Richard Thomas Posted February 20, 2013 Report Share Posted February 20, 2013 Just seen a press release from Arri, with some updates to the Alexa line... including: "Super silent XT Fan ALEXA cameras are already among the quietest digital cameras, but an even quieter fan has become available and ARRI has incorporated this new fan into the ALEXA XT models, providing an extra safety margin in very quiet or very hot environments. " Here's the press release in full: http://www.arri.com/press/press_english/press_release.html?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1139&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1781&cHash=76b7993af43e4f9d6b1ba5033a07bbc8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 Wow, that is good. I'm glad somebody is paying attention to stuff like this! I am a little disappointed that they haven't jumped into 4K yet. (As Red goes into 6K in a few months...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 It's clear that Arri is more concerned with quality than with 'K'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 I think Arri is more concerned with making the workflow and post path as easy and straightforward as possible. I have no doubt this will further entrench them in TV production. And let's not forget two of the biggest (and nicest-looking) movies of last year, The Avengers and Skyfall, were both shot on Alexa. I suspect Red is sorely disappointed that more DPs and studios have not jumped on the Red bandwagon as they expected. I think the new Sony F55 could also open a lot of doors, since it has a similar "ready to edit" workflow from the camera. Note that Red is already suing Sony for violating a couple of patents, which will be an interesting fight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 I think Arri is more concerned with making the workflow and post path as easy and straightforward as possible. I have no doubt this will further entrench them in TV production. And let's not forget two of the biggest (and nicest-looking) movies of last year, The Avengers and Skyfall, were both shot on Alexa. I suspect Red is sorely disappointed that more DPs and studios have not jumped on the Red bandwagon as they expected. ... As I noted in another thread, while most of the BC & BP nominees were shot on celluloid, of the 40% of Best Cinematography nominees and 34% of Best Picture nominees acquired on digital, all were shot on Arri Alexas (with the minor exception of some second unit action footage shot on Red for Skyfall). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 99% Alexa is what I see on commercials in LA when we capture in HD. This year I'm guessing 25% film to 75% Alexa HD workflow. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 I asked my pilot UPM what camera we'll be using. Alexa. She said it was so much easier in every way. When you can't get UPMs or DPs on board with your camera system, then you're kinda stuck. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Doh! I forgot Life of Pi, which just one the Oscar for Best Cinematography... shot on Alexa! I have no doubt this drives Red crazy. Both cameras are capable of doing good work, and I think the Red has a reputation for being more problematic on set (due to crashes and fan noise) and in post (for a more complex workflow). The Red Epic shoot I'm on right now has been nearly flawless and perfect so far... no issues with any of the above. Great pictures, very reliable. So I think in the right hands, all these cameras can make great pictures and do good work. The biggest advantage of the Alexa right now is that you can quickly get a simultaneous low-res Avid editorial file and a high-res Raw file (for conform and final color), without delay -- meaning the moment the scene is shot, you can immediately load the files into a computer and start editing them. No conversion, no LUTs, no futzing, just copy them over and go. Red is working on this feature but cannot do it... yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 I think another reason for Alexa's acceptance is that it's compatible with all the Arri accessories that DPs and ACs are so familiar with. It feels more like what they're used to. The menus are easier to navigate. It's quieter. That, and the images are outstanding. Many of the Red shoots I've been on have been relatively trouble-free when they've been shot by Owner/Operator's. I think that's Red's strongest suit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mastermixaudiomedia Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Doh! I forgot Life of Pi, which just one the Oscar for Best Cinematography... shot on Alexa! I have no doubt this drives Red crazy. Finally got to see Life Of Pi last week... what a gorgeous film. Alexas on Cameron-Pace kit if I read right... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Yes, that was the system used on Life of Pi. Beautiful film. I believed the tiger about 75% of the time, which is remarkable for a CG creature. (Referring to myself, since I am mostly CG.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Spaeth Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I think it's admirable that Arri make an effort to silence their cameras. Makes me wonder though why they don't seem to care about the noise their HMIs produce on set (usually more noticable than an Alexa's fan). