KitPlus | Articles

Ask the experts: Life behind the rate card

by Mike Ransome Issue 88 - April 2014 From time to time, most people in broadcast and production need to rent in some equipment. It might be to extend capabilities an extra camera channel, for example or it might be to bring in something you do not normally use, like an EVS server, for instance. Now picking a dry hire company sounds awfully simple....

Submitted by Mike Ransome

Published 01 May 2014

Packing a real punch for Bangshock

by John Milkovich and Jamie Milkovich Issue 88 - April 2014 Headed up by Creative Director and DP John Milkovich, and Chief Post Production Editor Jamie Milkovich, Vancouver-based media company Bangshock recently took their Ninja 2 on a shoot to capture the Thailand Superfight Thepprasit Pattaya. The Ninja 2s feather weight and rugged build proved...

Submitted by John Milkovich

Published 01 May 2014

Shooting in secret

by Kieron Seth Issue 88 - April 2014 Now showing on Channel 4 is Endemols new and highly popular Secret Eaters series. Based round a fixed rig production, the series uses newly developed mobile fixed rig technology and incorporates a number of recently introduced technical innovations, vital for fast turn-around TV. Secret Eaters is one of a string...

Submitted by Kieron Seth#

Published 01 May 2014

From the frontline to the finish line

by Paul Sargeant Issue 88 - April 2014 Dakar Rally: Frontline to Finish Line first hit our screens on 16th April 2013. It followed the exciting journey of a team of seriously injured servicemen from Britain and the US as they took on the worlds toughest rally. The Dakar Rally is the ultimate test of man and machine versus the elements as drivers ra...

Submitted by Paul Sargeant#

Published 01 May 2014

A splunking in the thames

by Andrew Morris Issue 88 - April 2014 Betsy boo is my 3 year old daughter. She is Amazing, Unique, Talented, Individual, Sensitive, Thoughtful, Indestructible, Cool. She is also AUTISTIC. To be honest we didnt know what autism was and are still learning; it is a problem within the brain; it happens when kids are born, and is often not picked up un...

Submitted by Andrew Morris

Published 01 May 2014

From the edge of nowhere to the centre of everywhere

by Joe Fulford Issue 88 - April 2014 Getting your images back to a studio for broadcast can be done in many ways. Getting the tapes or cards back to the studio will take however long it takes a dispatch rider to get there, and sometimes its just not possible to get a motorcycle out to your location. You can transfer the files via FTP from another l...

Submitted by Joe Fulford

Published 01 May 2014

Covering the Winter Games for Broadcast

by Mel Noonan Issue 86 - February 2014 This was written a few days before the opening ceremony so news arriving from the front line is of last minute angst for some of the tech teams who go out and perform daily miracles in such unuser-friendly locations year after year. Camera platforms erected in the wrong place, cables lost under a recent snowfa...

Submitted by Mel Noonan

Published 01 March 2014

BroadcastShow Tour - a visitors view

by Connor PearceIssue 83 - November 2013 Suitably set on the backdrop of Britains birthplace for iconic television, the last leg of the BroadcastShow Tour saw Philip Bloom host a day of seminars at Pinewood Studios. Alongside this, internationally leading companies in film and television technology flocked to share their latest and greatest broadca...

Submitted by Connor Pearce

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

Bob Pank looks at shooting 4K TV

by Bob PankIssue 82 - October 2013 Not unexpectedly IBC was full of buzz and products for 4K the new image format for television. This is generally taken to be a 2x2 version of HDTVs 1920 x 1080, i.e. defining a 3840 x 2160 pixel picture. But there is nothing new about big pictures like this. Back in late 2004 a draft of the Digital Cinema Initiati...

Submitted by Bob Pank#

Published 01 November 2013

True neutrality with TRUE ND

by Raymond BurnsIssue 82 - October 2013 Neutral Density (ND) filters are an essential addition to any filmmakers kit, particularly when attempting to get a proper exposure or a shallow depth of field when shooting outside in bright conditions or with strong sunlight. Now available in Europe via exclusive distributor Octica Professional, TRUE ND fil...

Submitted by Raymond Burns

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

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

Continuous power in the field

When on location whether in the depths of a jungle with reduced access to power or in a city centre with limited charging opportunities then good consideration to your kit bag is needed to remove those power hungry devices that could leave you running short for the final big shot of the day!The benefits of field recorders are well known, often doub...

Submitted by Raymond Burns

Published 01 July 2013

Increasing creativity and functionality with Q-Ball

By Jim Daniels, technical director, Camera CorpsTell us more about Camera Corps and its position within the industry…Camera Corps was founded almost 20 years ago to offer broadcasters video system design and rental services. Having focused on rentals from the very beginning, we have provided high-volume cameras, pan-and-tilt heads and tracking syst...

Submitted by Jim Daniels

Published 01 July 2013