy Tadjedin wrote the screenplay based on a story by Tom Bleecker and Marc Rocco. The original music score is composed by Brian Eno and the cinematography is by Peter Deming. The film is marketed with the tagline "Terror has a new name."
Plot summary
After miraculously recovering from a bullet wound to the head, Gulf War veteran Jack Starks returns to Vermont suffering from amnesia. He is accused of murdering a police officer, and is incarcerated in a mental institution in the year 1992.
In the ward, Starks becomes subject to the experiments of Dr. Thomas Becker, a psychiatrist. Starks is injected with an experimental drug and put into a straitjacket; he is then locked in a morgue drawer. While in this condition, Jack's mind sends him into the future of 2007, where among other things he discovers that he is destined to die in four days.
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Pinnacle Studio 11 - Video Editing Software
Avid Technology announced that its Consumer division, Pinnacle Systems, Inc., is launching the next-generation Pinnacle Studio line of video editing software, the first choice in consumer video editing software solutions. Slated to reach store shelves in May 2007, the Pinnacle Studio 11 family is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of video enthusiasts with three products - Studio, Studio Plus and Studio Ultimate. The product family offers powerful video creation and sharing capabilities that address the latest consumer video trends, including support for new HD media types like AVCHD, the new operating system Microsoft Windows Vista, and Web publishing for online video sharing.
Pinnacle video editing software
“There are key trends happening from High Definition becoming truly accessible for video consumers, the proliferation of user generated content on the web and the introduction of new operating systems like Windows Vista,” said Jeff Hastings, general manager for Pinnacle Systems. “Over the past months, we have focused on bringing the best tools to our Pinnacle Studio application for our users to take full advantage of these latest trends in video creation and consumption. AVCHD editing, HD DVD disc burning and one-click publishing to the web are among the new capabilities we are introducing with Pinnacle Studio 11, while preserving the intuitive, user-friendly experience for which our Studio software has become famous.”
Pinnacle Studio version 11
Designed to simplify video editing for entry level users or those who want to move beyond the capabilities of free solutions, Pinnacle Studio contains several automated and time-saving features that let customers archive their video memories or create entertaining movies in a few easy steps. The new one-click Web publishing feature enables users to quickly publish their videos to Yahoo! Video for public viewing, or they can upload to the Pinnacle Systems’ StudioOnline.com website private viewing service and invite an audience to watch their videos at the same time.
Pinnacle Studio Plus version 11
Pinnacle Studio Plus includes all of the intuitive features of Pinnacle Studio, and adds a host of advanced editing, effects and authoring options. The extensive range of features includes a complete HD workflow, with native HDV and AVCHD editing, and HD DVD disc burning. Users can burn discs on a standard DVD burner using standard DVD discs, and depending on the format, can play them on the latest HD DVD players.
Pinnacle Studio Ultimate version 11
New to the Pinnacle Studio family, Pinnacle Studio Ultimate combines Pinnacle Studio Plus with a selection of highly-acclaimed, fully integrated professional audio and video tools. Designed for the most serious video enthusiasts who demand more control over the quality and look of their video creations, Pinnacle Studio Ultimate includes BIAS Inc.’s SoundSoap audio cleaning tools, dramatic lighting and ‘film look’ effects from ProDAD VitaScene, precision Panning and Zooming with StageTools Moving Picture, and a Chroma Key green screen backdrop for easy-to-achieve professional results.
Video editing software
The entire Pinnacle Studio version 11 line includes other enhancements that improve the video editing experience. For example, the scalable user interface not only lets users keep the tools at their fingertips while they get in close to their work-in-progress, but it integrates easily with today’s widescreen monitors. In addition, the Scorefitter music generation tool will create a soundtrack to match the exact length and mood of a video almost instantly. Scorefitter’s large sample file size (48k) equates to higher fidelity results, so home movies will sound better than ever before. And, with more than 40 source tracks and a wide range of variations, the possibilities are nearly infinite. This latest release also demonstrates improved loading and file export speeds, and is compatible with the Windows Vista operating system.
Pinnacle Studio version 11 family availability
The Pinnacle Studio, Pinnacle Studio Plus and Pinnacle Studio Ultimate will be priced at MRSPs of $49.99, $99.99 and $129.99 respectively and should begin reaching e-tail and retail store shelves in May, 2007. Upgrades from the Pinnacle Studio version 10 family to version 11 are also available for a fee.
About Pinnacle Systems
Pinnacle Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avid Technology, Inc., is an industry leader in video editing solutions, TV tuners for the PC, and digital media adapters for the consumer market. The company’s product lines include Pinnacle PCTV, Dazzle, Pinnacle ShowCenter, Pinnacle Mobile Media and its flagship Pinnacle Studio line.
About Avid
Avid Technology, Inc. is the world leader in digital nonlinear media creation, management, and distribution solutions, enabling film, video, audio, animation, games, and broadcast professionals to work more efficiently, productively, and creatively. For more information about the company’s Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy award-winning products and services.
Hi,
This is the ultimate search for new talent in film related profession.
Actors, Actresses, Directors, Short filmmakers, Independent film makers from India any one can approach.
A company has launched a new website www.filmaka.in ,an online competition where you can submit your short films, videos, commercials, animations, video art...and much, much more!
It’s a monthly contest based on a particular theme. Make a film not more than 3 minutes in any Indian language except English. First 15 winners would get Rs.10, 000 each and Rs.20,000 for a follow up film and compete for Rs.50, 000 plus also can win a Feature film contract by Bollywood filmmakers in final level. The runner up at final level gets an Rs 11, 00,000 cash prize.
Live Free or Die Hard... Text & Video Review - 8.0/10
John McClane back on duty and back in action.
This time around he is assigned to bring Matt Ferrell, a known hacker, to the FBI after some top security government mainframes are hacked. McClane and Ferrell barely get away with their lives and the US begins to crumble as a nationwide cyberspace takeover is engineered by some clever terrorists.
It has been 12 years and several weeks of controversy here on IMDb about this much anticipated release, but here it is, finally. And it doesn't disappoint. From the first scene to the last there is lightning fast pacing and many jaw droppingly spectacular stunt pieces. Much like the previous Die Hard entries logic isn't exactly a part of the game, but sheer adrenaline packed excitement sure is. John McClane is faced with many outrageous challenges and like before he doesn't back down even after seriously getting his ass whooped. But that's McClane you. Also, McClane isn't just as tough and resourceful as ever, he is a wise ass at the top of his game. Much of the "controversy" on the forums here was about the PG-13 rating's limited profanity (I know, I participated in the discussion), but guess what? There is profanity! But it is not really that that matters, it is John McClane's wise ass no fear attitude that fans want and that is just what they get. The profanity is obviously less than in the previous films but it still has plenty of funny moments and the famous 'yippy kah yay' quote is here in full glory.