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 " why they don't seem to care about the noise their HMIs produce on set " I think that is a poor extrapolation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Spaeth Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 "seem it's an observation, dear sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmfreak Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 Hi Marc I recently attended a seminar where one of the Rhythm & Hue main 3d artists was talking exclusively about the visuals on the Life of Pi. The tiger was almost entirely CGI except some very few shots on the boat featuring a real tiger, where frankly I was not able to tell the difference even when he showed the real shots and the CGI ones side by side. The studio is specializing on creating CGI animal characters for - if I remember right about 20 years now - and one of the biggest challenges of creating the tiger was its fur ) making it look real, transparent and all the complicated implication of light reflection on the fur as well as making all the skin ripples and body reactions look real and accurate. The 3d artist was wondering on how the DOP won a Bafta and an Oscar since every little detail from the skies to the waves to pretty much the majority of the film ( except the exterior scenes in India ) where CGI. And that was the latest update from Tiger news central ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 That vote seems to underline how little many Academy members know about the process of filmmaking. ...or maybe they're really impressed by how well someone can light a green screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 Maybe Red needs to release the next camera when it's very stable and avoid the "well its pretty stable NOW" arguments. The cameras get far better as firmware updates come out, but the early adopters seem to deal with the headaches. That said, I don't hear about many trouble with the Epic or Scarlet compared to the Red One. I have not done a ton of Epic or Scarlet jobs, but they don't seem to crash. I spent plenty of time at crafty due to a Red One being finicky and not booting up. Offhand, The Hobbit, Amazing Spider-Man, and Prometheus were some of the first Epic shot wide release films. They are getting some high profile projects. Now that I have worked with the Pro I/O module, the camera is a lot friendlier, and I can see how the ability to strip it down to just the brain opens a lot of doors with lightweight rigging (or 3-D). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mastermixaudiomedia Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 http://magazine.creativecow.net/article/claudio-miranda-asc-makes-new-rules-for-shooting-life-of-pi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 " impressed by how well someone can light a green screen. " actually, in this case it was blue screen, but same thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 That vote seems to underline how little many Academy members know about the process of filmmaking. ...or maybe they're really impressed by how well someone can light a green screen. I will defend DP Claudio Miranda in that he supervised and approved all of the post-production "lighting" done in visual effects, so it's not like the R&H guys did this totally on his own. Miranda was very, very, very heavily involved in the look of the film from the start to the finish, by what he said at an ASC lecture I attended a few months ago. I'm reminded of how Roger Deakins also worked as a consultant on several recent Pixar films (like Wall-E), which "technically" were not photographed or lit per se, but he was still there to advise on placement of shadows, virtual rim light, camera movement, and so on. To me, a DP is still doing his job if he's crafting the look, lighting, brightness, contrast, and color of the final film. At the same time, I'm disappointed that Miranda did not champion the VFX crew more in his Oscar acceptance speech. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmgoodin Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Yes, that was the system used on Life of Pi. Beautiful film. I believed the tiger about 75% of the time, which is remarkable for a CG creature. (Referring to myself, since I am mostly CG.) Well I have worked up close and personal with Tigers and The CG work in Pi is good but it is NOT all CGI. About 23 shots in the film that feature the tiger are of a living Bengal Beast. The CGI was used more for the Killing scenes and the more complex action scenes with flying fish etc. I think the mixing in of the Real Tiger footage with the CGI made the CGI much more believable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 + 1 for Claudio. He is a real cameraman and a good guy. