May 2013 – Below the Line

Modus Reveals the Magic Behind Now You See Me

May 31, 2013 Staff 0

Montreal-based VFX facility Modus FX recently delivered 227 visual effects shots for Now You See Me, which is being released today in theaters. Featuring a high-voltage ensemble cast, including Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson and Isla Fisher, Now You See Me charts the progress of a team of illusionists who rob banks during their performances, distributing the spoils to their audiences, all the while staying a step ahead of the FBI and Interpol. […]

DP Alex Buono Takes Saturday Night Live to 4K with AJA Ki Pro Quad

May 31, 2013 Staff 0

AJA Video Systems recently released the Ki Pro Quad file-based recording device for professional 4K and HD workflows. Alex Buono, director of photography for the Saturday Night Live film unit, recently used the AJA Ki Pro Quad together with a Canon C500 camera to capture Kanish, a 1970s cop show spoof starring Zach Galifianakis and Bill Hader. Ki Pro Quad is the only tapeless recorder that supports live debayering of 4K Canon RAW camera data with simultaneous recording to Apple ProRes 422 or ProRes 444 files. […]

Cooke Optics Announces Plans to Extend Factory and Workforce

May 31, 2013 Staff 0

Cooke Optics announced that it will expand its factory in Leicester, U.K. and hire additional employees to accommodate a growing demand for its hand-crafted lenses. The company plans to add an additional 300 square meters, which will house more assembly and projection facilities as well as an R&D laboratory. A 10% increase in the workforce will be required to fuel the expansion. […]

Proper Television Adds 100 TB Online Storage System from EditShare

May 31, 2013 Staff 0

Toronto-based reality TV/documentary production company Proper Television has expanded its EditShare storage system with the purchase of 100 TB of additional EditShare XStream storage, expanding the company’s production capacity to 164 TB. In addition, the company is now implementing a tiered storage environment, deploying 164TB of EditShare Ark Disk as nearline storage and Ark Tape for long-term LTO archiving. EditShare Flow asset management works in conjunction with Ark Disk and Ark Tape, facilitating fast search, proxy viewing and restoration. […]

The Academy Announces Museum Gift from Brett Ratner

May 31, 2013 Staff 0

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a $1 million gift from director Brett Ratner to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. […]

Designing Viking Stories: Production Designer Tom Conroy

May 30, 2013 Michelle Paradis 0

During the opening scene of The History Channel series Vikings, we find ourselves somewhere in Eastern Baltic in 793 AD where Viking warriors are battling to the death. Recreating the world of Norse traditions was a task production designer Tom Conroy embraced wholeheartedly. No stranger to recreations of historical drama, he has also designed for the series Camelot and Titanic: Blood and Steel. Conroy’s work on The Tudors has earned him an Emmy in 2010. […]

Radiant Images to Unveil Novo 2K at Cine Gear Expo

May 30, 2013 Staff 0

L.A.-based rental house Radiant Images will unveil the Novo 2K at Cine Gear Expo, (Booth S309). The Novo 2K is an updated Novo action camera that shoots uncompressed RAW footage. By shooting 2K uncompressed RAW, the Novo 2K gives filmmakers full control of latitude, exposure and color renditions. […]

Acclaimed Filmmakers Headline Kodak Panels at Cine Gear

May 30, 2013 Spencer Sterling 0

Kodak will host two discussions with acclaimed cinematographers at this year’s Cine Gear Expo on the Paramount Lot in Los Angeles. At 5:15 p.m., May 31, Kodak will sit down with cinematographer Giles Nuttgens, BSC for a conversation in the Paramount Theater. At 11:45 a.m. June 1, the “Sundance in Summer” panel will feature Eric Alan Edwards (Lovelace) and Rachel Morrison (Fruitvale Station) in The Sherry Lansing Theater. […]

Bexel Expands 4K and HD Camera Lineup

May 30, 2013 Staff 0

Bexel has expanded its selection of cameras with the purchase of four Sony F55 cameras, a compatible selection of PL-mount Fujinon Cabrio Lenses, as well as 10 Canon EOS C300 cameras. The new camera packages will be on display at Cine Gear Expo (Booth #98C), May 31-June 1 in Los Angeles. […]

FOR-A to Showcase 4K Super Slow Mo Camera at Cine Gear 2013

May 30, 2013 Staff 0

FOR-A Corporation of America plans to showcase its FT-ONE full 4K super slow motion camera at Cine Gear Expo, May 31 – June 1 at The Studios at Paramount in Hollywood. FOR-A will also display the FT-1READ – a RAW data to DPX converter available with the FT-ONE camera. […]