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Hollywood uses filters on almost every production for television and the movies. They know that using optical filters will make their entire workflow easier and more cost efficient. As you learn to be proficient with optical filters you will find that they are what can help distinguish you from the competition and give a greater sense of craft to your work.

Here is a little insider's view of some of the issues changing from SD to HD created on the set of a very popular and very successful Hollywood television production as told to me by an associate: I arrived at Culver Studios and entered the sound stage.

I met John, the DP (Director of Photography) and he introduced me to the entire camera crew complete with camera operators, assistants, utility people, Key Grip and Gaffer and even the head make-up artist for the show. These are all the usual suspects in a TV production. But on this shoot there is another position, new for me. I was introduced to Ken, the DIT….

Now at first you might think the crew is using some nickname for this guy that, well frankly, sounds a bit derogatory. He is the DIT what? Actually DIT stands for Digital Interface Technician. He is responsible for making sure the signal that is coming out of the Sony Cine Alta Digital Cameras (there will be four of these on the series, at about $250,000 a camera package) is within the correct parameters. As it turns out Ken, is totally familiar with the entire operation of the cameras, as well as, all the signal distribution infrastructure and recording equipment. Ken is an excellent teacher for all the crew and really understands how to translate all this technology into a real efficient workflow that will serve every ones artistic needs as well.

Get all 4 pieces and SAVE for the one low price of $6990 (+ 10% Off, read more below) + Plus free shipping anywhere in the continental US + Panasonic AG-MX70 Digital Audio Mixer, Video Switcher Sony DSR-80 DVCAM Editor/Recorder Sony PVM 1354Q 13-inch Broadcast Color Video Monitor Sony PVM 411 One Set of Four 4-inch Black and White Preview Monitors All equipment is guaranteed to be in perfect working order and comes with a 30-day repair or replace warranty. Just type or mention your CODE#: "2BakeACake" and we will take an additional 10% OFF FINAL PRICE. All items and options are sold separately at special prices as well. Contact us or GoTo for more details.

When John starts the discussion with the team about facial image enhancement for HD, Ken is one of the best enthusiasts. (Apparently this is rather unusual for a DIT as most just want to go by what the Wave Form Generator "Scope" depicts and have very little image capture know how or acceptance. ) We start to do the first image capture using some of the stars' stand- ins right on the set using the exact same lighting setups as the established set called for. The actors get on their marks and the make- up artist does some quick touch ups. Then John calls me over to the "BLACK TENT". In this 6ft by 6ft POP-UP Canopy tent, they have positioned a Sony HD CRT Broadcast Calibrated Monitor and all the data recoding hardware on carts.

As the camera rolls we see the live and startling sharp image on the screen. John calls for various diffusers to be inserted into the Matte Box and we do a series of A and B comparisons, without filters, with filters and so on. He starts with his old favorites but he is disappointed by their performance. They are too manipulative on the desired image. The old style filters are actually introducing aspects he has to reject; such an extreme blooming in the neon lights in the background, flares and other changes in contrast that will completely change the look of the show. They are all what John calls, "TOO INTRUSIVE".

Then Ken motions for John and me to look at this other small monitor that is located over on the side of the Evertz convergence equipment. This is a Standard Definition monitor. Ken wants John to look at the image to be sure to "Guard" for the standard definition image as well. This is very important as the series will be simulcast in both formats HD and SD. Here is just another reason why conventional, old technology, motion picture diffusion can let you down. As the number of lines in SD is roughly only 480, the effect of your diffusion can actually appear twice as strong as HD. Sure enough using the old style diffusions they are so much stronger in effect on the SD monitor that just as they are starting to affect the image in HD they are blowing out the SD image. So again John gets rather frustrated. The images were softened too far in HD and even go to worse and unusable in the SD rendering on the screen.

Then John tries the HD Soft starting with the Number one, two and three. He really likes what he sees. The filters are doing away with the unwanted facial defects while not changing the overall image quality of the scene. Even the image on the SD monitor is great!!! John looks over at Ken- a big double thumbs-up from in front of the waveform generator-it's working!

Customer Spotlight

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Amy Brown
Executive Director
Community Broadcasters Association

The Community Broadcasters Association (CBA) is a national organization dedicated to enhancing and representing the diversity, vitality, localism, and the economic survival of all Class A & LPTV stations in the United States. Most equipment vendors, program providers, lawyers and other dealers in our Industry do not recognize that that 60% of the nation's televisions stations are not full power stations, and that number increases to 80% if translators are included.

(CBA's annual Convention will be held at the Tuscany Suites & Casino in Las Vegas this year. The theme is DTV - It's Our Turn! The convention begins at 5pm Sunday, October 28th focusing on building DTV stations, generating ad revenue& growing a station\'s audience with quality programming, ad sales & ratings and dealing with the transition to digital. FCC representatives will be on hand to further explain the rules for our DTV transition.)