visionarri magazine issue 13
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Bill Pope, ASC, on shooting the latestadventures of the Men in Black
VisionARRIThe Biannual International Magazine from the ARRI RENTAL & POSTPRODUCTION ENTERPRISES
Big Screen Effects for the Small ScreenARRI VFX creates feature filmquality effects for primetimeTV dramas
Downton AbbeyNigel Willoughby, BSC,discusses season three of the hit period drama
ALEXA Plus 4:3The new ALEXA model and shooting anamorphic
6/12 ISSUE 13
ARRI SERVICES GROUP NETWORKARRI SUBSIDIARIESAUSTRALIAARRI Australia, Sydney CamerasStefan SedlmeierT +61 2 9855 [email protected]
AUSTRIAARRI Rental ViennaCameras, Digital Dailies, DI, TV Postproduction, VFXAndreas BuchschachnerT +43 189 201 07 [email protected]
CZECH REPUBLICARRI Rental PragueCameras, Lighting, GripMirek ObrmanT +420 234 707 [email protected]
GERMANYARRI Rental BerlinCameras, Lighting, GripUte BaronT +49 30 346 800 [email protected] Rental CologneCameras, Lighting, GripStefan MartiniT +49 221 170 [email protected] Rental LeipzigCameras, Lighting, GripAnnerose SchulzeT + 49 341 3500 [email protected] Rental MunichCameras, Lighting, GripThomas LoherT +49 89 3809 [email protected] Film&TV Services,MunichFilm Lab, DI, TV Postproduction,VFX, Sound, Studio, CinemaAngela ReedwischT +49 89 3809 [email protected] Film & TV Services,BerlinFilm Lab, DI, TV Postproduction,VFX, SoundMandy RahnT +49 30 408 17 [email protected] Film & TV Services,CologneDI, TV Postproduction, SoundMarkus KlaffT +49 221 57165 [email protected] Film, LudwigsburgFilm Lab, DI, TV PostproductionAlexander BarthelT +49 89 3809 [email protected]
HUNGARYARRI Rental BudapestCameras, GripClemens DanzerT +36 1 5500 [email protected]
LUXEMBOURGARRI Rental LuxembourgCamerasSteffen DitterT +352 2670 [email protected]
UNITED KINGDOMARRI Lighting Rental, LondonLightingTommy MoranT +44 1895 457 [email protected] Focus, London Short term lighting hire for commercials & promosMartin Maund, George MartinT +44 1895 810 [email protected]@arrifocus.comARRI Media, London Cameras, GripRussell AllenT +44 1895 457 [email protected] Crew, London Diary ServiceKate CollierT +44 1895 457 [email protected]
USAARRI CSC, New JerseyCameras, Lighting, GripHardwrick Johnson,Lynn GustafsonT +1 212 757 [email protected]@arricsc.comARRI CSC, Florida Cameras, Lighting, GripEd StammT +1 954 322 [email protected] Dynamics, LALighting, GripCarly Barber, Maria CarpenterT +1 818 686 [email protected]@illuminationdynamics.comIllumination Dynamics, North Carolina, Cameras, Lighting, GripJeff PentekT +1 704 679 [email protected]
ARRI PARTNERSAUSTRALIACameraquip, Melbourne, BrisbaneCamerasMalcolm RichardsT +61 3 9699 3922T +61 7 3844 [email protected]
CYPRUSSeahorse Films, Nicosia, PaphosCameras, Lighting, Grip, StudioAndros AchilleosT +357 9967 [email protected]
GERMANYMaddel’s Cameras,HamburgCameras, GripMatthias NeumannT +49 40 66 86 [email protected]
HUNGARYVisionTeam L.O., BudapestCameras, Lighting, GripGabor RajnaT +36 1 433 [email protected]
ICELANDPegasus Pictures, ReykjavikCameras, Lighting, GripSnorri ThorissonT +354 414 [email protected]
INDIAAnand Cine Service,ChennaiCameras, Lighting, Grip,Film Lab, DITarun KumarT: +91 44 4598 [email protected]
JAPANNAC Image Technology,Tokyo CamerasTomofumi Masuda Hiromi Shindome T +81 3 5211 7960 [email protected]
NEW ZEALANDCamera Tech, WellingtonCamerasPeter FlemingT +64 4562 [email protected]
Xytech Technologies,AucklandLightingStephen PryorT +64 9 377 99 [email protected]
ROMANIAPanalight Studio, BucharestCameras, Lighting, GripDiana ApostolT +40 727 358 [email protected]
SOUTH AFRICAMedia Film Service,Cape Town, Johannesburg,Durban, NamibiaCameras, Lighting, Grip, StudioJannie van WykT +27 21 511 [email protected]
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Filmquip Media, DubaiCameras, Lighting, GripAnthony Smythe, Aaron HughesT +971 4 439 0610 [email protected]@filmquipmedia.com
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VISIONARRI
VisionARRI would like to thank the following contributors:Susanne Bieger, Mark Hope-Jones, Ingo Klingspon, Will Loyd-Holmes, Judith Petty, Angela Reedwisch, Andrea Rosenwirth, Michelle Smith, An Tran, Sabine Welte
Front Cover Image: © 2012 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All rights reserved.
CONTENTS
11 LATEST ON LENSESTwo new lightweight zooms extend the Alura Zoom family
12 BLOCKBUSTER TV CALLS ON ARRI VFX FOR VISUAL EFFECTSThe VFX specialists at ARRI Film & TV create big screen effects for primetime TV dramas
16 DOWNTON ABBEYNigel Willoughby, BSC, on taking season threeof the hit TV drama into the glamorous 1920swith ALEXA
18 SAMS IM GLÜCKARRI Film & TV carry out extensive VFX work onfamily fantasy movie
22 ALEXA TODAY A round-up of the latest ALEXA developments
24 ALEXA TOMORROWA road map of software updates to come in 2012
26 LUDWIG II IN ARRIRAWARRI Film & TV discuss the on-set workflow and postproduction for a historical portrait of King Lugwig II
29 WEB TOOLS ON THE MOVEARRI web applications provide information via iPads, iPhones and other mobile devices
30 INTO THE FUTURE WITH THE ARRI LABARRI Film & TV’s Martin Schwertführer talksabout the future direction of the ARRI Lab
34NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
38 PRODUCTION UPDATE
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4 MEN IN BLACK 3Bill Pope, ASC, reflects on shooting the third Men in Black instalment with film and digital
6 ALEXA PLUS 4:3 FOR ANAMORPHICNew ALEXA model completes a perfect anamorphic line-up
8 GUARDIANSAdrian Cranage discusses working with the ALEXA and newALEXA M on Til Schweiger’s action drama
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Since Sony Studios required MIB 3 to be3D, the team extensively tested differentrigs and capture formats. The verdict: 35 mm on ARRICAMs with specialscenes shot ARRI ALEXA and postconversion for 3D. Camera, lighting and grip equipment was supplied byARRI CSC based out of Secaucus. SaidPope, “We projected the final tests side-
by-side and decided film converted wasthe better choice – not just visually, but interms of the filmmaking process. You can get closer to the actor, you can clearup their eye-lines better. We wanted to move fast and not have actors sitaround. Every test we did with 3Dcameras took forever and there wereglitches. The conversions now are so
sophisticated. You are able to have thesame control that I see no reason toactually shoot native (3D).”
Filming on 35 mm motivated the need toproperly display the footage during theshoot. Enter the ARRI HD-IVS high definitionvideo tap. “That was key for me,” saidPope whose credits include the MatrixTrilogy and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) return in MIB 3 with another day at the officeprotecting the planet from alien mischief. Add time travel, Andy Warhol, along with the Apollo 11 launchand you have Agent J jumping back four decades to prevent the murder of young Agent K (played by Josh Brolin). With a unique blend of odd couple humor, alien antics, and touching emotional moments, MIB 3reunites cinematographer Bill Pope, ASC, with director Barry Sonnenfeld. “I’ve known Barry since we were20. I understand his way of filmmaking and I thought it would be fun,” explained the DP, who was aclassmate of Sonnenfeld’s at NYU film school. “I’m a big admirer of the first two films. The first Men in Black(shot by Don Peterman, ASC) is a pretty perfect film in my mind.”
Bill Pope, ASC crafts sci-ficomedy with film & digital
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“Many have felt for years that the lack ofan HD tap on film cameras is one of thethings that led people to jump to digital,largely because the NTSC image on theset (from film cameras) looks terriblecompared to the HD image on set.Directors, producers and actors felt theywere looking at an inferior image, whichwas due to the tap, not the camera.After a year of tests with HD cameras,we were used to looking at HD monitors;so it was especially important on thismovie to use an HD tap.”
MIB 3 takes place in present day and in1969. For Pope and Sonnenfeld, the twotime periods did not require dramaticallydifferent shooting styles. “Once you’vechanged everything in the frame to1969 with costumes, art direction,
etcetera, you don’t have to do a wholelot to it to make it look different. Thecolors were swirly and wild. There weremore reds and bright colors in the 1969scenes. We didn’t want to show offphotographically because it would havedrawn the audience out of the movie.We decided to be subtle and stay withthe characters.”
As audiences have come to enjoy, thescale and scope of the Men in Blackmovies has always been epic yet quirky.From amazing creature design andmakeup, to scenes atop the Apollo 11shuttle, the filmmakers relied heavily onin-camera, CGI and greenscreen work.One of the most challenging sequencesmixed exteriors in Florida and LongIsland with massive greenscreen sets. “It was extremely complicated technicallyto match the interiors to the exterior andthe fight sequences running up anddown the gantry of Cape Canaveral.We had to turn foggy day into brightsunlight to match other days and make it all seem like it took place over a five-minute period of time, when it wasactually shot over a month.”
Another action-packed sequenceinvolved our two heroes chasing thevillain Boris from Queens to Manhattanon monopods. The night sequencerequired second unit to shoot backgroundthroughout the city, while first unit shotthe actors on stage. “There were hugeswaths of night lighting. I offered[second unit] the choice of ALEXA tosave a little lighting and make it easieron them. They jumped at the chance. Of all the digital cameras I have workedwith, I prefer the ALEXA. Each camera
has their strength, but so far I’ve beenquite a fan of the ALEXA,” said the DP.
With all this action taking place, it is an intimate night scene when the agentspause from their pursuit that speaks toPope. “I prefer emotion to action, so I’m looking forward to seeing that oneon screen. It is a dramatic scene for acomedy, so it was important to see theactors’ faces and the environment theywere in.”
These scenes were also captured withALEXA to showcase the East River,Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges in thebackground. “It was an enormous areato light. We shot at 1600 ASA on theALEXA, so that was a big help. It cut ourlighting budget by a quarter. Everybodywas happy,” he described. “I love thelook of ALEXA because it is very filmic –minus the grain. It’s beyond film in thesense that it has a higher latitude. Thenet effect of that is, skin looks reallycreamy. Always a goal of theatricalmotion pictures is to make people look asgood as possible. The ALEXA is a leg upon that whole look, so it’s very helpful.”
Pope’s appreciation of ALEXA does notlower his regard for celluloid. He prefersto select from a palette with options,which was demonstrated in how MIB 3was made. “I’m also a big fan of grain.It draws you into a motion picture. I’mdiscovering what these tools do, whatthey mean in terms of image quality and drawing audiences in or holdingaudiences out. There’s room for everyone of these tools. I think it’s aninteresting time.” n
An Tran
VISIONARRI
“I’M ALSO A BIG FAN OFGRAIN. IT DRAWS YOUINTO A MOTION PICTURE.I’M DISCOVERING WHATTHESE TOOLS DO, WHATTHEY MEAN IN TERMS OFIMAGE QUALITY ANDDRAWING AUDIENCES IN ORHOLDING AUDIENCES OUT.THERE’S ROOM FOR EVERYONE OF THESE TOOLS…”
BILL POPE, ASC
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ALEXA PLUS 4:3for anamorphicTrue CinemaScope® with theALEXA family of camerasShooting with anamorphic lenses for 2.39:1 widescreen distribution, a process oftenreferred to as CinemaScope (trademark 20th Century Fox), results in unique images that have long been appreciated by cinematographers, directors and the viewing publicalike. The fundamentals of the process apply to digital acquisition in exactly the sameway as they always have done to film, so long as one has a sensor that is about thesame size and shape as a film frame, and a viewfinder that can de-squeeze thecompressed image. The ALEXA system ticks both of these boxes.
