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On November 2011 and for two consecutive days, Createasphere hosted their Entertainment Technology Expo at their regular venue in Burbank assembling top media professionals, production and post-production companies, manufacturers, and content creators. Among the companies exhibiting their latest innovation or qualified service at the Expo floor were, Airstar Space Lighting, Anton/ Bauer, Azden, Canon, Carl Zeiss, G- Technology, Leader Instruments, Fujinon, Meduza Systems, Panasonic, ProMax Systems, Schneider Optics, Sony Electronics, Swit Electronics, and Thales Angenieux.

The two days were filled with intensive workshops and technology panels, such as the AJA Intensive, the ASSlMILATE Intensive, the Sony Super 35 Intensive and the Adobe C5 Suite Intensive. The Keynote Conversation of the expo was with Salvatore Totino, ASC, AIC sponsored by American Cinematographer Magazine. Other sold-out Q & A panels included, the Pro Video Coalition Panel, But Really, and How\'d You Get that Shot?? sponsored by the Society of Camera Operators.

HOW TO ALIGN A 3D MIRROR RIG
Are you in the need to align a 3D mirror rig?
Here is some basic info to get you started. In this online tutorial for the alignment of two cameras attached to a mirror rig, Florian Schäfer explains the usage of the newly developed 3D Calibration Test Chart. See how to calibrate your 3D Stereo Rig quickly and easily. The 3D Test Chart used in the tutorial is printed on mat, non-reflecting and weather resistant laminate. It can be used for all kinds of mirror rigs and is available from P+S TECHNIK.
Courtesy of P+S TECHNIK pstechnik.de [pstechnik.de]

Recording sound for film or video has been challenging specially in the last few years. Indeed, there have been a multitude of great technological advances in our field of sound recording for film and video whether on location or studio.This is the first installment of a new series of articles dedicated to the craft of audio recording and it is designed to help you understand or at least make you aware of the proper ways to record sound. In doing these articles, I will quote often from my experience as location sound mixer for over 25 years in USA as well as radio producer during my early days in Europe, as well as the experience of other award winning sound mixers friends of mine.

A Whole New Class of EOS. With a host of brand new features designed to enhance every facet of the photographic process, from still images to video, the new EOS 7D represents a whole new class of camera.

Made to be the tool of choice for serious photographers and semi-professionals, the EOS 7D features an all-new 18.0 Megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors, capturing tremendous images at up to ISO 12800 and speeds of up to 8 fps. The EOS 7D has a new all cross-type 19-point AF system with improved AI Servo II AF subject tracking and user-selectable AF area selection modes for sharp focus no matter the situation.

by Caroline Hagood
The outlaw of 15th century ballad has undergone a modern movie makeover courtesy of Ridley Scott and Universal. The cinema chatter factory of the blogosphere (yours truly included) is all lit up over Scott's Robin Hood (starring Russell Crowe as Hood and Cate Blanchett as Lady Marion) playing opening night at the 63rd annual Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, May 12, and opening in the U.S. two days later. The script was originally entitled Nottingham, with the titular town's sheriff as protagonist. Crowe wasn't thrilled with that concept. After a rewrite from Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential and Mystic River) Robin Hood was born. I'm fairly certain you can guess who the hero of that version is.

So what can we expect from this neo-Hood? Some things have changed over the centuries. His Men sound less Merry and more martial. Another notable modification for these third-wave feminist times involves the movie's Maid. Under Scott's lens, Marion has gone from virginal victim to warrior widow. Perhaps as an indication of changing gender roles, she has traded her distressed damsel act in for a sword on the battleground and a dagger in the bedroom. Although, in a well-researched Observer article, Vanessa Thorpe notes that these rebellious tendencies were in Marion's mythology all along, but that in some cases they just got lost along the way.

MEETING ALEXA IN HOLLYWOOD

On Tuesday April 6, I was invited to the DGA theater complex in Hollywood for the ARRI pre-NAB Showcase featuring the newest addition to their digital camera line, the anticipated ALEXA. Following their motto "it's not just another digital camera, it's an ARRI", Volk Banehmann, CEO of ARRI USA presented the camera to an sold-out audience, emphasizing the technological advances integrated into the camera and gave warm thanks to the audience after announcing he is steeping down as CEO of ARRI USA and CSC and passing the torch to Glen Kennel who holds the post of Chief Technology Officer.

CODE NAME ALEXA:
The Digital Cinema Society (DCS) hosted an exclusive preview of the latest ARRI technology including the next generation of ARRI digital cameras with a hands-on demonstration of the prototype code named ALEXA and their innovative post-production software, Relativity and new lighting fixtures such as the redesigned lens-less daylight 1.8K/1.2K watt HMI and the cooler and output efficient Ceramic 3200K 250 watts studio spotlight.

The evening event called "Everything ARRI" was held on the campus of California State University Northridge and it was initiated with the introduction of the ARRI representatives by James Mathers, co-founder of the Digital Cinema Society and host of the event.

Showing above, the ARRI LoCaster LED fixture (left) features an easy to use onboard controller with a choice of six color temperature settings, continuous dimming and ON/OFF switch. Weighing 2 lbs it is an ideal companion for mobile applications. To the right shown, is the Studio Ceramic 250. User benefits include lamp performance equal to a 1kW halogen lamp, cooler housing temperatures, low power consumption, long lamp life, hot restrike, integrated ballast, 3200K color temperature and a Color Rendering Index >90.

The first presentation of the evening was by Mike Jones, Lighting Division Representative, who introduced some of the TrueBlue line of studio fresnels, the new Broadcaster and Lowcaster handy LED fixtures, the 1.8/1.2K watt daylight HMI with a redesigned lens-less reflector and housing, capable of being plugged into a 20Amp household circuit and the ARRI Studio Ceramic 250 Spotlight, to a mixed and eager audience of cinematographers, camera operators, producers, directors and film school students.....