Broadcastpro Middle East

brilliancebahraini

Khalid Al Muharraqi’s CG camels see SIGGRAPH

Technology inTelligence for TV, film and radio

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

issue 2 | augusT 2010

The Dark knighTRed Mysterium-X shines in low-light

aviD makes The cuTMedia Composer

5.0 reviewed

It’s a well known fact that the Middle East now has more than 470 free-to-air channels. It’s an equally well known fact that besides the MBC Group, very few TV stations in the region’s FTA market actually turn a profit. In fact, it would not be inaccurate to conjecture that at least 70% (if not more) of the region’s TV advertising budget lands in MBC’s coffers.

At a recent debate initiated by The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi, three of the UAE’s current largest TV players – MBC, Orbit Showtime Network (OSN) and Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) – were invited to discuss how TV revenues could be improved in this market, along with media buying agencies. Several issues came to light at the debate.

It was alleged that media buying agencies in the Middle East amassed a much larger cut of the advertising pie than would be permitted in

international markets because of the lack of a regulator to police them.

It was also alleged that as some research companies were owned by media buying agencies, viewership statistics were manipulated in favour of clients (broadcasters) for whom the agencies were the exclusive agents.

Several other abuses were also brought to light at the debate. It became clear that unless media operators forgot their differences and worked together, no one would benefit in the long run.

One person who vociferously condemned such malpractices was OSN CEO Marc Antoine d’Halluin, the man who engineered the merger between Orbit and Showtime. d’Halluin is well known as a turnaround specialist and has often expressed frustration, in the past, at the inability to compete in a market, where players do not compete on equal terms.

In an exclusive interview with BroadcastPro Middle East, d’Halluin discusses why OSN had to close down its Bahrain facility and the challenges of operating in a market that is not just replete with FTA channels but also devoid of legal regulations to thwart piracy and other malpractices.

This debate is significant to the Middle East television industry as the inability to generate revenues could eventually drive broadcasters out of business or deter them from investing in high-quality content or new technologies.

What we require is an independent body comprising representatives from major media organisations, who can sit together and come up with a set of rules that will allow for fair play and punish offenders. This is the way forward if we must survive.

Welcome

BroadcastPro launch party: 110 pros from the UAE broadcast and production industry attended our launch party at Madinat Jumeirah.Look out for the pictures in the next issue.

www.broadcastprome.comSubscribe now

Vijaya Cherian, Senior EditorBroadcastPro Middle East

PublisherDominic De Sousa

COONadeem Hood

Commercial DirectorRichard [email protected] +971 (0) 4 375 5684

Senior EditorVijaya [email protected] +971 (0) 50 768 3435

Contributing EditorGeorge [email protected] +971 (0) 4 375 5681

ADvErtISIngSales DirectorRaz [email protected] +971 (0) 50 451 8213

CIrCuLAtIOnDatabase and Circulation ManagerRajeesh [email protected] +971 (0) 4 375 5679

PrODuCtIOn AnD DESIgnProduction ManagerJames P [email protected] +971 (0) 4 375 5685

Head of DesignDave [email protected] +971 (0) 4 375 5681

DIgItALwww.cpilive.netwww.broadcastprome.comwww.cpidubai.com

WebmasterTristan Troy [email protected] +971 (0) 4 429 3675

Web DesignerJerus King [email protected] +971 (0) 4 429 3675

Web DeveloperElizabeth [email protected]

Published by1013 Centre Road, New Castle County,Wilmington, Delaware, USA

Head OfficePO Box 13700Dubai, UAETel: +971 (0) 4 375 5681Fax: +971 (0) 4 429 3654

Printed byPrintwell Printing Press LLC

© Copyright 2010 CPI. All rights reserved. While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

Cover image supplied by Muharraqi Studios.

Hasan Sayed Hasan, head of twofour54 Intaj flanked by Sarkis Semaan, ADMC (l) and Hassan Chahine, DMI (r).

42

4 news Boomtown Productions

revives love for 16mm.

22 product review Dubai-based editor tests Avid Media Composer 5.0 exclusively for BroadcastPro.

28 power up We look at the importance of stocking up on good batteries for your digital cameras.

34 new media E-Vision head talks cable,

FTTH, IPTV and OTT.

38 testing time RED user illustrates

the differences between the new Mysterium-X and the old sensor through a series of tests.

3d worLd Bahraini artist impressesinternational CG community with stunning 3D creations.

showing the wayMarc-Antoine d’Halluin talks about shutting down OSN’s Bahrain operations and anti-competitive practices in the Middle East TV market.

in this issue

AUGUST 2010

August 2010 | www.broadcastprome.com | 3

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| www.broadcastprome.com | August 20104

said BacHo proMoted to vp of Mesa, Harris

Said Bacho has been promoted to vice president of the Middle East and South Asia (MESA) from his previous position as managing director of Har-ris Middle East, BroadcastPro Middle East can reveal.

In his new role, Bacho will be responsible for the service and support as well as sales and marketing activities of the company in the MESA region.

“Dubai will continue to be our headquarters. We already have fi ve times the space we had before in Dubai, and have an offi ce in Delhi as well. Presently, we have 30 people to service this region but the plan is to put in place a new structure and add more people to support MESA,” he added.

Countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh will also be under Bacho from now on.

BOOmtOWN caPtuRES tHE quEEN iN 16mmDubai-based Boomtown Productions recently produced a 30-minute documentary on the camel beauty pageant in the Western region of Abu Dhabi on 16mm.

The fi lm, which was meant to be an “artistic endeavour”, according to Shane Martin, executive producer and managing director of Boomtown Productions, was deliberately produced on fi lm to create a more “organic and rugged look” so as to “enhance the style of the documentary”.

The crew shot for fi ve days. The footage was captured on two 16 mm cameras as well as a Canon 5DMkII.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this documentary was bringing it together in post.

Several issues needed to be addressed. For one, the lack of a tight script meant that the narrative would have to come to life in post. Secondly, the conversion from 16mm to 2K created a lot of noise and grain, which needed to be

cleaned up frame by frame. “While the concept was

interesting and the footage powerful, this fi lm came to life in the edit – it could not have been any other way,” stated Omar Abbas, head of post production at Boomtown.

“We went over the footage again and again, organising it and sifting through it to fi nd the bits that worked. It was nothing like working with a constructed narrative, where you have a script and you shape the footage accordingly; it was a meeting half way between the concept and the footage.”

After the offl ine edit, the rushes were sent to Optix in Hamburg to grade the project in 2K. “Optix in Hamburg follows a fi le-based workfl ow. This means we’d have a hard drive full of graded 2K rushes. This is the only way to go as tape-based workfl ows are cumbersome and have limited HD resolution, and most tape machines compress the image as they record it,” he added.

Unfortunately, the grading process as well as the high resolution of the 2K material made the grain on the rushes really apparent. Although some grain was intended to create “an organic” look, Abbas says he had to denoise the rest.

“I used the Nuke V6 and the Furnace plug-in from The Foundry. We processed nearly every shot in this documentary with the help of this software, and tweeked the level of grain in ways we saw fi t. 16mm is also prone to dirt and dust scratching the fi lm, and the dirt removal plugin from The Foundry was a time-saving tool that automatically processed the frames and fi gured out what was dirt and dust by calculating the motion of the objects on the image. It saved us a lot of painstaking labour,” added Abbas.

Boomtown is presently in talks with broadcasters to show the documentary on their channels, and is considering undertaking more non-commercial projects.

PRONEWS

IN QUOTES“MBC was the only broadcaster with positive cash fl ow in the Middle East in 2009.”-- mazen Hayek, mBc group.

Said Bacho, VP, Harris MESA.

DoP Stoeps Langensteiner with the ARRI camera and post production head Omar Abbas inset.


PRONEWS

al jazeera expands ingest, editing and playout for fifa cup

Dubai-based systems integrator Qvest Media, who had installed a new tapeless ingest, editing and playout solution for Al Jazeera Sports in Doha, Qatar last year and expanded its playout channels from ten to 16, recently expanded the facility’s infrastructure even further to accommodate the broadcaster’s FIFA World Cup requirements. Qvest Media integrated three additional World Cup channels and

three backup channels into the existing broadcasting environment. To implement this, Qvest Media planned and integrated an Avid iNews editing system and equipped the postproduction of the TV channel with a total of 20 workstations, which included Avid iNews Instinct, five Assist Workstations and 12 Avid MediaComposer and NewsCutter systems. Furthermore, 18 AirSpeed platforms for

ingest and studio applications as well as redundant capture managers and com-mand servers were integrated for the playout. The ISIS system, which had been planned and supplied by Qvest Media, has been extended by 32 TB and features now a storage capacity of more than 2.400 hours. To guarantee the backup of data in the broadcast centre of Al Jazeera Sports, Qvest Media furthermore installed a multiple redundant Cisco Coreswitch, which forms the backbone in the IT network, as well as five Cisco Floorswitches, each connected using two redundant 10 Gb fibres.As Al Jazeera announced the switch to 16:9 on the occasion of the FIFA World Cup, four additional Qvest Media service technicians were on site to supervise the production and broadcasting during the world championships.

Egyptian state broadcaster ERTU has purchased a Quantel Enterprise sQ system to handle its entire news production needs as it transitions to HD operation. The order was placed with Quantel through Egypt-based systems integrator Systems Design.

The new Quantel system will be used to produce ERTU’s flagship Nile News programme, and will also support eight other ERTU studios with news bulletins. It will be integrated with ERTU’s existing ENPS newsroom computer system.

The ERTU Enterprise sQ system is built around an array of Quantel sQ servers providing 3,000 hours of AVCi50 HD storage and supporting 60 sQ View, sQ Cut and sQ Edit desktop editing applications and eight sQ Edit Plus Craft Editors. The system is split into a number of zones to provide additional resilience. Ingest and playout automation supplied by Aveco will be integrated using a VDCP interface. The system is planned to go on air in October 2010.

“We are delighted that ERTU has cho-sen to partner with Quantel to deliver its new HD-ready newsroom,” said Thomas

Birner, director of sales for Quantel, Middle East and Central Europe.

“ERTU’s criteria for the new system closely match the key strengths of our Enterprise sQ technology -- speed to air, ease of use, resilience and stream-lined workflow with limitless potential for future expansion as their needs change and grow.

“This order also represents a major milestone in the planned expansion of our activities in the Middle East market,” added Birner, who previously looked after only Central Europe and was recently given responsibility of the Middle East as well.

Birner termed the Middle East “a dy-namic and highly innovative market with many exacting broadcast requirements”.

Birner will concentrate Quantel’s efforts on major reference projects in the Middle East, some of which are coming to fruition in the next few months.

“This will provide the basis for build-ing a stronger presence in the region, providing sustained success for the longer term across a broader range of projects and countries within the region,” Birner added.

ERtu OPtS fOR quaNtEl

graHaM day joins atg Broadcast as Md

Graham Day has joined ATG broadcast as MD from July 1. Prior to joining ATG Broadcast, Day worked in Abu Dhabi as a technical consultant for Al Dafrah Group. He was responsible for developing and implementing the group’s strategy and developing its HD studio project.

“I look forward to working with the ATG Broadcast team,” commented Day. “We will be building on ATG’s track record as a successful system integrator both in Britain and in global sectors, and I look forward to developing further the brand name with my team,” Day said.

arcHion expands to Middle east US-based storage solutions provider Archion Technologies has appointed EMEA Gateway as its business partner in the Middle East region. This appointment is aimed at accelerating the com-pany’s reach into markets across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Archion will showcase its storage solutions for the first time in this region on EMEA Gateway’s inaugural stand at IBC 2010.

