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Why Dalsa 4K? Green screen resolution...etc
Because of incredible time constraints, coordinating three camera units just wasn’t an option. The Dalsa 4K Origin, which has the highest resolution of any digital camera on the market, gave us the flexibility to capture our wide, medium, and tight shots with each setup.
How did you monitor the shoot in 4K - Does the camera still have no live pics?
Live playback was available in 1K resolution, and when we needed or wanted to review the shots in 4K we did so via Dalsa’s “Visualize” program. The “Visualize” program took between 30 to 60 seconds to view. The only time we used the 4K review was for added assurance, i.e to check focus and lighting for the tight shoots.
What were the main features of the shoot?
We were asked to shoot David Beckham featuring Motorola’s new bluetooth earpiece called the MOTOPURE H12. The spot depicts Beckham in various noisy locations as he’s demonstrating the H12’s dual microphone noise canceling technology called CrystalTalk. A stylized force field appeared around Beckham whenever the H12 is activated, to give a visual example of the device’s ability. We literally had David Beckham for only 90 minutes, which included three wardrobe changes so this camera allowed us to make the most of our limited time with him.
As a director and producer it’s so important to have your team support every aspect of the shoot. Motorola and David Beckham were exceptional partners in the creative process and production of this shoot. Motorola was really impressed with the camera and they were honoured that it was the first time it was used for a commercial.
How was the footage workflow from the shoot?
The post workflow was actually easier than we expected, mostly due to all of the Dalsa tools made available to us, not to mention software called Speed Grade, made by a company called Iridas. We were able to load raw Origin 4K data as an image sequence, in turn playing, colour correcting, panning and scanning very easily.
What was the Dalsa like to work with?
We were given positive feedback about the images. The camera responded well. Everything that was on site about the camera is true - it pushes the limits of image resolution.
Additionally, Dalsa was extremely supportive during the entire project. Never shooting 4K before, it’s always a risk to use a camera that you are not familiar with, but the people at Dalsa were very knowledgeable.
They supplied an on set technician who was informative and explained the features of the camera. He taught us the ins and outs of the camera.
Our team prepped the Dalsa the day before the shoot and we tested it with the first AC, shooting some footage to make me feel more comfortable. I definitely felt like we had Dalsa’s entire facility behind us every step of the way.
Resolution - does it compare with RED?
I haven’t shot with the RED camera yet nor have I done a side-by-side comparison but the images from the Origin were fantastic. Our footage had amazing dynamic range, which gave us maximum control in post. With 13 stops of flexibility we had the freedom to adjust the lighting as needed.
Any news of their new camera?
Dalsa’s new 4K camera called “Evolution” is due out by June of this year. I’m told that it is roughly 30 percent smaller than the Origin and about 20 pounds lighter. I understand an un-tethered version is not far away. We have a couple challenging projects coming up and I think the Evolution could be the perfect camera for the job. Also, I hear that the new James Bond film is using the 4K - so look for that later this year. •
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