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In April at NAB 2012 ARRI announced the ALEXA Plus 4:3, anew ALEXA model that has similar functionality to the ALEXAPlus but features a 4:3 Super 35 sensor, the ability to switchfrom 16:9 sensor mode to 4:3 sensor mode, and built-inlicenses for high speed shooting, DNxHD recording andanamorphic de-squeeze.
The ALEXA Plus 4:3 joins the ALEXA Studio and ALEXA M,which already have 4:3 sensors, rounding out a line-up that now represents the perfect solution for anamorphicproductions. The Studio might typically function as an A-camera, the Plus 4:3 as a B-camera and the M as acompact, versatile C-camera.
Anamorphic lenses squeeze the image by a factor of two, thus projecting a 1.195:1 aspect ratio image onto the sensor.When using sensors that are natively 16:9 or even wider, it isnecessary to crop the sides, resulting in a much smaller usedsensor area and a different angle of view for the lens.
With the ALEXA 4:3 cameras, the full area of the sensor isused and a much higher image quality retained. The 4:3sensor area also allows for more vertical repositioning in post,a feature that is appreciated by those shooting (and posting)commercials. In addition, the unique optical characteristics ofanamorphic lenses – the magic at the heart of anamorphiccinematography – are rendered faithfully and fully in thedigital image.
• 4:3 Super 35 sensor
• Switch between 16:9and 4:3 sensor modes
• Anamorphic de-squeeze licenseincluded
• High speed licenseincluded
• DNxHD licenseincluded
MAIN FEATURESALEXA PLUS 4:3
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The film was produced by Schweigerand Tom Zickler under their BarefootFilms banner; ARRI Rental Berlinprovided the camera equipment for the45-day shoot, which took place in andaround Berlin and Brighton. VisionARRIspoke to cinematographer AdrianCranage about shooting with the ALEXAand new ALEXA M because Guardiansmarks Schweiger’s first foray not onlyinto a different genre, but also into theworld of digital film production.
According to the DP, the ARRI ALEXAdelivered a stunning performance,proving to be robust and reliable during complex action sequences andimpressing with its unmatched lightsensitivity during night shoots and its incredible high speed function.Meanwhile the compact ALEXA Mguaranteed ALEXA quality when filming in the most constricted spaces.
Robust and reliableDuring action scenes, which by their nature are expensive and timeconsuming, camera equipment mustfunction properly once the director says ‘action.’ Guardians includes fiveextensive action sequences, duringwhich the ALEXA was put to the test.Cranage recalls one scene in particularin which a paramilitary unit storms acompromised safe house. The maincharacter, Max, fights off the attackersbut loses two of his partners in the blaze of gunfire. This sequence wasmeticulously planned and choreographedwith the help of an expert from a specialforces unit and a total of 40 peoplewere on set during the scene. Thespecial effects team spent two dayspreparing the set, placing squibs (smallcharges that simulate bullet hits) andtiming the gunshots and explosions.During lengthy rehearsals actors,stuntmen and the special effects team
blocked the entire sequence andconducted several run-throughs. On theactual day of shooting the team capturedthe action twice without gunfire andexplosions before ‘going hot.’ Since the safe house was to be completelydestroyed during the actual take, it was absolutely crucial that nothing wentwrong. Rebuilding the set and additionalspecial effects preparations were, forbudgetary and timing reasons, out of the question.
The complex arrangement was shot withfive ALEXAs. Four, with different anglesand lenses (Master Primes), werepointing at the paramilitary attackers.“One ALEXA was for the wide shot, two for close-ups and one was on theground,” says Cranage. Another ALEXA,as well as six Canon EOS 600Ds and aPhantom Gold, captured other parts ofthe action and grabbed inserts – such asthe explosion of the squibs. “The ALEXAswere subjected to water, dust and
Production of Til Schweiger’s Guardians got underway in late January 2012. It is the first actiondrama from the co-author, lead actor, producer and director whose comedies (Keinohrhasen,Zweiohrküken and Kokowääh) broke records at the German box office. Schweiger plays MaxFischer, a former soldier who served in Afghanistan as a member of an elite German militaryunit. Upon his return he joins a special police unit and finds himself in charge of protecting Nina, a 15-year-old orphan and the only witness to a brutal murder. Nina is played by LunaSchweiger, who takes the female lead opposite her father, just as she did in Phantomschmerz.
Cinematographer Adrian Cranage shoots anemotional action dramawith the ARRI ALEXA
Guardians
© W
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SHOOTING A SCENE: Adrian Cranage at the viewfinder of an ALEXA (center), behind him is Lars Richter (1st AC) and at the viewfinder of the camera on the ground is Erik Steingröver (gaffer)
debris,” explains Cranage, “We reallyput these cameras to the test.” TheALEXAs were up to the challenge anddelivered results the DP called “fantastic.”
The lightweight and compact ALEXA Mwas used when filming took place inconstricted spaces. In various car scenes,for example, the camera had to be setup inside the vehicle in places too smallfor a regular ALEXA. The M was alsoused within the set of a house – one ofonly two studio setups; the rest of the film was shot on location. Cranagerecalls a scene in which Nina, hidingfrom pursuers, watches them throughlatticework. The hiding place was sosmall that there wasn’t room for theyoung actress and the ALEXA. Yet theALEXA M was the perfect fit.
Shooting night exteriorsReading the script, Cranage recalls he was surprised by how many nightexteriors were called for. “Out of 45days of shooting, 18 were nightexteriors,” he explains. And the locationswere vast. In the past a great deal of
time and money would have gone intolighting such enormous night locations,but that has changed thanks to theALEXA. This became obvious whenfilming the night car scenes. Cranagewas worried about one in particular,because the location was a long sectionof a wide street in the heart of Berlin. To light the location was, despite thefilm’s sizable budget, out of the question.During preproduction the DP discovered,to his great relief, that with the ALEXA hecould shoot the scene almost exclusivelywith available light, simply because ofthe camera’s extremely light sensitiveimage sensor. The car was put on a lowloader, while two actors sat inside, andthe scene was shot with three ALEXAs.“We had seven 2K street lights in theshot, which we replaced with our lampsand we helped out a bit during theclose-ups,” says Cranage, “but otherthan that, we shot with available light.The result was incredible; there was noneed for Hollywood style lighting with acrane and backlights.” The productionbriefly considered shooting the night carscenes in the studio in front of a
greenscreen because the temperatureshad dropped below -15°C duringFebruary and one particular scene called for a broken car window. Yet the greenscreen idea was discardedimmediately because the look of the filmwould have suffered. “The available lightcoming from the Kebab shops and pubslining the streets gave the image not onlythat special Berlin flare, but also aunique texture that you simply can’tcreate in the studio,” explains Cranage.
When filming a scene in the trunk of acar, the only light source for ALEXA wasa glow stick. In the trunk were twoactors, hiding from their pursuers. Onewall had been removed for the cameraand the inside of the trunk was lit with a military-grade glow stick. Cranagecredits DP Eduard Grau with the glowstick idea, who used this ‘trick’ shootingthe film Buried. The light coming fromthe glow stick was more than sufficientfor ALEXA, which again stood out thanksto its light sensitivity. Guardians was shotentirely at EI 800, with lenses from theMaster Prime series.
VISIONARRI
“IT’S AN INCREDIBLEEXPERIENCE WHEN YOUCAN SWITCH FROM 24 FPSTO 48 FPS TO 96 FPS INA MATTER OF SECONDS .”
ADRIAN CRANAGE
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GUARDIANS
In another scene, a car barely visible tothe eye drives through a desolate rurallandscape at night; only the headlightscan be seen. “It was pitch dark when we shot that; I barely saw anything,”recalls Cranage, who captured theimage using only available light as itwould have exceeded their budget tolight such a scene. The DP notes that thenight exteriors were “the most incredibleexperience for me” and adds that oncold nights, the electronic eyepiece ofthe ALEXA was a real blessing as it was always warm and therefore neverfogged up. This helped ensure thatneither the cast nor the crew had tospend more time than necessary out in the bitter cold.
High speed feature Another ALEXA feature that wasfrequently used when filming Guardianswas the camera’s high speed function.“It’s an incredible experience when youcan switch from 24 fps to 48 fps to 96fps in a matter of seconds,” ravesCranage. “To be able to quickly adjustthe shutter speed was great for us,because we had a lot of gunfire in thefilm and had decided early on to createit in-camera rather than in post.” Duringextensive testing, the DP and his teamfigured out the ‘magic number,’ as hesays with a wink, a combination thatactually captures the muzzle flashes in 9out of 10 cases. And so the experiencedcamera team, knowing the requiredshutter speed when a gun was in theshot, quickly and effortlessly made thenecessary changes.
The high speed function was also usedin a safe house sequence, when sixparamilitary attackers force their wayinto the building. This action scene took up five of the ten shooting daysscheduled for that set. It was shot at 60fps up to 100 fps and the shutter speedwas changed several times. “You justpress a button,” says the DP.
Cranage was also impressed by the on-set monitoring and grading capabilities.“We were able to look at the footageright away and in slow motion,” herecalls. “Til Schweiger got to look at thefootage from all the ALEXAs. We hadfour 17” monitors and even the instantplayback included the on-set grading.The material we were viewing alreadyhad the look that we had decided onduring preproduction.”
Digital recording technology is ideal for the way Schweiger prefers to work,as he edits his films while shooting.During a press conference in March, he presented 26 minutes of the film.“And he’s not showing a rough cut,”
says Cranage. The footage has alreadybeen graded by Das Kombinat/ARRIFilm & TV Services Berlin, where thedigital dailies were created, and is quiteclose to what the finished film will looklike. These early versions include soundand music, as well as effects. The shortturnaround times of workflows for digitalrecording technologies significantlyexpedited this process. The impressivequality of the images at such an earlystage is owed to the ALEXA camerasystem and its extremely light sensitiveimage sensor, as well as to the on-setgrading capabilities and the high qualitydigital dailies.
“I think the decision to go with ARRIproducts and services from ARRI RentalBerlin was the best decision we couldhave made,” concludes Cranage.
The film’s co-producer, Warner Bros.Pictures Germany, will releaseGuardians theatrically on September 27, 2012. n
Susanne Bieger
ON SET: Jürgen Wolf (key grip) looks through an ALEXA
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ARRI is unique in offering filmmakers a modern range ofmatched, high-performance prime, zoom and specialtycinematography optics. A particular strength is the wide end of the range, where ARRI offers unparalleled lenses such as theUltra Prime 8R/T2.8. This lens, along with the rest of the UltraPrime series and also the prestigious Master Prime range, isthe result of an on-going collaboration with Carl Zeiss that hasbrought about some of the most high-performing and user-friendly cine lenses ever manufactured.
In recent years ARRI has developed a collaborative partnershipwith another world-renowned optics company – Fujinon. The ARRI/FUJINON Alura Zooms have been developed to
accompany the ARRI ALEXA digital camera system; they areoptimized for digital sensors, but also work perfectly on film.Initially launching with two studio zooms, the 18-80/T2.6 and45-250/T2.6, the Alura Zoom family now includes two newlightweight zooms, the 15.5-45/T2.8 and 30-80/T2.8.
The new Alura Zooms offer the same exceptional opticalquality as the studio zooms but are lightweight and mobile,making them ideal for handheld, Steadicam, 3D and actionphotography, and their compatibility with the ARRI Lens DataSystem allows valuable metadata to be utilized both on setand in post. n
Lightweight Alura Zooms
Latestonlenses
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Blockbuster TV calls on ARRI VFX for visual effects
München 72 is the first primetime television drama about thedramatic events surrounding the 1972 Olympic Games to betold from a German perspective. They were supposed to be theGames of hope and reconciliation, presenting a new, open-minded, tolerant Germany to the rest of the world. But theattack on the Olympic village by Palestinian terrorists, whotook eleven Israeli athletes hostage, ended the dream of acarefree Olympics in just one night.