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 Well I have worked up close and personal with Tigers and The CG work in Pi is good but it is NOT all CGI. About 23 shots in the film that feature the tiger are of a living Bengal Beast. The CGI was used more for the Killing scenes and the more complex action scenes with flying fish etc. I think the mixing in of the Real Tiger footage with the CGI made the CGI much more believable. True, some of it was real. But I think there's about 1500 effects shots in that movie. Even some of the tank work is a little obvious (it's a "tankless" job), but the film still drew me in and made me believe it 90% of the time. Life of Pi is one of the most original movies I've seen in a long, long time. People also should remember than the first half hour or so of the movie takes place in India (or Canada) and is all live action; the next 20 minutes is on the ship; and then from that moment on, we're on the raft with the kid and the tiger. So Miranda did light real sets, real towns, real rooms, and real streets for a good portion of the film. CG was just a way to tell the rest of the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 Thanks, Marc, for elaborating on Miranda's contributions to the film Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmfreak Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Hey Marc I don't believe that anyone is questioning Claudio's talent and expertise. He is one of the best DOPs out there and I was absolutely stunned by his work on the Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. He is one of the most skilled craftsmen in the industry and has showcased his talent both on film and digital for years now. There was no intention to bash his skills but I felt that it would be interesting to relay the VFX artist's POV as we seldom read any VFX artist's perspective on this forum. While Hans Rijpkema's perspective does not reflect mine, I can only sympathize for R & H going bust and his feedback is probably biased by the fact that the company went bust recently. That being said I believe that not even mentioning the work of the VFX studio/artists is the least unfair and it doesn't do justice to not at least publicly recognize their Huge contribution to this movie. To be clear I am not standing by anyone's side here but "Life of Pi" was in its majority CGI ( even the whole sea, clouds - you name it were CGI ) and the CGI was so well and so meticulously delivered that it felt natural and convincing on a cinema screen and on 3D which is twice the amount of work needed for a more typical 2D film. By using my common sense and the way sound mixers have been left out of the equation numerous times, I believe that the VFX team's contribution was unintentionally not mentioned by either Claudio Miranda or Ang Lee as it was just skipped among the ocean of other things that they had in their minds. Nevertheless, Life of Pi's magic and uniqueness is undoubtedly because of the stunning CGI and I believe that like a good sound mix which effortlessly blends in with the movie's story telling and action, Life of Pi's CGI looked so natural and was so well crafted that people just took the visual awesomeness for granted. DOPs surely shape the lighting aesthetics of a film whether that is done in post with VFX artists or on set but I believe that by awarding a DOP an Oscar, that means - or at least meant until very recently - that his skills, decision making and craft are taking place on location and not digital lighting techniques in a virtual environment. I believe that specifically for "The Life of Pi" there should be an acknowledgement from the Academy for the VFX and that's strictly technically speaking but on the other hand the Oscars are never just about technical achievements, the Oscars are given out to the films that generate a certain buzz draw the Academy's attention and seem to fit the year's hype on what the Academy is looking to nominate. Taking it slightly further, I still believe that merging the Sound Oscar of the Production Sound Mixer and the Rerecording Mixer doesn't do justice to the hard work, innovation and experience that a Production Sound Mixer has to deploy on a set and this year's Les Miserables Oscar is a perfect example of that, as the Oscar and every other single award was due to the innovative work of Simon Hayes and all the credit of the Sound Oscar goes to the Production Sound Mixer for this one. All in all, I don't believe that anyone ever questioned Claudio Miranda's skills despite the VFX's artist acrimonious comment I can get in his shoes but that doesn't mean that Claudio Miranda is not one of the best DOPs on the planet. Yes, he properly lit the exterior "India" scenes as well as the interior ship scenes featuring Gerard Depardieu - and I particularly liked the style and way he covered all the swimming pool shots - But the film would not be nowhere without the tiger and all the other stunning VFXs ( meercats, the island, storms. skies and the list goes on ). BTW I asked Hans whether the tiger at the goat killing in India was real and it was all 100 % CGI. Last but not least, I found Roger Deakins's skills on the latest James Bond film much more suitable for an Oscar but that's just my humble opinion. The beauty of this forum is to be exposed on diverse info and exchange ideas. Just my 2c Aris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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