Randall Dark will be a featured speaker at "The Digital Studio," an executive summit and showcase that will focus on how digital technology is transforming Hollywood, film and television.
The two-day summit will take place on June 19-20, 2003, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Wyndham Belage Hotel in West Hollywood.
Thursday, June 5, 2003
Thursday, May 1, 2003
High and wide
As the widescreen, high definition era evolves what happens to all the standard definition stock footage?
by Nick Dager
For more than 20, years the world of professional video production and post production has largely been defined by the 4:3 aspect ratio of traditional broadcast television.
Much of our recent history -- war political events, historical figures, etc. -- has been captured and archived for later use in feature films, television shows, documentaries, commercials or corporate presentations, And virtually all of it has been recorded in standard definition.
The question, then, is this: As the industry moves into the widescreen-era of high definition video, what's to become of that vast collection of SD images?
...
AN HD FOCUS
Venice, CA's FootageBank (www.footagebank.com) is a newish stock footage house serving the production business. Industry veteran Paula Lumbard, who opened her first stock footage company in 1985, founded it last May. She says she started FootageBank in part because of her desire to return to the "boutique" footage business. FootageBank is focusing almost exclusively on HD footage.
"I made the decision to go wholly HD a year ago.," says Lumbard. "Our collection is 90 percent HD." She describes the FootageBank niche as a contemporary collection with an emphasis on nature. "We're doing a lot of location shooting, cleared for the broadcast market, and I'm about to take on a science technology library." And, Lumbard points out, "I have 4:3 material to fill the gaps as we wait for this market to mature."
FootageBank clients can get either a 4:3 or a 16:9 master of the clips they select. Lumbard asks them, "Do you want us to create a 4:3 master or do you want to create that yourself? Most people create that themselves. They'll take the 16:9 footage and crop it to 4:3 when they're doing their final edit."
Lumbard says she started the company because of her observation that there was a shortage of HD stock footage available to producers. "We knew it was coming," she says." There was so little out there. Where can you find an HD shot of Sydney Australia or Hong Kong or Paris at night? I was hoping that the business need would hit a critical mass point that it could support a business."
Lumbard says that one of the appeals of launching her business now is the newness of it all. "It's new technology. It's all new footage. It's a whole new product that's coming into the market," she says.
Lumbard believes all that is needed to jumpstart the complete transition to 16:9 is a critical mass of HD cameras in the hands of the production community. She's also seen a new spirit of camraderie among people in the production community She says people are more willing to share information. In that regard, Lumbard has an arrangement with Randall Dark's HD Vision Studios (wvw.hdvstudios.tv) to host events to educate clients and potential clients about HD the technology the quality, the cost, etc.
LA-based Dark is also one of the HD shooters that supplies footage to FootageBank. "I handle more than 30 different HD producers," says Lumbard. Dark says he welcomed the arrangement because of Lumbard's strong track record in the stock footage business. Dark estimates that FootageBank represents about 20 percent of his existing library of HD footage; his own company handles the remaining 80 percent.
Dark, for his part, is among those who believe that SD footage will have limited value in the HD widescreen world of the near future."The world is going 16:9, and 4:3 upconversion does not intercut with HD or 16:9," he says. "The options are you blow the image up [zoom in] to fill the screen that crops the frame and softens the image or, my favorite, make everything fat and short by stretching the picture or side bar panels. All of the above completely takes the viewer out of the willing suspension of disbelief or breaks the visual flow of the story. I have done extensive tests, and it does not work We now have a television system that demands excellent visuals and heightens inferior images, It's called high definition for a reason. The creative community historically has strived for the best looking pictures during the image capture process. Why would they compromise their story telling?"
excerpt from Post
by Nick Dager
For more than 20, years the world of professional video production and post production has largely been defined by the 4:3 aspect ratio of traditional broadcast television.
Much of our recent history -- war political events, historical figures, etc. -- has been captured and archived for later use in feature films, television shows, documentaries, commercials or corporate presentations, And virtually all of it has been recorded in standard definition.
The question, then, is this: As the industry moves into the widescreen-era of high definition video, what's to become of that vast collection of SD images?
...
AN HD FOCUS
Venice, CA's FootageBank (www.footagebank.com) is a newish stock footage house serving the production business. Industry veteran Paula Lumbard, who opened her first stock footage company in 1985, founded it last May. She says she started FootageBank in part because of her desire to return to the "boutique" footage business. FootageBank is focusing almost exclusively on HD footage.
