When Arri released the SUP 4.0 firmware for the ALEXA, they also added the ability to create color ‘Looks’ to load into the camera. These Look files are similar to scene files found in other cameras, but they aren’t burned into the Log C recording of the camera. Instead, they can be used in post by converting them to LUTs using Arri’s LUT Generator. These looks then travel as metadata with the clips recorded (through the XML file). Look files can be created by saving a still from the camera and loading it into the Arri Look Creator, which can then modify the still and output a look. A company called Pomfort, based out of Munich, was actually the first to work with Arri Looks. Their software, Silverstack SET, manages data on set and allows the manipulating of Arri Looks before sending them into a NLE or Color Grading suite. Silverstack SET is a fantastic tool for working with ALEXA material in general, and now Pomfort has come up with a new piece of software to take the process of Look creation a step further.

Until now, the missing piece in the generation of Arri Look files was the ability to preview the look before loading it into the camera. The Arri Look Generator allows you to see the corrected image on your computer screen, but the ability to manipulate the image on a production monitor was missing. However, Pomfort has put together their LiveGrade application to tackle that problem. The software uses the Blackmagic Design HDLinkPro box to take the ALEXA’s output (in Log C) and manipulate it with the same tool found in the Look Generator. The corrections can be done with a mouse/keyboard or with the Avid Artist Panel (aka Euphonix MC Color). The corrections can be saved as Arri Looks and then imported back into the camera, or exported into a 3D LUT directly. This really improves the Alexa workflow on set and through post. LiveGrade is still in beta, so you can download it now for a test run.

Learn more about working with Looks and LUTs in our upcoming ARRI ALEXA Workshops.

It’s been another exciting year in our industry, with lots of evolutionary and revolutionary changes. Many of the trends we’ve seen coming for the past several years came to fruition in 2011, leaving some to wonder what comes next. Let’s take a look back and see if it can help inform us a bit on what’s to come in 2012.

So…is film dead now?

Pundits have been predicting the end to film as a production medium for decades, but now it seems that the writing is on the wall. Digital Cinema camera technology has advanced to the point that nearly all production for television has moved to electronic acquisition. Currently the majority of high-end features are still produced on 35mm film, but it appears only a matter of time before this completely transitions as well. Most lower- to medium-budget productions are already being shot digitally, and numerous notable high-end productions are as well. In particular, shooting digitally for 3D productions is significantly more advantageous compared to film. This has also spurred the rollout of digital projection, as this is again far easier to accomplish for 3D presentation. The final nail may be the financial advantage to studios distributing movies digitally rather than with film prints. Fox has already notified theater chains that it plans to eliminate film prints sometime next year. Without the steady income stream of film prints, plus TV and commercial production, the economic model supporting film stock producers and processing labs will eventually no longer function. We may look back on 2011 as the last year film had a significant, dominant position in the industry, before becoming relegated to “niche” productions.

…continue reading A Look Back From Behind The Lens

ARRI has released the latest Software Update Packet (SUP), v5.0 for the ALEXA and ALEXA Plus cameras. All new cameras will ship with SUP v5.0 installed, and it is available as a free download from the ARRI website for all current ALEXA owners. SUP 5.0 is a major upgrade for the ALEXA cameras, with several important new features and useful improvements.

New features of SUP v5.0 include (for both ALEXA & ALEXA Plus):

High Frame Rates

Access to the new High Speed License

With SUP v5.0, you can now purchase a license through the ARRI website which allows the camera to shoot from 60fps – 120fps and record to ProRes 422HQ on the new Sony 64G SxS Pro cards.

ProRes 4444 recording up to 60fps

The new Sony 64G SxS Pro cards have much higher sustained data read/write capabilities than the 32G SxS Pro cards. This allows the ALEXA to feed up to 60fps of ProRes 4444 to the cards with no dropped frames or file corruption. In previous firmware releases, ProRes 4444 was limited to 40fps and you needed to capture in ProRes 422 HQ or below to record 60fps.

ARRIRAW and HD-SDI 4:4:4 recording up to 60fps

ARRI has developed a unique dual-link 3G signal path so that ARRI Partner recorders can capture up to 60fps of full uncompressed ARRIRAW or 10-bit HD-SDI 4:4:4 in full resolution progressive signals. Codex has released software to enable their Onboard recorder to capture ARRIRAW and HD-SDI 4:4:4 over this protocol.

…continue reading ARRI Releases New ALEXA Firmware 5.0

ARRI announced today that Avid’s DNxHD recording codec would be supported in all ALEXA cameras. The format is planned to be offered as a paid software license to be released with the free ALEXA Software Update Packet (SUP) 6.0, scheduled for January 2012. Upon initial release, the  license will offer DNxHD 145 (1920×1080, 8-bit) and DNxHD 220x (1920×1080, 10-bit), with the free addition of the recently-announced DNxHD 444 (1920×1080, 10-bit) in the spring.