“Our expansion strategy has always included a route to market in the EMEA region but we needed the right business partner, with the appropriate skills, to lead our charge into this geography,” said Mark Bianchi, CEO at Archion Technologies. “EMEA Gateway understands the workflow challenges in today’s broadcast business and their ability to cost-effectively enable us to access new markets and revenue streams by utilising their extensive network — with a limited outlay — is a very attractive value proposition.”

Thomas Birner, director of sales, Quantel Midde East & Central Europe.


PRONEWS

du Broadcast Services has teamed up with On Demand Group, a three-screen video enabler to launch a fully-managed subscription video-on-demand offering. The new SVOD TV service adds to the transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) service launched by du in December 2009.

The new service, which launched as “Unlimited Video on Demand,” will include a wide range of favourite TV series, comedy, dramas, documenta-ries, kids programming, classic mov-ies, and the latest blockbuster music videos acquired and packaged by On Demand Group. New content

available in both SD and HD will be added to the service every week.

“The new subscription video-on-demand service, which we launched in collaboration with On Demand Group, will play a piv-otal role in our aggressive service expansion and will allow us to quickly capture the leading edge in time-shifted subscriber options with the absolute best content,” said Farid Faraidooni, chief commercial officer, du.

Georges Dabaghi, GM, On Demand Group added that the deal “further demonstrates the content aggregation strategy that we have successfully developed in the U.K., France, German-speaking countries, southern Europe and now the Middle East, to provide increased efficiencies, cost savings, program-ming and marketing expertise, and speed-to-market for multiple clients in multiple territories”.

du aNNOuNcES SvOd SERvicEsalaM Medicast wins BaHrain tv projectSI Salam MediaCast was recently awarded a contract for the supply, installation, commissioning and training of a HD three-camera virtual studio for Bahrain TV. The installation is scheduled for completion in September 2010.

The virtual system consists of a state-of-the-art tracking system from IVSM. The camera positions in the studios will be monitored by infra-red cameras. The background source will include rendered graphics from the processing units. Key kit include three Sony HD cameras, a Chroma box, cool lights from ARRI, Ultimatte Chroma keyers, a multi-format 2ME Kahuna vision mixer from Snell and the Yamaha audio digital console. Evertz, Axon, Harris and Clearcom equipment will also feature in this installation.

“We will provide specialised training for each equipment to ensure that Bahrain TV engineers and operators can maximise the potential of this equipment,” commented Niaz Siddiqui, operations manager and consultant, Salam MediaCast. “One SMC engineer will also be based in Bahrain for six months to ensure local support.”

Georges Dabaghi, GM, OnDemand Group.


PRONEWS

Dynamics processing specialist Jünger Audio has ap-pointed Dubai-based distributor and systems integra-tor Qvest Media FZ LLC to handle the distribution of its entire product range in the Middle East.

According to the deal, Qvest Media will distribute Jünger Audio’s entire product range, including its LEVEL MAGIC Loudness control solution, which is now incorporated into products from manufacturers such as Miranda, Wohler and Harmonic, as well as being adopted as a stand-alone solution by broadcasters such as Discovery Channel, MediaCorp, Canal +, Astro and RTL.

Capable of using any kind of I/O (analogue and dig-ital) sources, as well as SDI, HD/SDI, Dolby 5.1 and all its related metadata, LEVEL MAGIC is available in a variety of configurations to suit different applications. It can also be configured and remotely controlled via a web interface – and it now complies with the ITU’s BS.R1770 loudness control specifications as level detection can easily be switched to ITU mode.

Stephan Seelaender, general manager of Qvest Me-dia stated that the company’s German sister concern Wellen+Noethen had been cooperating with Jünger Audio for many years.

“Qvest Media has already supplied Jünger Audio equipment to a large number of clients. Moreover,

we have chosen Jünger Audiof for our major projects in the Middle East, such as the recent high profile installation at Al Jazeera Sport. The company’s limiting, levelling and sound operation control products are renowned for their intuitive handling. We believe they are an excellent addition to the range of products we already represent and will bring real benefits to our customer base,” Seelaender stated.

Qvest Media represents many brands including Annova Systems, LNYX Technik, Riedel, RTW and S4M Solutions for Media in the Middle East.

qvESt mEdia aNd juNgER audiO tiE cartoon network plans araBic cHannelCartoon Network will launch an Arabic version of its channel later this year. The channel recently announced that it would open a training academy for animation at twofour54, Abu Dhabi.

“There’s been a great deal of demand for Arabic content in this region and launching a 24/7 Arabic Cartoon Network channel is a further testament to our growing investment in the region,” stated Chris Groves, senior VP business affairs and MD for the Middle East, Turner Broadcasting.

BskyB Mulls araBic news cHannelBSkyB is in talks to broadcast a 24-hour news service in Arabic from Abu Dhabi, according to the Financial Times. The project will be a 50-50 owned joint venture with a local private investor.

John Ryley, head of Sky News, stated that the channel will deliver “a new approach to Arabic-language news”.

Stefan Seelaender, GM, Qvest Media.


diSh mexico gainS more With harriSPay TV operator Dish Mexico has implemented the harris Novar traffi c and billing system to manage its sales and business operations in Mexico City.

The complete Novar solution at Dish Mexico includes integration with the Novar Programme Plus Latin America programming service, which delivers pre-packaged metadata including programme titles, descriptions and commercial break formats on a regularly scheduled basis. By using this service, Dish Mexico saves hours by not having to recreate detailed programming information within Novar.

The Novar system was purpose-built to manage the day-to-day workfl ow of multichannel, multi-geographic advertising sales and traffi c. Novar’s open database structure delivers a fl exible environment that enables clients to perform analysis and maintain database ownership.

FuJinon JoinS FuJiFilm europe groupFujifi lm Corporation has absorbed its wholly-owned direct subsidiary Fujinon Corporation, Saitama, Japan, as of July 1, 2010. Fujifi lm Corporation is now the legal successor of Fujinon Corporation.

As of August 2010, Fujinon (Europe) Gmbh will join the Fujifi lm Europe group by becoming a subsidiary of Fujifi lm Europe Gmbh. This will have no immediate impact on the organisational structure of either Fujinon or Fujifi lm in Europe.

Fujinon (Europe) Gmbh operates mainly in endoscopy systems and optical devices business. Combining forces will help the company strengthen its position in the medical systems market. With the consolidation, Fujifi lm also seeks to accelerate the integration of Fujinon’s optical technologies into its imaging, production and organic synthetic technologies to further expand the optical device business.

GAme cReeK AdOPts GV FOR 3G tRucKsVeteran mobile production company Game Creek Video, which is building two 3G-capable (1080p60) HD production trucks that will hit the road this year, will install Grass Valley Kayenne Video Production Centers on each of them.

Game Creek will also take delivery of four additional Kayenne switchers for future truck projects, for a total of six Kayenne switchers.

The new trucks will be dedicated to supporting sports productions for both ESPN (“Larkspur”) and the YES Network (as yet unnamed)—

home to Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees. The ESPN truck was rolled out last month while the YES Network truck will be completed and ready for action by the end of August in time for the 2010 MLB playoffs.

Game Creek has been using a Kayenne switcher successfully for about a year, having produced the 2009-2010 ABC Prime College Football game produced by ESPN with their “Liberty” truck and the 2009 - 2010 NFL A level game and the 2010 Daytona 500 in February for FOX Sports with its “Fox” HD rigs.

Quantel SaveS time With priSm SoundPrism Sound’s dScope Series III test and measurement system has delivered signifi cant savings in time for Quantel, while optimising the company’s testing process.

The dScope system is now used on every sQ server built at Quantel. Every port on its servers has the capability to ingest and/or output 8 channels of AES digital audio on both balanced and unbalanced interfaces. There could be up to 12 ports on a single server and a lot of testing is required.

PROGLOBAL


Signiant preServeS american heritage The Library of Congress, USA’s oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world, has implemented Signiant software to manage, automate and securely control the movement of the library’s content, including millions of books, audio and video recordings, photographs, maps, manuscripts, and even social media updates such as Twitter feeds.

Signiant’s content supply chain management solutions are built on a core platform of reliability, openness and WAN/Networking/IP that technical experts with patented and time-tested technology deployed in hundreds of global organisations. A central management capability combined with distributed software agents allows content movement to be tracked, automated, secured and accelerated, creating a full content supply chain management solution.

Sky auStralia expandSomnibuS inStallationSky Racing in Australia has further expanded its iTX multi-platform transmission system with the addition of new international channels, bringing the total iTX channel count at Sky Channel in Sydney to nine.

Sky Channel Australia first went live on March 16, 2010 with an iTX system configured for an initial four TV channels, one online and two mobile TV channels. Sky’s iTX installation is configured with the iTX GFX real-time 3-D graphics module to allow the complex, up-to-the-minute graphics in live coverage for a variety of programming including racing coverage.

PROGLOBAL

DID YOU KNOW? YOUTUBE hAS LAUNChED 4K hD STREAMING. USERS MAY WATCh VIDEOS IN 4096P RESOLUTION BY SELECTING ThE “ORIGINAL” SETTING. ULTRA FAST BROADBAND CONNECTIONS ARE ESSENTIAL TO hANDLE ThE FILE SIzE.

Soho-based Factory Studios has expanded its facilities to incorporate a new Dolby audio suite designed by acoustics consultant White Mark Ltd.

The installation of a Dolby Suite licensed for commercials and trailers will not only help Factory Studios to attract new clients but will also improve the services it can offer to its existing client base.

The new suite is equipped with an Avid D-Control mixing console and also has a Focal

Professional monitoring system, making it the first Dolby-approved studio in the UK to use this technology.

Factory’s new Dolby Suite is now on-line and handles projects for some of London’s leading advertising agencies.

The room is designed for optimum mixing in both Stereo and Dolby Digital. A Dolby Commercials and Trailers Licence allows the facility to mix and monitor all Dolby Digital Surround formats.

FActORy Adds dOLBy AudiO tO its FAciLity

itALiAn BROAdcAsteR RAi dePLOys utAh systemsRadiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) is deploying a large routing system supplied by Utah Scientific. A UTAH-400/XL (loaded 1000x2000) video router integrated with an audio router (2000x2000) sits at the heart of the facility that is being fully renovated to provide full 3G/HD/SDI signal distribution.

For the installation, Utah Scientific and RAI engineers cooperated to devise a completely new approach for managing audio and video in a very large environment. As implemented, the Utah Scientific system enables global routing control and full redundancy between RAI’s

two facilities, located in Saxa Rubra and in Via Teulada, Rome. Besides the capabilities of the routing system itself, RAI selected Utah Scientific based on the company’s 10-year, no-cost warranty, and the proven reliability and durability of its equipment.

RAI is a long-term Utah Scientific customer, having purchased its first Utah router some 30 years ago. The UTAH-400/XL is the only router to offer a 1056x1056

matrix in a single equipment rack using industry-standard

BNC connectors. Because of its innovative architecture, the UTAH-400/XL is readily scalable using a single family of matrix building blocks. Like all UTAH-400 digital routers, it includes redundant power supplies and signal format flexibility — including the ability to handle 3-Gbps progressive-scan HD signal formats.


PROEXCLUSIVE

From Bahrain to SiggraphBahraini VFX expert Khalid Al Muharraqi’s camel renderings created a stir at Siggraph this year. BroadcastPro Middle East takes a closer look at the artist’s work.Images: Muharraqi Studios


When 38-year-old Bahraini CG artist Khalid Al Muharraqi released a series of computer-generated (CG) images of camels on the CGI user group last month, accolades poured in from the international CG community. His images were so unique that they were featured on the NewTek stand at Siggraph 2010 in Los Angeles last month and created a stir among visitors.