Also, the stunt work is in full glory with several amazing set pieces, especially a dual with a super fighter jet near the end. Grade-A Hollywood mayhem and destruction and very little apparent CGI. As far as summer entertainment goes - forget Pirates 3 or Spider Man 3 - this is an action movie that knows when it is getting over the top ridiculous and spares the viewer overkill, but still manages to be ridiculous and entertaining. There are also subtle references to previous Die Hard movies that fans will undoubtedly smile at. --- 8/10
Rated PG-13 for violence/intense action and profanity Courtesy: IMDB
This time around he is assigned to bring Matt Ferrell, a known hacker, to the FBI after some top security government mainframes are hacked. McClane and Ferrell barely get away with their lives and the US begins to crumble as a nationwide cyberspace takeover is engineered by some clever terrorists.
It has been 12 years and several weeks of controversy here on IMDb about this much anticipated release, but here it is, finally. And it doesn't disappoint. From the first scene to the last there is lightning fast pacing and many jaw droppingly spectacular stunt pieces. Much like the previous Die Hard entries logic isn't exactly a part of the game, but sheer adrenaline packed excitement sure is. John McClane is faced with many outrageous challenges and like before he doesn't back down even after seriously getting his ass whooped. But that's McClane you. Also, McClane isn't just as tough and resourceful as ever, he is a wise ass at the top of his game. Much of the "controversy" on the forums here was about the PG-13 rating's limited profanity (I know, I participated in the discussion), but guess what? There is profanity! But it is not really that that matters, it is John McClane's wise ass no fear attitude that fans want and that is just what they get. The profanity is obviously less than in the previous films but it still has plenty of funny moments and the famous 'yippy kah yay' quote is here in full glory.
Also, the stunt work is in full glory with several amazing set pieces, especially a dual with a super fighter jet near the end. Grade-A Hollywood mayhem and destruction and very little apparent CGI. As far as summer entertainment goes - forget Pirates 3 or Spider Man 3 - this is an action movie that knows when it is getting over the top ridiculous and spares the viewer overkill, but still manages to be ridiculous and entertaining. There are also subtle references to previous Die Hard movies that fans will undoubtedly smile at. --- 8/10
Rated PG-13 for violence/intense action and profanity Courtesy: IMDB
Thursday, July 26, 2007
1500 MegaPixel....mmm Come Again....
Dont think I have made a typing error.... its true.....
Check these two links…………..
Gone are the days of megapixel.......
photography meets software in this amazing creation....
This is something really amazing…..
So all the guys the talkin abt Megapixel ’n’ all those..chk out where the technology is headed toooo…..
Do not forget to check the technical details link below that foto……
It will makes ur Eyes Wide Open……
Once on the site…..ZOOM the Foto…. It will take some time to refresh the page…. Zoom it to the MAX and see the Diff………
Simply Amazingggggggggg………………….
The same photographer who did a 720 megapixel photo of Sydney earlier this year has now done a 1500 megapixel photo of Machu Picchu. The level of details is amazing - you can zoom in so far you can see the expressions on people’s faces!!!
Sydney Link:
http://www.docbert.org/SydneyByNight/info.html
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Handmade visual effects warm Boyle's "Sunshine"
Smack in the middle of the summer's CG-heavy, massively budgeted tentpole blockbusters, Fox Searchlight is boldly going where few have gone before. On Friday (July 20), the specialty films distributor launched the sci-fi thriller "Sunshine."
Produced at a cost of $40 million, the space pic looks like it could have cost more than twice that, but it didn't because the filmmakers constructed most of their special effects by hand.
Click here to read the rest of the Reuters article by Randee Dawn.
Produced at a cost of $40 million, the space pic looks like it could have cost more than twice that, but it didn't because the filmmakers constructed most of their special effects by hand.
Click here to read the rest of the Reuters article by Randee Dawn.
Smokin Aces... another one in the bag.....
Smokin' Aces is an action film written and directed by Joe Carnahan, set in Lake Tahoe, and primarily shot at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa (renamed the "Nomad Casino" in the film). It marks Carnahan's third feature, following Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane and Narc. It stars Ryan Reynolds and Jeremy Piven as the leads, with Piven as a Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant and Reynolds as the FBI agent assigned to protect him. It is the feature film debut of both R&B artist Alicia Keys and rapper Common.
Apocalypto Rocks with Bonjovi
Apocalypto is an Academy Award nominated 2006 epic film directed by Mel Gibson. Set in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula just before Spanish contact, it depicts one man's experience during the decline of the ancient Maya civilization.
The Butterfly Effect - Behind the Scenes
The Butterfly Effect is a 2004 American fantasy/drama movie starring Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Eric Stoltz, and others, distributed by New Line Cinema. The title is a reference to the butterfly effect, which theorises that something seemingly innocuous, such as a butterfly's wings, may be the catalyst for something larger, such as a tornado. The Butterfly Effect is directed and written by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Media Technology Park (India) Pvt. Ltd
First of its kind in India..... A new and innovative technology park exclusively for media and media related businesses...... MTP is putting up a stall at an exhibition in Bangalore.... guys if you can spare some time you can go and check it out... It is on 20,21, 22 of July at Bangalore International Exhibition Center.... For further details pls check out the website:
http://www.mtpi.in/index.html
http://www.mtpi.in/index.html
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
VFX Rocks....
Visual effects (or 'VFX' for short) is the term given to a sub-category of special effects in which images or film frames are created and manipulated for film and video. Visual effects usually involve the integration of live-action footage with computer generated imagery or other elements (such as pyrotechnics or model work) in order to create environments or scenarios which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or simply impossible to capture on film. They have become increasingly common in big-budget films, and have also recently become accessible to the amateur filmmaker with the introduction of affordable animation and compositing software.
Have a Look at this Video for Instance:
Timing
Visual effects are frequently integral to a movie's story and appeal. Although most visual-effects work is completed during post-production, it usually must be carefully planned and choreographed in pre-production and production. A Visual effects supervisor is usually involved with the production from an early stage to work closely with production and the Director to achieve the desired effects.
Categories
Visual effects may be divided into at least four categories:
Models: miniature sets and models, animatronics
Matte paintings and stills: digital or traditional paintings or photographs which serve as background plates for keyed or rotoscoped elements
Live-action effects: keying actors or models through bluescreening and greenscreening
Digital animation: modeling, computer graphics lighting, texturing, rigging, animating, and rendering computer generated 3D characters, particle effects, digital sets, backgrounds, etc
VFX Demo Reel:
Let us now analyze on the companies and the softwares which are used in these VFX scenes....
Have a Look at this Video for Instance:
Timing
Visual effects are frequently integral to a movie's story and appeal. Although most visual-effects work is completed during post-production, it usually must be carefully planned and choreographed in pre-production and production. A Visual effects supervisor is usually involved with the production from an early stage to work closely with production and the Director to achieve the desired effects.
Categories
Visual effects may be divided into at least four categories:
Models: miniature sets and models, animatronics
Matte paintings and stills: digital or traditional paintings or photographs which serve as background plates for keyed or rotoscoped elements
Live-action effects: keying actors or models through bluescreening and greenscreening
Digital animation: modeling, computer graphics lighting, texturing, rigging, animating, and rendering computer generated 3D characters, particle effects, digital sets, backgrounds, etc
VFX Demo Reel:
Let us now analyze on the companies and the softwares which are used in these VFX scenes....
