Digital Cinema between two fires, Or how to optimize processes of production and delivery of filmmaking outputs under new technological conditions
Е.H. Petukhova (Regional Director, Snell and Wilcox Ltd.)
Film industry experiences the inevitable period of transformation under pressure of technological changes - the arrival of new digital technologies. This transformation concerns both filmmaking (image capture and special effects implementation) and the task to deliver filmmaking outputs to moviegoers including the solution of the image and sound quality problem, on the one hand, and the problem of authorized cinema exhibition or piracy-fighting, on the other hand.
Today, many television equipment manufacturers draw on theirs experience in the field of digital television production to penetrate into the fast evolving market for Digital Cinema. International commissions are urgent to approve standards for new equipment including both cine cameras and display units.
Snell & Wilcox ranked among the first to make upconverters/downconverters and video mixers for HDTV, and now it offers a line of units for producing and delivering digital filmmaking outputs.
The PICASSO super system for making digital films deserves a special attention. Two such systems have been sold to the Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) that is a member of the Lucas Films group for shooting in Hollywood "Star wars. Episode II".
Snell & Wilcox developed the INGEST hardware/software complex to create high-resolution files to be transmitted via new networks intended for film distribution.
The complex can convert any video and audio signal into MXF files and MPEG-2 files of high-resolution. Files are provided with all necessary metadata, both commercial and technical, including the time code. The converted files can be transmitted as components of the satellite signal or via a IP network or can be used to produce a master copy for DVDs.
The company actively participates in work of a number of international organizations for standardizing new technical requirements relating to Digital Cinema.