There are many reasons why Al Muharraqi is the toast of Bahrain today. The artist is more the exception than the rule in a country that does not have a talent pool of post production experts or fi lmmakers, unlike most other parts of the Arab world. Unlike most other VFX experts who mostly use either Maya or 3ds Max, Al Muharraqi’s tools of the trade are Lightwave, Modo and Z-Brush – applications that are seldom used in this part of the world. The CG artist is also one of the elite few from the Arab world, if not the only one, who is often roped in to beta test different software applications and plug-ins before they come into the international market. He was also among the fi nalists who submitted their designs for the FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium that is to be held in Qatar.

“Most artists tend to use one application, while I prefer to use different apps to do different parts of the workfl ow”Khalid Al Muharraqi, founder and chief creative, Muharraqi Studios.

When 38-year-old Bahraini CG artist Khalid Al Muharraqi released a series of computer-generated (CG) images of

PROEXCLUSIVE

The � nal image (above) and early drawings (below).


“I’m originally a painter like my father,” says Al Muharraqi, referring to his father, well-known Bahraini artist Abdullah Al Muharraqi.

“I completed my studies in visual communications from the University of Houston and moved into advertising. But I used to spend several hours after work creating images on a free version of Modo. Back then, I never thought I would become a CG artist one day or beta test products. But we’ve come a long way since then,” says Al Muharraqi, who presently runs a premier CG art studio in Bahrain.

Being a painter, Al Muharraqi did not bother with sketches for the camel series.

“I modeled and textured the whole thing in Modo and then sculpted the details in Z Brush, after which I set up my scenes and lights and did my renderings on Lightwave. Most artists tend to use one application, while I prefer to use different applications to do different parts of the workflow,” explains Al Muharraqi.

He is quick to add though that the tools are not more important than the artist.

The camels are the latest in a series of works created by Al Muharraqi and are inspired by a desert wildlife project that he recently undertook for a private client in Bahrain.

“This project required me to create wildlife in the desert. Essentially, I had to create creatures from my back yard. The camel was one of many animals that will be scattered about in the environments that I am designing so I was inspired to do a collection of my own camel renders. This series may have been born out of that project but is independent of it,” clarifies Al Muharraqi.

“I think it’s unique because people are always interested in the Middle East and whenever they see something of a different temperature from what they are used to looking at, I guess it tends to appeal to them. Plus, there are not many people from the 3D arena here who represent our wildlife,” he adds.

The camels were created using three applications – Modo, Z Brush and Lightwave.

“I’ve been using these tools ever since I began work in 3D animation and have been able to do everything I have wanted with them,” says Al Muharraqi, who is incidentally a self-taught 3D artist.

PROEXCLUSIVE

Al Khamis mosque recreated by Khalid Al Muharraqi.


“All animation applications work well. What matters is the creativity of the person who is using that tool. People usually tend to work with what they are most comfortable with. It’s a bit like choosing a vehicle. Preferences and comfort levels in terms of the seats or the steering wheel differ from one person to the other. Modo feels better under my fingers than Maya, for instance,” he says.

In the past, Al Muharraqi has often been roped in to create futuristic designs for Bahrain. Infact, he is one of the leading architectural visualisers in the region.

However, last year, the artist was also presented with a new challenge – to go back in time and recreate an architectural heritage that had disintegrated over time.

“Last Ramadan, I was asked to create the sequences for the call to prayer (Athan) for Bahrain TV. I did not want to do some basic 3D stuff. Instead, I decided to rebuild one of the Kingdom’s most recognisable historical sights, the Khamis Mosque, in 3D and to give viewers a sense of what it would be like to go through the mosque when it was at the height of grandeur,” explains Al Muharraqi.

PROEXCLUSIVE

“This mosque is about 1500 years old and almost 90% of it has disintegrated. Besides a lot of research, I sat with people that specialised in old Islamic construction and recreated everything based on available facts. Sometimes, it takes years to work on something like this. I’m used to doing futuristic visualisations so having to recreate something from the past was a big challenge. I added about 20 to 30 layers of texture to the mosque’s walls to recreate the old look,” he explains.

The CG artist, however, is miles ahead of the rest of the Arab world in terms of 3D concepts. He is already steeped in game engine development plans.

“We’re setting up a team of international experts to work with us. The idea is to move away from actual animation to offer viewers a more immersive experience. We are not creating games; just a Various works from Muharraqi Studios.

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“Avid has done it again—in a major overhaul of Media Composer, version 5 is going to blow your mind.”

– David Michael Maurer, editor (Splinter, Barking Water, The Apprentice), blogger at FlickGym.com

“All in all, I am very excited about the new Media Composer software because it gives me a few reasons to tell clients that it

would be more effi cient to use Avid instead of FCP.”– Q. Bryce Randle, lead editor/creative director at Post Fifth Pictures

Test-drive Media Composer 5 today—www.avid.com/mctrial

© 2010 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Promotions and discounts are subject to availability and change without notice. Product features, specifi cations, system requirements and availability are subject to change with out notice. Avid, the Avid logo, and Media Composer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

mc5ad_ProME.indd 1 6/25/10 10:23 AM


game-like environment to provide the viewer with a bit of a personal experience. It would be ideal for museums and training.”

The artist, who has also been involved in designing coins, emblems and stamps for the Bahraini government, is currently working on an animation film as well.

“This will be a joint effort with some of my friends in the US who are involved in some Hollywood projects. We’ve been working on this for the last two years. The story was put together by my brother and we are working to create the right environment for the characters. It’s a futuristic film that relates to this part of the world but I can’t say more,” he adds.

Although Al Muharraqi shines out in the Arab world, he also stands alone in his quest for artistic quality. However, the CG animator has, thus far, resisted the temptation to move to international shores.

“Bahrain is home for me and while there is little room to meet people with similar objectives, this country has also given me opportunities to develop as an artist,” he says. PRO

PROEXCLUSIVE

A 3D visualisation of Bahrain by Khalid Al Muharraqi.

Al Khamis mosque“Al Khamis mosque is said to date back to the late Seventh century A.D., when it was first constructed during the era of Umayyad Caliph Umar II, making it one of the oldest in the Islamic world. Evidence of that earliest structure still exists but later expansions in the 10th and 14th centuries changed the structure dramatically and added wider courtyards and the minarets that are have become so iconic to Bahrain. Recreating how it would have looked back then was a very difficult task given the derth of information and visual references, so Muharraqi-Studios studied many historical references both written and oral, went to museums and spoke with many experts in the history of the Mosque as well as restoration experts who have been involved in the preservation of historical buildings to try and get as accurate a representation as possible. All of this research culminated in the visualisation of the Mosque as seen in the animations for the Athan.”

Khalid Al Muharraqi, founder and chief creative, Muharraqi Studios.

AXONglue and beyond

3D signal processingAxon also provides modular solutions for 3D-TV: the G3D100 (3Gbps version,

also available in HD version: H3D100). This product, part of the Synapse family is a pragmatic toolbox for customers that are involved in 3D production and need to

monitor, process and transmit stereoscopic images.

So, when you become involved in 3D production, select Axon as your technology partner and partner and you will be in good company. Many major broadcast companies have

made the same choice, and they also discovered that Axon is really all about ‘glue and beyond’. www.axon.tv/G3D100

Committed.


A year ago during the merger, you mentioned that it was an advantage to have two broadcast facilities. Why did you decide to close your Bahrain operations and move to Dubai now?At the time of the merger a year ago, our priority was to address the customer-facing services including the number of channels that were made available to the broadest number of our existing subscriber base and to new subscribers. As soon as we announced the merger in August last year, we offered a section of channels to our subscribers on seven degrees Nilesat. We started the process of upgrading and migrating our existing subscribers while bringing in new subs. We were also very fast by international criteria to re-launch our channels under the OSN brand and launch HD channels. Today, we have nine HD channels. In addition to this, we have launched a new generation of HD decoder boxes and started rolling them out to our subscribers. We have installed more than 70,000 boxes so far and will swap the rest by the end of the year. We are currently moving more than 25,000 boxes a month. It’s a massive effort as you can imagine.

We recognised then that we could not process every project at the very same time. Therefore, we decided to postpone to a later time the question of whether we should keep one or two broadcast facilities. We used outside consultants to help us arrive at a decision and about a month ago, our board approved the decision to keep our main broadcast headquarters in Dubai.

Going back to your question, there was a consideration to retain both broadcast

centres but we ruled it out as it was too costly. A merger is also designed to enable cost savings and we felt that one site would be a lot more efficient than two. The question was always which one.

What percentage of people will be sacrificed in the process?I can’t say at the moment. This move will impact our people in Bahrain and Dubai. Many employees working in our Bahrain operations will relocate to Dubai.

We know for sure that we will have to reduce the number of people working in OSN. There is some duplication between the two broadcast centres. We will retain the best of employees inside OSN. The selection process for those staying will be based on who is the best for the job. We are in the process of planning for this and this will happen over the next few months.

Will you retain a small portion of your operations in Bahrain?We will retain a regional sales office in Bahrain to service our customer base there. It is an important market for us and we expect to grow further in Bahrain. It is not impossible that we keep some broadcast activity in Bahrain even though the idea is not fully firmed up at this point. It looks likely that we will retain a small portion of our operations.

What will happen to Orbit’s sister company that creates Arabic programmes for OSN?The programmes on the Arabic channels that we carry on OSN are produced by

In a candid interview with BroadcastPro Middle East, OSN CEO Marc-Antoine d’Halluin discusses the impact of shutting down the pay TV network’s Bahrain facility and malpractices in the Middle East’s television market

Taking the show forward

MediaGate. It operates out of Beirut and Cairo and these channels are mostly produced in these two cities although they are assembled in Bahrain. Note that they are not produced, only assembled in Bahrain. The question is whether we will continue assembling them in Bahrain. These channels do not belong to OSN but to MediaGate. We are reviewing our options with these channels but we have not made any decisions on this front yet.

What will you do with your technical facility in Bahrain?We are still reviewing our options right now. It is too early to say whether we will keep some of this active.

There were rumours that you had partnered with Al Jazeera to allow your subscribers to watch the World Cup on the OSN bouquet?This is not true. The Al Jazeera channels are not part of the OSN package but the boxes we have deployed have two slots and can accommodate a second card should we enter into an agreement with another broadcaster.

How are you repositioning OSN in the Middle East market?Our uniqueness lies in the fact that we carry movies exclusively from every single Hollywood studio. There is not one single movie or series that does not make it first to OSN and it’s usually not at least until 18 months to two years that you can watch

“... there was a consideration to retain both broadcast centres but we ruled it out as it was too costly. A merger is also designed to enable cost savings and we felt that one site would be a lot more efficient than two. The question was always which one.” Marc-Antoine d’Halluin, CEO, Orbit Showtime Network.

PROINTERVIEW


these on free-to-air. We are also the biggest provider of HD content in the region. A core part of our strategy is to provide on-demand HD programmes. We are launching what we call the showbox HD, which is the very best HD box in the region. We will begin pushing into the box OSN on demand, what we call push subscriber video on demand (SVOD) offer. Our premium subscribers will have free access to a large selection of movies that will be constantly refreshed and replaced with new movies and series.

How can subscribers access this service?They just need to have the new HD PVR called Show Box. We have more than 30,000 of these in the market right now.

What are your 3D plans?From a business perspective, 3D is an opportunity. We will also push 3D into our Showbox HD which means those who have a 3D set with glasses will be able to watch 3D content by selecting the movie and playing it.

