DEFINITION February 2018

Timely, for our first issue of 2018 we tickle your New Year's resolution by pointing out some areas of videography that are destined to grow this year and might be looking for new people. We also look at the movie Downsizing, Netflix shows Anne with an E, Arrested Development 5. Reality shows up their cinematography game with Channel 4's 'Escape'. How to shoot for new large format cameras; shooting 4K mega concerts and The Grand Tour Season 2 audio. Reviews from Final Cut Pro 10.4, LACIE 2Big Thunderbolt 3 storage and Flowtech tripod.

NEW MONSTERS Big sensor cameras

NETFLIX NEST Three shows from the streaming giant

THE REAL THING Reality TV adds cinematography

DOWNSIZING The disappearing drama

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February 2018

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How tech is opening job  markets for shooters Why resolution is everything  Panavision’s latest research   reassesses eye performance 8K fan base Reviews

FCP 10.4 NLE  LACIE 2BIG STORAGE    VITEC FLOWTECH TRIPOD

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Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ UK EDITORIAL EDITOR Julian Mitchell 01223 492246 julianmitchell@bright-publishing.com CONTRIBUTORS Phil Rhodes, Adam Garstone, Adam Duckworth SENIOR SUB EDITOR Lisa Clatworthy SUB EDITORS Siobhan Godwood, Felicity Evans ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Matt Snow 01223 499453 mattsnow@bright-publishing.com SALES MANAGER Krishan Parmar 01223 499462 krishanparmar@bright-publishing.com ACCOUNT MANAGER Harriet Abbs 01223 499460 harrietabbs@bright-publishing.com KEY ACCOUNTS Nicki Mills 01223 499457 nickimills@bright-publishing.com DESIGN DESIGN DIRECTOR Andy Jennings DESIGN MANAGER

THE WINNERS: Escape Technology’s first short film competition in association with Definition.

Welcome In a screening event held at the prestigious BFI on South Bank, London, the winners of Escape Technology’s first short film competition were announced. The event – which also featured a panel discussion with industry professionals Hasraf ‘HaZ’ Dulull, John Sellings and Caroline Pires – was attended by filmmakers, VFX artists, students, and teachers. Following the screening, the winners were announced in the BFI’s NFT3 cinema. First prize went to Marco Dela Cruz’s film Infinite – his first submission to a film competition. Runners up for Two Face and Scarcity were teams Hodgetts & Berry and See Forty One. Run in collaboration with Definition magazine, Adobe, Boston, Wacom, Red Giant, Boris FX, AV3, and PNY, the challenge saw teams compete to win over £5,000 worth of prizes. Teams had six weeks to deliver a complete film up to three minutes in length that featured a visual effects element. “It’s great to see so many people turning out to learn from industry professionals and enter this competition,” commented Mark Cass, managing director of Escape Technology.

Alan Gray DESIGNER

Lucy Woolcomb AD PRODUCTION Man-Wai Wong PUBLISHING MANAGING DIRECTORS

Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck MEDIA PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS OF

Definition is published monthly by Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street,

Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3HJ. No part of this magazine can be used without prior written permission of Bright Publishing Ltd. Definition is a registered trademark of Bright Publishing Ltd. The advertisements published in Definition that have been written, designed or produced by employees of Bright Publishing Ltd remain the copyright of Bright Publishing Ltd and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Prices quoted in sterling, euros and US dollars are street prices, without tax, where available or converted using the exchange rate on the day the magazine went to press.

JULIAN MITCHELL EDITOR

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TITLE SEQUENCE 06 THE CROWN DUELS

Season 2 of The Crown increases the tension of royal relationships. NEWS 08 8K IS GOOD FOR YOU Panavision reassesses how the eye can resolve high resolution. 14 WHO’S AT THE BSC EXPO Companies to watch at the forthcoming BSC Expo. SHOOT STORY 26 DOWNSIZING How to shoot hugely different size perspectives for drama. 36 CAREER KICKSTARTS If your shooting world is in a rut, there are ways to move on. 40 ESCAPE Maverick TV has moved the reality TV genre on without much drama. FEATURES 46 PINK FLOYD TO POMPEII David Gilmour took his Floyd roots to the ruins of Pompeii, all in 4K. 52 ALL NEW MONSTERS Large-format sensors are now appearing from some big players. 61 NETFLIX NEST How the Panasonic Varicam shot three wildly different looking shows. AUDIO SECTION 67 GRAND SOUND DESIGN Why The Grand Tour Season 2 changed its audio habits. GEAR TESTS 72 FINAL CUT PRO 10.4 The version that embraces 360˚ shooting and HDR. 79 LACIE 2BIG STORAGE What the latest Apple Macbook Pros take away, Lacie gives back. 81 FLOWTECH TRIPOD As tripod innovations go, this new one is right up there. 82 4K CAMERA LIST Keep an eye on the newest 4K cameras with our unique list.

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TITLE SEQUENCE THE CROWN

Quoted as the first $100-million TV series, The Crown certainly left its budget on the screen. The Crown 2 is more of the same Dif fused Royalty T I T L E S E Q U E N C E

playing more with de-tuned lighting set-ups. The good news is that Adriano and the Sony F55 camera are back; as is Asa Shoul the colourist from London’s Molinare, who used his Baselight to fine tune the Sony footage with great results.

ast year we loved The Crown from Netflix and its superb shooting style designed by DOP Adriano Goldman. His use of diffused light with a minimal light array seemed to kickstart the pattern of high-end television drama

IMAGE Director Stephen Daldry directing Clare Foy and Matt Smith as The Queen and Prince Philip in The Crown Season Two with the Sony F55 shooting and Adriano Goldman as DOP.