"I made the decision to go wholly HD a year ago.," says Lumbard. "Our collection is 90 percent HD." She describes the FootageBank niche as a contemporary collection with an emphasis on nature. "We're doing a lot of location shooting, cleared for the broadcast market, and I'm about to take on a science technology library." And, Lumbard points out, "I have 4:3 material to fill the gaps as we wait for this market to mature."
FootageBank clients can get either a 4:3 or a 16:9 master of the clips they select. Lumbard asks them, "Do you want us to create a 4:3 master or do you want to create that yourself? Most people create that themselves. They'll take the 16:9 footage and crop it to 4:3 when they're doing their final edit."
Lumbard says she started the company because of her observation that there was a shortage of HD stock footage available to producers. "We knew it was coming," she says." There was so little out there. Where can you find an HD shot of Sydney Australia or Hong Kong or Paris at night? I was hoping that the business need would hit a critical mass point that it could support a business."
Lumbard says that one of the appeals of launching her business now is the newness of it all. "It's new technology. It's all new footage. It's a whole new product that's coming into the market," she says.
Lumbard believes all that is needed to jumpstart the complete transition to 16:9 is a critical mass of HD cameras in the hands of the production community. She's also seen a new spirit of camraderie among people in the production community She says people are more willing to share information. In that regard, Lumbard has an arrangement with Randall Dark's HD Vision Studios (wvw.hdvstudios.tv) to host events to educate clients and potential clients about HD the technology the quality, the cost, etc.
LA-based Dark is also one of the HD shooters that supplies footage to FootageBank. "I handle more than 30 different HD producers," says Lumbard. Dark says he welcomed the arrangement because of Lumbard's strong track record in the stock footage business. Dark estimates that FootageBank represents about 20 percent of his existing library of HD footage; his own company handles the remaining 80 percent.
Dark, for his part, is among those who believe that SD footage will have limited value in the HD widescreen world of the near future."The world is going 16:9, and 4:3 upconversion does not intercut with HD or 16:9," he says. "The options are you blow the image up [zoom in] to fill the screen that crops the frame and softens the image or, my favorite, make everything fat and short by stretching the picture or side bar panels. All of the above completely takes the viewer out of the willing suspension of disbelief or breaks the visual flow of the story. I have done extensive tests, and it does not work We now have a television system that demands excellent visuals and heightens inferior images, It's called high definition for a reason. The creative community historically has strived for the best looking pictures during the image capture process. Why would they compromise their story telling?"
excerpt from Post
Friday, February 14, 2003
Happy Anniversary!
HD Vision Celebrates First LA AnniversaryHigh Definition Pioneer Randall Dark Expands His Operation in Hollywood
Randall Dark, who worked on some of the earliest movies shot in HD, completed his first year of operation in Los Angeles last month. “I’m new to Hollywood but I’ve got to tell you I love, love being in Los Angeles, being where the pulse is,” he says. “I think my timing is perfect.”
Dark was born and raised in Canada and got into production there. “I started in high definition up in Canada in 1986 working on Chasing Rainbows for the CBC. I was the high definition mobile operator,” he recalls. “And then I moved to New York City and I was doing high definition work out of the Ed Sullivan Theatre.”
In the early Nineties, following the first wave of excitement over HD, Dark made a decision. “I decided that high definition was going to fall away unless someone started doing multi-camera work,” he says. “That’s when I decided to open up in Dallas and get the HD Vision truck so that we had the ability to show sporting events and concerts.”
For the next decade he was one of a handful of people in the country who produced and directed high definition projects. He did a lot of work for corporate clients and supplied programming to various cable outlets. In January 2002 Dark moved his business to Los Angeles and changed the name to HD Vision Studios.
Dark says, “We wanted to create a broadcast center and who better to run it than Tom Martinez? One of the big futures of high definition is not just television it’s transporting high-resolution, digital widescreen images around the world. And Tom is one of the leading experts working in this field.” Martinez says that since Hollywood has such a strong film tradition many people in the industry have never seen HD before. He says they’re invariably impressed when they finally get a high definition demo.