Recently, you decried anti-competitive practices in the TV advertising market. What are the issues here?There are several issues that need to be addressed from a TV advertising perspective. When there is one dominant player that has a critical mass, they qualify to be a de facto monopoly. In any sector where you have a monopoly, you also see a significant distortion in the market.

Secondly, there are some practices below the radar in the ad market that are not acceptable in international markets. In France, for instance, a law was passed about 16 years ago whereby the rules of the game between the middle man (the agency); their clients (the advertiser) and the broadcaster is transparent so that the broadcaster has access to the invoice which is being sent by the middle man to the advertiser. This ensures that the middle man is not tempted to take a larger cut of the pie

PROINTERVIEW


we will close the old platform entirely. We want to be fair to our legitimate subs and ensure that each one of them has a legitimate box before we switch off the legacy encryption codes that are being pirated today.

You have always maintained that it’s easier to migrate illegal subs to pay TVthan FTA viewers. Why?FTA viewers do not pay to view anyway so it’s difficult to get them on board. There is a greater chance that people who pay pirated organisations to watch our channels illegally will gradually become legitimate subscribers if this is the only way for them to access our channels. Many of them are used to accessing our channels without paying the right prices although they are paying the pirate organisations. In a few months, the only way to watch our channels will be to subscribe to them in a legitimate way.

What percentage of illegitimate subs do you expect will become legitimate? That is anybody’s guess but we think at least 30% should become legitimate. There are more than a million people accessing our content illegitimately so it’s a massive number for us to get back on board. - Vijaya Cherian PRO

for himself than he is entitled to. However, malpractices by the middle men are widely prevalent in the Middle East.

Media buying agencies ideally keep about 10 t 15% of the media buying project of the advertiser so that 90 or 85% reaches the broadcaster. This is the normal international practice. But if the cut goes up because there is no transparency to 30, 50 and in some cases, even upto 80%, then there is clearly a problem in the market and we see this here often. A further disruption in this market is the lack of transparent means to measure audiences. Between a dominant player, anti-competitive practices and the lack of a reliable audience measurement tool based on people metre, you have the explanation of why you have a dysfunctional advertising market in the Middle East.

What is the chief hurdle to putting in place a people metre?We have a pan regional market in the Arab world thanks to satellite technology. Therefore, deploying this requires some cross border decisions. There are parties in the industry, however, who clearly do not wish to have a people metre in place despite their claims that they would love to have it. These parties play a leading role in disrupting the process by simply making the issue more complex and playing up the role of country differences.

“Between a dominant player, anti-competitive practices and the lack of a reliable audience measurement tool ... you have the explanation of why you have a dysfunctional ad market in the Middle East.”

Mark Antoine d’Halluin, CEO, Orbit Showtime Network

How quickly can a people metre be put in place?With a bit of good will and some articulated pressure from two or three governments, it would take no more than two or three weeks to deploy.

One of the biggest issues in this region has been piracy. What is their most common mode of operation?The main form of pay TV piracy in the region happens through control word sharing. Pay TV works on encrypted codes. The codes used to encrypt our channels are being stolen from us today and are being streamed on the internet by criminal organisations through hundreds of servers across the region. These servers are effectively connected to millions of dream boxes which are the most popularly used decoder boxes by pirates. When the box is connected through the internet through a pirated server, they get a stream of our encryption codes and from here, they decrypt our channels. This is a very sophisticated form of piracy.

How are you fighting it?We have identified very clearly how to fight it and it took a company like OSN to bring in a new generation of decoder boxes that support HD and even, 3D streams while also countering piracy. By the end of the year, we will have swapped all the old boxes with the new and then,

PROINTERVIEW

Media Composer 5 is a major update to Avid’s fl agship non-linear editing system. Here, we take a quick look at what the new Media Composer 5 has to offer.

I’ll say upfront that I love this update. For Avid Media Composer users, MC5 adds a lot of functionality that will make the editing experience more enjoyable and faster at the same time. I run three Media Composers on Mac, connected to a Unity MediaNetwork. Two of them are run on MacPros, and a third is run on MacBook Pro.

AmA (AVid mediA AcceSS)MC’s strongest feature used to always be its media management. When you designate a media drive, the application creates a folder on that drive and all media captured or imported into the software resides in that folder. That worked well for tape-based sources, but for any fi le-based sources, the fact that one always had to convert/copy any fi les imported into the application, didn’t make too much sense, especially with the

tapeless workfl ows gaining more terrain than ever. AMA was Avid’s answer to that.

With AMA, Avid decided to change the way media was being “digitised” into the application. In version 3.5, AMA supported Panasonic P2, Sony XDCAM and XDCAM EX media. This was the fi rst truly tapeless workfl ow possible on Avid, and it is as solid as the old media management system.

The biggest and the most obvious update to MC5, is the AMA engine.

“The support for Quicktime AMA (new to this version) was long requested and expected by most Avid users, but additional support for RED’s R3D raw format support was a pleasant surprise.” Raul Skopecz, Abis Studio.

PROREVIEW

Media Composer 5 is a major update to Avid’s fl agship non-linear editing system. Here, we take a quick look at what the

Video editor Raul Skopecz puts the Avid MC 5 through its paces.

Media Composer 5.0 makes the cut


PROREVIEW

AMA refers to a framework in which camera manufacturers can develop plug-ins that allow Media Composer direct access to the raw footage.

With this new version, AMA supports: RED (.R3D), QuickTime (including ProRes and Canon 5D/7D movies), XDCAM, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX, P2, DVC PRO HD, and AVC-Intra, GFCAM, New Canon XF codec.

No transcoding or copying is required at all so you can access all of the media right away, on the spot. You just have to link to an AMA Volume or AMA file, and your media will show up immediately.

The support for Quicktime AMA (a new addition to this version) was long requested and, therefore, expected by most Avid users. However, additional support for RED’s R3D raw format support was a pleasant surprise and immediately appealed to a new generation of filmmakers as well.

It works in exactly the same way that AMA works with XDCAM or P2. You point Media Composer to the folder where your R3D files are stored, and moments later, the clips are in the bin. By right clicking on a clip and selecting “Set Source Settings” you are able to completely control all the settings for R3D processing.


AudioThe audio tool in Media composer lacked functionality in many previous versions. There were various levels of controls in the form of the mixer, automation gain and basic EQ, but anything else had to be done with the Audio Suite which allows for only one audio plug-in at a time for any audio clip. This basically made it impossible to do any real audio finishing in the Media Composer interface.

New to MC5 is the RTAS (Real Time AudioSuite), Pro Tools proprietary format. It supports a range of RTAS plug-ins and allows for multiple ‘inserts’ on each track.

In general, the RTAS plugins have a better interface and there are five ‘inserts’ (A to E) allowing up to five effects to be stacked on each audio track. However, it is track-based and applies to all clips on that track, across the entire sequence.

Another improvement to the audio section is the addition of stereo audio channels. A range of extra audio controls have been added to the timeline, to easily toggle on and off the various rubber-banding lines for clip gain, auto gain and pan, solo/mute buttons, track enable, RTAS audio effects, and the best of all a button that toggles on/off the audio waveforms for a specific track.

The SmArT ToolNot being a huge fan of direct manipulation in the timeline, I believe this is the least impressive addition to the new MC5. It will make a lot of switchers from Final Cut Pro (FCP) to Media Composer happy, but Media Composer users will prefer to have the ability to click anywhere in the timeline without the risk of accidentally shifting a clip slightly (something that I do fairly often on other systems). My solution to this was to map the Smart

Tool on/off toggle on the keyboard, and activate it anytime I needed direct manipulation in segment mode.

Overall, the Smart Tool solves a problem that most old users would not consider to be an issue. While I don’t think much of it, I do appreciate how cleverly it was designed, and am sure there will be many editors out there who are more used to this functionality from FCP and will consider it a plus.

mXo2 miniOver the years, MC editors have been pleading for non proprietary I/O options. MC5 has opened its doors gradually to that area with the qualification of Matrox’s MXO2 Mini as a monitoring solution. The MXO 2 Mini addresses the need of file-based workflows, where tape ingest is of little or no importance.

ASpecT rATioThere’s a more intuitive way of switching a project aspect ration - 4:3 /16:9 now. The option moved from the Composer Window to the Project Format.

inTerfAce SeTTingSThe Interface Settings have changed drastically. The new window is much simpler, and lacks some options from the previous settings window. A new slider that controls the background colour (darker or brighter) has been introduced.

“MC5 is testimony to the fact that Avid is paying close attention to feedback from its client base and has released a version that is also endearing itself to all types of filmmakers from big studios and TV networks to the independent player.” Raul Skopecz, Abis Studio.

PROREVIEW

Screen shots from Avid Media Composer 5.0


PROREVIEW

Quick TrAnSiTionWhen applying a quick transition, you now have the option to choose which tracks the transition will be applied to.

AuToSyncWhen using AutoSync function, you can now select which audio tracks of a clip you want to use in an AutoSync.

ScripTSyncI’m sure that not many people know about the ScriptSync features in the previous version of Media Composer software. ScriptSync used to analyse the audio and automatically create links between the script and the media.

The user could then select a line of dialogue in the script, and Media Composer would find that line of dialogue in the footage. It sounds like science-fiction, I know. That was a revolutionary update in version 3.5 (if I’m not mistaken) and it was extremely useful to me while working on the City of Life project. Since then I have loved that feature and whenever I work on scripted projects, I use ScriptSync.

The ScriptSync feature, unfortunately, has been removed from MC5. Users that are upgrading from MC4 can get the feature for free; new buyers who want ScriptSync can get it for 1000$.

Third pArTy ApplicATionSA fantastic line-up of third party applications come bundled with this software, thereby, enhancing its own capabilities. Boris Continuum Complete (Mac and Windows) - Comprehensive library of customisable video filters, transitions, effects, chroma key tools and more; Avid FX (Mac and Windows) - 2D & 3D compositing, titles, animation and effects; Sorenson Squeeze (Mac and Windows) - Format export software with highly

IN A NUTSHELLproS* Media Management remains the strongest point of any Media Composer system. Combine this with a Shared Storage environment, and you get a solution that no one else offers on the market.

* Native media support through AMA or Quicktime (including H264 and Apple ProRes) and REDCODE raw.

* Matrox MXO2 Mini support for monitoring.

conS* Lack of support for non-proprietary hardware I/O (except for the monitoring on MCO2 Mini)

* Lack of Secondary Colour Correction. This may be the selling line of Symphony, but I think Symphony and Media Composer should be merged into one product only.

WiSh liSTAvid must include AMA support for DPX sequences in the next release. (DPX files are an industry standard. We use them to go back and forth between graphics and offline, especially on long-form projects. Previsualisation material comes back to the edit suite to be integrated in the cut numerous times on a project. Having to find work-arounds, and do conversions for something that’s supposed to work right away is not too convenient. Support for DPX sequences would address that.)

customisable compression templates; Avid DVD by Sonic (Windows only) - DVD and Blu-ray authoring software; and SmartSound Sonic Fire Pro 5 (Mac and Windows) - music track creation.

The added value of these third party applications to MC5 is fantastic. If purchased individually, you would have to pay in excess of US $3500 for this.

WhAT elSe?MC5 in a box costs $2600 (without ScriptSync). Final Cut Studio costs $1000 and Adobe CS5 Production Premium about $1500. If you buy plug-ins for FCP to add the features available in Media Composer, you’ll end up paying a lot more. However, the same thing applies to Media Composer as well. Their feature sets are different so we shall not attempt to compare them in this review.