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Technology in Indian Cinema.... Some thoughts
Benefits of Digital cinema
Digital technology will bring about a boom in the Indian cinema. It will be a revolution that will change the face of the century-old cinema business just as Internet (e-mail) and mobile phones changed the face of communication; digital cameras changed the face of imaging; satellite & cable television changed the face of home entertainment; and MP3 technology changed the face of music. Digital cinema envisages providing a high definition cinematic experience using computer servers, telecom and satellite technology. And this is the need of the hour as films are the most perishable commodities after their release.
Spearheading this digital revolution is a new set of traditional film-making firms, real estate giants as well as tech-oriented service providing companies such as Shringar Films, Mukta Arts, Adlabs, Inox, Kanakia Builders and United Film Organizers (part of the Apollo Group) amongst others. In fact, United Film Organizers (UFO) Moviez, the digital cinema network launched by Valuable Media Pvt. Ltd. (a subsidiary of the Apollo International Ltd.) plans to create the largest chain of digital cinema houses (2,000 nos.) worldwide by 2007. The company plans to invest 500 digital movie halls by mid-2006 at an investment of Rs. 80 crore (Rs. 800 million) and scale it progressively to 2,000 cinema halls across India at a total investment of Rs. 300 crore (Rs. 3 billion). And technology companies such as DG2L Tech, Panasonic, Hughes Escorts Communication Ltd. and Famous Studios Ltd. (Mumbai) are partnering it.
Benefits of digital cinema
In the traditional system, the cost of the print (Rs. 60,000 plus) is prohibitive and restrictive in terms of ensuring the penetration of the films into the hinterland (Class B and C towns). "Digital cinema has a lower cost per print. Through satellite technology, it can penetrate 100 cities and towns without additional incremental costs. It offers savings in handling and transportation. It can also factor in last minute exhibition orders. It has a longer virtual shelf life as physical prints wear out. It can curb piracy. It can help film marketer`s factor in bigger promotional budgets due to these reduced costs. It has a lower break even point. And more importantly, it can effect savings in the running costs - 25 per cent less," says Rajaa Kanwar, Vice Chairman of the Apollo Group, which has recently made its foray into digital cinema. Digital cinema offers convenience and economic benefits, which even have social ramifications. "Even pure photo film companies such as Kodak realized the reality of digital cinema long back and are moving in that direction. The advantages of digital cinema include: piracy control; empowering the Government to get additional entertainment tax revenues; professional MIS systems and a back up of strong professional management teams. Digital cinema technology consumes 60 per cent less electricity and facilitates savings of 40,000 Kva p.a.," says Gaikwad. In fact, filmmaker Chopra adds, "Piracy eats away more than 50 per cent of the business. Also, astute filmmakers have stopped releasing their films in the hinterland and even in states such as Assam and Orissa as well as countries such as Morocco and North Africa. If 95 per cent of the Hindi films don`t make money, imagine how much piracy must be cannibalising... In the US, studios release 2,000 prints of each film and the opening weekends (not week) can earn more than $100 million."
Modus operandi
In the case of UFO Moviez, the film release process entails: getting an authority letter from the producer; encoding and encryption in the UFO Moviez format; distributor release order; delivery of film to the theatre; delivery of licence to smart card; MIS for producers and distributors. Through digital cinema, each theatre can also schedule any film out of a possible eight to ten films at any point of time. "The early availability of films at zero investment combined with high quality images and scheduling flexibility has helped early migrants to UFO Moviez to register around 96 per cent increase in revenue collection. The demand has ensured that our technology partners have expressed their intention to increase capacity," says Gaikwad.
Earlier, the digital drive was hampered due to the higher initial investment. "The other reasons, which can hinder the growth of digital cinema include: lack of corporate finance in this capital intensive business; transition from creative business to professional set-ups in terms of expertise and resources; and inability to accept a radically different business model where the risks are shared," says Kanwar. UFO Moviez plans to enter into franchisee agreement with theatre-owners on a revenue sharing basis as pure service providers without disturbing the existing business models operating in the industry between producers, distributors and exhibitors.
Digital is the way forward
Speaking about the phenomenal response obtained by digital cinemas, Kanwar says, "Worldwide, there is a tremendous excitement about this technology, which is being hailed as the next leap in film distribution and exhibition. We have already received business enquiries from Europe, Russia, Mauritius, the UAE and the Far East countries." As compared to players such as Mukta-Adlabs venture, Shringar Films and Inox, the strategy of the newer players like UFO Moviez is different. "We offer MPEG 4 Technology whereas others have been offering MPEG 2. We are the first to offer satellite links and the server information is encrypted. Viewers in the metros and hinterland get to see the films simultaneously, get a better experience and value for money," Gaikwad says. However, Chopra cautions that the digital cinema firms should first tap the A cities and towns and then spread their tentacles downwards towards the B and C class towns.
Technology can pull the Indian film industry out of the current mess by reducing production costs
When Sanjay Gaikwad put in his papers at Zee, patriarch Subhash Chandra kicked up a storm. Gaikwad was his blue-eyed boy. The chemical engineer who once headed technology at the group and eventually thought up Playwin, Zee`s foray into online lotteries, was enamoured by a set of numbers. Challenging them, he believed, held the potential to change how movies are made and telecast in India.
Chandra, however, would have none of it. The soft-spoken Gaikwad, who continues to hero worship Chandra, confesses to the terror he felt each time his phone rung. But it wasn`t going to wean him away from the challenge. The problem was this. For every one million Indians, only 12 cinema halls existed. In a star struck nation, therefore, that churns out 800 films annually, the number of screens ought to multiply exponentially. Instead cinema halls were shutting down. Why?
Producing a Bollywood flick can cost between Rs 2-15 crore. Of the 800 odd films, 60-70% are made on shoestring budgets that rarely exceed Rs 2.5 crore. The richer ones spend, on average, Rs 7-8 crore. Then there are the badshahs who can afford upwards of Rs 15 crore. Whatever the size of the producer`s wallet, there`s a cost that remains constant-Rs 60,000 for making a single print. For 500 prints it works to Rs 3 crore or 20% of the total cost of a movie.
In Hollywood, the dynamics are different. Budgets are so high that the cost of making 4,000 prints is barely 5% of the total cost. So, it becomes easy for a producer to carpet bomb cinemas with a new release and recoup investments on the first weekend . In India, however, to even attempt carpet boming, a producer would need at least 1000 prints.
It is this cost that compel low-budget filmmakers in India to create just about 50-60 prints. The super rich manage 500. Even with superb logistics in place, they can at best, hope to reach out to 600 cinemas in the first week.
This inability to launch nationally in the first week lies at the root of Bollywood`s problem. All films are launched first in urban areas. After that the prints are shifted to second rung theatres. Later, they are shipped to what are condescendingly called B and C class towns. By the time a movie hits these towns, it can take as long as five months.