“Whether it’s a 1080i image or a 24p image we blow them away on a 15x9-foot screen in 5.1 Surround Sound,” Martinez explains. “The first reaction that we always get is, ‘Oh, my God!’ Seeing is believing. We can talk about film forever and the different film techniques and different film lenses and the projectors but when you start projecting off a cinema grade DLP and then we let them know the costs, it sells itself. You don’t have to do a whole lot. We’re letting technology speak for itself.”Martinez continues, “It’s not only filmmakers, it’s broadcasters and people that are shooting in a 4x3 aspect. Those are the people who are also blown away by high definition. Whether it’s a film producer or a broadcaster from ABC or CBS that comes in here.”
Dark says many actors are wary of HD because they’ve heard horror stories about how unflattering the crisp image can be. “A lot of times it’s the first time they’ve seen themselves in high definition,” he says of the people who visit his studio.
He says the side-by-side comparison impresses them. “Part of Tom’s mandate and part of my mandate is we want to educate and compare apples to apples,” Dark says. “Everyone can say this and say that but seeing it is truly believing it. We want people to judge for themselves. There is a huge resistance but what we’re finding is there’s an incredible craving of knowledge. Sure we’re a high definition house but we also want to show what 35mm transferred to HD looks like and we also have examples of that, what 24p looks like and what 1080i looks like with the best toys available.”
“ We want people to make the decision,” he continues. “And, to be honest, if they come in and say, ‘Randall, we love the look of 35mm film transferred to HD,’ as a subjective art form it looks better than 24p or 1080i, we embrace that. Our job is not to change people’s minds. Our job really we feel is just to illustrate because it’s subjective. Film is an art form. I don’t want to replace film. As an artist I prefer using high definition because I can create a much better story with it as my tool and I have much greater control over my story.”His message to Hollywood executives is simple. “If you get an image and if the general population embraces it and it costs you less, well isn’t that a win-win scenario?” Dark asks.
Dark can envision a time when commercials, trailers, even features are instantly transmitted to theatres via fiber optics, satellite or the Internet. He cites Barbershop as an example of a surprise hit that could have done even better financially if it could have been shown in more theatres in the opening weeks of its first run.
“We can [distribute HD] overnight,” he says. “We have the fiber or satellite. What we try to do is service our client’s immediate needs whether it’s standard def or high def. We see this company as a gateway for the future so that when digital cinema happens and Boeing or whoever else gets involved there’s a company already out there that can deliver information to the locations they need.”
HD Vision Studios is also involved with original production and has just completed the first of a 13-part documentary series titled, Artist in the Round. The series focuses on accomplished artists and the major obstacles they’ve overcome to reach the levels of achievement they’ve attained in their careers.
The first documentary, Artist in the Round: Shayne Dark introduces viewers to the Canadian sculptor, who daily triumphs over dyslexia. Raised in a time where public schools didn’t even know the word dyslexic, Shayne was never diagnosed and therefore, was simply regarded as a slow learner. Consequently, as an adult, he reads and writes at a second grade level. The documentary explores Shayne’s battle to overcome this life long learning disability, becoming a contemporary artist with international recognition.
Artist in the Round was shot and posted in high definition by director, Dark, producer, Kristen Cox and editor Jayme Wing. The footage was captured using a Sony HDC-700A camcorder and posted at HD Vision Studios using a Snell & Wilcox switcher, Sony BVE-9100 editing system and a Graham Patten 8000 audio mixer.
That Shayne Dark is Randall Dark’s brother only made the project more special. “The new series is near and dear to my heart,” Dark says. “We need to create programs that are inspiring and uplifting.”
Productions and co-productions are a key part of the business mix. “We’re always looking for new projects, new partnerships,” says Dark. “We see the independent filmmaker as a very important client.” He believes his second year in Los Angeles will be even better than the first. “I’m neutral. I’m pro film. Film is fabulous. I’m not out to replace it. All I want to do is let you see the world where it is at a technological level so that you don’t feel threatened.”
“What I love about HD is that it helps level the playing field,” Dark says. “The cost of 35mm production has historically been very expensive. Movies, because of the way they are imaged and distributed can only be created with a substantial amount of money invested. This system is now going under constant review and changes. The independent producer can finance a production with less up front costs. HD offers previously impossible savings. Money that was initially earmarked for hard costs can now be allocated in front of the lens.”Dark understands that we are in the midst of a transition era and that many uncertainties lie ahead. He remains certain about one thing, however. Says Dark, “The future is digital high resolution widescreen, period.”
©2003 Digital Cinema Report, Inc.
Friday, January 24, 2003
Documentary completed
HD Vision Studios has completed the first of a 13-part documentary series titled, Artist in the Round. The series focuses on accomplished artists and the major obstacles they’ve overcome to reach the levels of achievement they’ve attained in their careers.