In conclusion, MC5 is testimony to the fact that Avid is paying close attention to feedback from its client base and has released a version that is also endearing itself to all kinds of filmmakers from big studios and TV networks to the independent player. The Smart Tools will just make Media Composer much more accessible to FCP users who may have wanted to give it a go, but couldn’t adjust to the modular user interface from previous versions. PRO

Raul Skopecz is a keen Avid user and runs Abis Studio, a post-production facility in Dubai Media City. He also worked as editor and post production supervisor on City of Life, the UAE’s first feature film.

Raul Skopecz has used Avid for the last ten years.


Adobe CS5 with its 64-bit support and Mercury playback engine catapulted Adobe into the professional video editing market. Combined with HP’s Z800 workstation, end users were treated to combination that truly promised a revolution in video editing.

The HP Z Workstations are fully supported and optimised for use with Adobe CS5 applications. This is why the “Adobe Creative Suite Production Premium Optimized System” logo is proudly displayed on the workstations.

Adobe’s new Mercury Playback Engine in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 harnesses the processing power of HP Z workstations and NVIDIA Quadro FX to enhance an end user’s experience with the 64-bit Adobe CS5, which is compatible with both Mac and

ADVERTORIAL

“The thing I like about the new HP Z Class Workstations is they give us more headroom. At every level of price point and affordability, whether I’m looking at SD workflows with AVCHD, I have the power to do that natively. This scales all the way up to the Z800 where I can do red workflows, real time 4K native editing with no compromises, and do it with more layers and push the boundaries of what’s possible in that creative exercise. We have a Z400 bundle that is designed for professional video workflows. This is what would suit an aspiring young creative, a videographer, working in SD with HD, and producing high value quality. We have a Z600 bundle, raising the bar giving you more head room in your production, so you can increase the level of effects, and produce a richer production experience. Then we have the Z800 for people who are doing 2K and 4K real time work flows and one of the things that’s really critical is we can seamlessly mix and match all kinds of formats, work with them natively and still have a smoother better experience.”

-- Simon Hayhurst, Senior Director of Product Management, Adobe. “

HP and Adobe CS5 revolutionise video editing

Pro CS5, one can work even faster, thanks to the revolutionary 64-bit, GPU-accelerated Adobe Mercury playback engine which lets you work natively with the video formats you want.

HP’s Z workstation series are a reinvention of the product category from the core outward and are the culmination of more than 20 HP design innovations that enhance both form and function.

On the outside, the Z line features a streamlined brushed-aluminium exterior inspired by automotive and industrial design leader BMW Group Designworks USA. The interior of the Z line offers a

HP recommends the following configurations for video and audio production pros that pair HP’s Z Workstations with Adobe CS5.

High-end: HP Z800 with Windows 71 Professional 64-bit, two Intel Xeon Processors X5670 2.93 GHz, Six-Core24GB DDR3-1333 ECC RAM and two 500 GB SATA 7200 rpm drives. For additional storage, add three 500GB SATA 7200 rpm drives (RAID 0 recommended). For Adobe Mercury Playback Engine optimisation we recommend NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 or FX 5800 graphics card.

Mid-Range: HP Z600 with Windows 71 Professional 64-bit, two Intel Xeon Processors X5640 2.66 GHz, Six-Core, 12GB DDR3-1333 ECC RAM with two 500 GB SATA 7200 rpm drives. For additional storage, add 500GB SATA 7200 rpm drive. For Adobe Mercury Playback Engine optimisation we recommend NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800 or FX 4800 graphics card.

Entry: HP Z400 with Windows 71 Professional 64-bit, Intel Xeon Processor W3530 2.8 GHz, Quad-Core, 6GB DDR3-1333 ECC RAM with two 500 GB SATA 7200 rpm drives. For additional storage, add 500GB SATA 7200 rpm drive. NVIDIA Quadro FX 1800 Graphics Card. And for Adobe Mercury Playback Engine optimisation we recommend NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800 or FX 4800 Graphics Card

Windows platforms. Together with features such as a tool-less chassis, a scratch-resistant brush aluminum exterior, easy-to-use handles and sliders, HP’s Z workstations have become highly serviceable machines that fit perfectly with CS5.

Combining the power of HP’s Z800 Workstation with Adobe CS5 means an end user can capture and edit any type of video, create and edit audio for videos, create motion graphics and visual effects and animate also in 2D or 3D. Adobe’s CS5 Production Premium allows the end user to stay in the creative flow with suite components that work together almost seamlessly, and produce engaging media for virtually any screen with flexible creative features. With Adobe Premiere

Top 3 reasons to get an HP Z workstation for Adobe CS5 Production PremiumPerformance: On 64-bit HP Z Workstations equipped with NVIDIA Quadro FX graphics cards, the Mercury Playback Engine enables Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 users to open projects up to 10x faster; play and scrub through HD, 2K and 4K formats in real-time; handle long-form content and effects-heavy sequences easily; real-time colour corrections and effects even on complex timelines; work simultaneously in multiple applications and reduce the need for rendering and render faster.Serviceability: HP Z Workstations offer an innovative tool-less and visually cable-free chassis design built with the Adobe user in mind. In a matter of seconds, Adobe users can completely change their desktop hardware to take on new tasks.Reliability: The close ISV relationship between HP and Adobe ensures that HP Z workstations are fully supported and optimised for use with Adobe CS5 applications. HP has undertaken in-depth in-house testing of HP Z workstations with the Adobe CS5.

ABOUT HPHP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, business-es, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a port-folio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com united-states/campaigns/z-workstations/

totally modular design with components sliding neatly into place in a cable-less environment for optimal serviceability.

These workstations are designed for the world’s most demanding users in industries such as broadcast and computer-aided design. They feature the next-generation Intel Xeon processor 5500 series with integrated memory controllers and Intel Turbo Boost Technology along with a new line-up of professional graphics solutions, built-in high-definition (HD) audio and an option for solid-state drives.

The HP Z800 workstation is HP’s most powerful and expandable workstation for 3D animation and broadcast video users.

which lets you work natively with

than 20 HP design innovations that than 20 HP design innovations that

On the outside, the Z line features a streamlined brushed-aluminium exterior inspired by automotive and industrial design leader BMW Group Designworks USA. The interior of the Z line offers a

HP recommends the following configurations for video and audio production pros

24GB DDR3-1333 ECC RAM and two 500 GB SATA 7200 rpm drives. For additional storage, add three 500GB SATA 7200 rpm drives (RAID 0 recommended). For Adobe Mercury Playback Engine optimisation we recommend NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 or FX


PROTECH

Every professional cameraman will, at some point, confront the battery issue, occasionally with foresight, usually with hindsight. Batteries are the least exciting part of your high tech, precision engineered, and expensive kit. Yet battery power, or the lack of it, is the most likely cause of irritation, unforeseen costs and delay or indeed ultimate failure – missing that shot – that professional cameramen will face. Sometimes there are no second chances!

There is a bewildering array of cell technologies on the market. NiCad is hardly used; NiMH is, and indeed sales are increasing due to the high power demands of Digital Cinema cameras and 3D rigs, but it’s not popular for shoulder-mounted cameras, due to the weight of

the large cell types and the shorter cycle life of the small cell types. NiMH requires sophisticated charging, using temperature algorithms, too complex for most modern chargers. NiMH benefi ts include no safety or environmental issues, thus no transport or air travel restrictions and, higher weight balances a front-heavy camera. So for frequent fl yers, needing a high capacity battery to run a big camera with a large HD lens, NiMH is still the way to go.

Nonetheless, the market has moved to Lithium ion. In the past, this was mainly based on a single size, – 18650 – commercial 3.6V cell. A 4S3P (in series and parallel) pack makes up a 14.4V battery. The advantage is lightweight; the limitations are low tolerance for high loads (above 5-6A,) such as lighting,

Martyn Sly-Jex of Anton Bauer EMEA tells us how to choose the right battery to power your camera.

Empoweringfilmmakers

and the relatively shorter life expectancy, higher costs and more recently transport restrictions. Why? The Li-ion electrolyte has a low fl ashpoint, low tolerance to overcharge, and increased volatility if over-discharged. Sophisticated safety electronics are required – poorly designed and manufactured cells can be hazardous, and one cell will then ignite the entire pack, the last thing one wants on a passenger aircraft. US authorities recorded over 100 incidents in 2007, which led to a total ban on transporting Li-ion batteries in the hold of a passenger aircraft and limitations on hand luggage, with a complete ban on 160+Wh batteries and a hand carry limit of two batteries over 100Wh. US authorities can fi ne a maximum of $250,000; other countries tend to confi scate, delay


PROTECH

(Beijing Olympics) or do nothing, some of the time. The result is confusion.

Massive technical progress in cell chemistry – driven by the laptop and the automotive industries – has changed things. Quick charging, while technically feasible, yet commercially still too expensive, is probably just around the corner. A new generation of cells has overcome the high load issues, and doubled life expectancy. These new lightweight, high current, cell packs capable of handling 10A – so in demand with ENG crews and Steadicam operators – are now available. More than 12 different variants of Li-ion, chemical mixes on anode and cathode material (Manganese, Iron Phosphate, etc.) and more in the pipeline are flooding the market. New cell manufacturers have appeared with varying

levels of quality. The result: more choice, but also more uncertainty, more safety incidents and more pressure to restrict.

Millions of cell packs have been recalled in the past years, due to safety concerns, resulting in huge costs. One well known corporation lost US $500 million in one recall. This year, incidents of low-cost video batteries exploding included a serious fire at a Japanese broadcaster’s facility. Other batteries have smoked and flamed in the kit room.

how does a professional choose the right battery?Feedback from potential customers unhappy with the reliability of their batteries, show that most field issues are related to two recurring themes:

“Battery power, or the lack of it, is the most likely cause of irritation, unforeseen costs and delay or indeed, ultimate failure – missing that shot – that professional cameramen will face.”Martyn Sly-Jex, Anton Bauer.


load capabilityIgnore this at your peril! If you run a 45W camcorder, a 35W light and 10W accessories, your continuous load is 90W. The startup spike is much higher. So if your battery specs state: maximum continuous 73W, problems are pending. So plan your load and get a suitable battery. If there are no maximum load specs, it’s probably not a suitable battery!

controlBatteries are almost human, everyone will die at some point, but long before that, they’re ripe for retirement. You need the tools to manage that decline; ideally a smart battery, with digital display giving both percentage and remaining runtime and access to a test charger that can cycle a battery and document results. If your battery has an LED, that only shows full or empty, regardless of whether full means two hours run-time or two minutes, you’re the man with the blindfold! Replace batteries below 60% of initial rated capacity and manage and mix your inventory, so that no cameraman has all batteries below 80%.

safety – travelMost professionals will factor safety into their purchase decision or so we think. The fact is that most batteries on the market are not considered safe by leading cell manufacturers, and many customers do not understand the risk or consider liability. With regards to travel, the international IATA regulations are clear, but is there any enforcement in the Middle East?

This will probably only change after a major airline incident.

QualityCustomers often ask why the price differentials are so significant. Manufacturers can purchase standard cells cheaply in batches from wholesalers; or premium cells direct from a leading cell manufacturer, pre-tested with cells matched for balance for longer life. Precision tooling, clean room manufacturing, all add to costs, but also to safety, reliability and better life. Your supplier will have made this choice for you. Housings can be cheap and simple or designed to spread impact. Internal wiring can be channeled or not.

PROTECH

• The customer has selected, or, more accurately, has been sold, the wrong battery for their application, normally, because the camera features and total price dominated the sales discussion.• The battery was fine, but has deteriorated and suddenly fails, and the customer had no way of anticipating this. Bit like jumping blindfold off the skyscraper, not the fall that killed, but the impact.