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THE CROWN TITLE SEQUNCE

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SECOND SIGHT We asked Panavision’s lens expert Dan Sasaki and Light Iron’s Michael Cioni why they are re-evaluating the eye’s resolving ability

Definition: How do you explain the relationship between perspective, magnification and resolution/ contrast for acquisition? MC: The difference between an image captured on a smartphone compared to one captured on DXL is not limited to colour, compression or dynamic range. While these tenets will always be important to creating an image, they are relatively easy to manipulate or change using post-production toolsets. Sensor size, pixel pitch and depth-of-field are not things that can be adjusted because they are part of the optical (analogue)

Definition: What are the advantages of the extreme resolutions that cameras like DXL are offering? Michael Cioni: DXL captures images using a sensor built by RED Digital Cinema. This one-of-a-kind sensor has both a high pixel density coupled with a large sensor area size. In fact, in the motion picture market, it’s the combination of these two characteristics that makes it unique from every other sensor available. In total, DXL’s sensor has an active area of 8,192 horizontal pixels and 4,320 vertical pixels producing images that are over 35 megapixels. What’s more, DXL is able to capture this

resolution at up to 60 frames-per- second, another feature only RED technology has been able to achieve. Initially we were unsure what this many pixels would do to an image. Over time, we learned that the core of every remarkable image this breakthrough sensor creates is tied to resolution. When you start with more resolution over a greater area, the dimensionality, depth, colour and control of an image dramatically increases. Similar to the principles of IMAX and 70mm film, creative control comes from the ability to sculpt images to your liking, and resolution is the core of this.

ABOVE Panavision chose an 8K sensor for their DXL camera, their new research seeks to prove why they were right to do so .

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INTERVIEW NEWS

a mechanical advantage through removing it. Resolution removal is not arbitrary, rather it’s a calculated process most commonly used in the form of an extraction. Extractions are predetermined resolutions that are smaller than the source or master framing. They are purpose-built areas of the frame that are intended to be used as a tool, not for definition. The most common technique is stabilization, which when using an extraction no longer requires a blow-up (as is required in lower-resolution cameras). Another technique is to take two different takes and stitch them together, using the extraction area as padding to achieve a seamless new frame. Other common tricks such as reframing, tracking, compositing and even the ability to zoom out are impossible on sensors that are low resolution. These techniques are not designed to encourage carelessness on the set, rather it’s about achieving higher precision and more creative control when in the post-production process. Definition: What about resolution versus sharpness? MC: For the longest time, an anti- digital bias and anti-resolution marketing have painted the story of resolution as unnecessary, undesirable or unflattering. Unlike film, all digital sensors are governed by polygons which have a tendency to induce contrast because they have uniform 90º edges unlike randomised circular film grain. Because of this limitation, the illusion of digital smoothness (or roundness) can only be achieved when pixels become so small their 90º edges are no longer producing edge contrast. In other words, when edge contrast is eliminated, perceived sharpness decreases and smoothness increases. This means the smoothest digital images are only made possible with a decrease in pixels size coupled with an increase in resolution. The still photography market discovered this more than a decade ago, as digital cameras took off once 30+ megapixel full-frame sensors hit the market. Motion picture cinematography is only now getting its first taste of this powerful relationship. Definition: What’s the relationship between the rods and cones in our eyes and the digital sensor? Dan Sasaki: The rods and cones in our

portion of image acquisition. It’s the relationship between these elements that produce dimensionality. This dimensionality changes the entire relationship of viewer to foreground, subject and background. On a small sensor with fewer pixels, images always appear flatter and have more contrast (which gives the perception of undesirable sharpness). DXL’s large sensor allows this relationship to produce more realism through roundness and is engineered with custom optics to produce the most dimensionality in an image; something every DP shooting with DXL is quick to notice. Definition: Can you explain how directors like David Fincher use resolution as a tool? MC: A common technique filmmakers used when shooting on 35mm was to frame images in the camera based on the exhibition (output) aspect ratio. When our industry made the switch from film to digital, this technique was somewhat replicated, with the most common aspect ratio evolving to 16:9. In the early days of digital high definition (1920x1080), there were barely enough pixels to photograph a high-quality image, so it was common to capture and master using the same 1080 framing. Visionaries like David Fincher have pioneered resolution in a more utilitarian sense, or leveraging it as a tool. Now that some sensors are able to capture with so much resolution (6K, 7K, 8K, etc.) we can afford to use the resolution to provide

ANTI-DIGITAL BIAS AND ANTI- RESOLUTION MARKETING HAVE PAINTED THE STORY OF RESOLUTION AS UNDESIRABLE

LEFT Panavision’s new findings were first published at last year’s Camerimage Film Festival.