It worked in the past when promoting films was a staggered affair. Close to launch date in a territory, the producer or distributor would start advertising. But today every new film is promoted heavily on television, access to which is ubiquitous. Which is why, print or no print, people know which film is playing in urban centres. In turn, they look to pirates for their Bollywood fix who use illegal video parlours to showcase their offerings. At last count, Maharashtra alone had 60,000 such parlours.
At the end of the day, producers and cinema hall owners lose because the economics of movie making don`t allow them to reach out to their audience ahead of the pirates. In the current set up, by the time a film finally hits the local screen, it opens to occupancy rates of less than 10%. Cinema hall owners are better off without the halls.
Gaikwad`s track record at Zee found admirers. "Today, I can raise $50-60 million without blinking,`` he says. Big money for a boy who grew up in a lowermiddle class Maharashtrian milieu and studied engineering in spite of a father who wanted him to be a doctor. He made up later by marrying a doctor. But that is missing the point.
An NRI, whom he refuses to name, offered to put up $1 million on any project Gaikwad was involved with. He took the money and set up a company to manage the backend of lottery businesses trying to replicate Playwin`s model. In less than a year, the company started to make money. Gaikwad claims transactions on the platform are now in excess of Rs 75 crore every month. It helped bankroll UFO Moviez. Meanwhile, the Apollo Group`s Kanwars got interested and committed Rs 300 crore over two years. They liked the solution Gaikwad had. At its core, it used technology to simply eliminate prints.
HOW IT WORKS:
After acquiring the producer`s consent and the film has been canned, Gaikwad`s team converts the movie captured on traditional film into a digital format called MPEG 4. This reduces miles of physical print to 8 Gb of data on a computer`s hard disk. The file is then transmitted to Gurgaon, near Delhi, where Hughes Systems maintains machines to store these digitised movies. From here, the film is transmitted over satellite to any part of the country.
That is pretty much the reason why over the last four months, over 30 Bollywood flicks like Salam Namaste, Apaharan, Bluffmaster, Garam Masala and most recently Shikhar reached Muzzafarabad, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Raipur, Rajkot and Sangli-first day, first show. These include India`s biggest banners and here`s why. Take Shikar`s case.
Typically, a big budget producer allots 10 prints to Madhya Pradesh (Central Province in distributor lingo). Shikar hit 26 screens. Not because the producer released as many prints. But because the 10 prints apart, 16 cinemas in the region signed up to receive the movie via satellite broadcast. Currently, 160 cinemas use the technology. Another 400 have signed up and are committed to switching over.
Once a cinema hall signs up with UFO, it installs high end computers, digital projectors and a smart card with a password. The movie is broadcast via high speed satellite links to the cinema hall where it resides on the computer. The smart card comes programmed with licences from the producer. So, if a hall is authorised to telecast a film 35 times over one week, it can do just that. At the end of 35 shows, the movie deletes itself-unless the licence is extended.
The computer can store as many as 12 movies. For a single screen owner, it translates into an ability to screen different movies at different times. Rural India apart, it is the kind of thing that has given a new lease of life to single screen cinema halls in Mumbai like Roxy, Central Plaza, Liberty and Palace. In the past they had to stick to running a single movie. Now they have the flexibility to show different movies at different times.
Since the time they`ve switched to this model, Gaikwad claims their collections are up 100%. And how does he make his money? To start with, he charges the cinema halls Rs 375 per show. It can change depending on how well a cinema is doing.
In the meantime, he is pitching to people across the country with 10,000 sq ft of real estate to spare. If they sign up, he spends Rs 25 lakh to put up a pre-fabricated cinema with 250 seats and powered by solar batteries. In return, he takes up a 150 sq ft kiosk to run his lottery business-or anything else he thinks is viable. And he holds the rights to five advertisements before the movie starts and five during the interval. These ads, will sell at Rs 150 for a 10 second spot for each show in a single hall. He expects the ads to generate Rs 80 crore.
The first pre-fabricated cinema will open up in Indore next month. Meanwhile, Prakash Jha has entered into an arrangement with the company to set up cinemas in Bihar, Jharkhand and Eastern UP. If, by 2007, Gaikwad ramps up to the projected 2,000 cinema halls, producers can hope to recoup their investments from a movie in the first weekend-like in Hollywood. Will the plan work? On the face of it, it stands a good chance. Bollywood likes it. And the technology he has deployed creates significant entry barriers. Apparently, nobody else in India has the expertise to deploy it. He conveniently holds an exclusive licence. Now keep your fingers crossed.
Joining the bandwagon: Bihar has offered the project a three-year tax break. Officials in Maharashtra have expressed interest in pushing the project through. Every government in south India is examining it closely. And here`s why Cinema halls in small towns create employment. The technology eliminates the cost of prints and makes life easier for regional filmmakers. These cinema halls can be used to promote them. It can also help tackle piracy. Maharashtra, in particular, finds this interesting because the government believes piracy is a cash cow for the Mumbai underworld. Hitting piracy will choke their earnings pipeline.
Digital technology will bring about a boom in the Indian cinema. It will be a revolution that will change the face of the century-old cinema business just as Internet (e-mail) and mobile phones changed the face of communication; digital cameras changed the face of imaging; satellite & cable television changed the face of home entertainment; and MP3 technology changed the face of music. Digital cinema envisages providing a high definition cinematic experience using computer servers, telecom and satellite technology. And this is the need of the hour as films are the most perishable commodities after their release.
Spearheading this digital revolution is a new set of traditional film-making firms, real estate giants as well as tech-oriented service providing companies such as Shringar Films, Mukta Arts, Adlabs, Inox, Kanakia Builders and United Film Organizers (part of the Apollo Group) amongst others. In fact, United Film Organizers (UFO) Moviez, the digital cinema network launched by Valuable Media Pvt. Ltd. (a subsidiary of the Apollo International Ltd.) plans to create the largest chain of digital cinema houses (2,000 nos.) worldwide by 2007. The company plans to invest 500 digital movie halls by mid-2006 at an investment of Rs. 80 crore (Rs. 800 million) and scale it progressively to 2,000 cinema halls across India at a total investment of Rs. 300 crore (Rs. 3 billion). And technology companies such as DG2L Tech, Panasonic, Hughes Escorts Communication Ltd. and Famous Studios Ltd. (Mumbai) are partnering it.