Apple ProRes has been a purchasable option for SxS card onboard recording for more than a year. Soon the ALEXA will offer either or both recording formats to more comfortably fit into a production’s workflow. DNxHD 220x has a similar file size to that of ProRes 422HQ, so it should take up about the same amount of space on an SxS card (21 minutes on a 32G card).

For more info, read Arri’s full press release.

At IBC this year, ARRI announced several products that were expected, along with a few surprises. The ALEXA and ALEXA Plus cameras welcomed two siblings to their Digital Cinema family, and it turns out pre-production versions of these new models are already out in the field working. The ALEXA Studio has an optical viewfinder with a spinning mirror shutter like a traditional film camera. It also has a taller sensor than the other ALEXAs, with an aspect ratio of 4:3 so that anamorphic lenses can be used with proper field of view. The ALEXA M is a split-head camera, meaning that the sensor section of the camera connects to the rest of the camera (where the signal processor and recording section live) by way of a fiber cable. This allows the ALEXA M to be used in various rigs where size and weight are critical issues, such as helicopter mounts, car interiors and 3D beamsplitter rigs. The ALEXA Studio pre-production units are currently testing on real shoots in Europe, while the first ALEXA M production prototypes are starting to ship to the Cameron-Pace Group, a leader in 3D production.

…continue reading IBC 2011 Updates: ARRI

One of the most often misunderstood aspects of the ALEXA menu structure pertains to the camera’s frame rate options. There are four separate places to set a frame rate and they all do something very different. Here I’ll walk you through each one of them and give you tips on how to make sure you end up with the correct frame rate for your shoot.

Project Frame Rate: This can be found by navigating to MENU > PROJECT > Project frame rate. Your options are 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, and 30 and they all represent playback rates. This should be set to your final deliverable’s frame rate. If your show is being broadcast n the States, it might be set to 29.97fps or 23.976 (to emulate a film look). If your show is going to be shown projected on film, you’ll want 24fps, and so on.

Sensor Frame Rate: This can be found by going through the Home Screen on the side of the camera and pressing the FPS Menu button on the top left. Here you’ll see the available Sensor fps list, with an option to create your own ranging from .750fps to 60.000fps. Think of this as your variable frame rate option. If your project is set to 24fps and your sensor is set to 24fps, then what you see is what you get and you’ll be able to record audio. However, if you wanted to shoot 60fps over 24fps for an over-cranked slow motion effect, you would keep your project at 24fps, but set your sensor for 60fps. At this point, your audio will be disabled.

Rec Out Frame Rate: This can be found by navigating to MENU > RECORDING > REC OUT> Frame rate. Your options are 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 48, 50, 59.94, and 60 and they all represent output signals to send to an external recording device. The only way to access frame rates of 48 or higher is by changing your HD-SDI Format to 422 1.5G Dual Link or 422 3G Single Link. You also have the option of using the REC OUT frame rate to set your sensor frame rate. Scroll down to “REC OUT fps sets sensor fps” in the REC OUT menu and turn the option on. This is a good option to have turned on if you’re recording both to an external device and the SxS cards, to make sure both recordings have the same frame rate.

…continue reading ALEXA Frame Rate Safety Guide

ARRI has released their Anamorphic De-squeeze download license for purchase. This eagerly anticipated license for the ALEXA will correct the “squeeze” effect that occurs when shooting with anamorphic lenses. With the license installed, ALEXA and ALEXA Plus cameras with the Software Update Packet (SUP) 4.0 can now readily accept anamorphic lenses with 1.3x or 2x magnification. Anamorphic lenses contain optical elements that capture a 2.39:1 image and squeeze it onto the 1.78:1 ALEXA imager. With the Anamorphic de-squeeze activated, the image appears “normal” in the camera for monitoring and playback.

The Anamorphic De-squeeze includes four modes for monitoring: De-squeeze off, De-squeeze 2.0x, De-squeeze 2.0x & magnify, and De-squeeze 1.3x.

De-squeeze 2x

2x Anamorphic lenses squeeze the image by a factor of two. In 2x, the de-squeezed full sensor image appears normal in the viewfinder and monitor with extra recording image area to the left and right of the 2.39 aspect ratio.

De-squeeze 2x & Magnify

In 2x & magnify mode, the 2x image is enlarged to practically fit the 2.39 aspect ratio, with little extra area on the left and right. This mode is for monitoring use only, as it does not work in Playback mode.

De-squeeze 1.3x

Developed specifically for the 16×9 sensor, the 1.3x anamorphic lenses squeeze the image by a factor of 1.3 instead of 2. Used with 1.3 lenses, the De-squeeze 1.3x mode will compensate for the squeeze and fit the 1.78:1 (16×9) sensor size.

For more information, download ARRI’s white paper on the Anamorphic De-squeeze option.