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10 NEWS INTERVIEW

of acquisition and exhibition. These independent areas do not have an equal 50/50 relationship. We believe the amount of source or acquisition resolution has a more significant impact on the final result of an image than the exhibition resolution has on the same image. This idea has been explored through numerous studies on supersampling and we have found the benefits of 2K are best served when images displayed in 2K come from much higher resolution starting points. The problem with the resolution argument is shooting in the same resolution that you intend to distribute. 2K exhibition is certainly not ideal, but when fed images that were captured in 4K and above, the 2K looks pleasing because the supersample effect is so significant. Definition: Why do you think the perceived wisdom of our visual acuity based on arc minutes is incorrect? What do you mean by hyperacuity? How does that differ from ‘normal’ acuity? DS: The perception based on arc minutes is not incorrect. The wisdom of 1' of visual acuity is based solely on the sampling limits set by the discrete receiving elements. Hyperacuity goes beyond the limitations of receptor structure and utilises cues that are further augmented by the brain’s ability to interpret information of adjacent receptors. Definition: How can we see far beyond 4K resolution, in fact up to 16K? DS: We are limited in the amount of information we can see represented by the 1' rule, but through hyperacuity we can actually perceive a difference in the quality of an image in the form or transition of edge detail and curvature detection. The higher resolutions allow us to sample the aberrations within a lens more accurately. Select aberrations create an ambiguity that affect depth-of-field, haze and shading.

eyes are photoreceptors within the retina. They (rods and cones) serve a purpose similar to pixels within a digital sensor in the capacity that they both convert light into a signal that can be processed and interpreted into an image. In the case of a human eye, the rods work at low levels of light and do not assist with colour vision. The cones, on the other hand, are less sensitive to light and are responsible for our colour vision. We have three type of cones which we call the blue, red and green cones, most of which are packed into the central part of our eye called the fovea. This is a very similar set-up to a digital sensor that utilises a colour filter array composed of red, green and blue filters that influence the individual pixels. Definition: How is the human resolving capability so high? DS: We are capable of seeing more than the 1' (one arc minute) of resolution that is associated with the density of cones within our eyes. This phenomenon is known as hyperacuity and it is based on our brain’s ability to infer and interpret changes between adjacent photoreceptors (rods and cones) and perceived information much greater than the pure sampling of rod and cone density. This is due to our brain’s ability to piece together information through top/ down processing. (The top/down process is our brain’s ability to interpret information based on learned experiences.) As a result, we can distinguish details at greater than 1' of resolution specifically in the categories of edge smoothness, curvature detection, stereoacuity and Vernier alignment. This ability acts as an image enhancement tool that utilises life experiences as a guide. Definition: Why do you think 2K resolution for exhibition is definitely not enough? MC: Our research has shown that when it comes to resolution, it’s important to separate the subjects

These three qualities are three of the dominant depth cues that our black & white vision uses to translate a two-dimensional image into one that has depth and volume. As we move to higher resolutions, the representation of depth markers and the transition between colours become more precise and closer to the actual variations observed in life. In other words, we will not be miraculously seeing elements beyond the sampling limits when using higher resolutions; rather, the quality and smoothness of the information we perceive will be increased with the use of higher resolutions and can be a very valuable opportunity for cinematographers to exploit. The phenomenon is not limited to still images. Due to our top/down imaging processing, we can interpret images with motion with apparently higher resolution than straightforward sampling would suggest. This

TOP Panavision’s lens expert, Dan Sasaki. ABOVE Light Iron’s Michael Cioni.

WHEN IT COMES TO RESOLUTION, IT’S IMPORTANT TO SEPARATE ACQUISITION AND EXHIBITION

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A better pixel is created with a lower signal-to-noise ratio and has a greater bit depth. A better pixel produces an image that is smooth and can accurately replicate what the lens was designed to create. In other words, a better pixel (or arguably the best pixel) is the one that creates a final image that can be changed any way you want without compromise. Another way of understanding pixels is that a better input pixel will always produce a better output pixels. Because pixels work in concert, the increase in overall pixel count is the source of where manipulation, optical representation, signal to noise, bit depth and, ultimately, creative control begin. In other words, more pixels working together produce a higher quality input for each pixel. A higher quality input yields a higher quality output. If a better pixel is measured by its output, its ‘better’ qualifier is only enhanced when more pixels live at the source. Therefore, the statement, ‘We don’t want more pixels, we want better pixels’ is tremendously flawed. cinematography and what is its relationship to what the eye sees? Dan Sasaki: In cinematography, the four second rule applies to the principle that there is an average number of seconds between cuts within a scene of a movie. Within this short period of time, a cinematographer needs to deliver his image with purpose and with enough intent that a casual viewer can notice the differences both artistically and aesthetically. This is unlike looking at an oil painting where the viewer has the option of examining the work of art for an indefinite period of time.  Definition: What does the ‘four second rule’ govern in

criteria of a lens design does not need to go higher. In fact, it is in our best interest to create a lens with less of a peaked MTF response and one with more volume. The result of a lens with more MTF volume would be a lens with better depth transition between the foreground and the background. Also, by designing in certain key higher order aberrations the shading and haze depth cues will be enhanced by the lens, which in turn can create images that have a certain roundness to it. It is very tempting to design a lens with automated software that yields near-perfect image quality, but a lens designed that way takes away the individual soul a lens could have. It is almost always harder to design a lens that photographs beautifully with select imaging characteristics than one that is perfect and can reproduce lens charts flawlessly. This new class of larger, densely packaged imagers are opening up new opportunities in lens design as well as enabling cinematographers to create images not realised by standard 35mm format capture. Definition: Why doesn’t the saying ‘We don’t want more pixels, we want better pixels’ make sense any more? MC: In order to understand the claim, ‘We don’t want more pixels we want better pixels’, we need to be able to measure it. Assuming the quantifiable term in this statement is the word ‘better’, we need to define what actually makes a pixel better. At Panavision and Light Iron, we believe a better pixel is one that offers a better-quality output. A better pixel is one that has more dynamic range, more malleability and more range of manipulation.