To achieve reliability, the best advice is to focus on application needs first, considering the points below, then consider the price!

runtime – capacityPower requirements are on the rise, thanks to HD, 3D and solid state memory. If your camera draws 45W and your light 35W, your average load is c. 57W (Fill lights are typically used 1/3 of the time). If you use on-board monitors, wireless transmitters, etc, you need to factor them in. Remember, most camera specs are not overestimates! Lights feed off power taps, that can be regulated at 12V (Sony Camera) or unregulated, in which case, add 25% so 35W is actually 43W.For both ENG and production, the battery should run the application for at least two hours. This avoids multiple unplanned battery changes; a four battery system should give one change in the morning and afternoon and one at lunch.

Note: A new 100Wh battery might have 80Wh or 50Wh after six months.

“The battery watt-hour rating (Wh) should be between 70Wh to 100Wh, keeping below 100Wh to avoid all transport and freight restrictions.” Rob Waters, IDX Technology.

A look at different field applications in which batteries have to prove their worth.

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PROTECH

On-board electronics can vary dramatically in component quality and software sophistication. Electrical contacts vary enormously. The best are self cleaning; have high surface area contact; are gold plated and high current capable; and ideally mechanically fixed to avoid wear. Many batteries are attached to the camera at one central point, better is at least a wide base 3 or 5 point connection with locking mechanism. This is all simple logic, widely ignored. The old adage “you get what you pay for”, applies here.

charging optionsAlthough we were asked to talk batteries, in the industry, we know that the charger, if smart, is the key to a good battery system. If your battery manufacturer proudly claims: “use any charger”, it just underlines the lack of sophistication required. Ideally, your charger will have two way communications with the battery, an ability to test and calibrate, and it will have temperature channels and be upgradeable for implementation of future algorithms as technology develops. A good charger is a long-term investment, often used for 10-20 years.

choiceA range of sizes, capacities, cell chemistries, a selection of chargers, from small travel, to multi-position, to test chargers and nowadays even car and solar chargers, and a wide range of accessories make a complete battery system.

prolonging lifeHeat is a battery killer. Li-ion electrolyte crystallizes with permanent damage above 55°C, but, also the higher the ambient temperature the quicker the irreversible decline in capacity. Store batteries cool and do not let them become deep discharged, i.e. empty. Avoid loads above the recommendations and remember it is an electronic product; physical abuse will cost.

Price – Warranty – Service. Reliable battery systems are an investment. Warranty, service, the reputation and financial stability of the manufacturer, are key factors, next to price, determining the longer term cost of ownership. And just like with you, your value cannot be expressed in an hourly rate; it is about the quality of your kit, your experience, creativity, knowhow and track record. PRO

What do you think makes a good battery?

martyn sly-Jex, manager, anton bauer emea Key events: Olympics: Vancouver 2010, Beijing 2008local distributor: UBMS Middle East

A good charger. A good battery has the correct capacity and current capability for your specific application. It’s designed to be reliable and it will provide information on remaining run time; ideally it will communicate this to the camera viewfinder and various parameters to the charger. Smart charging prolongs battery life, but requires digital input from the battery. Cells from a high quality manufacturer will be tested and balanced, if not, a seemingly good battery will rapidly decline and become unreliable. Construction, mechanical connection and quality of electrical contacts are all important aspects. Safety should be an issue. Then, consider: accessories, service and warranty.

william xiao, manager, swit electronicsKey events: Olympics, North Pole Expedition.local distributor : Advanced Media Trading LLC.

The most important part of camera batteries are the Lithium cells. Battery life depends on the quality of cells and the main cost of a battery pack is in its cells. People who buy batteries must understand what cells they use first. Price must be secondary.

Likewise, the circuit design inside a battery is important. A good quality circuit should have multiple protections from high temperature, short circuit, and so on. The appearance and expanded functions are equally crucial. Touch the material of the battery covers to get a feel of its quality. Keep in mind that a DC output function is necessary. DC output socket must also be covered to prevent rain or water from getting in and causing a short circuit.

rob waters, sales director, idx technology Key events: Formula One, FIFA World Cup 2010. local distributor: Under review.

The battery watt-hour rating (Wh) should be between 70Wh to 100Wh, keeping below 100Wh to avoid all transport and freight restrictions. If you’re using a HD camera with accessories, a high current cell is required. Lithium Ion is now the most commonly used chemistry as it is light weight, has the highest power-to-weight ratio, no memory effect and minimal self discharge. High grade Lithium Ion cells should be used in a tough outer casing. Safety control measures such as over-charge, over-discharge, over-current and thermal protection should be employed. It’s important to gauge how much run time/power is remaining until battery changeover, so the battery should communicate this data to the viewfinder, or via an external LED or LCD display.

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PROTELCO


At the start of June 2010, the UAE’s two TV and telecom fi rms went head-to-head with the launch of their 3D TV services, with Etisalat and Du both announcing on the same day that they would be the fi rst in the region to offer 3D TV to their customers. While Du decided to launch one channel covering fashion, art, travel, sport and lifestyle genres, rival Etisalat plumped for sport, with coverage of last month’s FIFA World Cup providing the telco’s cable TV subsidiary E-Vision with the opportunity to introduce 3D TV to its subscribers.

Humaid Sahoo Al Suwaidi, E-Vision CEO, says viewers’ experiences of the tournament are likely to be a determining factor in the adoption of 3D TV in the country. So far, he says, the reaction has been mixed.

“Some of the viewers were really happy, while some thought that it won’t take off,” Sahoo says.

Beyond the World Cup, the big issue is the availability of content, and just as E-Vision looked to football for the launch of 3D, Al Suwaidi believes more 3D football coverage could help to boost interest in the service.

“During the next few months, we will look at what 3D content is available,” he says.

“I hope the EPL (English Premier League) will be shown on 3D at least in the next season if not the coming one, but we have not had any confi rmation on that front yet. Additionally, we do not have a continuous stream of 3D content yet. There are only a few attractions such as Alice in Wonderland and Avatar. Over the next three to six months, we expect to see more 3D content but not enough to generate consistent viewer interest.”

But even if 3D content hasn’t picked up yet, High Defi nition has become a given in the world of sport and E-vision is well prepared this time.

Following an agreement with ADMC, all televised matches of the next season of England’s top tier of football will be broadcast in high defi nition for instance.

E-Vision, the UAE’s longest-serving TV player claimed a fi rst in the region when it launched a pay-per-view service back in 2002. Since then, it has forged ahead by providing IPTV, video on demand and 3D services to its customers. CEO Humaid Sahoo Al Suwaidi speaks to George Bevir about what’s next for E-Vision.

Cable guy

PIcK anD chOOseWhen Al Suwaidi lists his priorities for the next six months, a theme that runs through them is greater fl exibility for customers, as the shift away from viewing TV in a linear fashion continues. An example of this is a more advanced version of E-Vision’s electronic programme guide (EPG) that is due to launch “in a few months”. While some elements of this will depend on the channel provider, the E-Vision boss says it could provide information up to two weeks in advance, and when it is linked to a personal video recorded (PVR), viewers will effectively be able to create their own TV channels.

E-Vision claimed a regional fi rst back in 2002 when it launched a pay-per-view service, giving customers the chance to pay to watch premium Arabic, English and Hindi movies.

Since then, Du has pushed ahead of E-Vision with the launch of a video on demand (VoD) service at the end of last year. But E-Vision is set to catch up with its rival with the imminent launch of its own VoD service, which is currently being trialled by 1000 pre-selected E-Vision subscribers.

“We have signed deals with two Hollywood studios and we will cater to Arabic, English and Hindi content viewers,” says Al Suwaidi.

PROTELCO

At the start of June 2010, the UAE’s two TV and telecom fi rms went head-to-head with the launch

FACTThe UAE will be the Middle East’s largest IPTV market. The region’s overall IPTV revenues will grow at a 36% compound annual growth rate by 2013.

Source: SNL Kagan research


Choosing channels

In a country comprising an estimated 200 different nationalities, marketers in the UAE have a tough task making sure their products and services appeal to the nation’s dynamic demographic make-up. “We started with 35 channels; we now have about 300 with channels covering more than 21 languages, and we will be adding more soon,” says E-Vision CEO Humaid Sahoo Al Suwaidi. “There are many means for deciding which channels to add and the first is our consumers. We have a huge customer database with a lot of loyal customers and we listen to them, through call centres and emails. Another method is the government census; this helps us to see where there is an influx of people, for example the growing Chinese community.”

PROTELCO

“By the end of this year, Abu Dhabi will be the first city with all homes connected to fibre, and by the end of next year, the whole of the UAE will be connected.” Humaid Sahoo Al Suwaidi, E-Vision

“Watching content across all screens is a possibility, and we are working on it, but the questions are when, and at what cost. I think watching E-Vision on mobile devices will be possible towards the end of this year. Etisalat has its mobile TV service, of course, but we will have to wait till the end of this year to review the technology that is used and the quality of the content. A team at Etisalat is presently working on web browser viewing and this is something that will promote OTT (over the top).”Humaid Sahoo Al Suwaidi, CEO, E-Vision.

“We want it to be in a strong position when it launches and it was not really the right time during the World Cup - it is likely to be rolled out to all customers during the summer,” he says.

IncreasIng reach At the moment, E-Vision is available to UAE residents who live in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Al Ain, but the aim is to provide a service that covers “the length and breadth of the UAE”.

Etisalat’s fibre to the home (FTTH) project, which is set to connect all homes in the UAE to a fibre optic network by 2011, will provide the means to reach the currently unconnected parts of the country.

“[Fibre] has high bandwidth, and all the services that you expect to turn TV into a more interactive experience.

By the end of this year, Abu Dhabi will be the first city with all homes connected to fibre, and by the end of next year, the whole of the UAE will be connected.”

With part of its fibre network already in place, Etisalat can offer customers combined packages of internet, fixed line and E-Vision TV (triple play), which it is doing under the ‘E-Life’ banner.

“People will choose whether or not they want E-Vision or E-Life,” says Al Suwaidi. “Some people will take the standalone TV service; it will be a customer choice, but we will push both services.”

“Choice” is a word that has dominated coverage of the UAE telecom sector recently, following an announcement last month by the country’s regulator that Etisalat and Du will share fixed infrastructure.

At present, Etisalat has sole access to the majority of homes in the UAE, while Du serves pockets of new developments in Dubai. Under the sharing agreement, both firms will be able to provide voice, internet, data and TV services across each other’s copper and fibre networks. Customers should benefit from the increased competition, but Al Suwaidi waives any suggestion that it is a cause of concern for Etisalat.

“We have been in competition for the last ten years with other TV operators, and it will be good to have another one,” he says, adding that he is confident that E-Vision will continue to differentiate its products and services, primarily through convenience and reliability.

“E-Vision is a single source for multiple entertainments; on one day, a customer might want to watch OSN and the next day, they might want to watch something else, and they can change what they want to watch with one phone call. We also strive to make sure the variety of content suits the demographic. And we are careful to set prices at an affordable level, from basic packages to premium. The E-Life triple play offering is also important, and we have a single installation team and it also comes with a reduction in cost.

“Another factor is reliability; we have invested heavily in the network itself. We have a 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week maintenance and call centre staffed by people who can speak multiple languages. PRO


PROTEST

Andrew Clemson, DMT, Alchemy Films.


PROTEST

Seeing thedark sideRED camera specialist and DMT (data management technician) Andrew Clemson recently tested the new Mysterium-X sensor and its predecessor to visually illustrate the differences between the two. He shares his experience with BroadcastPro Middle East.