Artist in the Round is shot and posted in high-definition by director, Randall P. Dark, producer, Kristen Cox and editor Jayme Wing . The footage was captured using a Sony HDC-700A camcorder and posted at HD Vision Studios facility in Studio City, Calif., using a Snell & Wilcox Switcher, Sony BVE-9100 editing system and a Graham Patton 8000 Audio Mixer.
The first documentary, Artist in the Round: Shayne Dark introduces viewers to the Canadian sculptor, who daily triumphs over dyslexia. Raised in a time where public schools didn’t even know the word dyslexic, Shayne was never diagnosed and therefore, was simply regarded as a "slow learner." Consequently, as an adult, Shayne reads and writes at a 2nd grade level. The documentary explores Shayne’s battle to overcome this life long learning disability, becoming a contemporary artist with international recognition.
For more information visit www.hdvstudios.tv.
from Broadcast Engineering
Artist in the Round is shot and posted in high-definition by director, Randall P. Dark, producer, Kristen Cox and editor Jayme Wing . The footage was captured using a Sony HDC-700A camcorder and posted at HD Vision Studios facility in Studio City, Calif., using a Snell & Wilcox Switcher, Sony BVE-9100 editing system and a Graham Patton 8000 Audio Mixer.
The first documentary, Artist in the Round: Shayne Dark introduces viewers to the Canadian sculptor, who daily triumphs over dyslexia. Raised in a time where public schools didn’t even know the word dyslexic, Shayne was never diagnosed and therefore, was simply regarded as a "slow learner." Consequently, as an adult, Shayne reads and writes at a 2nd grade level. The documentary explores Shayne’s battle to overcome this life long learning disability, becoming a contemporary artist with international recognition.
For more information visit www.hdvstudios.tv.
from Broadcast Engineering
Friday, January 3, 2003
The HD Revolution
A significant revolution in cinema is now taking place. There is a new option on the filmmaker’s palate—high definition (HD). HD is as significant to storytellers today as the invention of oil-based paint was for painters. It doesn’t replace what has come before—rather, it presents exciting new opportunities. It not only presents filmmakers with new options for creating a quality product, but it has proven integral to the preservation and enhancement of the endangered, deteriorating records of our history.
George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode II: The Phantom Menace marked the first release of a mega-budget feature shot on HD. It was a benchmark breakthrough that proved HD had arrived. However, it is with smaller productions, many of which are currently making the rounds on the festival circuit, that the real excitement lies. The cost effectiveness of HD breaks down the monetary barriers that used to keep young, unknown directors and producers from seeing their ideas and creations make it to the big screen. HD is going to open doors to creative talent whose experimentation is going to challenge all of us to become better at what we do.
HD is cost-effective and artistically viable. Because it is less cumbersome and expensive than film, experimenters are more likely to take the kind of risks that can push the possibilities of the medium. At the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, for instance, HD-originated movies won a greater number of awards than features shot on film.
The insurance factor of HD post-production has proved particularly interesting, even for film-originated projects. Television programs such as HBO’s The Sopranos and Band of Brothers have utilized HD, resulting in a master that presents a distinct advantage in archiving, with no sacrifice of quality. Because an HD recording is digital, it is capable of being transferred to any future medium.
HD’s success and growth can be attributed to improved and expanding product offerings. Companies such as Sony, Panasonic, and Hitachi have extensive HD product lines. Such a variety of hardware will not only benefit filmmakers working on current projects, but will also help historians who use HD to restore and archive history. Companies such as Maxell are now producing high-quality HD media that achieve exceptional output levels and the low noise requirements of HD.
In the next year, the snowball effect will grow exponentially, and it’s exciting to think about what’s in store with the enhancement of a digital age that places new, innovative tools in the hands of individuals who are willing to push limits.
-- by Randall Paris Dark
for Digital Content Producer Magazine
George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode II: The Phantom Menace marked the first release of a mega-budget feature shot on HD. It was a benchmark breakthrough that proved HD had arrived. However, it is with smaller productions, many of which are currently making the rounds on the festival circuit, that the real excitement lies. The cost effectiveness of HD breaks down the monetary barriers that used to keep young, unknown directors and producers from seeing their ideas and creations make it to the big screen. HD is going to open doors to creative talent whose experimentation is going to challenge all of us to become better at what we do.