In early summer of 2011 Hans Kornacher, VFX Supervisor ofthis teamWorx production and Computer Science and MediaProfessor at the Cologne University for Applied Sciences,approached ARRI Film & TV, Munich with the VFX breakdownsfor München 72. Everyone at ARRI was thrilled. “We’vealways wanted to work with teamWorx because here inGermany they are synonymous with high-end TV movies thatare generally very VFX driven,” explains Trimborn. “This TVdrama about an historic event from Germany’s not-so-distantpast called for the highest quality and absolute realism.”
The fact that ARRI VFX had previously worked on actionsequences involving gunfire and helicopters on feature filmssuch as The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008) seemed to tipthe scale in ARRI’s favor during the bidding process. In fact,Trimborn and his team of specialists convinced the responsibleparties at teamWorx with references and sample shots.
“For München 72 we planned and executed 100 VFX shots,”reports VFX Producer Katja Müller, who, after reading thescreenplay, budgeted the project and was in charge ofplanning and scheduling. The list of complex visual effectscreated at ARRI VFX include digitally dramatized gun battles,several monitor inserts of historical news footage, reflections ofthe surroundings in windows, as well as particles and smallfragments whirled through the air by the rotor blades ofhelicopters. However, the main challenge facing ARRI’s VFXteam was to recreate a Boeing 727 passenger plane and BellUH-1 helicopters as 3D models true to scale on the computer.
Dominik Trimborn is convinced that “the effects shots ARRI created for München 72 couldeasily have been shown on the big screen. That’s how good the quality is.” The Head ofARRI VFX even insists that today there is barely a discernible difference between the effectsfor high-end TV productions and theatrical releases. “The standards we had during thedays of analog television are obsolete. And HD is pretty close to 2K.”
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Hyperrealistic 3D models
“During pre-production it became clear that the flightsequences in the film had to be computer generated because it would have been too costly to bring a Boeing or anoperational helicopter to the set,” explains Head of 3DMichael Koch, who was also present on set during filming.“The required hyperrealistic look of these aircraft was one of the reasons why we wanted to work on the project,” addsTrimborn. “Those are the kinds of creative challenges thatinterest us and when we succeed, they’re the sample shots thatwe can use as references when bidding for future projects.”
A Bell UH-1 helicopter from the German border patrol servedas the texture sample for the 3D model. “It had been groundedand was only used for reenactments,” explains Koch. Work on the 3D models commenced early on and took eight weeksto complete.
Particularly challenging was the transition from the actualhelicopter sitting on the ground surrounded by the actors to the shadow of the digital version flying away. “It was tricky to hide that cut,” says Trimborn, “but we succeeded, even inthe close-ups.”
In August 2011 the film, which included numerous night scenes, was shot on the ALEXA in ProRes 4444 (DP Gero Steffen) under the direction of Dror Zahavi.
Kornacher and the responsible parties from teamWorks wereimpressed with the final results, which were completed by theend of the year. Trimborn points out that “there were hardlyany requests for changes. Apparently, they didn’t expect sucha high standard.” ARRI’s VFX team is especially proud of thefact that a prestigious customer like teamWorx didn’t bringtheir VFX work to them as part of an overall package dealwith ARRI, but approached them directly, a sign that ARRI VFXis considered a reputable VFX house.
München 72, a highly anticipated television event, first airedon March 19 2012, on ZDF.
© ZDF/
Heike
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ARRI VFX TEAMHead of VFX: Dominik TrimbornVFX Producer: Katja MüllerVFX Supervisor: Dominik Trimborn
Prof. Hans KornacherVFX 3D Supervisor: Michael Koch
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The race to the moon
Another major television production also completed with the help of ARRI’s VFX department is Deckname Luna.Commissioned by the German public broadcaster ZDF anddirected by Ute Wieland, the 120-minute, two-part miniserieswas produced by ndF: neue deutsche Filmgesellschaft.
“Content wise the project is a continuation of the successfulthree-part miniseries Die Rebellin, which was completed in2009, also with the support of ARRI VFX. The story revolvedaround the years immediately after the war, at the beginningof the German ‘Wirtschaftswunder’,” recalls ARRI CreativeDirector Jürgen Schopper. “Deckname Luna focuses on theCold War in the ‘60s, especially the arms race and the rocketscience research surrounding the bid to be the first country to set foot on the moon.”
In Deckname Luna the protagonist (Anna Maria Mühe), thegrandchild of a Soviet rocket scientist of German decent (Götz George) who fled the USSR, gets entangled in a West German-East German espionage affair surrounding the fuel supply based on the old V2 rockets.
“Thanks to our longstanding relationship and successfulcollaboration with the director, Ute Wieland, ARRI VFX wasbrought on board even before the screenplay was finished,”recalls Schopper. “We were able to get involved in theconceptual phase, sketch out ideas and help design the look of the production in crucial places.”
The idea to recall the historical times using stock footage andinserting the lead actress “just as we’d done on Almanya –Willkommen in Deutschland (2011),” proved to be particularlyproductive and exciting, says Schopper. “We were able toshow examples of how we’ve done this in the past, whichmade the production team realize how well it could work. Theythen came up with a concept that used this effect even morethan was originally intended. It became a design element. Thefact that this type of effect, still mostly associated with featurefilms, can now also be effectively used in high-end televisionproductions is for most production companies still an idea thatrequires some getting used to. But that’s exactly where we arecalled upon to inform people otherwise.”
DIGITALLY INTEGRATED: an actor (3rd right) combined with stock footage
IN THE VFX SUITE: Ute Wieland, Jürgen Schopper and Susanne Freyer (left to right)
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“THE COLLABORATION WITH JÜRGENSCHOPPER ON DECKNAME LUNACONSISTED, AS IT ALWAYS DOES, OFDEVELOPING THE EFFECTS AND THE LOOKOF THE FILM TOGETHER WHILE KEEPINGTHE CHARACTERS AND THE STORY INMIND. JÜRGEN IS INSPIRING ANDSURPRISES WITH HIS CREATIVE IDEAS.THE DIGITAL EFFECTS NEVER TAKE ON ALIFE OF THEIR OWN. JÜRGEN SCHOPPPERIS A VFX ARTIST WHO KEEPS THE BIGPICTURE IN MIND.”
Ute Wieland (Director) and Susanne Freyer (Creative Executive)
HISTORICALLY ACCURATE: after extensive research rocket launch scenes were created as 3D CG animation
At the very beginning of Deckname Luna there is a parachutesequence involving the female protagonist. It retains the look of 16 mm film by using footage from a GDR air show.Another scene using archival footage shows the lead actress in Munich during the Schwabinger Uprising in June of 1962.To give the image depth the ARRI effects specialists inserted a bus that passes her and is perspective correct.
The visualization of two rocket launches turned out to be highlyinvolved; daylight shots with a long trajectory without a cut.“After extensive research the scene was created as a 3D CGanimation,” says ARRI VFX Supervisor Stefan Tischner. “Wehad to ensure that every detail was historically correct – thelaunch pad, the tower, the way the holding clamps disengage,the ice particles coming off the rocket and the smoke andparticle clouds coming from the engines.”
“There were about 120 of these type of effects shots in this TVmovie, including set extensions that turned a Berlin gravel quarryinto the wintery Siberian Tundra, complete with simulatedsnowfall. Retouching tasks also involved removing a number ofdetails that were historically inaccurate, a job that has to be doneon most historical films,” adds ARRI VFX Producer Nina Knott.
When giving TV VFX shots the intended emphasis it isimportant to keep in mind that one is working on a smallercanvas. This becomes apparent in a dialogue scene betweentwo characters, who are standing at a window during amoonlit night when they see a shooting star. “In a feature filmthis shooting star would have been too dramatic an effect. It would have looked more like a comet,” exclaims Schopper,with a smile. “However, on the small screen you have to makesure that the audience even notices the effect.”
Deckname Luna was shot on the ALEXA (DP Peter Przybylski)between August and November of 2011 in various locations,including Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Rostock, Stettin andAugsburg. Part one has been completed and approved. Part two will be finished in early June. ARRI Munich is also in charge of editing and grading the TV production.
Expanding ARRI’s VFX capabilities
Full CG elements, such as animations involving airplanes,helicopters or rocket launches, used to be too costly for TVbudgets. “Now, we’ve become so efficient at creating VFX thatwe can, with a good team, finish the work in a very short timeand at prices that make VFX interesting and affordable for TVproductions,” stresses Trimborn.
ARRI’s VFX capabilities have recently been significantlyexpanded. “At our facilities in Berlin, Cologne and Munich we have a total of 30 people working in the VFX departments.In particular Berlin, with Manfred Büttner as VFX Supervisor, is starting to make a name for itself, and we set up shop inCologne to increase our presence in the TV market,” saysTrimborn. ARRI’s VFX departments have access to a databasedeveloped in-house that can be accessed from all ARRIlocations to ensure that everyone is on the same page. “Wecan budget, organize and work on jobs, or parts there of,everywhere. We have created a workflow and a pipeline thatallows us to outsource a project to any one of our locations atany time to avoid bottlenecks. In other words, we have createdthe flexibility to run all facilities at full capacity.”
“We also have a growing network of freelancers at our disposalthat includes people who can work on very specializedassignments,” adds Schopper. “For example, for the rocketlaunch in Deckname Luna we had a particle specialist who was able to create the engine exhaust believably.”
One of the main concerns of the effects specialists continues to be that they are brought onto projects too late in the game.“There are so many films now in which VFX play an importantrole. Ideally, we as a department need to be a bigger part ofthe equation and be involved, just like the camera and editingdepartments, early on in the planning stages,” Trimborn pointsout. “This does not affect the customer’s budget since we don’tcharge for consultations during the planning stages.” n
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VisionARRI: Season one had a fairlywarm look, which was replacedby a cooler look for the waryears in season two. What wasyour approach this time around?
Nigel Willoughby: Well, I shot the seasontwo Christmas special at 3200 K and itwas meant to be quite cool looking,although I think that got graded out alittle. At the beginning of this new seriesit’s still winter, so I started it off with thesame coolness and then gradually uppedthe color temperature as we went along.It’s one of the things I really like aboutthe ALEXA: the ability to change colortemperature on set and see what you’regetting immediately – it’s a fabulous littletool and useful on this job because therejust isn’t the time to apply LUTs.
VA: Has the lighting approach tothe various spaces at Highclerebecome fairly standardized afterthree seasons?
NW: The approach has slightly changedfrom season two. I don’t have a balloon
in the main hall anymore, I use a big18K soft – all the lighting is much softernow. We have an 18K coming throughthe big window and everything elseinside is literally lit as per the scene, offthe floor. We do still have a balloon inthe dining room for the night scenesbecause experience dictates that that’sthe best way to go. I’ve shot one or twoscenes in the library with available light,thanks again to the wonders of theALEXA. I did that purely because onmost scenes we’re up against the clockand I figured I’d try it out to see whathappened, and of course the cameracoped very well.
VA: So you relied purely onavailable light for an interiorlocation scene?
NW: There were literally no fixtures on set – just daylight. It was a fairlyovercast day so the light wasn’t going tochange; I felt confident that I wouldn’thave to control it during the couple ofhours it was going to take to shoot the
scene, so we had a few bits of poly onset for bounce and that was it. I mightnot have risked that before, without theALEXA, but I did and it worked.
VA: Overall, were you content that ALEXA was the right camerasystem for the job?
NW: To be honest there is no othercamera that comes close to the ALEXAand I just hope it’s setting a benchmarkfor all future generations. There are manythings I like about it, but in particular themenu system is so versatile – very easyto understand and quick to apply. It’sfilm friendly; I’m kind of a film guy who’scome over to high def and the ALEXAhas made that transition quite inspiring, I have to say.
VA: On film shoots you’ve oftenused a large number of differentfilm stocks. Did you try differentEI ratings with ALEXA, as DPGavin Struthers did for seasontwo, or did you stick to EI 800and filter accordingly?
Nigel Willoughby, BSC, on shooting season three of the hit period drama with ALEXA
Produced by Carnival Films for ITV in the UK, Downton Abbey is a firm favorite with television audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. Set in the titular country mansion of an aristocratic English family, the show is largely filmed on location at Highclere Castle in Hampshire and revolves around the lives not only ofDownton’s upper-class occupants, but also of the servants who coexist with them. Season one was set inthe years leading up to the First World War, season two traversed that war and the upcoming season three,shot by cinematographer Nigel Willoughby, BSC, continues into the glamorous 1920s. Like the previousseason, this latest was shot with ARRI ALEXA cameras supplied by ARRI Media in London.