Benefits of digital cinema
In the traditional system, the cost of the print (Rs. 60,000 plus) is prohibitive and restrictive in terms of ensuring the penetration of the films into the hinterland (Class B and C towns). "Digital cinema has a lower cost per print. Through satellite technology, it can penetrate 100 cities and towns without additional incremental costs. It offers savings in handling and transportation. It can also factor in last minute exhibition orders. It has a longer virtual shelf life as physical prints wear out. It can curb piracy. It can help film marketer`s factor in bigger promotional budgets due to these reduced costs. It has a lower break even point. And more importantly, it can effect savings in the running costs - 25 per cent less," says Rajaa Kanwar, Vice Chairman of the Apollo Group, which has recently made its foray into digital cinema. Digital cinema offers convenience and economic benefits, which even have social ramifications. "Even pure photo film companies such as Kodak realized the reality of digital cinema long back and are moving in that direction. The advantages of digital cinema include: piracy control; empowering the Government to get additional entertainment tax revenues; professional MIS systems and a back up of strong professional management teams. Digital cinema technology consumes 60 per cent less electricity and facilitates savings of 40,000 Kva p.a.," says Gaikwad. In fact, filmmaker Chopra adds, "Piracy eats away more than 50 per cent of the business. Also, astute filmmakers have stopped releasing their films in the hinterland and even in states such as Assam and Orissa as well as countries such as Morocco and North Africa. If 95 per cent of the Hindi films don`t make money, imagine how much piracy must be cannibalising... In the US, studios release 2,000 prints of each film and the opening weekends (not week) can earn more than $100 million."
Modus operandi
In the case of UFO Moviez, the film release process entails: getting an authority letter from the producer; encoding and encryption in the UFO Moviez format; distributor release order; delivery of film to the theatre; delivery of licence to smart card; MIS for producers and distributors. Through digital cinema, each theatre can also schedule any film out of a possible eight to ten films at any point of time. "The early availability of films at zero investment combined with high quality images and scheduling flexibility has helped early migrants to UFO Moviez to register around 96 per cent increase in revenue collection. The demand has ensured that our technology partners have expressed their intention to increase capacity," says Gaikwad.
Earlier, the digital drive was hampered due to the higher initial investment. "The other reasons, which can hinder the growth of digital cinema include: lack of corporate finance in this capital intensive business; transition from creative business to professional set-ups in terms of expertise and resources; and inability to accept a radically different business model where the risks are shared," says Kanwar. UFO Moviez plans to enter into franchisee agreement with theatre-owners on a revenue sharing basis as pure service providers without disturbing the existing business models operating in the industry between producers, distributors and exhibitors.
Digital is the way forward
Speaking about the phenomenal response obtained by digital cinemas, Kanwar says, "Worldwide, there is a tremendous excitement about this technology, which is being hailed as the next leap in film distribution and exhibition. We have already received business enquiries from Europe, Russia, Mauritius, the UAE and the Far East countries." As compared to players such as Mukta-Adlabs venture, Shringar Films and Inox, the strategy of the newer players like UFO Moviez is different. "We offer MPEG 4 Technology whereas others have been offering MPEG 2. We are the first to offer satellite links and the server information is encrypted. Viewers in the metros and hinterland get to see the films simultaneously, get a better experience and value for money," Gaikwad says. However, Chopra cautions that the digital cinema firms should first tap the A cities and towns and then spread their tentacles downwards towards the B and C class towns.
Technology can pull the Indian film industry out of the current mess by reducing production costs
When Sanjay Gaikwad put in his papers at Zee, patriarch Subhash Chandra kicked up a storm. Gaikwad was his blue-eyed boy. The chemical engineer who once headed technology at the group and eventually thought up Playwin, Zee`s foray into online lotteries, was enamoured by a set of numbers. Challenging them, he believed, held the potential to change how movies are made and telecast in India.
Chandra, however, would have none of it. The soft-spoken Gaikwad, who continues to hero worship Chandra, confesses to the terror he felt each time his phone rung. But it wasn`t going to wean him away from the challenge. The problem was this. For every one million Indians, only 12 cinema halls existed. In a star struck nation, therefore, that churns out 800 films annually, the number of screens ought to multiply exponentially. Instead cinema halls were shutting down. Why?
Producing a Bollywood flick can cost between Rs 2-15 crore. Of the 800 odd films, 60-70% are made on shoestring budgets that rarely exceed Rs 2.5 crore. The richer ones spend, on average, Rs 7-8 crore. Then there are the badshahs who can afford upwards of Rs 15 crore. Whatever the size of the producer`s wallet, there`s a cost that remains constant-Rs 60,000 for making a single print. For 500 prints it works to Rs 3 crore or 20% of the total cost of a movie.
In Hollywood, the dynamics are different. Budgets are so high that the cost of making 4,000 prints is barely 5% of the total cost. So, it becomes easy for a producer to carpet bomb cinemas with a new release and recoup investments on the first weekend . In India, however, to even attempt carpet boming, a producer would need at least 1000 prints.
It is this cost that compel low-budget filmmakers in India to create just about 50-60 prints. The super rich manage 500. Even with superb logistics in place, they can at best, hope to reach out to 600 cinemas in the first week.
This inability to launch nationally in the first week lies at the root of Bollywood`s problem. All films are launched first in urban areas. After that the prints are shifted to second rung theatres. Later, they are shipped to what are condescendingly called B and C class towns. By the time a movie hits these towns, it can take as long as five months.
It worked in the past when promoting films was a staggered affair. Close to launch date in a territory, the producer or distributor would start advertising. But today every new film is promoted heavily on television, access to which is ubiquitous. Which is why, print or no print, people know which film is playing in urban centres. In turn, they look to pirates for their Bollywood fix who use illegal video parlours to showcase their offerings. At last count, Maharashtra alone had 60,000 such parlours.
At the end of the day, producers and cinema hall owners lose because the economics of movie making don`t allow them to reach out to their audience ahead of the pirates. In the current set up, by the time a film finally hits the local screen, it opens to occupancy rates of less than 10%. Cinema hall owners are better off without the halls.
Gaikwad`s track record at Zee found admirers. "Today, I can raise $50-60 million without blinking,`` he says. Big money for a boy who grew up in a lowermiddle class Maharashtrian milieu and studied engineering in spite of a father who wanted him to be a doctor. He made up later by marrying a doctor. But that is missing the point.
An NRI, whom he refuses to name, offered to put up $1 million on any project Gaikwad was involved with. He took the money and set up a company to manage the backend of lottery businesses trying to replicate Playwin`s model. In less than a year, the company started to make money. Gaikwad claims transactions on the platform are now in excess of Rs 75 crore every month. It helped bankroll UFO Moviez. Meanwhile, the Apollo Group`s Kanwars got interested and committed Rs 300 crore over two years. They liked the solution Gaikwad had. At its core, it used technology to simply eliminate prints.
HOW IT WORKS:
After acquiring the producer`s consent and the film has been canned, Gaikwad`s team converts the movie captured on traditional film into a digital format called MPEG 4. This reduces miles of physical print to 8 Gb of data on a computer`s hard disk. The file is then transmitted to Gurgaon, near Delhi, where Hughes Systems maintains machines to store these digitised movies. From here, the film is transmitted over satellite to any part of the country.
That is pretty much the reason why over the last four months, over 30 Bollywood flicks like Salam Namaste, Apaharan, Bluffmaster, Garam Masala and most recently Shikhar reached Muzzafarabad, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Raipur, Rajkot and Sangli-first day, first show. These include India`s biggest banners and here`s why. Take Shikar`s case.