Dubai-based production house Alchemy Films, well known for its RED productions, recently took delivery of the UAE’s fi rst RED Mysterium-X sensor. While the learning curve and inability to walk into a store to purchase it may have dissuaded some initial RED users from investing further, others like Alchemy have struck gold by sticking to the RED. The production house is one of the few in the country to boast two RED cameras with all related accessories to take full advantage of the camera’s 4K resolution and the rest of the upgrade advantages it offers.

While the production house waits for the newest RED EPIC cameras that it has ordered, it has received a new upgrade for the existing RED ONE camera, which promises to “bridge” the gap.

“The base Epic cameras promise to deliver 5K resolutions at speeds of 120fps, and RED claims the modular system will eventually have optional resolutions of up to an unimaginable 28K by swapping out the “brain” of the cameras,” explains Clemson.

“All of this comes with an option to trade in the original RED-ONE for a full refund of the cost of the body, summing up RED’s motto, of making ‘obsolescence obsolete. In the meantime, RED owners now have the opportunity to upgrade their cameras for a small cost to the new Mysterium-X sensor, the same as that found in certain fl avours of the upcoming EPIC cameras.”

While the sensor will not allow the RED ONE to shoot at 5K, it will allow the images it records at 4 or 4.5K to be much cleaner than before, claims Clemson.

“This is main USP of the MX upgrade, one that is soon evident when you start shooting with it.

The images it records are virtually noise free, even at high ASAs. Anyone who has shot with the existing RED in low light will know that pushing the sensor past ASA500 will result in noise, and needs work to clean it up in post. The new MX sensor, however, has a much lower noise fl oor and can be pushed much farther before the onset of noise. It has a slightly increased Dynamic Range of around 13.5 stops, and is perhaps the beginning of something to really rival the DR capabilities of 35mm fi lm stock,” he adds.

Clemson, who has travelled to the RED headquarters in California and been trained fi rst hand on the camera with the manufacturer’s specialists, undertook some tests at Action Filmz in Dubai to visually explain the differences.

Two RED cameras, #1793, equipped with the MX, and #2632, fi tted with the older sensor were set up exactly the same, using a 50mm RED pro prime lens, set to T2.8.

“The RPP lenses will open to T1.8, but we also shot a comparison against a Canon 5DMK2 which used a 50mm Zeiss lens, and T2.8 was the common stop on both lenses,” he adds.

The studio was completely blacked out, apart from two LED Litepanels, dimmed to the lowest brightness setting, above and beside the “model” camera for the shoot.

“We shot in matching ASA increments, up to ASA2000. The older cameras are limited to ASA2000, whereas the MX sensor allows ASAs of up to 6400. These images are direct exports from the recorded R3Ds, with no sharpening or noise reduction,” explains Clemson.

The results showed that the Mysterium-X sensor performed much better at the higher

Andrew Clemson, DMT, Alchemy Films.


while pinning down the highlights, so that they cannot clip, explains Clemson.

“Obviously this isn’t magic, and doesn’t mean you can raise the brightness of a clip forever, but it is pretty impressive and can help create much thicker negatives, and raise the usable areas of an image.

“It is also important to remember that applying any metadata such as ASA, colour temperature or FLUT to an image in-camera will not affect the recorded RAW image. As such, it is advisable to monitor and expose in the RAW Viewspace, unless you are 100% confident of viewing in REDcolour,” he adds.

Perhaps where these changes do work wonders is in the new software suite called REDcineX, Clemson points out.

RCX is still in a beta build, (currently B256) and is, therefore, constantly being updated.

“REDcineX is one applicaiton and it has replaced the three former free programmes from RED including RedRushes, REDcine, and REDAlert. REDcineX allows playback, first light grading, video and still exporting, and a basic editing timeline.

RCX also incorporates the older programme RocketcineX into itself, allowing users to playback 4K footage using RED’s proprietary GPU hardware acceleration card, the REDRocket,” he adds.

Alchemy’s director of photography (DoP) and owner, Nicholas Davidson, a veteran RED user claims that he knows “of no other card in the market that offers 4K, real time grading”.

“This is an incredibly powerful tool and if you have a 4K projector, you can see the whole thing in real time just like you would see it on a cinema screen. You can, of course, output it to a normal 2K monitor, which is more likely to be the case today,” says Davidson.

The RED Rocket can be rack mounted, or end users can buy enclosures to use it on set with a laptop making it portable as well. It allows realtime playback and rendering of full 4K resolution clips via HDMI or dual HD SDI. It is currently offered as part of a bundle deal when the user upgrades to Mysterium X.

“This is such a useful feature when transcoding hours of R3Ds,” explains Davidson.

“The most interesting factor is that all these software improvements work with footage shot on any of the previous builds of the camera. Opening a clip shot on build 16 in the newest version of REDcineX will allow one to apply FLUT, REDcolor and REDgamma, and while the results are not quite as good as if the footage had been shot on a MX camera, they are still very impressive,” adds Davidson. PRO

ASAs. Noise was evident at 800ASA in the older sensor, but the MX images were clean all the way up to ASA2000, says Clemson.

This is, however, an extreme example, he adds. “ASA2000 isn’t going to be necessary for

anything short of a Barry Lyndon remake, but what it does enable us to do is shoot amazing quality images in low to No light situations. Documentary is a good example,” he adds.

SoftwareWe looked at the software next. As the RED seems to be permanently in the beta phase, software updates are constantly released to remove bugs and enhance features. The ability to shoot 4.5K in a widescreen format is one example.

“Build 30 is the release build for MX equipped cameras, although it can be installed on non-upgraded cameras, minus the sensor benefits and includes a few major differences to previous builds,” Clemson explains.

“First is the addition of the new colour science. The Previous View modes (REDspace and REC709) have been removed, and replaced with one uniform viewspace called REDcolor. There is also a new gamma setting, called, funnily enough REDgamma. The in-camera RGB histogram has been upgraded to a new style, adding “goalposts” to make it even easier to gauge exposure. Simply keep your histogram within the goalposts, keeping the “negative” as thick as possible for correct exposure,” he adds.

fLoatING LooKUP taBLeBetter known as FLUT, this feature works by boosting the levels in an image

PROTEST

Comparisons between M and MX sensors

m 800aSa

m 2000aSa

mX 800aSa

mX 2000aSa

“[I know] of no other card in the market that offers 4K, real time grading.”Nicholas Davidson, DoP, Alchemy Films.

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AIAT_ME_Ad.indd 1 6/22/10 10:04:38 AM


Every FIFA event has marked a milestone in the history of broadcast as it provides the perfect testing place for many different technologies from various industry specialists. As this year’s biggest moment was the production of 25 matches in 3D and was undertaken by Dubai-based production fi rm E-motion’s parent company AMP, BroadcastPro Middle East felt it was important to highlight the role of the company at the FIFA World Cup.

“We are one of the two companies that were contracted to undertake the 3D production for the event as we are experts in 3D products. The other was Telegenic,” says Jerome Dugast, communication manager of Group AMP VisualTV.

“We were also tasked with the international broadcasting of the opening and the fi nal matches of the FIFA World Cup.”

AMP’s famed Car 8 is said to be the fi rst European van equipped for steresocopic 3D production. It fi lmed one match in Durban and 15 in Johannesburg, shared between Soccer City Stadium and Ellis Park Stadium.

This van was retrofi tted to be 3D ready and was rolled out at the beginning of April 2010. Key kit included Sony HDC 1500 cameras and special rigs from Element Technica. The internal design of the van was adapted for multi-camera 3D shooting. The van was also equipped with Sony 3D boxes and 3D layers. The main and second production areas, the vision control area and one of the 2 VT areas were designed to ccommodate eight “convergence” technicians and the 3D director.

PROSPORT

Every FIFA event has marked a milestone in the history of broadcast as it provides the perfect testing place for many different

PlayingsportThe FIFA World Cup was an important event for many leading broadcast players. BroadcastPro Middle East caught up with AMP and Riedel to fi nd out about their roles at the event.


“This production rewards the efforts of our Group to acquire valuable experience in this new technology while also encouraging our R&D efforts to industrialise 3D shooting.”Jerome Dugast, communication manager, Group AMP VisualTV.

PROSPORT

Is this World Cup any different for you from previous years? Any large scale event is different in some ways. Setting up such a large communications infrastructure is always a demanding task with special considerations and completely new communications scenarios. Although we didn’t launch anything new, the World Cup was the first event outside the Red Bull Air Race, where we used our new wireless HD video links with Riedel Conductor RF telemetry system for the helicopters. Those were responsible for the stunning pictures outside the stadiums for example.

How many Riedel solutions were used at the World Cup?

80 Riedel RiFaces 700 Artist Control panels 2,000 Artist Digital Matrix Intercom Ports 300 Performer digital Partyline Beltpacks 100 RockNet 300 Frames 20 MediorNet Frames 10 Helicopter Wireless Video Links with Riedel Conductor RF telemetry systems 40 venue based HD over fibre links

Did you encounter any challenges? Everything went smoothly as we had two years to prepare for this event. We

also had about 12 Riedel technicians and support staff in South Africa to provide detailed support.

You have been on site for many events. Which one is your favourite?The most moving event was the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, where I had the honour of being part of the official Torch Relay of the Olympic Games.

Have you brought any special products to this event? We made use of some new MediorNet software features at the World Cup. MediorNet was used to transport 20 HD-SDI signals including the world feed between the technical operation centres (TOC) in the stadiums and HD OB trucks outside. As the video and audio streams came from various asynchronous sources we made use of MediorNet’s Framestore feature, which synchronised the video signals to the truck’s internal clock, while the embedded audio signals were synchronised via MediorNet’s new Sample Rate Converter (SRC).

What makes the World Cup also a little more special is the size and the fact that nearly the whole world is watching. Coordinating such a large scale event is always a challenge.

When was the last time you visited the Middle East? I was there for the first race of the 2010 Red Bull Air Race. Against the Abu Dhabi skyline, it’s truly impressive. Where do you see Riedel heading in terms of new technology? In the last few years, we’ve expanded our role as a manufacturer of backbone communications technology. With Mediornet, we are now able to provide an infrastructure for distributing and routing HD video, audio, intercom and data that provides the core system for complete events or production environments with significant savings in installation costs. The Red Bull Air Race, which runs entirely on a fibre-based MediorNet infrastructure since last year’s season, is a fine example of this.

Q&A

Thomas Riedel, managing director, Riedel.

“Group AMP VISUAL TV is a reference supplier for 3D shooting. Having been a pioneer on the HD shooting from 2004, the AMP VISUAL TV Group is now the European pioneer of 3D multi-camera productions. This production rewards the efforts of our Group to acquire valuable experience in this new technology while also encouraging our R&D efforts to industrialise 3D shooting,” explains Dugast.

AMP has undertaken more than 200 hours of 3D shooting over the last year, during which it undertook the first European produciton of a football match, Tennis in Roland Garros , “Don Giovanni” opera in Rennes, Julien Clerc’s show in Lyon and matches of French football League 1.

“Running these trials allowed our company to work on procedures, to adapt the equipment in order to deal with 3D characteristics and to develop new craftsmanship,“ explains Dugast.

30 people from Group AMP VISUAL TV worked on the FIFA project. PRO

Intercom specialist Thomas Riedel tells BroadcastPro Middle East about his company’s role in the FIFA World Cup.

An AMP crew member gets ready for 3D production at the World Cup.


Manfrotto’s 504HD system is an invitation to cross over to the new dimension of filmmaking. The 504HD systems are built around the new 504HD video head that claims to balance design and performance. A patented bridge design improves the head’s rigidity, thereby making the friction control fast and simple to fine-tune while also protecting it from knocks. Special features include wider, longer platform for the camera; a high rigidity structure that delivers maximum response and strength; ergonomic controls for easy use in all conditions; easy-link connections for accessories; a four-step counterbalance system; a ball bearing drag system for precise, smooth movements; and light weight modern materials for optimum balance of strength and weight.