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NW: I’m afraid I’m one of those naughty people like Gavinwho still treats it like film. I know the argument for shooting at800, but I hate putting NDs and IRNDs on the front of lensesbecause they often come out with different color temperatures.I just prefer to treat it as if it was film and I know that I’mwithin the parameters, so like Gavin I change it. I quite often
shoot exteriors at 160, night exteriors at about 500 andinteriors at up to 1000. Some colorists don’t like it, but I knowwhat results I can get and it works very well like that for me.
VA: You’re recording ProRes 444 to the on-boardSxS PRO cards; what is your dailies workflow?
NW: Rec 709 is applied to the rushes, which provides aconsistency that I can double check and reference when I’mgrading. My rushes are put on a hard drive so I’ve got themon hand at all times; I carry the whole show around with meand my DIT has been grading various rushes for me on a dailybasis, just to see what we are getting and where we can gowith it.
VA: Do you take a different approach tocamerawork for the contrasting worlds of upstairsand downstairs?
NW: We’ve resorted to handheld downstairs throughout and amore-or-less static or slow tracking approach upstairs, which issimilar to what was done on the first series. That said, due tothe nature of the storylines we are introducing some handheldupstairs as well, although I can’t give too much away! We’vealso continued to use the Steadicam upstairs a lot and we’veeven been doing quite a bit downstairs this year.
VA: Were you operating a camera yourself?
NW: On this one, no I haven’t. I’ve reluctantly had to give itup, again because of the timescales, the nature of the shootingand the fact that I’m doing the whole series so I don’t have abreak. I’ve found myself preferring to be at the monitor so thatI can spend more time fine tuning the lighting with Phil Brookes,the gaffer, but I have two very good operators on board. We often have two cameras running at once, which is anotherreason for me to be at the monitor. n
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In charge of creating 250 effects shots was ARRI’s VFXCreative Director Jürgen Schopper. “There are two aspects that make Sams im Glück so remarkable,” reflects Schopper. “One is the trust that Ulrich Limmer and Collina Filmproduktionplaced in our competence and the other is the newlystreamlined collaboration between the various departments ofARRI Media Services that make us all the more efficient whentackling large assignments, even in difficult situations undertime pressure – as was the case with this film,” he continues.“We were able to provide input long before shootingcommenced, even before the project was being submitted for funding. It’s a privilege we here at ARRI VFX earned afternumerous collaborations with Collina; a privilege that ensuresthe best possible working conditions.”
The previous two Sams instalments were directed by Ben Verbong. This time Peter Gersina took the helm after proving his talent for exciting children’s films with
Tiger Team – Der Berg der 1000 Drachen (2010). DP GerhardSchirlo (Wickie the Viking, 2009 and The Whore, 2010) is“not only an excellent cinematographer but is experienced withVFX,” Schopper points out. “From the start we had a greatrapport with him.”
The film was shot between August and October of 2011 on the ARRI ALEXA (4444 Log C) with a ratio of 2.35:1. “Ulli Limmer insisted on the scope format,” says Schopper.
“Shooting digitally means you see an actual image, not avideo playback that’s qualitatively not on par with what thecamera is recording,” says VFX Supervisor David Laubsch.“You can grab the signal, show it on the monitor and watchthe scene in the same quality that the editor and colorist arelater going to see it in. On a good monitor you can judge thefocus and decide whether the take is good or not. There’smore transparency working this way,” Laubsch states.
ARRI Media Services brings popular children’s character back to the big screen
Sams im Glück is the third film adaptation, following Sams (2001) and Sams in Gefahr (2003), from thepopular series of children’s books about a creature with red hair and a pig’s nose that can grant wishes.This latest instalment was produced by Collina Filmproduktion, the screenplay was co-written by producerUlrich Limmer and author of the original books, Paul Maar. Also playing a major role in the film’sproduction was the ARRI Media Services group: ARRI Productions (B.A. Productions) co-produced, ARRI Film& TV was in charge of postproduction and ARRI Rental provided the camera, lighting and grip equipment.
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“And the collaboration between the editing room, the onlinedepartment, the color grading and the VFX team has becomemuch easier on a digital shoot.”
Postproduction was completely in the hands of ARRI Film & TVand involved digital dailies (Munich), the DI, visual effects, titledesign, sound (Re-Recording: Tschangis Chahrokh) and TVpostproduction, as well as generating the digital cinemapackage and analog print copies.
One of the highlights of the film is that Sams im Glück fanswill, for the first time, be taken to the land of the Samse, Sams’people, where they live and where baby Samse hatch fromeggs. “Most of the special effects involved shots set in thisfantasy world, where things occur that can’t be captured incamera. That’s why there are more effects shots than in theprevious two installments,” explains Schopper.
Samse in the fog
Initially, the intention was to build Samsland entirely in thestudio (Production Designer: Jana Karen-Brey) to avoid setextension. “However, the first results showed that visually itwould be more pleasing to create extra depth,” recallsSchopper. “Originally, there were only plans for one wide shotat the very beginning but we ended up extending nearly all thescenes and in the end, about one third of the effects shots forSamsland were set extensions.”
The initial studio sets had a yellow, heavily textured ‘flokati’look and included oversized baby-blue eggs, with everythingshrouded in a light fog. “We even had flokati-covered ironsand lamps,” says Laubsch. “We continued this aesthetic tocreate depth and added, using matte paintings, little stars andpink clouds in front of the distant mountain range that you cansee in the background. This was probably the most difficulttask for the VFX operators because it involved rotoscoping andthe masks had to be defined, sometimes frame by frame, inorder to create a proper separation between foreground andbackground. That was a rather involved undertaking.”
“MOST OF THE SPECIALEFFECTS INVOLVED SHOTSSET IN THIS FANTASYWORLD, WHERE THINGSOCCUR THAT CAN’T BECAPTURED IN CAMERA.THAT’S WHY THERE AREMORE EFFECTS SHOTS THANIN THE PREVIOUS TWOINSTALLMENTS.”
AN EXPLODING ROOF was created digitally, then virtual smoke, dust, debris and animated flying umbrellas added
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“During color grading (Lead Color Grader Traudl Nicholson,DI Producer Andreas Mummert), we had long discussions about the look of Samsland, which also affected VFX,” saysSchopper. “Luckily, the DI department is two doors down andwe could easily find out what was happening to the images.”
Samsland can be reached only through a spiral-shapedwormhole, which was created entirely as a CG animation.Another highlight of the Samsland scenes are those thatinclude baby Sams. Also played by Sams actress ChristineUrspruch, who was digitally shrunk to child size. Baby Samssits in an eggshell, sucking on a pacifier and making insolentremarks, which solicit exasperated sighs from the gatheredSams community.
Historic preservation done digitally
The second major VFX challenge on this project involved thequaint historic center of Bamberg, the location for a heart-stopping stunt scene. The character Mr. Taschenbier, who ismutating into a Sams, hijacks a city bus and drives it atbreakneck speed on two wheels through the narrow streets ofthe town. To recreate this adrenaline-packed sequence on thecomputer, each shot was filmed twice with a motion controlcamera to capture every setup with and without the bus.Meanwhile, a 3D model of the bus had been created at ARRI and the rotoscoped images of the driving bus (completewith the reflections of the city on its surface) were projectedonto the model in 3D to create the texture. Then the bus wasdigitally tilted onto two wheels and transferred into thebackground plate.
“At first we thought this effect would prove to be morecomplicated than it was. But everything went quite smoothly,just the way we like it,” recalls Laubsch. “This wasn’t really 3D.
It was more like a 2½D solution because we lifted the texturefrom the filmed material,” adds VFX Producer Nina Knott. “The difficulty when inserting 3D material into live actionscenes is to make it look ‘real’. The beauty of using thatmethod was that the light and reflections of the surroundingswere correct. All we had to do was tilt the bus. Otherwise the scene blended perfectly into the background.”
In conclusion, Schopper says: “During this action sequence we also had to take into consideration that we were making a children’s film and not a Die Hard sequel. It couldn’t be tooadrenaline fueled. We needed to find a balance betweenfunny and realistic.”
Within the story Mr. Taschenbier can often be found in the atticfine-tuning his fully automated umbrella production machine,which he hopes will afford him financial independence.However, the venture is doomed to fail. The machine goes into overdrive, blows the roof right off the house and dropsumbrellas all over the neighborhood. “For this scene we builtthe entire roof as an interactive model on the computer (3D model with 3ds max, compositing on Nuke) before weblew it up, virtually adding the smoke, dust and debris,”explains Head of 3D, Michael Koch.
Completing the 250 effects shots involved a number of othertasks for ARRI’s VFX team: inserting storm clouds, making Sams disappear in a number of shots, creating set extensionsof buildings, lots of transformation effects (particle animation)of Mr. Taschenbier turning into a Sams, several roof sequencesinvolving actors that were shot in front of a greenscreen,digital matte paintings of Bamberg by night (HDR-panoramashots of Bamberg at three different exposure levels), Sams’digital tears, a number of wire removals (safety ropes on theroof), speed ups and a number of retouching assignments.
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Over the course of three months, from January through Marchof 2012, these VFX shots were created by a team of ten ARRIspecialists. “It was nice to collaborate so closely with the editor(Kai Schroeter). And it was great to have such a long layoutphase to give the client an idea of what the end result wouldlook like, they could then make editing decisions based onthat. Once the effects were completed we got feedback fromthe editor to fine-tune the edit,” says Schopper. “Gettingfeedback on the VFX from the editor is ideal because it allowsyou to improve the end product. Ulli Limmer and his productioncompany gave us a lot of leeway. When he liked oursuggestions he was even willing to recut the shot.”
The production even invested in elaborate title animation. The people in charge liked Matthias Brauner’s concept designfor the title sequence, which combined large 3D animatedletters with live action shots of Sams standing in front of astage curtain. They even signed off on one extra day ofshooting with Christine Urspruch in front of a greenscreen atthe Plaza Media studio. In the title sequence Sams is trying tostop a total of seven titles from entering the frame. The lettersexact revenge in a number of funny ways. Creating the titlesequence (After Effects, Cinema4D, keyed live action scenes,compositing on Nuke) took about a month. “The title design,”says Schopper, “sets the tone of the entire film. At the end thecurtain drops to the floor revealing the first image of the film.”
Universum film distributed Sams im Glück, which opened inGerman theaters on March 29, 2012. n
Ingo Klingspon
ARRI VFX TEAM
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A 3D BUS, complete with reflections on its surface, was digitally tilted onto two wheels and combined with the background plate
Head of Visual Effects Dominik Trimborn
Creative Director Prof. Jürgen Schopper
VFX Producer Nina Knott
VFX Supervisor David Laubsch
Senior Compositing Artists Stefan Tischner
Philipp Danner
Paul Poetsch
Compositing Artists Benjamin Kaczorek
Roland Pfisterer
Tim Stern
Junior Compositing Artist Evenlyn Schunn
Head of 3D Michael Koch
3D Artists Patrick McCue
Gerion Zwostra
3D FX Artist Andreas Bundenthal
Match Moving Christoph Gaudl
Junior 3D Artist Marie Kister
Title Design & Animation Matthias Brauner
Project Coordinator Dailies Andreas Thomas
Colourist Dailies Heike Schuda
• ARRIRAWexternal recorder required
• HD-SDI video external recorder required
• Apple QuickTime/ProRes filesinternal recording to SxS PRO cards
• Avid MXF/DNxHD filesinternal recording to SxS PRO cards
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ALEXA STUDIOARRI ended 2011 by proudly shipping the first ALEXA Studios,and has been building and shipping many more Studios sincethen. Operators are happy about the optical viewfinder, whilecinematographers and directors alike appreciate the 4:3sensor, which allows the best use of anamorphic lenses forwidescreen projects. Upcoming ALEXA Studio movies includeSkyfall, shot by Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC and Rush, shot byAnthony Dod Mantle, DFF, BSC, ASC.