MORE PIXELS WORKING TOGETHER PRODUCE A HIGHER QUALITY INPUT FOR EACH PIXEL

is due in part to the microsaccade process that our eyes are continuously going through. The motion acts as a sampling process in which our brains can interpret the moving images and form a map of detail that is higher than a static view could produce. Definition: How does this theory apply to lens design? DS: If we take the three components mentioned earlier: magnification, perspective and resolution/contrast, the design of a lens can be varied to match the evolution of photographic optics – that has been known for years. Historically, as we moved to larger format imagers (film or digital) we would encounter more inverse magnification and as a result lenses would not require as much perfection to yield beautiful images. As we move to larger sensors with more densely packed pixels, the MTF

ABOVE The relationship between magnification, perspective and resolution produces dimensionality.

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In its third year at its home in Battersea Evolution, the event now caters for a developing industry organiser as we find out from organiser, Rob Saunders BSC EXPO 2018 THE ONES TO WATCH

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were very different. You had to have had x amount of feature films under your belt.” This has changed, and the move of television drama towards feature-film working practices has expanded the base of both exhibitors and attendees. Rob describes the expo as “a very strong hardware show – camera, grips lighting. We do now get more of a broadcast element coming into the show. Is that because those guys are looking to get into the feature film market? Probably.” Attendance at the BSC Expo is now around 4000, a huge expansion since the mid-90s shows which often attracted around a tenth of that. Exhibitors, says Rob, are happy too. “When you have some of our major exhibitors saying to us, ‘you’re one of three shows globally that we absolutely adore doing and are always in our budgets and we’re always going to be there,’ we feel that we’re getting something right.” 

booth from another. It was sort of publicised within the circles of the BSC but not hugely outside of that, So they brought us in to take the event to the next stage.” The event grew significantly in moves to Pinewood and Leavesden in the following years. This attachment to a sound stage venue, while appropriate, would eventually become a limitation. “We had a good loyal base of exhibitors who would say that we know that the show will be on next year, we know it’ll be in February, March or April, but it was a logistical nightmare because we were only given a few months’ notice by a studio saying, you’ve got the space, you can run your show.” The move to dedicated exhibition space at Battersea Evolution came in 2016, arguably at a time when the BSC itself was refocusing. Rob continues, “If we go back to when we took on the show, the requirements to be a BSC member

he event which formed the genesis of the BSC Expo was originally suggested by Joe Dunton MBE BSC, who’s history of innovation and engineering in film equipment dates back to the 1970s. Held on a small stage at Shepperton, the event was called the New Equipment Show and would move on to venues including Grip House in Greenford, Elstree Studios, and the Mister Lighting studios (now Dukes Island) in Hangar Lane. In this format, the show lasted until 2003 at Elstree before expanding scale and growing numbers of exhibitors and attendees demanded more. SCS Exhibitions’ Rob Saunders became involved in 2005, discovering an event which, while successful, could clearly go further. “It was a bit of a rough and ready type of event at Elstree Studios,” he begins. “It was a one-dayer, it was a bit of gaffer tape on the floor that marked one

ABOVE BSC is now in its third year at Battersea Evolution.

ATTENDANCE AT BSC EXPO IS NOW AROUND 4000

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ONES TO WATCH BSC EXPO 2018

1 AATON DIGITAL/TRANSVIDEO (STAND 400) Transvideo will be exhibiting three feature-rich new monitors at BSC. The StarliteHD-e five-inch OLED monitor-recorder is capable of recording lens metadata and camera timecode when used in combination with Cooke/i lenses, Zeiss CP3 eXtended or ARRI/Zeiss LDS lenses, creating a valuable technical resource for post. Meanwhile the updated eight-inch CinemonitorHD X-SBL SuperBright comes with an anti-reflection bonded screen, with increased brightness to 2000 nits. This improves contrast and outdoor readability under all conditions and also enables increased viewing angles to 85° on all axes. The Stargate high-end seven-inch monitor-recorder with full HD display is 4K-6G compatible and is set to become an essential production and engineering tool for broadcast and cinematography, for directors, DOPs, focus pullers, technical directors and engineers. www.transvideo.eu 2 ARRI (STAND 305) Celebrating its 101st year in the film business, ARRI will be showing its range of digital cameras including its new wireless system, high-end lenses, professional camera accessories and growing stable of lighting including the latest SkyPanel S360 LED light. Products include the ALEXA 65, ALEXA SXT, ALEXA Mini and AMIRA cameras, Master Anamorphic lenses and SkyPanel, L-Series and M-Series lights. Also a stand visit will show you ARRI’s fantastic showreels including HDR comparisons with further content from the movies, commercials and television. There will also be news about all the new software updates for its range of cameras and lighting products. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recognised ARRI’s engineers with 18 awards. www.arri.com 3 ARRI RENTAL (STAND 223) ARRI Rental is an ARRI-owned network of camera, camera grip and lighting equipment rental facilities across Europe and the US. Everything from cameras and accessories through to cranes, remote heads and a full spectrum of lighting fixtures and grips is offered. A large transport and generator fleet is also available and, when required, the company can call on the resources of sibling facilities within the group to offer a seamless and cohesive pan-European service. At BSC, ARRI Rental will showcase its current 65mm optics range for the ALEXA 65 camera. Joining the already successful line-up of Prime 65 and Vintage 765 lenses are new Prime 65 S and Prime DNA lens sets that extend the creative appeal of the ALEXA 65 system still further. Also on display will be the ALEXA XT B+W, as well as a further selection of spherical and anamorphic options. www.arrirental.co.uk 4 CAMERA REVOLUTION (STAND 540) Camera Revolution supplies specialised camera remote systems, from the Libra self-stabilised wireless remote system to the Maxima handheld system including all the associated accessories and full technical support. The company also supplies wire systems for flying, from simple point-to-point to full repeatable 3D wire solutions. The ever popular Libra Stabilised remote head will be on show in two new forms. The new Libra 7 is designed to partner full production cameras with an optional 360° roll ring and rolling monitor giving ultimate control of the roll axis whilst still being stabilised. Meanwhile the Libra MINI has a new self-drive track option, and this can be perched or hung, so adding new track sections is fuss free. Also on show will be the self-drive high-speed wire dolly system for the Libra MINI, MŌvi Pro and Maxima stabilised remote heads. www.camerarevolution.com

