KitPlus | Articles

Modern movie finishing

by Alexa Maza Issue 85 - January 2014 Written and directed by Neill Blomkamp, Elysium is a new science fiction movie starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster. Set in the year 2154, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy, who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined planet. Digit...

Submitted by Alexa Maza

Published 01 February 2014

Archive eXchange format (AXF) explained

by S Merrill Weiss Issue 85 - January 2014 The proprietary nature of archive storage long has made it challenging for content producers and owners to exchange archive files and media between systems. Thus, when faced with the need either to migrate archives to new generations of storage technology or to consolidate archives, media companies have be...

Submitted by S. Merrill Weiss

Published 01 February 2014

Why is mediocrity such a powerful force?

by Thomas Urbye Issue 85 - January 2014 Ive hit the decade mark!Yes, Im now in to my second ten years working in Sohos post production world. Not only that, Im ten years working with some great Directors, DoPs, Producers and Exec Producers (not to mention the great people that are hired by these people). In that time Ive met all sorts of characters...

Submitted by Thomas Urbye

Published 01 February 2014

Will Strauss looks at post production in 2014

by Will Strauss Issue 85 - January 2014 Despite being named in Americas Top 10 Dying Industries in 2011, post-production still very much has its place in the UK. But it is changing. And fast. With increasingly commoditized and affordable technology allowing pretty much anyone (within reason) to do post-production, the lines between production and p...

Submitted by Will Strauss#

Published 01 February 2014

Taking legacy content into the 4K world

by Josef MarcIssue 84 - December 2013 There are 780,000 UHDTVs already manufactured and poised to hit the marketplace, and the effects of those devices (and the factories that continue to make them) are unstoppable. UHDTV and 4K will be everywhere, sponsored by UHDTV manufacturers and content owners. 4K tablets are shipping as well. As the drumbeat...

Submitted by Josef Marc

Published 01 January 2014

OTT: Back to basics

by Lorna GarrettIssue 84 - December 2013 Going over the top opens up boundless opportunities. Just make sure you work with someone who can help you over the potential pitfalls. Not that long ago, if asked to envisage a family watching television, you probably would have pictured Mum and Dad seated on the sofa, while a couple of children lay sprawle...

Submitted by Lorna Garrett

Published 01 January 2014

Rising to the occasion

by Kevin CookIssue 83 - November 2013 I must admit I wasnt really in the market for a camera crane until I set eyes on the iFootage M1 Mini Crane. Sure, I love seeing craning shots in a film - and I understand perfectly how these types of shots give the viewer an additional and otherwise unavailable perspective to A scene but it all seemed like a l...

Submitted by Kevin Cook

Published 01 December 2013

The UKs PTZ explosion

by Kieron SethIssue 83 - November 2013 The advent of broadcast quality, remotely controlled PTZ cameras has had an enormous impact on television production in the UK. Not only can cameras now be discreetly placed in virtually any location but they can also be operated a very small team of technicians. This combination of creative freedom and the si...

Submitted by Kieron Seth#

Published 01 December 2013

Flying Pictures and the importance of a monitor

Issue 82 - October 2013 Hampshire based filming specialist Flying Pictures is the world leader in the provision of aerial & helicopter filming services for feature films, commercials, television, live broadcast events and surveillance. Based in the UK, the company nevertheless operates worldwide, so if you need something done in the air; they do it...

Submitted by KitPlus

Published 01 November 2013

Will Strauss rounds up IBC 2013

by Will StraussIssue 82 - October 2013 Dear Reader. I have a confession. I did not visit every single one of the many hundreds of stands at IBC this year. In fact, I didnt even visit all 11 halls within the RAI. And I didnt talk to all 52,974 attendees. I was there. I have the stroopwafels to prove it. Its just that IBC is a massive show. And I am...

Submitted by Will Strauss#

Published 01 November 2013

Wireless cameras at live events

by Scott WalkerIssue 81 - September 2013 While wireless cameras have been used in high end broadcast for years, prices have dropped and there are now a variety of products on the market to suit lower cost broadcasts, and the technology is creeping into events with live outdoor screens and lower budgets, where it adds a creative angle to the show. I...

Submitted by Scott Walker

Published 01 October 2013

Education: Live TV approaches to learning without a safe...

by Jennie RawlingIssue 81 - September 2013 Live broadcasting is the core business of the University of Portsmouth course, BSc (Hons) Television and Broadcasting, and they are now entering into their fifth successive year of weekly television output. Course leader and senior lecturer Charlie Watts is delighted with the developments so far, but there...

Submitted by Jennie Rawling

Published 01 October 2013

From archival master to usable video with Mark Gray

by Mark GrayIssue 80 - August 2013 With about 4 million new video channels expected to hit the market in the next five years, its going to be more important than ever to make high-quality content readily available. Many media archives and libraries; studios; broadcasters; production and postproduction facilities; and mastering, quality control, and...

Submitted by Mark Gray

Published 01 September 2013

Making an advert with the Blackmagic Cinema Camera

by Brandon KahnIssue 80 - August 2013 When Mothers Basement came to us with an advert to put on UK cinema screens, I knew my trusty, but basic, XF 305 wasnt going to cut it. Sure, most ads you see in cinema are projected in regular HD and are often shot no higher than 1080, but I felt we needed some extra size. Some extra dynamic range and colour i...

Submitted by Brandon Kahn

Published 01 September 2013

Redefining the archive with Raj Patel

by Raj PatelIssue 80 - August 2013 The entire broadcast workflow has changed dramatically in recent years. Predictably, its been a slow-process. The enormity of transitioning from an analogue to a digital workflow is huge for a variety of reasons - planning, testing, implementation and budget, can mean some installations taking up to two years to c...

Submitted by Raj Patel

Published 01 September 2013