DNxHDSoftware Update Packet (SUP) 6.0 was released in February2012, enabling DNxHD recording through a license key thatcan be activated by ARRI’s rental facilities. In addition, therewere a number of new features, including color bars, new userbutton abilities (de-squeeze on/off and Auto White Balance)and new icons in the electronic viewfinder and on MON OUTto indicate an ARRI Look File being active. Smooth Mode isalso now indicated in the electronic viewfinder.
DNxHD further increases the amazing flexibility of ALEXAcameras, which feel at home in any production environment.ALEXA cameras are unique in that they are not tied to oneproprietary recording format, but support four different outputformats, each with various flavors (for example five ProRescodecs with different compression ratios). Thus any productionneed can be met, from high-end feature film to soap opera.
A round-up of the latest ALEXA developments
A number of new ALEXA cameras, capabilities and documents have become available in 2012 thatcombine to make the ALEXA family of cameras the most versatile digital camera system yet.
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To make all the new ALEXA cameras and featureseasier to understand, the ALEXA workflow pageson the ARRI website have been updated and newweb pages created. In addition, various new datasheets and white papers, which summarize andillustrate their sometimes complex subjects in asimple manner, can be accessed from the ARRIwebsite DOWNLOAD page:
www.arri.com/alexa/downloads
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ALEXA MIn May ARRI started shipping the ALEXA M, which shines with its ability to fit into places a regular ALEXA could notgo. ALEXA M is the ideal camera for 3D rigs, helicoptershots, underwater rigs, car interiors, action photography,Steadicam and handheld.
“The M worked very well in a 3D rig and very well on aSteadicam, but the setup that really showed its benefitswas the car. With the M we suddenly had a lot of spacein the car, which made rigging easier, especially with thecage that surrounds the camera – you can put it whereveryou want. Essentially the M allows elegant solutions indifficult situations and enables new perspectives with nosacrifice in quality. You could use other small cameras forthese kinds of shots, but none of them offer this level ofquality. You can trust the M because it is an ALEXA; whenI take this camera into the fight I know I will win!”Tom Faehrmann, DP and ALEXA M test shooter
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Shooting
A road map of software updates to come in 2012 The new features planned for 2012 are designed to improveALEXA’s already stellar overall image quality with newDebayer algorithms; to make better image quality available for less money with exciting new recording formats; and tooffer a number of features requested by users. These featureswill be delivered in the form of Software Update Packets(SUPs) throughout 2012, though exact details and dates mayalter as the year unfolds.
SOFTWARE UPDATE PACKET (SUP) 6.1 Q2 2012SUP 6.1 consolidates various updates for different ALEXAmodels into one SUP for all ALEXA cameras. It reduces theamount of time it takes to switch from 16:9 to 4:3 mode onALEXA Studio, ALEXA M and ALEXA Plus 4:3 to around oneminute, and allows for the creation of a Lens Data Archive lensprofile with the ALEXA Studio, ALEXA Plus and ALEXA Plus 4:3.SUP 6.1 also adds extra status information to the Lens DataDisplay for Focus Pullers, allows the display of a large cameraunit letter on MON OUT and provides an icon for Peaking inthe electronic viewfinder and on MON OUT.
SOFTWARE UPDATE PACKET (SUP) 7.0 Q3 2012 SUP 7.0 provides a number of features that will enhanceimage quality and improve feature film production onto in-camera SxS PRO cards. The current Regular Speed Debayeralgorithm inside ALEXA will be replaced with a new algorithmthat provides even cleaner, sharper-looking images than ALEXAdoes today, especially on high contrast edges and in areaswith fine detail. The new Regular Speed Debayer algorithmapplies to all HD-SDI outputs, as well as ProRes and DNxHDimages in Regular Speed mode (0.75 to 60 fps). At the sametime the High Speed Debayer algorithm (for 60 to 120 fps)will be replaced with an even better version.
Two exciting new recording options are enabled by SUP 7.0.The first is ProRes 4:3, which facilitates the shooting ofanamorphic feature films onto in-camera SxS PRO cards. It will work with all ALEXA cameras that are 4:3 capable(ALEXA Studio, ALEXA M and ALEXA Plus 4:3). On sphericallens shoots, ProRes 4:3 gives extra room for verticalrepositioning in post, while on ARRIRAW shoots it provides the option for an extra in-camera backup. ProRes 4:3 records2048 x 1536 pixels into a QuickTime/ProRes file, supports all ProRes codecs, and works from 0.75 to 48 fps.
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The second new recording option, ProRes 2K is great forshooting feature films onto in-camera SxS PRO cards withoutrescaling, as would be needed with ProRes HD. ProRes 2Kprovides a high quality 2048 x 1152 ProRes file that is idealfor feature film productions; it will initially only be available for Regular Speed (0.75 to 60 fps).
In addition, SUP 7.0 includes the LCC (Low Contrast Curve)ARRI Look File in each ALEXA by default and simplifies howthe Studio’s MIRROR PARK button works.
SOFTWARE UPDATE PACKET 8.0 Q4 2012 SUP 8.0 will add the DNxHD 444 (10 bit 4:4.4) codec,providing high quality in-camera DNxHD mastering, whileProRes 2K recording will be possible from 60 to 120 fps.Three frequently requested features will be implemented in SUP 8.0: vertical image mirroring allows quick low modeSteadicam shots by flipping the Steadicam upside down; a new post trigger for all ProRes recording modes makescapturing that elusive moment easier for nature photographers;
and card spanning will automatically switch from one SxS PRO card to the next when the first one is filled.
Compatibility with the Cooke/i system implemented withSU8.0 lets ALEXAs collect lens metadata from Cooke andAngenieux lenses, making ALEXA the only camera thatautomatically records an enormous amount of user, cameraand lens metadata into all output formats. Meanwhilecompatibility with the ARRI Ultrasonic Distance Measure(UDM-1) and the Cinematography Electronics Cine TapeMeasure will make assistants’ lives easier.
User interface improvements made by SUP 8.0 include a newuser button option for Studio MIRROR PARK, a countdown forthe switch from Regular to High Speed mode and metadata inDPX frame grabs for the ARRI Look Creator. The ALEXA Studiowill automatically park the mirror shutter in VIEW mode whenpowered down, so the next time it is taken out of the case thecinematographer can immediately look through the opticalviewfinder, even before power is available.
Low Contrast Curve (LCC) is a regular ARRI Look Filethat is designed for those who do not want to shoot inLog C, but want a bit more dynamic range than givenin the ALEXA standard Rec 709 setting. The LCCcontains a custom tone map curve for a video imagewith lower contrast than the standard Rec 709 output.This means the image can be viewed on a regular Rec709 monitor without additional LUTs, but at the sametime it holds more dynamic range information thanRec 709; highlight definition and some black detailthat would be lost in the typical Rec 709 tonemapping can still be accessed. Not using Log C encoding means that there is no need for a Log C-to-Video dailiesconversion. For a final image, the footage only needs minor color correction adjustments to restore a visuallyappealing contrast.
THE LCC ARRI LOOK FILE
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Forty years ago Luchino Visconti madeLudwig, a film about the tragic life of thefamous Bavarian king that endedabruptly with a mysterious accident.Now, the directing team of Marie Noëlleand Peter Sehr take a new look at KingLudwig II from the house of Wittelsbach,including the historical myth that hassprung up around his persona. The bigbudget German Austrian productionfrom Bavaria Pictures GmbH and DOR Film (German distributor: WarnerBros.) relied on state-of-the-art digitaltechnology and is the first Germanfeature film shot in the ARRIRAW format.
VisionARRI spoke to Sascha El Gendi,Digital Imaging Technician (DIT); Harald Schernthaner, ARRI Head ofPostproduction; Michael Hackl,
Operations & Technology Manager atARRI Film & TV, as well as ARRI VFXSupervisor Abraham Schneider aboutthe on-set workflow and postproductionof this lavish period film.
VisionARRI: What led to the decision to record Ludwig IIusing ARRIRAW?
Sascha El Gendi: In the spring of 2011 DP Christian Berger (The White Ribbon,2009) was still planning to shoot Ludwig II on 35 mm film, but theproducers preferred to record digitally.The DP wanted to ensure that the imageswere of the highest possible quality and so the decision was made to shootARRIRAW. After a number of tests it wasalso decided to entrust ARRI with the film’s postproduction.
Michael Hackl: The testing phase wasvery important. All parties had to agreeon what they wanted to achieve andwhat made sense for the postproduction.There is no such thing as a workflow thatworks for all films. Each film calls for aunique workflow best suited to the needsof that particular production. Ludwig IIcalled for a small, lean setup as neitherthe director, DP or the producers wantedto focus too much on the digitaltechnologies, but rather on the creativeaspects of the shoot.
VA: Was ARRI VFX involvedduring preproduction?
Abraham Schneider: We came on boardearly on. I myself went to set a couple oftimes but Sascha El Gendi prepared thescenes involving VFX extremely well,
LUDWIG II inARRIRAW
ARRI Media Services provides on-set support and handles the postproductionfor a period film of epic proportions.
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including the camera data. That’s notalways the case.
Harald Schernthaner: We developed an on-set concept with Sascha and ARRIRental, sort of the light version of on-setrecording in ARRIRAW. This was perfectproof of our ARRI Media Services concept.
SEG: The goal was to keep things smalland manageable. When you’re shootingon a boat or in a forest at the border toSlovakia anything you can’t carry is out ofthe question. Plus, access to power is limitedand the equipment had to run on batteries.
VA: How many cameras were on set?SEG: We had two ALEXA Plus camerasfrom ARRI Rental and two Codexrecorders. Initially, the second ALEXAwas intended to serve only as a backupbut we ended up working with bothcameras all the time.
VA: When did physical production commence?
SEG: On July 26, but we had one day ofshooting prior to that, on July 1. We hadfilmed the exteriors of NeuschwansteinCastle [Bavaria, Germany] because theywere going to put up scaffolding tocomplete some repair work. Betweenthose dates we did more tests andwrapped in late November.
VA: The ALEXA generates the ARRIRAW format withoutcompressing or encrypting. Howmuch data accrued each day?
SEG: No less than 600 gigabytes andsometimes up to 1.5 terabytes. Ten timesas much as with ProRes. But the shootingratio on Ludwig II was relatively low,approximately 60 minutes per day. On ProRes jobs it’s often 120 to 150minutes. A regular feature film shot withtwo cameras in ProRes 4444 accumulatesaround 350 gigabytes per day.
VA: Do such large data quantitiescreate problems in the dailiesworkflow?
MH: The limiting factor in postproductionis mainly the running time. For ARRI Film& TV there is no big difference betweenthe quality control of 100 minutesARRIRAW data or 100 minutes ProResdata. Of course the rendering ofARRIRAW files takes longer. In order toachieve a similar performance for anARRIRAW project as for a ProResproject, we work with a high speed LTOroboter system, and we apply our OSD(On Set Dailies) system for qualitycontrol, dailies grading and rendering.
VA: For the people involved,including the camera crew, theARRIRAW workflow was new.Were they anxious?
SEG: In the beginning everybody wantedto check everything, and preferablytwice. But after the first few weeks thepeople in charge felt reassured andbecame more at ease because thingswere working out just fine. That’s due to a great workflow. We even stopped
sending the data to ARRI every day.Instead we waited for a few days worthof material to accumulate. At one point,about three weeks into the shoot, theproduction manager, Ralf Zimmermann,came to me and said: “We aresomewhere outside of Vienna and I can actually go to my hotel room every night without having to worry about the images being in focus or the vandelivering the negative getting into an accident.” Everything went incrediblywell. We didn’t lose a single take.
VA: How did the capturedinformation get to ARRI?
SEG: First, we conducted quality andsecurity tests on set, which involvedseveral steps. The ARRIRAW data was recorded onto a Codex recorder,turning the uncompressed signal into alogarithmical image 4:2:2, which wasthen displayed on a monitor, allowing us to respond immediately to focus issuesor other image flaws. Onto this monitorsignal I placed the standard photometricARRI LUT and did a pregrade on set.Another quality control involved theoriginal camera data. UsingFrameCycler DDS from IRIDAS we wereable to play the ARRIRAW files in realtime to check their quality. Then the datawas saved onto the production’s RAIDhard drive and a check-sum wasgenerated with help of the ARRI CopyTool. That’s when another copy of thedata backup went to ARRI.