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BSC EXPO 2018 ONES TO WATCH

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6 COOKE (STAND 606) For over 100 years, Cooke has been at the centre of the filmmaking business. This is a company steeped in tradition that has been listening to the community it serves for generations, and while it’s hugely aware of its legacy it’s also remarkably forward looking and is constantly pushing the frontiers of technology to offer new and innovative products. On the stand at BSC will be one of these, /i Technology, which enables film and digital cameras to automatically record key lens data for every frame shot and provide it to post-production teams digitally, a process that is invaluable to post-production teams and which greatly speeds up the editing process. Visitors will be able to handle and experience the likes of Cooke S7/i Full Frame Plus and Cooke Panchro/i Classic prime lenses, Cooke S4/i, Cooke Anamorphic/i, Anamorphic/i SF (‘Special Flare’) optics and the Cooke S4/i and miniS4/i lenses with and without coatings. www.cookeoptics.com The CN E18-80mm T4.4L IS KAS S and CN-E70-200 mm T4.4L IS compact cine-servo versatile lenses take advantage of 4K and offer integrated servo control and effortless switching between several subjects in a single shot. www.canon.co.uk 5 CANON (STAND 516) With a remit to help filmmakers to deliver higher-quality content faster, Canon will be showcasing its latest 4K and HDR solutions. Products lined up to be displayed on the stand include the EOS C700, EOS C200 and a range of high-end lenses such as the CN E18-80mm T4.4L IS KAS S and CN-E70-200mm T4.4L IS cine-servo lenses, as well as professional reference display monitors. The EOS C200 is the first Cinema EOS camera to feature Cinema RAW light format. It’s been designed to take the complexity out of delivering high-quality footage, with benefits including an advanced AF system that provides reliability and accuracy when shooting 4K, and a high-quality LCD panel and Dual Pixel CMOS AF.

7 CINEGEARPRO (STAND 607) CINEGEARPRO is a London-based global dealer and distributor of a wide range of carefully selected filmmaking products. The company prides itself on being one of the best places in town for filmmakers to experience and purchase the likes of camera rigs, 3-axis gimbals, video monitors, LED lights and wireless lens control solutions, and is happy to deliver free demonstrations and rig building tips to customers in its London showroom as well as on its stand during the BSC Show. Great advice comes free of charge and it’s also completely impartial, and there’s no chance of anyone leaving with kit that won’t suit their business. Quality and competitive prices are also guaranteed, and customers receive the reassurance that comes through enduring partnerships with brands such as TiLTA, Aputure, PDMOVIE, SmallRig, G.L OPTICS, Zhiyun-Tech, and many more. Visit the stand at BSC 2018 to see all the latest products from these and other cutting- edge companies. www.cinegearpro.co.uk 8 CVP (STAND 315) As a company with over 31 years’ worth of experience in the industry that’s considered by many to be Europe’s most dynamic broadcast and professional solutions provider, CVP will be using its position as a provider of products across the entire spectrum of filmmaking to give visitors to BSC Expo the chance to compare the hottest and latest cameras and kit from multiple brands. Those dropping in on the stand are welcome to talk to members of the experienced demo and sales team, who will be happy to answer any questions and to use their expertise to enable you to build your ideal camera rig and set-up. There will be plenty of products to choose from, since CVP stocks products relating to fields as varied as cine, video, photo, audio, lighting, studio, editing and computing, and also offers a thriving secondhand service for good measure. CVP claims to be the perfect one-stop solution, in the ideal position to offer a crucial overview of the business. cvp.com

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10 FUJIFILM (STAND 427) Fujifilm UK is showcasing its entire range of cine lenses, which cover all types of shooting, from high-end cinema down to independent documentary. The PL-Mount Premier HK lenses are the ultimate cine zoom lenses, with super-fast T-stops and a generous range of focal lengths. Meanwhile the Cabrio ZK and XK series are also PL-mount lenses and are ideal where smaller, lighter lenses might be preferable, or where you need a lens with a huge variety of focal lengths all in one package. Finally, weighing less than 1kg each and boasting T2.9 throughout, the E-Mount MK lenses bring all the quality and character of the Fujinon Premier and Cabrio lenses to an entirely new audience of independent production and emerging filmmakers. Also on the stand will be a GFX medium-format stills camera with a full range of GF lenses, and visitors are very welcome to come along for a demonstration. www.fujifilm.eu/uk enhance the aesthetic beauty of larger formats without losing content across the field. Additionally, their slightly curved focus field adds a dimensionality that further accentuates larger formats. cw-sonderoptic.com 9 CW SONDEROPTIC (STAND 115) The new large-format Leica Thalia lenses from CW Sonderoptic are now available in most markets around the world and have already completed a number of feature films currently in post-production. Demand for professional, large-format optics is increasing rapidly as new full-frame cameras like Sony’s VENICE and RED’s 8K VV Monstro cameras become more widely available. The Leica Thalias have become a popular choice in no small part due to their incredibly compact size: between 1.1kg and 1.7kg and 12.7cm to 17.8cm in length. However, the main feature drawing cinematographers and directors to Leica Thalias is the look of the lenses, which is a departure from the popular Leica Summilux-C and Summicron-C optics. Thalias have a somewhat softer look while preserving clarity to