HD is cost-effective and artistically viable. Because it is less cumbersome and expensive than film, experimenters are more likely to take the kind of risks that can push the possibilities of the medium. At the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, for instance, HD-originated movies won a greater number of awards than features shot on film.
The insurance factor of HD post-production has proved particularly interesting, even for film-originated projects. Television programs such as HBO’s The Sopranos and Band of Brothers have utilized HD, resulting in a master that presents a distinct advantage in archiving, with no sacrifice of quality. Because an HD recording is digital, it is capable of being transferred to any future medium.
HD’s success and growth can be attributed to improved and expanding product offerings. Companies such as Sony, Panasonic, and Hitachi have extensive HD product lines. Such a variety of hardware will not only benefit filmmakers working on current projects, but will also help historians who use HD to restore and archive history. Companies such as Maxell are now producing high-quality HD media that achieve exceptional output levels and the low noise requirements of HD.
In the next year, the snowball effect will grow exponentially, and it’s exciting to think about what’s in store with the enhancement of a digital age that places new, innovative tools in the hands of individuals who are willing to push limits.
-- by Randall Paris Dark
for Digital Content Producer Magazine
Wednesday, May 8, 2002
Featured speaker at High Def Expo
Randall Dark Featured Speaker at HIGH DEF EXPO, June 27th
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles, Wednesday, May 8, 2002.
HIGH DEF EXPO announced today that Randall Dark, a 16-year HDTV production pioneer and veteran, will be their featured speaker at their upcoming HIGH DEF EXPO event slated June 27th at Barwick Studios in Los Angeles. Randall’s presentation is entitled, "1080i or 24P, Which One Do You Choose"? This along with visual samples displaying the various nuances, Randall will address these issues as ones that must be considered before shooting a HD project.
Alan Young, President of HIGH DEF EXPO is quoted as saying, "With Randall Dark as one of our featured speakers, we hope to educate our attendees on the use of HD formats, and demystify some common misconceptions. Randall’s 16 years' of work exclusively in the HDTV medium distinguish him as both an artistic and technological visionary. Plus, as a writer, director, and producer with over 350 HDTV productions to his credit, Randall Dark will be able to offer an artist's point of view while demonstrating the technological advantages of High Definition".
Randall Paris Dark is the creative and marketing force behind HDVision Studios in Studio City. He is recognized globally as an enthusiastic speaker who tells it like it is. Randall has spoken about High Definition Television issues at events such as: the Tokyo International Film Festival, the National Association of Broadcaster's Convention, the International Electronic Cinema Festival, CES, World Television Forum and NATPE.
from High Def Expo
Wednesday, May 1, 2002
20/20 HD Vision: HD visionary Randall Dark takes his business to Los Angeles
STUDIO CITY, CA - While HD can be a risky and expensive proposition, it's becoming increasingly commonplace for post houses to invest in HD equipment, and expand their services to include digital cinema and HDTV mastering.But in 1993, when HD pioneer Randall Dark opened HDVision in Dallas the risk was considered extraordinary. The government's ATSC mandate - and revolutionary developments like Sony's HDCAM and CineAlta products which made HD acquisition portable with near film quality - were still years away.
Nevertheless, Dark made a name for himself by producing hundreds of hours of breath-taking HD programs, offering the first HDTV mobile unit and contributing HD equipment and expertise to landmark HDTV events such as a 1997 Baltimore Orioles game, one of the first live HDTV telecasts.
Today, Dark is again pushing the envelope of the HD arena. After closing HDVision in Dallas and New York, he's just opened a new Southern California facility - HD Vision Studios - that will serve as a one-stop-shop for anyone producing feature films, independent films, television shows, or any project where HD video is the medium of choice.
"There's definitely a groundswell for HD production," says Dark. "Movie studios are eyeing digital cinema as a way to cut film distribution costs, new HDTV cable and satellite services have entered the market; and film festivals are increasingly showcasing HD films. As the transition intensifies, any post facility that doesn't have HD capability under its belts will lose market share to those that do.
"Because HD is a cost effective alternative to film that can deliver images with the same look and emotional impact of film, producers feel compelled to evaluate the technology and cost structure of HD," he continues. "When they shoot 24p HD instead of 35mm film, the cost difference can be dramatic, with savings as much as 50 percent - on film stock, lab processing, telecine transfer, film prints, among other expenses."
Read the entire article in Post Magazine.
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