A new HDCAM SR codec coming, supporting new media formats. http://bit.ly/bFMfaA Refresh for an old format.

Not only a new codec, which will improve quality, but also support for solid state media and other media formats. About time as HDCAM SR was getting a little old and no longer representative of the highest available quality.

Hulu’s advertising income “barely” covers its bandwidth bill? http://bit.ly/aUzB7V Doesn’t auger well for advertising supported video.

For the longest time I’ve been saying that advertising is not going to be the way media is supported in the future. It will be part of the picture but branded media – where the advertiser has cut-through and clear branding (also called Hyperdistribution by some) – and direct payment will be much more likely. Remember the only truly successful distribution model online is Apple’s iTunes store, even though the media there is seriously overpriced.

“It’s an important issue, because any debate about Hulu is a debate about the future of purely ad-supported TV, which is increasingly becoming an endangered species. Hulu is the No. 2 video site on sheer volume of video views behind YouTube, yet no one is yet making much money from its model: not its network backers, other content partners and least of all Hulu itself, which has a hard time paying for its bandwidth bills.”

Having just got back from an North East trip – New York, Boston and Meriden/North Haven CT – I’ve had a good opportunity to think and observe trends outside my own environment. I see four major trends happening across production and, despite the publicity and inevitable NAB push, I don’t think 3D stereoscopy is among them (at least not yet).

Stereoscopy is indeed a trend in feature film production with an impressive percentage of last year’s box office attributable to 3D movies, but it will be a long time before it’s more than a niche for non-feature production. In fact the supply of 3D content vs the number of theaters equipped to display, is probably going to limit 3D distribution to the major studios and their tentpole releases.

That said, this year’s NAB is likely to be full of 3D capable rigs, cameras and workflows. For what display?  Until the viewing end is more established production in 3D won’t be that important.

Right now the trends I’m observing are: more multicamera production; extensive use of green screen even for “normal” shots; 3D sets, objects and even characters; and a definite trend toward larger sensor cameras (both DSLR and RED).

Multicamera Production

The appeal is simple: acquire two angles on any “good” take. Of course reality television takes this to almost-ridiculous levels with up to 68+ hours recorded for every day of the show’s shoot. On more reasonable shows, Friday Night Lights shoots multicamera in real world locations for a very efficient production schedule.

While it no doubt saves production time, and therefore cost, it can limit shot availability (as one camera ‘sees’ another) or more bland lighting (to make sure each camera angle is well lit). Multicamera studio shoots – the staple of the sitcom – tend to be lit very flat, but Friday Night Lights doesn’t suffer for the multicamera acquisition.

All major editing software packages support multicamera editing. We’ve also seen an increase in requests for multicamera support in our double-system synchronizing tool Sync-N-Link.

Part of the reason that multicamera acquisition is becoming more practical is that the cost of buying or renting camera equipment has dropped dramatically, so that three cameras on a shoot are not necessarily a budget buster.

Green Screen (Virtual sets)

If you haven’t already seen Stargate Studio’s Virtual Back Lot reel, do it now. Before seeing it I had the sense that there was a lot more green screen used out there, but I had no idea that shows I’d watched and enjoyed employed green screen. The Times Square shot from Hereos, for example, did not feel at all composited. When simple street scenes are being shot green screen – things that could easily be shot in the real world – then you know it has to be for budgetary reasons.

Green screen (and blue screen for film) technologies are well proven. There are good and inexpensive tools that fit within common workflows to build the green screen composite. In other words, the barriers to entry are simply the skill of the Director of Photography on the shoot, and that of the editors/compositors in post.

When 70% of a show, like Sanctuary uses virtual sets, the necessity for anything beyond a good screen screen studio, with a good lighting kit and some smarts seems less important.

3D sets and enhancements

The third major trend goes hand-in-hand with the use of Virtual Sets: sets that are created in the mind of a designer and rendered “real” with 3D software. There are literally hundreds of thousands of object models available for sale (or free) online. You can hardly read a production story now that does’t feature 3D set or character extensions.

I should probably add motion tracking as another technology coming into its own, because it’s an essential part of the incorporation of actors into 3D sets, or the enhancement of character with 3D character extensions.

Larger Sensors

Fairly obvious to all, I would think, but the trend toward larger sensors includes the DSLR trend as well as RED Digital Cinema and the new Arri Alexxa. Wherever you look the trend is toward larger sensors with their sensitivity improvements, greater control of depth of field and drop-dead gorgeous pictures. Among other uses they make perfect plates for backgrounds in green screen work!

All four (plus motion tracking) trends contribute to reducing production cost, making more shows viable with ever fragmenting audiences.

James Cameron: Innovation trumps digital piracy http://bit.ly/8ZccXO So *he* gets it.

Rather than react and try and hold back the tide, the movie and television industries need to re-examine their business plans.Make product people will leave the house to see and will buy on DVD or Blu-ray and make the experience in the cinema much more pleasant. Perhaps not treating your customers as criminals and offer adult beverages for those who would like them.

TV’s Disappearing Status Quo http://bit.ly/aDgoQg Mutiple trends conspiring to make the old models difficult at best??

The convergence of the FCC’s proposed National Broadband plan mandating new and open set top boxes, that broadband being open, deceleration in Telco business growth and the iPad all work against the status quo for the TV business. But with the vast majority watching TV in the old fashioned way, don’t expect dramatic change in the short term.

Is Hollywood Overestimating the Appeal of 3-D? http://bit.ly/a0jIwF Will higher 3D ticket prices drive people to cheaper enterntainment?

There’s certainly been growing interest in 3D from the studios when 10% of all income in 2009 was from 3D movies (gross receipts). But is it that much better than 2D that people will pay an even higher premium with prices going up last weekend at major chain theaters?

An Alternative to the MPAA for ratings? http://bit.ly/99cu6s Who knew the law established two ratings boards.

I think everyone believes that the MPAA are the only ones that can issue ratings for films and other programming, but the Film Advisory Board is also established as an alternative in legislation. Maybe it’s time for a fair, transparent and consistent ratings system that’s not given out in secret by a secret panel who’s capriciousness is legendary.

Independent Film Marketing Checklist While in Production http://bit.ly/bVFGLg

Although I’d say that the website should be up in pre-production at a minimum with a production blog and opportunities for people to sign up as fans. Get their email address (and if you can zip code) and find ways to involve them during production. For those getting involved, provide a little something extra – behind the scene video, for example.

Piracy UP in France after draconian (no proof required) “3 Strikes law.” http://bit.ly/bxL2eH That was effective!! not.

Like the ACTA treaty would likely force the US to follow, the “Hadopi” law kicks users off the internet after three accusations of piracy. Given that accusations in the RIAA’s “sue our customers” campaign have been against dead people and have no oversight, this is a big deal. Whatever happened to “not guilty until proven?” A judge is allowed 5 minutes in a review process added to the legislation after it’s first defeat.

How about updating business models instead of propping up old ones. Times change and business models have to change along with them. (I’m not saying content should be free or that piracy is good, but I am saying that failing business models should not be propped up by Governments.)

ACTA is without oversite, private members club will entrench obsolete business models. http://bit.ly/9klPDR

Supposedly about Anti-Counterfitting measures it would force signatory countries to enact even more draconian law including shutting people off the internet on an accusation – no proof required.  This must be stopped.

No trade negotiation should ever be conducted in secrecy. Now that the full text has leaked the ramifications are even more horrific than thought, and it proves that the US Trade Office has been lying – outright lies – about what it contains.