11 GRIP FACTORY MUNICH (STAND 524) Founded in 1999, GFM has worked hard to become an industry leader in the design and production of high-end camera support equipment, with the aim of servicing the professional motion picture community. The company’s mission is to develop and produce camera support equipment that is innovative, effective and of the highest quality. Focus and philosophy is firmly set on building superior equipment, combined with a dedication and commitment to customer service and satisfaction. Having built up nearly 20 years of experience, GFM places a high value on long-term relationships with clients, suppliers and all those working in the field, and is throwing open an invitation for existing and prospective customers to come along, say hello and to see what’s on offer. Showing on the GFM booth will be a wide range of the latest products, such as the GF-Primo Dolly, GF-Sliders, Grip Kit, GF- Suspension Rigs, GF-Quad Dolly, GF- Jib Arms and more. www.g-f-m.net 12 HELICOPTER FILM SERVICES (STAND 127) Established 25 years ago, Helicopter Film Services (HFS) is now internationally recognised as a leading provider of aerial and stabilised filming services and equipment, with hundreds of feature films and commercials to its credit. Alongside the helicopters the company is also known as one of the world’s premier cinema drone operators, employing heavy-lift systems from Intuitive Aerial and Shotover, while the company’s line-up of stabilised camera systems includes Shotover F1, K1 and U1, Nettmann Super-G2 and the new Typhon 6 array. HFS experienced a record year in 2017, touching down in 20 countries to capture stunning sequences for major film studios as well as smaller production companies and television filmmakers. The company has collaborated on some of the year’s most prestigious productions, from The Darkest Hour to Wonder Woman , as well as undertaking numerous assignments for smaller independents, and will be showcasing many of its achievements on its stand at BSC Expo. www.helicopterfilm.tv

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18 BSC EXPO 2018 ONES TO WATCH

13 MOLE-RICHARDSON (STAND 105) Mole-Richardson was formed in Los Angeles, CA in 1927 by Peter Mole, to provide advanced lighting solutions for the then rapidly advancing motion picture industry. One of their most significant introductions in those early years was the fresnel focusing lens. Combined with tried- and-tested optics, fresnels have been a staple of the motion picture and television industry ever since. Last year Mole-Richardson introduced Variable-Color solid-state LED fresnels, which combine the light quality, output and control that’s synonymous with the Mole name, while adding the flexibility of variable white colour temperature control, green/magenta correction and multiple user interface options. This year the Vari LED family will be expanded considerably, introducing new members that will include the Vari-Baby, Vari-Junior, Vari-Studio Junior and Vari-Senior LEDs. www.mole.com 14 MOTION IMPOSSIBLE (STAND 436) Set up in August 2014 by BAFTA award-winning cameraman Rob Drewett and experienced product design engineer Andy Nancollis, Motion Impossible (MI) is an equipment manufacturer and production company that has as its remit a passion to create new and innovative ways to move cameras in film, TV and 360° VR. The company is the creator of the Mantis Dolly system, which moves and stabilises VR/360º and film cameras, and MI’s filming side, MI Films. At the show they will be showing their new Agito platform. Whilst the Mantis has already made its mark within the VR/360° market, Motion Impossible has made it its mission to continue the development of the product for the Broadcast market. This has culminated in the launch of Agito – a robotic dolly system that can make recordable moves on the ground. motion-impossible.com 15 PANALUX (STAND 502) Panalux offers the world of film, TV and media production the very best in lighting rental equipment and associated studio facilities. With unrivalled support and creative solutions, the company has established itself as a leading rental company throughout Europe and South Africa. At this year’s BSC Show Panalux will be demonstrating its latest range of proprietary products, including the revolutionary AmphiTubeX1. This lighting system can be used underwater and dry at full power, and boasts a number of customisable features including a colour temperature range of 2800-6200K. The AmphiTubeX1 is now available to rent in a four-bank kit. Panalux’s mission is the development of camera support kit that’s innovative, effective and of the highest quality. Meanwhile its focus continues to be on a commitment to customer service and satisfaction. www.panalux.biz 16 PANASONIC (STAND 508) BSC Expo 2018 will see Panasonic display the latest innovations in film and TV production. Panasonic will showcase the full VariCam line-up – the flagship VariCam 35, the compact VariCam LT and the VariCam Pure, which provides 4K uncompressed Raw at up to 120fps, all of which can be configured to meet a variety of production scenarios. In 2017 a number of productions shot with VariCam aired, including ITV Studios’ The Moorside in the UK and The Deuce for HBO. The VariCam is also proving popular with Netflix, with productions including Orange is the New Black and Master of None all being shot with the VariCam series. The recently launched AU-EVA1 will also be on show. Thanks to its newly-developed 5.7K Super 35mm sensor, dual-native ISO sensitivity and lightweight design, EVA1 fulfils a wide range of run-and-gun and handheld shooting styles. www.panasonic.com