Typically, a big budget producer allots 10 prints to Madhya Pradesh (Central Province in distributor lingo). Shikar hit 26 screens. Not because the producer released as many prints. But because the 10 prints apart, 16 cinemas in the region signed up to receive the movie via satellite broadcast. Currently, 160 cinemas use the technology. Another 400 have signed up and are committed to switching over.
Once a cinema hall signs up with UFO, it installs high end computers, digital projectors and a smart card with a password. The movie is broadcast via high speed satellite links to the cinema hall where it resides on the computer. The smart card comes programmed with licences from the producer. So, if a hall is authorised to telecast a film 35 times over one week, it can do just that. At the end of 35 shows, the movie deletes itself-unless the licence is extended.
The computer can store as many as 12 movies. For a single screen owner, it translates into an ability to screen different movies at different times. Rural India apart, it is the kind of thing that has given a new lease of life to single screen cinema halls in Mumbai like Roxy, Central Plaza, Liberty and Palace. In the past they had to stick to running a single movie. Now they have the flexibility to show different movies at different times.
Since the time they`ve switched to this model, Gaikwad claims their collections are up 100%. And how does he make his money? To start with, he charges the cinema halls Rs 375 per show. It can change depending on how well a cinema is doing.
In the meantime, he is pitching to people across the country with 10,000 sq ft of real estate to spare. If they sign up, he spends Rs 25 lakh to put up a pre-fabricated cinema with 250 seats and powered by solar batteries. In return, he takes up a 150 sq ft kiosk to run his lottery business-or anything else he thinks is viable. And he holds the rights to five advertisements before the movie starts and five during the interval. These ads, will sell at Rs 150 for a 10 second spot for each show in a single hall. He expects the ads to generate Rs 80 crore.
The first pre-fabricated cinema will open up in Indore next month. Meanwhile, Prakash Jha has entered into an arrangement with the company to set up cinemas in Bihar, Jharkhand and Eastern UP. If, by 2007, Gaikwad ramps up to the projected 2,000 cinema halls, producers can hope to recoup their investments from a movie in the first weekend-like in Hollywood. Will the plan work? On the face of it, it stands a good chance. Bollywood likes it. And the technology he has deployed creates significant entry barriers. Apparently, nobody else in India has the expertise to deploy it. He conveniently holds an exclusive licence. Now keep your fingers crossed.
Joining the bandwagon: Bihar has offered the project a three-year tax break. Officials in Maharashtra have expressed interest in pushing the project through. Every government in south India is examining it closely. And here`s why Cinema halls in small towns create employment. The technology eliminates the cost of prints and makes life easier for regional filmmakers. These cinema halls can be used to promote them. It can also help tackle piracy. Maharashtra, in particular, finds this interesting because the government believes piracy is a cash cow for the Mumbai underworld. Hitting piracy will choke their earnings pipeline.
Behind the Scenes of 300....
Movies 2.0: Digital Effects Magic Explained
In today's digital Hollywood, cameras capture scenes in bits, not frames—and computer wizards conjure up everything from impossible beasts to cliff-top battlegrounds. Film is dead. Long live the movies.
Chris Watts has never worked with a wolf before. He and his crew are the designated animal wranglers for a scene in the upcoming movie 300, directed by Zack Snyder. The wolf in question is making an appearance in the epic about Spartan warriors at the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. Watts and company are trying not only to make the creature stalk through the scene convincingly, but also to capture a particularly menacing shine on its teeth. "If you dipped a popsicle stick in maple syrup, that's the look we want for this fang," Watts says to one of his team.
Fortunately, no one has to lubricate a real-life lupine grin to get the shot Watts wants. In 300, the wolf's cuspids are a purely digital construct, as is every hair on its hide, the rocky canyon the wolf is haunting, the wintry nighttime sky overhead, and virtually every other element of the shot save for the young actor playing the animal's Spartan prey. More than a year after the human element of the scene was shot on a blue screen stage with a stand-in mechanical wolf, Watts, the movie's visual-effects supervisor, is filling in the expansive blanks with staffers at Hybride, a Quebec-based effects facility. "One nice thing about doing this on the computer," Watts says, "is that if you decide, ‘Okay, I like the hair and the eyes and everything else,' you can turn off all the other layers, and just highlight the teeth."
A WOLF IN DIGITAL CLOTHING
In today's moviemaking, the creative work that takes place on a computer can be as important as what goes on in front of the camera. In the big-screen adaptation of Frank Miller's historical graphic novel 300 (above), the future Spartan King Leonidas fends off a wolf. On set, visual-effects supervisor Chris Watts tried using a robotic wolf (top) for the scene, but it was eventually covered up by a computer-generated version of the animal (shown midrender, below).
Digital effects such as 300's virtual wolf are remarkable not because they are groundbreaking — the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) in cinema dates back to the 2D pixel-vision of a robotic Yul Brynner in 1973's Westworld — but because this technology is now a standard part of the moviemaking toolkit. The impact of digital technology on Hollywood has been gradual but all-encompassing. Today, a movie can be shot, edited and distributed — from camera to theater and beyond — without involving a single frame of film. The transformation is at least as sweeping as the introduction of sound or color in the early 20th century, and it is changing both the business and the art form of cinema. Cinematographers, long resistant to digital image recording, are starting to embrace the use of digital cameras, shooting clean-looking footage that's easier to manipulate than film. Commonly available software allows small special effects shops such as Hybride to render entire virtual worlds and blend them seamlessly with live-action shots. Scenes that would have required elaborate sets 25 years ago can now be shot against a blue or green screen, and the setting can be filled in later — and then tweaked until the director is satisfied.
Read More...
In today's digital Hollywood, cameras capture scenes in bits, not frames—and computer wizards conjure up everything from impossible beasts to cliff-top battlegrounds. Film is dead. Long live the movies.
Chris Watts has never worked with a wolf before. He and his crew are the designated animal wranglers for a scene in the upcoming movie 300, directed by Zack Snyder. The wolf in question is making an appearance in the epic about Spartan warriors at the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. Watts and company are trying not only to make the creature stalk through the scene convincingly, but also to capture a particularly menacing shine on its teeth. "If you dipped a popsicle stick in maple syrup, that's the look we want for this fang," Watts says to one of his team.
Fortunately, no one has to lubricate a real-life lupine grin to get the shot Watts wants. In 300, the wolf's cuspids are a purely digital construct, as is every hair on its hide, the rocky canyon the wolf is haunting, the wintry nighttime sky overhead, and virtually every other element of the shot save for the young actor playing the animal's Spartan prey. More than a year after the human element of the scene was shot on a blue screen stage with a stand-in mechanical wolf, Watts, the movie's visual-effects supervisor, is filling in the expansive blanks with staffers at Hybride, a Quebec-based effects facility. "One nice thing about doing this on the computer," Watts says, "is that if you decide, ‘Okay, I like the hair and the eyes and everything else,' you can turn off all the other layers, and just highlight the teeth."
A WOLF IN DIGITAL CLOTHING
In today's moviemaking, the creative work that takes place on a computer can be as important as what goes on in front of the camera. In the big-screen adaptation of Frank Miller's historical graphic novel 300 (above), the future Spartan King Leonidas fends off a wolf. On set, visual-effects supervisor Chris Watts tried using a robotic wolf (top) for the scene, but it was eventually covered up by a computer-generated version of the animal (shown midrender, below).