“THE DP WANTED TOENSURE THAT THE IMAGESWERE OF THE HIGHESTPOSSIBLE QUALITY AND SOTHE DECISION WAS MADETO SHOOT ARRIRAW.”
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LUDWIG II IN ARRIRAW
MH: Once ARRI received the RAID harddrive we saved the original camera dataonto the ARRI Storage Area Network.Then the check-sums were verified oncemore to ensure that none of the data hadbeen lost in the transfer. The data wasthen automatically backed up on LTOtapes and the check-sums verified again.Simultaneously, our Colorist ManuelaJesse viewed the original camera dataon a proven monitor and completed thedailies grading according to theparameters the DP Christian Berger hadrequested. Finally, she had to generate a qualified written QC report. Duringrecording the sound had been linked tothe image data with a timecode so thatwe could easily and quickly synchronizeit with the image when working on thedailies. Afterwards, the dailies wererendered (AVID MXF-Files) for the editingroom (Editor Hans Funck, Editor’sAssistant Andschana Eschenbach) and for the internet via ARRI Webgate. Due to this efficient workflow both theeditorial and all authorized ARRIWebgate clients were able to view the dailies within a couple of hours.
VA: How exactly is the ARRIRAWsignal converted into the final image?
MH: In order to view an ARRIRAW imageit needs to be de-mosaiced first.Therefore, we use certified ARRIRAWBayer de-mosaicing tools. First they readthe metadata in the header information
that lists the settings used on set.Metadata, which the ALEXA records,contains all the important parameters ofthe shot: white point, ASA rating, etc.The ALEXA Plus also stores all the lens-related information: aperture and zoomsettings. The lens data is particularlyimportant for the VFX team.
The ARRI Dailies System reads theheader information and gives you alogarithmical image (Log C). Applyingthe same Lookup Tables used on set, wecan look at the exact same image in thesame color space as the DIT did on hiscalibrated monitor on location.
On the set of Ludwig II, a small livegrading tool set was used (LinkColorfrom Framewright). It allows you to do a primary color correction, ideal forquick on-set live grading purposes. These settings were handed over to ARRI as a still frame and in the form of a color decision list which served as a primary reference proposal.
The collaboration between post facilityand the DIT on location was perfect andso we were able to prove a consistent lookworkflow between set and postproduction.To achieve this, you need to fix a clearworkflow in advance and you also needto have the perfect technical environmentand responsible staff.
HS: The great advantage of ARRIRAWrecording is that the image resolution ofan ARRIRAW file is 3K. This means that
you can work in 3K and, later on, theclient can decide whether they want tooutput in 2K or do an up-res to 4K,which means the image is of an evenhigher quality.
AS: Especially for the VFX team, whichprefers to work in 3K, ARRIRAW deliversthe ideal image. Although we don’t workwith the raw data, we do convert to DPXand we do use the original 3K resolutioneven when the color grading or thefinishing is done in 2K. To go from 3K to 2K is no problem.
MH: As soon as edited sequences getlogged we receive the EDLs from theediting room. We process the EDLs with our database tool, MetaLab, andcreate a restore and de-mosaicing XML,which we feed into our LTO robotics. Itautomatically pulls the parts used in theedit from the raw material on the LTOtapes. During playback, the ARRIRAWdata may be directly converted to 3K or 2K DPX files.
For VFX this is done without adjusting thesharpness. In compositing it’s easier tocreate a key on a green screen that isn’tsharp to get better results around theedges. The sharpness is rendered laterusing the VFX tool Nuke. We can run the restore and de-mosaicing processsimultaneously, which saves time andstorage capacity. The ARRIRAW image is only briefly stored on an interimserver. Only the DPX version goes ontothe expensive high capacity storagesolution – the DDN from SGI.
VA: What’s up next inpostproduction?
HS: Color grading in the DI Lustre Suite.It is scheduled for June with ARRI LeadColorist Traudl Nicholson. The finalgrading can work off the dailies, or startfrom scratch.
For us it’s secondary what recorder oreven what camera system was used on aproject. Most important is to work closelywith Rental and the DIT, especially onsuch a demanding shoot as this onebecause he’s the crucial link to us. He oversees the recording, checks thecamera and is responsible for the datamanagement. That’s why, for us, the DITis the most important person on the setnext to the DP. n
Ingo Klingspon
ON LOCATION: Gerald Helf at the viewfinder of an ALEXA, while Christian Berger checks the onboard monitor
Set P
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Bav
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OR Film
, Warne
r Bros., R
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Web toolsARRI web applications provide on-set information via iPads, iPhones and other mobile devices
ALEXA POCKET GUIDE
The ALEXA Pocket Guideis a web application thatis accessible over theinternet with any piece of hardware that has an
internet browser, which means that touse it you don’t have to install anythingonto your mobile device.
In addition, you can ‘cache’ the webapp to your iOS device (iPhone or iPad)to use it even when you’re not online, so people shooting in a remote desert or rain forest will still be able to use theweb app on their iOS device, eventhough they don’t have internet access.Usage on other types of device requiresan internet connection.
ALEXA Pocket Guide WebApp:www.arri.com/alexa/apg
PHOTOMETRIC CALCULATOR
The ARRI Photometric Calculator is auseful tool that facilitates the calculationof photometric data for differentconfigurations of ARRI lampheads. It canbe used to quickly answer questions suchas: if I have the ARRISUN 40/25 at adistance of 10 m with a 4K lamp, howbright will it be with a spot lens? When I use a 100 ASA film stock at a shutterangle of 172.8°, filming at 24 fps, what should my lens aperture be? Whatwould the difference be if I used anarrow flood lens, or a 2.5K bulb?
Essentially, the Photometric Calculator is a database of hundreds of differentlamphead / bulb / lens / focuscombinations, with an integratedcalculator that gives you the photometricdata for the distance you desire. It isdesigned to be used with a smart phone(iPhone or Android) or iPad, as well as
with a laptop / PC, so you can use itwhen you’re in the field or in the officefiguring out a lighting plan. With thisweb tool you can determine:
• The lens aperture of your camera
• Whether you’d need a differentlamphead lens or perhaps a secondlamphead to achieve a certain level of brightness
• Whether a lamphead is suitable foryour desired application before yourent it
For each of the many configurations ofARRI lampheads you can view not onlythe bare photometric values, but also thelight distribution as a graph. The toolalso links you directly back to theproduct’s webpage in case you needmore information about the light itself.
Photometric Calculator web tool:calc.arri.de/calculator
on the moveVISIONARRI
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VisionARRI: The immanent end of analogpostproduction seems to be the prevailing topic in the business. Will the ARRI Lab soon be anhistoric landmark?
Martin Schwertführer: Not at all. The lab has undergonemassive changes in the last year. In terms of negativeprocessing the volume has decreased dramatically. That’smostly due to the success of the ARRI ALEXA camera system,which is good or bad depending on how you look at it.
What is good for the ALEXA has certainly had adverse effectson the lab.
That said, the ARRI Lab began early on to prepare for thetransition to the digital era and has since become a respectedpartner for digital postproduction here and abroad. In otherwords, we are now mostly preparing digital releases for movie theaters. We have been offering these services for the last three years but the volume was so low that it wasn’tworth mentioning.
In an increasingly digital age questions have been raised about the future of film. ARRI has recently made a pledge to support film-based systems for the next ten yearsat the very least and believes that the co-existence of film and digital formats meansmore creative choices for creative people. How does this affect the ARRI lab and forhow much longer will analog postproduction be sustainable from a business point ofview? Some surprising answers from Martin Schwertführer, head of the ARRI Lab.
Into the Future with the
ARRI Lab
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VISIONARRI
VA: We’re talking about theDigital Cinema Package (DCP)?
MS: Exactly. We are now generatinglarge quantities of DCPs. There has beena steep increase in the last three years.In that sense it was a good thing that theanalog sector of ARRI Lab wasn’t large.The transition therefore was easy for us.And we knew one thing: if we weregoing to switch to digital we’d have todo it right and be prepared for largequantities. In the meantime, we havecapacities that other labs can onlydream of. Even Technicolor and Deluxehave admitted that we are very wellpositioned. This also means that we’vebeen able to compensate for the sharpdecline in negative processing that weexperienced in terms of revenue with theDCPs. This sector is growing quickly andwill replace the need to generate a largenumber of 35 mm release prints, whichexisted in the analog world.
VA: Printing was, up until a fewyears ago, a lucrative business.
MS: We are still quite active on theanalog market when it comes to printing.
That might change by next year asdigitalization continues to progress. Right now about 50 percent of Germanmovie theaters are digital. A thresholdwill probably be reached when 75 to 80 percent or more of theaters haveswitched and distributors will no longerorder analog copies.
What’s tragic about the currentdevelopment is that many of the labshad to realize that they are toodependent on the 35 mm market. Theyhave not only suffered losses on thenegative processing side of the business,but also on the printing side, which wastheir mainstay. As a result many facilitiesare downsizing or closing. This hasconsequences for the market, eventhough there’s still a demand for analogpostproduction. In the end, however,digitalization is the only option.
ARRI and the ARRI Lab have taken aclear position here. We will remain inthe analog market as long as 35 mm,16 mm, as well as 65 mm film stock arebeing produced by suppliers and willcontinue to provide services for theseformats. We are able to do so because
we’ve become less and less reliant onthe analog side of the business in termsof volume.
Our task is to work on moving images.Postproduction is our core business, no matter what shape or form. Analogfilm is just one of many formats. We look at the bigger picture, which includesaccepting that some areas are lesslucrative than others but have to be maintained to continue to fulfill our mission.
In the long term, negative processing and postproduction will probably nolonger take place in the lab. They’ll behandled by other ARRI Film & TVdepartments where digital data iscollected and processed.
We will fill this gap by generating digital copies, by being service-orientedin our dealings with distributors and bymaintaining close contact with ourcustomers, as well as offering to manageand store the DCP encryption (KDM). In other words, by offering a large rangeof services that guarantee the survival of the lab.
“OUR TASK IS TO WORKON MOVING IMAGES.POSTPRODUCTION ISOUR CORE BUSINESS,NO MATTER WHATSHAPE OR FORM.”
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VA: Are there areas that will beindispensible for the ARRI labeven in the future?
MS: We will definitely continue to offerprinting and scanning because we workwith archives and service the libraries ofTV stations. The way TV series used tobe scanned no longer meets thestandards of today’s market. As a result,pretty much everything has to bescanned again in high-definition so thatthe programs can potentially be airedagain – this falls into the domain of theARRISCAN technologies developed byARRI. What we’ve done in the past for35 mm film we are now doing for 16 mm as well. In the new format theold material is much more suited toadditional postproduction work, such asretouching, additional color grading andHD mastering, than it was before.
We are also focusing on the restorationand preservation of old films, makingthem suitable for Blu-ray or HD releases.For that purpose we brought back oldtechniques, such as tinting, coloring inchemical baths or the Desmet method,that disappeared from the market a longtime ago along with the associatedknow-how. We are now scanning thematerial and are trying to emulatedigitally what used to be donechemically. In the process we learnedhow to use color in all density andcontrast levels without altering the image to recreate the look that wasoriginally intended.
VA: Is the experience gained inthe digital realm from workingwith Lookup Tables informing the analog realm?
MS: Very much so and we need new Lookup Tables because certaintechniques that were used in the past,such as toning or hand coloring eachframe using certain colors and contrasts,no longer work with the technology wehave today.
Scans and the density curve are basedon our expectations for the look of animage, not on how they were supposedto look back then. We have to makeadjustments. We have to rethink these things in order to find anappropriate solution for dealing with historical footage.
We do have the knowhow to scan andrestore nitro stock, even when it arrivesin terrible condition. We’ve evenaddressed mold issues and offersolutions for film material that showsmold growth. Special chemical bathscontaining fungicidal substances havebeen developed. They not only stop themold growth, but also remove anyexisting growth. It’s worth the effortbecause when you’re scanning thematerial there’s less need for retouching.
In this context it’s worth mentioning theWet Gate, a scanning technology ARRIdeveloped and continues to improve, to process severely scratched material so that there’s little or no need for
retouching and the focus rests on imagestabilization and density fluctuations.