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18 P+S TECHNIK (STAND 130) Renowned German-based manufacturer and lens rehousing and rebuilding expert P+S Technik is inviting visitors to come and visit its stand at BSC to learn more about its new Evolution2X lenses. Either drop in on Stand 130 or contact the company via its Instagram account to set up an appointment. While there you’ll be able to view and handle the new six-strong set of Evolution2X anamorphic prime lenses, which are based on the original optical design of the KOWA Anamorphic with the addition of P+S TECHNIK’s sturdy, but compact and lightweight rehousing. The look and bokeh of the Evolution2X lenses matches the genuine anamorphic look of the original lenses, while the optics can be mixed with the original KOWA sets or used to expand the range. While on the stand you’ll also have the chance to check out the company’s full-frame solutions, including the CS-Zooms and the latest CS-Primes. www.pstechnik.de display and available for demonstrations. Visitors will be offered the opportunity to shoot with newer, wider focal lengths from the range of T Series anamorphic lenses, which offer a large sweet-spot and closer focus. Meanwhile Panavision Grip and Remote Systems will be demonstrating the revolutionary SuperTechno 75, with motorised base and triple telescopic column, which is now available to rent. uk.panavision.com 17 PANAVISION (STAND 502) Panavision is one of the leading camera rental facilities in the world, with Panavision UK leading the European division. Dedicated to supporting the future of film, the company provides unparalleled service to features, television, commercials and music videos. Panavision is dedicated to growing and supporting the future of cinematography with new products and innovations, and at this year’s BSC it will be showcasing its latest technologies, including new products from its camera, lens and grip departments. Focusing on 8K large format, the Millennium DXL will be on

19 RED (STAND 426) Needing little in the way of introduction, RED Digital Cinema is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of professional digital cameras and accessories, creating products that are used worldwide by some of the leading names in the filmmaking business. Having built a massive reputation for innovation and quality, RED is continuing to push the boundaries with its products, which combine compact and lightweight design, cinema-grade image quality, modularity and massive dynamic range to deliver the best images possible to professional cinematographers everywhere. Join RED at this year’s BSC Expo 2018 to experience 8K resolution with the newest cameras – RED EPIC-W 8K S35 and WEAPON 8K S35. The opportunity is extended to filmmakers at all levels to visit the stand and to try out any of the products, to discuss any queries with RED experts and to discover for yourself what the RED experience is all about. www.red.com 20 SCHNEIDER (STAND 235) Visit the Schneider-Kreuznach booth at BSC Expo and you’ll be able to find out more about the company’s extensive lens and filter portfolio. Learn how to handle new filter lines like the Radiant Soft or RHOdium Full Spectrum ND, and find out how it’s possible to tell your story in a new emotional, sensational or technical way.
 This is also a golden opportunity to get hands on with the highly innovative Xenon FF-Prime Cine-Tilt, which has just been voted best prime lens in Pro Moviemaker ’s Gear of the Year Awards 2017. Unleash the focus with the first dynamic tiltable lens set and pay attention to the creamy and organic out-of-focus areas of the six-lens Xenon FF- Prime set. As a BSC patron, Schneider works closely with DOPs to provide great and useful tools to create individual possibilities of storytelling, so go along and say hello and find out what the company might be able to do for your business. schneiderkreuznach.com/en

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22 BSC EXPO 2018 ONES TO WATCH

21 TERADEK (STAND 534) Teradek is one of the most trusted names in the world of

cinematography for zero-delay wireless monitoring. The company’s award-winning line of Bolt and Serv Pro devices is used on large-scale Hollywood productions as well as small, independent film projects. At BSC, Teradek will be highlighting its new 703 Bolt product along with a completely new line of cinema tools: Teradek RT. An all-in- one solution, the 703 Bolt is a Teradek + SmallHD collaboration that brings the best of wireless video and on-set monitors together. This lightweight unit features a built-in Bolt Sidekick II receiver. Teradek RT is a new line of remote camera control tools for camera operators and ACs, providing maximum control of camera systems wirelessly, allowing the user to adjust focus, iris and zoom, as well as shutter, ISO and start/stop remotely. teradek.com 22 VER (STAND 520) VER delivers lighting, LED, broadcast and video solutions to sets worldwide. The industry’s leading exponent of Enhanced Environments, VER has supported a number of recent productions, including Murder on the Orient Express with Haris Zambarloukos BSC GSC and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with Greig Fraser, ASC ACS. Using custom LED technology, VER’s Enhanced Environment allows a shot to be naturally lit by the backgrounds of a scene with amazing authenticity. Incredibly accurate, the lighting allows talent and crew alike to visualise actual environments and perform against a dynamic background without the guesswork of an empty green screen. At BSC meet VER’s Enhanced Environments UK Team, including VER UK’s Ellie Johnson, Jonny Hunt and Scott Russell who work in collaboration with LA-based Fred Waldman and Paul Kobelja. www.ver.com 23 VITEC (STAND 538) The Vitec Group’s stand will highlight the Litepanels Gemini, an all-new 2x1, RGB-WW soft panel that combines daylight, tungsten and red-green-blue LEDs to deliver highly flexible and precise colour adjustment. The Gemini soft panel produces true, full-spectrum white light and an extensive choice of control options. Gemini offers this flexibility through its easy-to-use, intuitive menu interface, with LCD screens in three lighting modes: Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) Mode, for bicolour with ± green adjustment; Colour Mode, offering hue saturation and intensity control for full colour and saturation control; Gel Mode, providing the ability to dial up a variety of popular gels. Gemini is complemented by a full line of light-shaping accessories. For larger sources there are kits that allow stacking of multiple Gemini panels in either a dual or quad array. www.vitecgroup.com 24 ZEISS (STAND 504) At BSC this year Zeiss will be showcasing a large portfolio of full-frame lenses, including the Cinema Zoom CZ.2 range and new Compact Prime CP.3 XD range. Thanks to their interchangeable mounts and full- frame coverage, these lenses are believed by many filmmakers to be as close as it’s possible to get to the ultimate future-proof investment. The Zeiss Cinema Zoom lenses feature exquisite optics in a robust, durable package. Affordable, flexible and offering the highest quality, the Zeiss Cinema Zoom lenses are an invaluable addition to any film set. Meanwhile the new Zeiss CP.3 and CP.3 XD lenses offer the perfect combination of high image quality and reliable usability. They exhibit the clean, crisp characteristics Zeiss is known for, together with ground-breaking lens data technology in the XD versions, designed to speed-up and simplify the workflow on set and in post-production. www.zeiss.com