All structural components are made from aluminium, with the PAN axis rotation unit using ball bearings to obtain smooth, totally vibration-free controlled movements that can be directly adjusted using the head’s

FDS variable friction system. FDS on both the PAN and TILT axes also ensures that the head works perfectly at all temperatures, with all types of equipment and under all loads.

The 504HD has been designed to offer a load capacity of up to 7.5kg (16.5lb) making it suitable for a huge range of camera equipment. The CBS counterbalance system has four presets for a full range of camera weights. Leveling the head is easy with its 75mm diameter hemisphere and a back-lit bubble level. Two 3/8” threads on the top plate allow accessories (such as monitors and arms) to be directly and securely attached to the head, which helps cut down set-up time, keeps the camera hot shoe free and, saves the user from employing another clamp.

The 504HD is suitable for Manfrotto PRO series video tripods with mid-level (504HD,546BK) or ground spreaders (504HD,546GBK) and for carbon fiber single-leg MPRO tripods (504HD,535K and 504HD,536K).

LATEST PROTECH

Manfrotto 504HD

TiffenTiffen’s new Image Maker series of professional filter kits are designed for use in most common video shoots. Targeting both emerging and professional videographers the kits each comprise a carefully selected set of optical filters that can enhance the results for defined shooting conditions and requirements.

Each kit includes three 4 x 4-inch filters from Tiffen’s ColorCore technology to provide a range of effects and densities that can add production value and scope to the resulting foot-age. The filters are designed for specific applications and are intended for use with pro video cameras including video DSLRs.

i-MOViXI-MOVIX’s SprintCam Vvs HD is a new ultra-slo-mo system for live HD broadcast production. It operates at frame rates up to 2,700 fps in 1080i50 or up to 5,800 fps in 720p60 and pro-vides instant replay at native HD resolution and image quality.

New features include a dual output allowing a camera opera-tor to shoot and record at the same time, segmented memory, ramping of speed within a replay, and integration of both live- and replay-view on the viewfinder.

The SprintCam Vvs HD system comprises the latest generation of Vision Research high-speed HD camera; an operational control panel providing real broadcast quality colour matrix and control of frame rate choice; a slo-mo remote to select a video sequence and instantly replay it with an HD-SDI output for live broadcast or storage on any HD-SDI recorder; and a camera control unit.


LATEST PROTECH

The new SENCORE SMD 989 DVB-S2 offers unprecedented modulation efficiency and extreme flexibility, supporting the modulation of two independent DVB-S2 RF transmissions. Packaged in a two-channel, 1RU chassis, this platform provides a flexible space- and transponder-saving solution for uplinks. The modulator further accepts transport streams via DVB-ASI or IP inputs using the UDP or RTP protocols, which gives users the flexibility to accommodate changes over time. In addition, the SMD 989 features an optional agile L-band upconverter with an output frequency range of 950 to 2150 MHz; sustains all modulation formats defined in the DVB-S2 standard; and offers optional multi-stream inputs along with an agile RF upconverter.

Viz Sports OnlineVizrt’s new software package, Viz Sports Online, incorporates all the creative tools and widgets necessary to get a sports website up and running right out of the box. The websites can be launched in a standalone environment or can be hosted by a service such as Amazon Web Services.

Viz Sports Online is a flexible, modular suite of user-friendly, preconfigured Vizrt tools, providing users with complete creative freedom over the look and feel of web page layouts, image versions and sizes, and overall site structure.

With Viz Sports Online, all video, graphics, text, images, maps, statistics and web publishing tools are available from within a single, user-friendly, drag and drop-based interface. Design-savvy templates let users produce dynamic, branded graphics, maps and web pages that they can fill on the fly with text, images, headers and titles. Viz Sports Online also offers a full video repository with video editing, video playlists, picture-in-picture, and video ad integration capabilities.

The software package simplifies the process of delivering multimedia-rich content, with support for thousands of different handheld devices. Automatic multimedia conversion enables streaming of video in many native mobile formats, as well as special features and swipe-controlled image galleries that Apple iPhone, iPad and other advanced handheld devices use.

Viz Sports Online-created websites let the audience contribute with their own blogs, comments, and personalised user profile pages, as well as participate in discussion forums with thumbs up or down ratings.

SenCORe SMD 989 DVB-S2 Modulator


LATEST PROTECH

VinTen 750iThe new Vector 750i from Vinten offers great precision for virtual and augmented reality in outside broadcast and studio applica-tions. Developed in collaboration with leading global customers, including Telegenic in the UK and Sportvision in the US, the Vector 750i is the first encoded pantographic head from Vinten. It incorporates a new Intelligence Module allowing semi automatic set-up, slide plate tracking and kinematic compensation, all of which ensure stable and precise placement of virtual graphics into the live environment.

HaMleT Hamlet will launch the new DigiScope DS900, a powerful on-screen quality control instrument for production and master control environments. The new DS900 is compact and flexible, with low power consumption and an in-novative control system available at a new price point.

The DS900 is supplied in a half rack width, 1U, shallow cabinet. Inside it is based on the Hamlet bespoke digital modular test and measurement platform, with space for four internal input modules and a generator module. It is designed for 3Gb/s processing and measurement from the ground up, and modules are available for all common analogue and digital standards. Measurements available include the eye pattern for an at-a-glance check on the security of a digital circuit.

Test traces are displayed on any suitable monitor, and the DS900 has DVI and XVGA outputs as standard. The unit can support four simultaneous tests on each input and display all four inputs at the same time.

Digital Rapids

Sony Professional Solutions MEA FZ LLC has announced the introduction of its new OLED technology to the Middle East in the form of the PVM-740 - a 7.4-inch high-resolution (960 x 540 pixel) portable monitor. In addition to the high-purity deep colour reproduction characteristics inherent in Sony’s Super Top EmissionTM OLED display panel, Sony’s 10-bit panel driver and ChromaTRU technologies work effectively to emulate the colours and gammas of CRT monitors, and to support broadcast standards (SMPTE-C, EBU, and ITU-R BT.709). Incorporating a compact, lightweight, and robust aluminium die-cast body, the PVM-740 suits many different indoor and outdoor applications. The PVM-740 is equipped with standard interface connectors – a composite video, 3G/HD/SD-SDI, and HDMI – which accept a variety of video signal formats from PAL/NTSC up to 1080/50p and 60p. The PVM-740 is ideal for a wide range of professional monitoring applications including use in an editing studio, outside broadcast, acquisition, field production, engineering and even research and development.

The new Flux family of video capture and pre-processing cards from Digital Rapids will make their debut at IBC 2010. Flux HD boards are the first cards optimised for encoding and streaming to feature dual-link and 3G-SDI input support. The Flux hardware builds on the advanced video processing technology that has earned our solutions their reputation for industry-leading encoding quality. Working in conjunction with the Digital Rapids Stream software, Flux cards enable real-time, multi-format media capture, encoding and streaming for applications including post production, internet TV, IPTV, VOD, mobile video, archive and more.

Sony PVM-740OleD MOniTOR


PROGUEST

Today’s new broadcasting facilities use an array of fi le-based workfl ows employing many software systems – all of which need to be ‘integrated’ with each other. The idea is to achieve an effi cient, seamless and completely reliable fl ow of content and metadata between the various production, post-production and delivery processes. This creates a collaborative environment so that the fi nished product is polished, ready in plenty of time, perfectly formatted for a range of delivery platforms, in the highest possible quality and within budget – no matter how much the creative or editorial requirements dictated change along the way.

In the quest for the best workfl ow, whether migrating from tape for the fi rst time, connecting previously isolated “digital islands” or simply setting up a new facility from scratch, normally months of planning and discussion between customers, manufacturers, systems integrators and consultants takes place and there is much analysis of technology solutions before they arrive at a fi nal solution.

So, we can be forgiven for asking ourselves why we still fi nd that when the new fi le-based workfl ow fi nally goes live, the inevitable ‘teething problems’ begin and frequently, compromises have to be made to reconcile the what-we’ve-got versus the what-we-actually-wanted situation? Or can we?

What many media organisations around the world struggle to fully appreciate is the absolute importance of planning for what I call ‘the people factor’, that is, the training, change management and other human considerations. After all, isn’t that really what the ‘change’ to fi le-based systems is all about? How people work?

Although broadcasters invest in new systems that call for different working methods, the people are usually the same and may have been working with an organisation for several years. Their needs must, therefore, be factored in right from the early stages. In fact, ‘the people factor’ is signifi cantly more important than the technology itself to successfully migrate to the digital age. Technology merely acts as an enabler to a business or creative need.

For new business workfl ows to be effective, multiple software applications must be able to function together, each performing its own task while also having the ability to communicate with others to produce an “umbrella” architecture.

Challenges to the reliability of a workfl ow usually creep in as the level of integration between systems rises. In a traditional broadcast setup, the kit in place could be likened to a linear chain of connected but discreet units where each device was swapped out if it failed, or over-patched for a quick repair.

Traditional broadcast systems have remained pretty much the same for many years. In a fi le-based environment, however, companies cannot simply replace faulty pieces of old equipment. They have to invest in a completely new workfl ow, and this is why the investment in managing the change to the way people will work and how they are trained for new fi le-based workfl ows is so critical to success.

The people factor must be carefully managed throughout the organisation, not only to enable staff to be ready for the change in the way they operate, but also to adequately train them so that workfl ows can continue should a software ‘island’ require attention.

Otherwise, when the architecture driving the workfl ow stops functioning or stumbles regularly, the client can be forgiven for losing confi dence in the workfl ow completely. This is particularly signifi cant when the workfl ow in question is in post or playout. There is a tangible feeling of disappointment and compromise as the workfl ow that had been envisaged at the outset has simply not materialised. Unfortunately, more often than not, large sums of money have been spent with limited return.

These problems often occur when the rush to migrate to fi le-based workfl ows takes precedence over the readiness of the business and its people to adapt.

Frequently, a ‘culture clash’ is blamed, citing problems between IT and broadcast technologists. While the background training and experiences of the ‘traditional’ broadcast engineer produces a ‘linear, signal path’ approach to problem-solving, in the IT world, it’s very different. The technologist is used to dealing with conditions, processes, calculations, dependencies, libraries of information, objects, formulae and other relatively abstract concepts. Neither is wrong and the key attributes of both skill-sets must be recognised, developed, encouraged and deployed effectively going forward.

The solution is not a one-button fi x. Rather, broadcasters must factor in proper training and management for its employees to deal effectively with a fi le-based workfl ow.

The People Factor

What many media organisations ... struggle to fully appreciate is the importance of planning for ‘the people factor’, i.e, the training, change management and other human considerations.

Bob Gentry is managing partner with Marquis Consulting LLP.

FUJINON (EUROPE) GMBH, MIDDLE EAST OFFICE, JEBEL ALI FREE ZONE, P.O. BOX 18408, Dubai, U.A.E., TEL.: +971 4 887 3074, FAX: +971 4 887 3053, [email protected] (EUROPE) GMBH, HALSKESTRASSE 4, 47877 WILLICH, GERMANY, TEL.: +49 (0) 21 54 9 24-0, FAX: +49 (0) 21 54 9 24-290, www.fujinon.deFUJINON CORPORATION, 1-324 UETAKE, KITAKU, SAITAMA CITY, 331-9624 SAITAMA, JAPAN, TEL.: +81 (0) 48 668 21 52, FAX: +81 (0) 48 651 85 17, www.fujinon.co.jp

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