Digital effects such as 300's virtual wolf are remarkable not because they are groundbreaking — the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) in cinema dates back to the 2D pixel-vision of a robotic Yul Brynner in 1973's Westworld — but because this technology is now a standard part of the moviemaking toolkit. The impact of digital technology on Hollywood has been gradual but all-encompassing. Today, a movie can be shot, edited and distributed — from camera to theater and beyond — without involving a single frame of film. The transformation is at least as sweeping as the introduction of sound or color in the early 20th century, and it is changing both the business and the art form of cinema. Cinematographers, long resistant to digital image recording, are starting to embrace the use of digital cameras, shooting clean-looking footage that's easier to manipulate than film. Commonly available software allows small special effects shops such as Hybride to render entire virtual worlds and blend them seamlessly with live-action shots. Scenes that would have required elaborate sets 25 years ago can now be shot against a blue or green screen, and the setting can be filled in later — and then tweaked until the director is satisfied.
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Digital Production
The production community in Europe is pushing for greater use of HD even if standard definition output dominates. Users of Panasonic’s Varicam HD camera are in the vanguard of these changes.
Martin Dohrn with Varicam ready for variable speed shooting of dragonfly.
“HD has arrived and that’s why I am selling all my 16mm film equipment” -Martin Dohrn-
Special rig for shooting dragonfly larva for BBC production.
Although Europe is still many years from developing the infrastructure for high definition delivery to the home, unlike the USA and Japan, that is not stopping a growing trend for major productions to be shot on HD. This is not just to protect the commercial value of a programme by extending its archive life for future HD transmission or sales, although that is important. It is also because directors and cameramen want to ensure that even for a standard definition release, pictures are acquired at their best quality and are starting to insist on HD rather than SD (standard definition) equipment. This pressure from the creative community reflects growing demand from customers and is a further element in Europe’s developing HD picture. The commercial case for HD production strengthens as shipments increase and prices start to drop. Growing familiarity with HD cameras such as Panasonic’s Varicam, which has outstanding light sensitivity and dynamic range, along with its variable frame rate capability, is encouraging more directors and cameraman to seek the highest quality particularly at acquisition.
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Martin Dohrn with Varicam ready for variable speed shooting of dragonfly.
“HD has arrived and that’s why I am selling all my 16mm film equipment” -Martin Dohrn-
Special rig for shooting dragonfly larva for BBC production.
Although Europe is still many years from developing the infrastructure for high definition delivery to the home, unlike the USA and Japan, that is not stopping a growing trend for major productions to be shot on HD. This is not just to protect the commercial value of a programme by extending its archive life for future HD transmission or sales, although that is important. It is also because directors and cameramen want to ensure that even for a standard definition release, pictures are acquired at their best quality and are starting to insist on HD rather than SD (standard definition) equipment. This pressure from the creative community reflects growing demand from customers and is a further element in Europe’s developing HD picture. The commercial case for HD production strengthens as shipments increase and prices start to drop. Growing familiarity with HD cameras such as Panasonic’s Varicam, which has outstanding light sensitivity and dynamic range, along with its variable frame rate capability, is encouraging more directors and cameraman to seek the highest quality particularly at acquisition.
Read More....
A knock from the World of Apple...
Content and Media
The Content and Media track offers presentation sessions and labs where you’ll learn the latest information on how to build modern, platform-optimized experiences for Mac OS X Leopard. You’ll explore best practices to harness digital content for delivery to the Web, applications, and devices such as the iPod or Apple TV. Whether you’re creating next-generation rich-media portals, or leveraging the latest AJAX toolkits to develop hybrid/Web integrated OS X applications, you’ll find the insight you need to start incorporating these new techniques into your development process.
Get Expert Advice at the Content and Media Labs
You’ll find design guidance, code-level assistance, and troubleshooting advice at the Content and Media Labs. Work with the engineers responsible for Apple.com, Core Animation, WebKit, and QuickTime. This is your opportunity to follow-up on topics from sessions and implement best practices you’ve learned.
Get advice from Apple and industry experts on how you can improve your digital media workflow and Web development process.
Apple developer technical support and technology evangelism teams will be available to help answer your questions and assist in your development efforts.
For further information, please refer: http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/tracks/contentmedia.html
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Down the Memory Lane
Modern film industry
The film industry as it stands today spans the globe. The major business centers of film making are concentrated in the United States, EU, India and China.
Distinct from the business centers are the locations where movies are filmed. Because of labor and infrastructure costs, many films are produced in countries other than the one in which the company which pays for the film is located. For example, many U.S. movies are filmed in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand or in Eastern European countries.
United States
Hollywood, California is the primary nexus of the U.S. film industry. However, five of the major film studios are owned by East Coast companies. Only The Walt Disney Company (owner of Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax Films, and the Pixar Animation Studios) is actually headquartered in Southern California.
Networking and establishing strong relationships are a vital part of Hollywood. The town is scattered with talented artists who do not possess the means to pitch their ideas or acquire representation. Reading the trades, Hollywood jargon for reading Daily Variety or The Hollywood Reporter, and joining a networking group or tracking board are ways to stay on top of the job market as well as the project market.
India
The Indian film industry is multi-lingual and the largest in the world (1200 movies released in the year 2002). The industry is supported mainly by a vast film-going Indian public (the largest in the world in terms of annual ticket sales), and Indian films have been gaining increasing popularity in the rest of the world — notably in countries with large numbers of expatriate Indians. One third of the India's film industry is mostly concentrated in Bombay, and is commonly referred to as "Bollywood" as an amalgamation of Bombay and Hollywood. The remaining majority portion is spread across south India (in Telugu and Tamil speaking areas).However, there are several smaller centers of Indian film industries in regional languages (Apart from Hindi,Telugu and Tamil) centered in the states those languages are spoken.
China
Hong Kong, China is a filmmaking hub for the Chinese-speaking world (including the worldwide diaspora) and East Asia in general. For decades it was the third largest motion picture industry in the world (after Indian and Hollywood) and the second largest exporter.[citation needed] Despite an industry crisis starting in the mid-'90s and Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty in July 1997, Hong Kong film has retained much of its distinctive identity and continues to play a prominent part on the world cinema stage.
Unlike many film industries, Hong Kong has enjoyed little to no direct government support, through either subsidies or import quotas. It has always been a thoroughly commercial cinema, concentrating on crowd-pleasing genres, like comedy and action, and heavily reliant on formulas, sequels and remakes. Typically of commercial cinemas, its heart is a highly developed star system, which in this case also features substantial overlap with the pop music industry.