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The BSC Expo is one of the first shows of the year and also one of the best. If you want to see loads of hardware this is the show for you and there’s definitely a feeling of extreme networking across the showwhen you get there. Also look out for our Ones to Watch exhibitors

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STAND 400 AATON DIGITAL/TRANSVIDEO STAND 305 ARRI STAND 223 ARRI RENTAL STAND 540 CAMERA REVOLUTION

STAND 105 MOLE-RICHARDSON STAND 436 MOTION IMPOSSIBLE

STAND 502 PANALUX STAND 508 PANASONIC STAND 502 PANAVISION STAND 130 P+S TECHNIK STAND 426 RED STAND 235 SCHNEIDER STAND 534 TERADEK

STAND 516 CANON STAND 606 COOKE STAND 607 CINEGEARPRO STAND 315 CVP STAND 115

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STAND 427 FUJIFILM STAND 524 GRIP FACTORY MUNICH STAND 127 HELICOPTER FILM SERVICES

STAND 520 VER STAND 538 VITEC STAND 504 ZEISS

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FEBRUARY 2018 DEFINITION

26 SHOOT STORY DOWNSIZING

Small Talk DOP Phedon Papamichael solved a range of problems, both big and small, on the set of Downsizing WORDS PHIL ROHODES PICTURES PARAMOUNT

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DOWNSIZING SHOOT STORY

from Omaha, Nebraska who ’ s looking for his role in life and struggling. This concept of downsizing is used as a metaphor. It dips into various issues, our current political situation, very relevant these days especially with Trump and the wall and communities living inside the wall, immigration issues, global warming. But it ’ s really not about all those things. There’s a lot you can do with this concept and there’s a lot to tell.” Production began in February 2016 in the Mojave desert near Palmdale, California, where exteriors representing the miniaturised community were photographed. Omaha, Nebraska played itself in scenes showing the lead characters’ home life, while a four-month stint in Toronto provided the exteriors of Leisureland homes. Papamichael describes them as “these bizarre mansions, Versailles-like, oversized, tacky houses that exist in Toronto. There’s entire suburbs where they’re lined up next to each other and it’s very surreal and they ’ ve created these absurd-looking places.” Finally, the production travelled to Norway to shoot scenes set in the fjords, before wrapping in August. The majority of the film was shot on location, with the only green screen elements being those where an actor would be miniaturised and placed in a full- sized scene. Perhaps surprisingly, very little of the film relies on giant props to sell the illusion of small people in a large world. “Once we are in the downsized world with the small people... we didn ’ t want to do The Borrowers . We didn ’ t really want to play the gags all the time. When the boat ’ s on the fjord, VFX changed the water surface, and when there ’ s flame, a big bonfire that we have in the movie,

he genesis of a cinematographer often involves a memorable film. For director of photography Phedon Papamichael, that film is Jean-Luc Goddard ’ s Le Mepris ( Contempt ), a 1963 production photographed by Raoul Coutard that suggested to Papamichael that his enthusiasm for art and photography could be pursued in a moving-image context. “I realised there ’ s something kinda like still photography but I can also move the camera, compose things and do tracking shots, and I ’ m given a story,” he says. “That was always very intriguing for me, I felt like I would never reach the limits of creativity with that.” Having moved with family from his native Greece to the United States, Papamichael found himself in New York in the early 80s. Having considered film school, he was instead directly approached to shoot short films. “I said, ‘I haven ’ t really shot anything, but I guess it ’ s similar to still photography.’ I commenced shooting a bunch of short films for various students and friends that approached me and one of them was Alexander Payne, who I met while he was at UCLA.” Decades later, and with Papamichael ’ s career already recognised with ASC membership, Payne asked the cinematographer to work on his 2004 film Sideways . The collaboration has produced four films to date, of which the most recent, Downsizing , began production in early 2016. GROWING A SMALL STORY Payne had, Papamichael remembers, mentioned Downsizing during the production of Sideways . The visual effects requirements of Downsizing , however, contributed to a lengthy genesis. “It took [Payne] over a decade to get it together,” remembers Papamichael. “It was a long journey before it ended up at Paramount. When Matt Damon attached himself to it and we were able to cast Cristoph Waltz and Kristen Wiig they decided to pay for it. It ’ s very much an Alexander Payne movie, it ’ s unusual for a studio.” The film features a speculative near future in which technology allows people to be physically miniaturised and live luxurious lives in an appropriately-scaled city. Papamichael contends that it ’ s “not just a concept film... it ’ s still at heart an Alexander Payne movie. It ’ s about a typical average guy, an anti-hero

IT’S ABOUT A TYPICAL AVERAGE GUY, AN ANTI-HERO FROM OMAHA, NEBRASKA

ABOVE Matt Damon as Paul Safranek and Hong Chau as Ngoc Lan Tran. LEFT Matt Damon contemplates life on the smaller side of life.

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