The issue of archiving is interestingbecause various philosophies areinfluencing the discussion. Some peoplewant to show the material the way itused to be and only correct processingmistakes and repair damage. They wantto keep the density fluctuations becauseback then there was no synchronizationmechanism during developing. Otherswant to make the image as clean and beautiful as possible using thetechnologies available in 2012. We, of course, honor the customer’s wishes. This is really a discussion about viewinghabits, which change fundamentally from one generation to the next.
We continue to work on 16 mm in colorand in B&W. We still service TV moviesand feature films shot on 16 mm. Also,many museums and artists shoot theirprojects on 16 mm and later show themas part of exhibits or at art openings.We are very proud to continue to offer65 mm processing and we are able toscan 65 mm negatives, for example, tomake the data available for VFX work.
VA: What competition are youfacing in the archiving market?
MS: The competition is international. Inthe case of prestige projects the priceultimately seals the deal during bidding,although it’s not necessarily the bestcriterion for archives to base theirdecisions on.
INTO THE FUTURE WITH THE ARRI LAB
“THE ARRI LAB CONTINUES TOREINVENT ITSELF EVERY DAYBECAUSE WE WANT TO BE THEREFOR OUR CUSTOMERS.”
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Even abroad more and more peopleseem to agree that not only the price butalso the quality and the longevity of theproduct should play a role.
VA: Archives are forced intodigitalization. What’s your take on that?
MS: Archives won’t be able to storeeverything on film forever. That’ssomething we discuss with ourcustomers. ARRI organizes an annualsymposium in early summer that bringsarchiving experts to Munich from all overEurope, as well as the Near and FarEast. It also attracts service providersoffering retouching software or storagesystems. At the moment there are still alot of unanswered questions in this area.
Most archivists are shocked when theyconvert feet into bytes and realize howmany servers and how much storagecapacity they will need. They quicklyend up in the high petabyte range. Plus there’s the expiration date issue ofelectronic data carriers. What’s missingat the moment is the experience that hasaccumulated on the analog side over theyears. You can still copy a film reel that’sbeen kept in a can for ten or twentyyears. That’s not the case in the digital
domain. Digital files have to be copiedevery two years. Test calculations haveto be made to ensure that everything isstill complete. But – at the moment –that’s all still incredibly expensive.
The day will come when digitalizationwill be required because it’s more thanobvious that traditional analog filmpostproduction is rapidly decliningworldwide. It is financially no longer self-sustainable. To operate a lab only for afew museum clients simply isn’t feasible.
VA: What are the most pertinentissues for you at the moment?
MS: With regards to DCPs, we’re anactive player outside of Germany aswell. It will be crucial over the nextcouple of years to tackle the comingchallenges effectively. There’s a dynamichere that’s much stronger than any otherin the film industry. The parameterschange every couple of years. DCPs on hard drives and the logistics theyinvolve are no longer an issue. Now it’s about distribution via satellite or fiber optic networks.
The ARRI lab is actively involved in allthe areas that ten years ago no one waseven thinking about. And we arebecause we want to bring the moving
images which our customers entrust uswith during postproduction to the bigand the small screen. The ARRI Labcontinues to reinvent itself every daybecause we want to be there for our customers.
VA: How has the recent groupingtogether of various ARRIcompanies under the umbrellaARRI Media Services facilitatedyour work at the lab?
MS: We are now communicating muchmore extensively interdepartmentally andshouldering the challenges facing us incertain areas together. The departmentsand their unique knowledge bases aregrowing closer together. There’s aregular continuous exchange on allmatters. We discuss projects andaddress them constructively withoutdepartmental biases. We are searchingfor new approaches to existing problemsas a team. And important information,for example, for colleagues in worldsales gets passed on much more quickly.In the past this exchange didn’t occur onthis scale. That has changed and isalready showing positive results. n
Ingo Klingspon
REMARKABLE RESULTS thanks to ARRI Wet Gate technology. Standard scan (left), Wet Gate scan (right)
© Film
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An innovative concept in production support:ARRI Media Services
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At Berlinale 2012, the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival, ARRI Media Services wasintroduced as an innovative concept in comprehensive production support for the film,television, advertising and multimedia industry.
The shift from analog to digital recording methodshas revolutionized the production landscape fasterthan ever before. This development createdopportunities but also challenges for the decisionmakers at production companies. It has becomecrucial to plan the entire workflow ahead of time,which means more information and support inregards to format and system decisions, evenduring the preproduction stage.
From the very beginning ARRI has played a keyrole during this transition and is therefore able tooffer customers cutting-edge production supportfrom start to finish. The company’s newly formedservice alliance, ARRI Media Services, bringstogether related expertise for the benefit of the filmproduction process. The biggest advantage forcustomers is that the new alliance can draw on the comprehensive know-how of ARRI, the leadingtechnology and service provider in the filmbusiness. The goal is to find optimal solutions totechnological challenges as early as the planningstages in order to ensure the greatest possible
amount of creative freedom for clients. Lower costs,improved quality and a significant risk reductionare additional advantages.
ARRI Media Services was created as a single pointof contact to provide the entire range of requiredservices from a single source. The ARRI MediaServices concept unites four areas of expertise: The ARRI Rental Group and ARRI Film & TV providecomprehensive production support, includingproject planning, equipment rental, on-set services,postproduction and archiving. In addition, ARRIProductions and ARRI Worldsales offer cooperationmodels in the form of co-production partnerships forcustomers and handle worldwide sales.
This unique full service package can be adjusted –hassle-free and as needed – to suit the specific needsof productions. The customer will benefit from newsynergies and advantages regardless of whether theservices are offered individually, in the form of acustomized package or as a start-to-finish deal.
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News from around the worldÒ
VISIONARRI
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ÒNews from around the world
Digital imaging specialists join ARRI Rentalcompanies in the US and UK
The widespread adoption of the ARRI ALEXA camera system has seen both ARRI CSC inthe United States and ARRI Media in the UK expand their digital support teams, ensuringthat customers working with the latest technology do so with the best support.
ARRI Rental Vienna broadens its portfolio to include postproduction services
As of April 16, 2012 ARRI Austria Cine und Videogeräte GmbH in Vienna now offerscustomers the following postproduction services for their images:
• Digital dailies, including data backup• Online/offline editing• VFX and title design• Color grading• Master and release prints
For more information please contact:
ARRI Austria Cine und Videogeräte GmbHAndreas BuchschachnerTel: +43 189 201 07 18Email: [email protected]
ARRI CSC has appointedChris MacKarell asDigital WorkflowSupervisor. In his role,MacKarell will beresponsible for thecreation and support ofeffective on-set digitalworkflow products andservices for the ARRICSC digital imaging
departments in New Jersey and Florida and, forIllumination Dynamics, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
MacKarell’s extensive experience in digital mediaspans fifteen years in the post sector. Starting out as Manager Media Illusion Support for AvidTechnology Inc. he then worked for NBC PeacockProductions as Senior Avid Finishing Editor. In2010 he joined Deluxe, where he managed specialprojects, rolled out infrastructure improvements and new workflow designs. In his latest position as Senior Engineer/Workflow Architect forTechnicolor he designed, tested and implementedproject-specific workflows.
Says Simon Broad, President of ARRI CSC: “The addition of Chris to our outstanding team willensure that his skills and experience enhance thecustomer service for which ARRI CSC is renowned.”
ARRI CSCChris MacKarell Digital Workflow SupervisorTel: +1 212 757 0906 Email: [email protected]
ARRI Media hasappointed MarioRadinovic to the new post of Digital WorkflowSpecialist. Radinovic willsupport ARRI Media’sdigital team and assistcustomers with the manyquestions that arise inrelation to digitalworkflow options.
Radinovic has an MSc in Cinematography andPostproduction from the University of Greenwichand 10 years experience in shooting andpostproduction. For the last two years Radinovicworked for Apple, where he was involved insoftware training, servicing and advising onnetwork solutions.
“The appointment of Mario underlines ARRI Media’songoing commitment to customer service,”comments Russell Allen, Director of Operations atARRI Media. “With more and more productionsrecording digitally it is essential that we have the appropriate support in place to provide ourcustomers with the right advice and guidance.”
ARRI MediaMario Radinovic Digital Workflow SpecialistTel: +44 1895 457 100Email: [email protected]
CHRIS MACKARELL MARIO RADINOVIC
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NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Moritz Hemminger joins ARRI Worldsales as Director of Acquisition & Sales
ARRI has strengthened its international licensing division, bringing on board MoritzHemminger as of April 1, 2012. He joins in the capacity of Director of Acquisitions & Sales ofARRI Worldsales. Hemminger grew up in the United States and Germany, and holds a degreein Production and Media Business from Munich’s prestigious HFF film school. Later he studiedat the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television, with a focus on producing Americanindependent films, and completed a development internship at New Regency Productions in Los Angeles. While still in film school, he worked on several feature films, includingSoloalbum (2002) and Sophie Scholl – The Final Days (2005), as an assistant to the producer.In 2007 Hemminger produced The Call of the Geckos under his own KinoVision HK banner
before joining Munich-based Telepool GmbH, where he served in the capacity of Theatrical SalesManager, World Sales. VisionARRI sat down with the new Director of Acquisitions & Sales andAntonio Exacoustos, Head of ARRI Worldsales, to discuss their plans for the near future.
News from around the world
effective world sales strategy. Our new director ofacquisitions & sales brings the necessary experience and invaluable international connections to the job
MH: Our goal is to position ARRI Worldsales internationallywith a slate of carefully selected, highly attractive films. The first step is to acquire larger, high-quality productionsand to sell them successfully worldwide. ARRI Worldsaleswill grow with its success but we intend to take a very level-headed approach. We want to ensure that ourdealings with our customers, and even competitors, are governed by fairness.
VA: Which, in your opinion, will be the mostinteresting markets in the coming years?
MH: Growing markets such as China. There the filmindustry is going through astonishing changes. One look atthe Chinese box office numbers says it all. Movie theatersare shooting up all across the country. It’s an excitingmarket with a growing licensing potential. The same is truefor Brazil, which has a thriving economy that exceeds allexpectations. If you want to succeed in these markets andin other parts of the world like the Middle East, you have to build an English-speaking portfolio.
AE: There are so many international markets and festivalsfor film that you have to focus on the essential ones. Weare targeting feature film markets such as EFM in Berlin, the Marche du Film in Cannes and the American FilmMarket in Los Angeles, as well as TV markets such as MIP.If we have suitable films then we will also attend festivalssuch as Venice, Toronto and San Sebastian.
MH: The strategy of ARRI Worldsales is to providecustomer-oriented service and to develop the best possiblesales strategy for each individual film of our small buthighly selective line-up.
VisionARRI: What is the mandate for the newmanagement team at ARRI Worldsales?
Antonio Exacoustos: At the beginning of the year ARRIMedia Services was formed to offer ARRI customers theentire range of ARRI services from one central source.Within this newly created network ARRI Productions andARRI Worldsales offer cooperation models in the form ofco-production deals potentially tied to world sales. Withthis new concept we intend to step up ARRI Worldsales’activities over the next couple of years.
Moritz Hemminger: ARRI is an international player, havingmade a name for itself with its technology and services.That’s why I see great potential in the areas of co-productions and world sales. We intend to acquirecommercially viable projects in the early stages so thatwe can not only offer the customer a co-productionarrangement, but also the handling of world sales of theirproperty. In addition, there is the possibility of providingadditional services bundled under the ARRI MediaServices umbrella. Therefore, one of our tasks will be to function as a link between productions, taking intoconsideration their specific needs and the technologicalpossibilities that the various departments within the ARRInetwork have to offer. Having said that, selected prestigeor art house projects will also be an integral part of ourportfolio. After all, ARRI has been quite successful in thepast in collaborating with European independent films onthe festival circuit.
VA: In terms of the international market whatwill be the key issues?
AE: The main tasks will be to familiarize clients with theinternational distribution activities of ARRI Worldsales,especially when it comes to the feature film sector, and todevelop financing and cooperation models that entail an
MORITZHEMMINGER
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VISIONARRI
ÒNews from around the world
In February 2012, ARRI Rental Cologne moved into new premises with ARRIFilm & TV Cologne on the Bilderstöckchen industrial park. Together, the companiesnow offer a comprehensive range of services from under one roof, includingproject planning, equipment rental, postproduction and production support.