The first feature film ever made was that of 'The Story of the Kelly Gang.' An Australian film based on the infamous Kelly Gang. In 1906 Dan Barry and Charles Tait of Melbourne produced and directed 'The Story of the Kelly Gang', a silent film that ran continuously for a breathtaking 80 minutes. It wasn’t until 1911 that countries other than Australia began to make feature films. By this time Australia had made 16 full length feature films.[citation needed]
In the early 1900s, in the earliest years of the industry, motion picture production companies from New York and New Jersey started moving to California because of the good weather and longer days. Although electric lights existed at that time, none were powerful enough to adequately expose film; the best source of illumination for movie production was natural sunlight. Besides the moderate, dry climate, they were also drawn to the state because of its open spaces and wide variety of natural scenery.
Another reason was the distance of Southern California from New Jersey, which made it more difficult for Thomas Edison to enforce his motion picture patents. At the time, Edison owned almost all the patents relevant to motion picture production and, in the East, movie producers acting independently of Edison's Motion Picture Patents Company were often sued or enjoined by Edison and his agents. Thus, movie makers working on the West Coast could work independent of Edison's control. If he sent agents to California, word would usually reach Los Angeles before the agents did and the movie makers could escape to nearby Mexico.
Hollywood
The first movie studio in the Hollywood area, Nestor Studios, was founded in 1911 by Al Christie for David Horsley in an old building on the southeast corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street. In the same year, another fifteen Independents settled in Hollywood. Hollywood came to be so strongly associated with the film industry that the word "Hollywood" came to be used colloquially to refer to the entire industry.
In 1913, Cecil B. DeMille, in association with Jesse Lasky, leased a barn with studio facilities on the southeast corner of Selma and Vine Streets from the Burns and Revier Studio and Laboratory, which had been established there. DeMille then began production of The Squaw Man (1914). It became known as the Lasky-DeMille Barn and is currently the location of the Hollywood Heritage Museum.
The Charlie Chaplin Studios, on the northeast corner of La Brea and De Longpre Avenues just south of Sunset Boulevard, was built in 1917. It has had many owners after 1953, including Kling Studios, who produced the Superman TV series with George Reeves; Red Skelton, who used the sound stages for his CBS TV variety show; and CBS, who filmed the TV series Perry Mason with Raymond Burr there. It has also been owned by Herb Alpert's A&M Records and Tijuana Brass Enterprises. It is currently The Jim Henson Company, home of the Muppets. In 1969, The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Board named the studio a historical cultural monument.
Source: Wikipedia
The film industry as it stands today spans the globe. The major business centers of film making are concentrated in the United States, EU, India and China.
Distinct from the business centers are the locations where movies are filmed. Because of labor and infrastructure costs, many films are produced in countries other than the one in which the company which pays for the film is located. For example, many U.S. movies are filmed in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand or in Eastern European countries.
United States
Hollywood, California is the primary nexus of the U.S. film industry. However, five of the major film studios are owned by East Coast companies. Only The Walt Disney Company (owner of Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax Films, and the Pixar Animation Studios) is actually headquartered in Southern California.
Networking and establishing strong relationships are a vital part of Hollywood. The town is scattered with talented artists who do not possess the means to pitch their ideas or acquire representation. Reading the trades, Hollywood jargon for reading Daily Variety or The Hollywood Reporter, and joining a networking group or tracking board are ways to stay on top of the job market as well as the project market.
India
The Indian film industry is multi-lingual and the largest in the world (1200 movies released in the year 2002). The industry is supported mainly by a vast film-going Indian public (the largest in the world in terms of annual ticket sales), and Indian films have been gaining increasing popularity in the rest of the world — notably in countries with large numbers of expatriate Indians. One third of the India's film industry is mostly concentrated in Bombay, and is commonly referred to as "Bollywood" as an amalgamation of Bombay and Hollywood. The remaining majority portion is spread across south India (in Telugu and Tamil speaking areas).However, there are several smaller centers of Indian film industries in regional languages (Apart from Hindi,Telugu and Tamil) centered in the states those languages are spoken.
China
Hong Kong, China is a filmmaking hub for the Chinese-speaking world (including the worldwide diaspora) and East Asia in general. For decades it was the third largest motion picture industry in the world (after Indian and Hollywood) and the second largest exporter.[citation needed] Despite an industry crisis starting in the mid-'90s and Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty in July 1997, Hong Kong film has retained much of its distinctive identity and continues to play a prominent part on the world cinema stage.
Unlike many film industries, Hong Kong has enjoyed little to no direct government support, through either subsidies or import quotas. It has always been a thoroughly commercial cinema, concentrating on crowd-pleasing genres, like comedy and action, and heavily reliant on formulas, sequels and remakes. Typically of commercial cinemas, its heart is a highly developed star system, which in this case also features substantial overlap with the pop music industry.
The first feature film ever made was that of 'The Story of the Kelly Gang.' An Australian film based on the infamous Kelly Gang. In 1906 Dan Barry and Charles Tait of Melbourne produced and directed 'The Story of the Kelly Gang', a silent film that ran continuously for a breathtaking 80 minutes. It wasn’t until 1911 that countries other than Australia began to make feature films. By this time Australia had made 16 full length feature films.[citation needed]
In the early 1900s, in the earliest years of the industry, motion picture production companies from New York and New Jersey started moving to California because of the good weather and longer days. Although electric lights existed at that time, none were powerful enough to adequately expose film; the best source of illumination for movie production was natural sunlight. Besides the moderate, dry climate, they were also drawn to the state because of its open spaces and wide variety of natural scenery.
Another reason was the distance of Southern California from New Jersey, which made it more difficult for Thomas Edison to enforce his motion picture patents. At the time, Edison owned almost all the patents relevant to motion picture production and, in the East, movie producers acting independently of Edison's Motion Picture Patents Company were often sued or enjoined by Edison and his agents. Thus, movie makers working on the West Coast could work independent of Edison's control. If he sent agents to California, word would usually reach Los Angeles before the agents did and the movie makers could escape to nearby Mexico.
Hollywood
The first movie studio in the Hollywood area, Nestor Studios, was founded in 1911 by Al Christie for David Horsley in an old building on the southeast corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street. In the same year, another fifteen Independents settled in Hollywood. Hollywood came to be so strongly associated with the film industry that the word "Hollywood" came to be used colloquially to refer to the entire industry.
In 1913, Cecil B. DeMille, in association with Jesse Lasky, leased a barn with studio facilities on the southeast corner of Selma and Vine Streets from the Burns and Revier Studio and Laboratory, which had been established there. DeMille then began production of The Squaw Man (1914). It became known as the Lasky-DeMille Barn and is currently the location of the Hollywood Heritage Museum.
The Charlie Chaplin Studios, on the northeast corner of La Brea and De Longpre Avenues just south of Sunset Boulevard, was built in 1917. It has had many owners after 1953, including Kling Studios, who produced the Superman TV series with George Reeves; Red Skelton, who used the sound stages for his CBS TV variety show; and CBS, who filmed the TV series Perry Mason with Raymond Burr there. It has also been owned by Herb Alpert's A&M Records and Tijuana Brass Enterprises. It is currently The Jim Henson Company, home of the Muppets. In 1969, The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Board named the studio a historical cultural monument.
Source: Wikipedia
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