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Articles by Dennis Lennie

From little acorns....

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So what do we do? We have done little for television – our market place is much more modest. Parafotos has its origins in the early sixties when I started filming free fall parachuting– having to cope with a Bolex H16 strapped to the side of my helmet during the opening of the parachute was an interesting experience which no doubt accounted for an...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 May 2009

Edirol R-09HR records Obama inauguration

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When sound recordist Alan O’Duffy was contracted to travel to the USA to record interviews and atmospheres for a “feature documentary” about Barack Obama becoming the 44th President of the USA, one of the first pieces of kit he packed was Edirol’s R-09HR digital recorder. Irish film company, Alpha Films, wanted Alan to record on location first in N...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 May 2009

EPIC HD Upgrade

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EPIC-TV came into being in late 2006, after Norfolk County Council acquired the ITV Anglia Regional news and Network production studios at Magdalen Street Norwich. Since then it’s been re-developed as one of the technically most advanced production facilities in Europe, with three broadcast studies, two of the HD, one of them Virtual, linked direct...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 May 2009

Eye to Eye. Whats new in test and measurement 2009

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The transition from analogue to digital programme production, storage and delivery lulled some innocent folk into anticipating a world without need for test equipment. If required at all, so the thinking went, all signal analysis would be performed in software. Maybe someday. For now, the T&M sector remains alive and well. The following summary out...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 May 2009

What to do about staff in a recession 2009

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In the second of a four part series, Peter Savage looks at the staffing minefield you encounter as you consider cutting staff costs to survive the recessionLast day of the calendar month and, yes, another batch of companies goes bust. The recession is biting, and probably harder than any I can remember. I shan’t get on my high horse again – about p...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 May 2009

Lighting. Back or rim light part 4

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In my last article, I discussed modelling of the ‘talent’ by choice of lamp, and careful choice of the horizontal and vertical angle of the ‘key’ light. Having made those choices my next priority would be to choose a ‘back’ light. It is also sometimes known as a ‘hair’ light which gives a pretty good clue as to its function. Just to say that we are...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 May 2009

HD Camera Measurements and getting the most out of your c...

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Recap Parts1 and 2:Parts 1 and 2 covered the theory and actual measurement of white shading, making sure that the camera non-linearities introduced by various different lens systems on a particular camera are compensated. In this issue, Part 3 will investigate setting up colourimetry and exposure as well greyscale adjustments using a waveform monit...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 May 2009

Ask the Experts with True Lens Services

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Why should I have a lens serviced?A camera lens is not actually a sealed unit, though it may look as though it is. When you pull focus or zoom the lens, cells of glass within it start to move which results in pressure being created on one side of the cell and a partial vacuum on the other. This vacuum will suck in the surrounding air and any airbor...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 April 2009

How lenses are made...in Leicester!

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How lenses are made...in Leicester!A tour of the factory is a wonderful insight into the production of these instruments. We start with the raw material. With over 100 types of glass to choose from Cooke select a pre moulding depending on the lens model. GrindingWe move into the main building now and are greeted by the industrial sound of machines...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 April 2009

A brief history of Cooke, the UK pioneer of motion pictur...

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UK manufacturing has been dwindling for years now to the frustration of many with cheaper solutions in the Far East enabling more competitive products and so on. For this reason it was so refreshing to met with the owner of Cooke Optics, Les Zellan, and take a tour of a real factory, making real products from raw material to end products – the Cook...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 April 2009

Eye to Eye Video acquisition and production

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BVE2009 in London, February 17-19 offers UK-based programme-makers a useful opportunity to try out the latest video acquisition and production equipment ahead of NABshow2009 and its loud after-echo, IBC. The following outlines some of the new front-end kit likely to be on display at Earls Court. Cameras and camcordersARRI will be exhibiting its D-2...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 April 2009

Filters for HD Cinematography

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The availability of low-cost HD camcorders with film-style tools, like 24 frame-per-second imaging and quality lenses, has put filmmaking capability in the hands of many. To achieve a film-style look, a director of photography can add a compliment of optical filters. Such filters can not only make color and other corrections to the image as it is s...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 April 2009

How to market your business in a recession January 2009

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In the first of a four part series, Peter Savage offers tips that will help you get customers buying from you, even in this economic downturn. This year we are going to look more on the bright side of life as last year was full of doom and gloom. So this is the start of a four part series about developing your business in a downturned market. I tho...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 April 2009

Red One Hit or Myth

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So – after having arrived a year ago to these shores the Red is starting to settle into everyday living here in the UK. Possibly being American and designed by an iconic trendy sunglasses designer, we shouldn’t be surprised by its many foibles. The Red started life in the UK as whispered conversations about a piece of equipment being developed that...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 April 2009

The SxS vs MxT Debate

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We are all probably already tired of hearing the phrase ‘cutting costs’ but the reality is that ways have to be continuously found to reduce our production costs in order to stay competitive. The question is – are some savings a false economy or are they really worth it?We have been hiring out Sony’s XDCAM EX cameras for over a year and they are no...

Submitted by Dennis Lennie

Published 01 April 2009