ARRI Rental Cologne moves to new facilities
Reflecting on the relocation, Branch ManagerStefan Martini comments: “When the opportunity tomove within the same industrial complex presenteditself, we took advantage immediately. It means weare now housed in the same building as our sistercompany, ARRI Film & TV Cologne, and canprovide the entire range of ARRI knowhow to ourcustomers from a single location. Our combinedknowledge will allow us to offer technical solutionsand comprehensive advice that greatly surpassessimply supplying technology.” The rapid changefrom analog to digital recording technology andthe resulting wealth of technological possibilitiesmakes competent advice all the more important.Even during the early project development phase it is crucial to carefully consider all format andsystem options before making a decision, todetermine the workflow and to discuss thebudgetary ramifications of such decisions.
“The larger premises made it possible to expandthe camera, lighting and dolly grip rental division.In doing so, our facilities have been modernizedand internal processes streamlined in order toprovide our customers the best possible service,”adds Martini. “The move also enabled us to bringour new partner Klaus Daubenberger and hiscompany gripdepot on board.” Daubenberger, a specialist in remote heads and camera craneswith international experience, perfectly completesARRI Rental’s portfolio in Cologne.
As well as the traditional equipment rental aspectsof the business, ARRI Rental Cologne, in closecollaboration with ARRI Film & TV, specializes in
providing complex solutions for 2D/3D formats andin offering production-related services for all majordigital recording formats. Recently, ARRI RentalCologne has supported ARD’s TV series VerboteneLiebe and the Dutch-German feature film Oben istes still (original title Boven is het stil). Both wereshot on the ARRI ALEXA.
ARRI Rental and ARRI Film & TV are part of thegroup of ARRI companies that have been broughttogether under the newly created umbrella of ARRI Media Services, an innovative alliancecombining four of ARRI’s core competencies. The ARRI Rental Group and ARRI Film & TV offercomprehensive project support and services,including project planning, equipment rental, on-setservices, postproduction and archiving. In addition,ARRI Productions and ARRI Worldsales offercustomers cooperation models in the form of co-production partnerships and the handling ofworldwide sales.
In conclusion, Martini says, “The move to newfacilities, the partnership with Klaus Daubenbergerand the close working relationship within the ARRI Media Services group enables us to betterserve our customers, both now and in the future.”
ARRI Rental Deutschland GmbHCologne BranchHeinrich-Pesch-Strasse 7 D-50739 CologneTel: +49 (0)221 170 67 24Email: [email protected]
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PRODUCTION UPDATE
ARRI CSC Title Production Company DoP/Lighting Director Gaffer Equipment Serviced by
Burn Notice Fox Bart Tau Fred Valentine ARRI ALEXA ARRI CSC FLGlades Fox Jamie Reynoso Arnold Pouch ARRI ALEXA ARRI CSC FLSpring Breakers Spring Breakers LLC Benoit Debie Mark Manthey ARRICAM Lite ARRI CSC FLThe Secret Life of 20th Century Fox Stuart Dryburgh ASC Bill O’Leary ARRICAM ARRI CSC NJWalter MittyDead Man Down DMD Prod. Paul Cameron ASC Ken Shibata ARRI ALEXA, ARRI CSC NJ
Codex Recorders, Lighting, Grip
Girls HBO Tim Ives David Skutch ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Grip ARRI CSC NJLow Life aka Kingsgate Films Darius Khondji ASC, AFC ARRICAM Studio & Lite ARRI CSC NJUntitled James Gray 3-perforation, HD-IVS The Voice Mark Burnett Productions Oscar Dominguez Sam Barker Conventional & Illumination
Automated Lighting Dynamics CAAll Is Lost All Is Lost Productions Frank DeMarco Radium Cheung Lighting Illumination
Dynamics CAShelter Warner Bros. Paul M. Sommers Tommy Sullivan ARRI ALEXA, Illumination
Camera Support Dynamics NC
ARRI RENTALTitle Production Company Director DoP Equipment
Rush Rush Films Ron Howard Anthony Dod Mantle ARRI ALEXA Studio, ARRI DFF, BSC, ASC ALEXA, Lighting, Grip
Schutzengel Barefoot Films Til Schweiger Adrian Cranage ARRI ALEXA, ARRI ALEXA M3096 Constantin Film Sherry Hormann Michael Ballhaus ASC ARRI ALEXAExit Marrakech Desert Flower Filmproduktion Caroline Link Bella Halben ARRI ALEXA, ARRICAM Lite 3-perforation,
Lighting, GripLibertador San Mateo Films S.L. Alberto Arvelo Yorick Le Saux ARRICAM Studio & LiteDie Hard 5 DH5 Productions John Moore Jonathan Sela ARRICAM Lite, ARRIFLEX 435 & 235, GripSnowpiercer Stillking Films Joon Ho Bong Kyung-Pyo Hong ARRICAM Studio & Lite 3-perforation,
(Alex Hong) Lighting, GripDünnes Eis Claussen+Wöbke+Putz Nicole Weegmann Alexander FischerkoesenARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Grip
FilmproduktionSchafkopf Eikon Media Ulrich Zrenner Günter Handwerker ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, GripKreutzer kommt… TV60Filmproduktion Richard Huber Frank Blau ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, Gripins KrankenhausOperation Zucker sperl productions Rainer Kaufmann Morten Soborg ARRI ALEXA, Lighting, GripTatort - Ein neues Leben Olga Film Elmar Fischer Frank Sthamer ARRIFLEX 416, Lighting, Grip
ARRI LIGHTING RENTALTitle Production Company Director DoP Gaffer Best Boy
Les Miserables Barricade Productions Tom Hooper Danny Cohen BSC Paul McGeaghan Will KendalCaptain Phillips Waveland Pictures Paul Greengrass Barry Ackroyd BSC Harry Wiggins Chris MortleyClosed Belmont Productions John Crowley Adriano Goldman Andy Long Liam McGillDa Vinci’s Demons Tonto Films & Television David S. Goyer Julian Court Brandon Evans Peter ChesterLast Days on Mars Mars Movie Ruairi Robinson Robbie Ryan BSC Andy Cole Paul CroninThe Double Alcove Productions Richard Ayoade Erik Wilson Andy Lowe Chris StonesBomb APB Films Sally Potter Robbie Ryan BSC Andy Cole Paul CroninSilent Witness BBC Television Anthony Byrne John Conroy Alex Scott Steve CaseyMr Selfridge ITV Studios Jon Jones Gavin Finney BSC Stewart King Russell TannFriday Night Dinner Big Talk Productions Martin Dennis Pete Rowe Martin Taylor Chris KnowlesThreesome Big Talk Productions Ian Fitzgibbon Pete Rowe Julian Horner Fritz HenryJulius Cesar Illuminations Gregory Doran Steve Laws Nick Rankin Paul MurphyCall the Midwife CTM Productions Philippa Lowthorpe Chris Seager BSC Mark Funnell Steve Anthony(Season 2)Henry IV Shakespear Productions Richard Eyre Ben Smithard BSC Tom Gates Phil HurstThe Bletchely Circle World Productions Andy De Emmony John Pardue Jim Bebe Billy GambleHebburn Channel X North Christine Gernon John Daly BSC Tony Wilcox Lee Martin
39
VISIONARRI
ARRI FILM & TV - POST PRODUCTION SERVICES - COMMERCIALS Client Title Agency Production Director DoP
Nikon Nikon One JungvonMatt / Spree Sterntag Pete Riski Jean-Noel MustonenHornbach Alles für’s Projekt Heimat trigger happy production Stian Smestad Frank GriebeActimel Vogelscheuche Y&R e+p commercial Richard de Aragüés Grant AppletonSchweppes Faces Interone Neue Sentimental Film HH Olaf van Gerwen Joachim BercMcDonald’s Mein Burger Heye & Partner e+p commercial Jan Bonny Nikolai von GraevenitzA.T.U. Battle Heimat Big Fish Chris Turner Stuart GrahamFrucade Molkerei FJR Mr. Bob Film Laurentius Emmelmann Tommy WildnerOmira MinusL Yoghurt & Miilch kainz_werbeagentur Made in Munich Mark v. Seydlitz Britta MangoldBruno Banani Dangerous Man Dorland Bakery Films Stephan Hadjam Ekkehardt PollackMcDonald’s Monopoly Heye & Partner Markenfilm HH Marion Zozin Holger Diener
ARRI MEDIATitle Production Company Director DoP Equipment
About Time Inheritance Pictures Richard Curtis John Gulersarian ARRI ALEXA, GripCall the Midwife CTM Productions Philippa Lowthorpe Chris Seager BSC ARRIFLEX D-21(Season 2)The Spa Tiger Aspect Productions Sandy Johnson Rob Kitzmann ARRI ALEXAGame of Thrones Fire & Blood Productions ARRI ALEXA, Codex Recorders, Grip(Season 3)Mr Selfridge ITV Studios Jon Jones Gavin Finney BSC ARRI ALEXA, Alura Zooms, GripDownton Abbey Carnival Film & Television David Evans Nigel Willoughby BSC ARRI ALEXA, Grip(Season 3)Captain Phillips Waveland Pictures Paul Greengrass Barry Ackroyd BSC ARRICAM Lite & ARRIFLEX 235 3-perforationLes Miserables Barricade Productions Tom Hooper Danny Cohen BSC ARRICAM Studio & Lite 3-perforation, Master
Primes, GripThe Bletchley Circle World Productions Andy De Emmony John Pardue ARRI ALEXA, GripSkyfall B23 Sam Mendes Roger Deakins BSC, ASC ARRI ALEXA Studio & ARRI ALEXA, Codex
Recorders, Ultra Primes, Master Primes, GripRush Rush Films Ron Howard Anthony Dod Mantle ARRI ALEXA Studio & ARRI ALEXA, Codex
DFF, BSC, ASC Recorders, Grip, CranesHummingbird HB Pictures Steven Knight Chris Menges BSC, ASC ARRI ALEXA & ARRI ALEXA M, Master
Primes, GripBlood Conviction Film Productions Nick Murphy George Richmond ARRICAM Lite 3-perforation, Master Primes,
Alura ZoomsByzantium Number 9 Films Neil Jordan Sean Bobbitt BSC ARRI ALEXA, Codex Recorders
ARRI FILM & TV - POST PRODUCTION SERVICES - FEATURES Title Production Company Director DoP Services
3096 Constantin Film Sherry Hormann Michael Ballhaus ASC Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering, LabAgent Ranjid Westside Michael Karen Stephan Schuh Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering, LabDas kleine Gespenst ClaussenWöbkePutz Alain Gsponer Matthias Fleischer Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering,
Sound, LabDie andere Heimat Edgar Reitz Film Edgar Reitz Gernot Roll DI, HD-Mastering, LabDie Vampirschwestern ClaussenWöbkePutz Film Wolfgang Groos Bernhard Jasper Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering, VFX,
Sound, LabExit Marrakech Desert Flower Caroline Link Bella Halben Lab, Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering,
Filmproduktion VFX, SoundGroßstadtklein Barefoot Films Tobias Wiemann Martin Schlecht Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering,
Sound, LabHanna Arendt Heimatfilm Margarete von Trotta Caroline Champetier DI, HD-Mastering, LabNachtzug nach Lissabon Studio Hamburg Bille August Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering,
Sound, LabPassion Integral Film Brian de Palma Thierry Arbogast LabQissa Heimatfilm Anup Singh Sebastian Edschmid DI, HD-Mastering, LabSchutzengel Barefoot Films Til Schweiger Adrian Cranage Digital Dailies, DI, HD-Mastering, LabUpgrade Wüste Medien Franziska Buch Hagen Bodganski Lab, DI
Published by the ARRI Rental Group Marketing Department. 3 Highbridge, Oxford Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1LX United KingdomThe opinions expressed by individuals quoted in articles in VisionARRI do not necessarily represent those of the ARRI Rental Group or the editors. Due to our constant endeavour to improvequality and design, modifications may be made to products from time to time. Details of availability and specifications given in this publication are subject to change without notice.
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