Digital Video - September 2008 - (Page 26)

RED IN COMBAT WHAT’S THE ROLE FOR HIGH-END DIGITAL IN TODAY’S MILITARY? Matthews. “With a 35mm [film] lens, there’s no option of autofocus. You have to take care of focusing by eye. Fortunately, there’s a special tool inside the camera called the focus assist bar, which extends horizontally across the image on the LCD with a histogram at the bottom that spikes when the image in the bar is more in focus.” Matthews would ride a golf cart-like vehicle around the area while not on a rescue mission to catch “cool moments,” such as troops loading or different models of aircraft taking off or landing. He also tested the camera’s in-air capabilities during a flight. He said the camera performed solidly, even while hanging from bungee cords that held it to the outside of the cabin door. What makes the RED ONE most desirable to Matthews is the level of image quality and abundance of creative possibilities it offers. “While video has allowed for great quantities of footage to come back from the field, the look, scale and longevity of it have taken such a hit for dissemination to the public,” he said. “The bottom line is you can accomplish essentially anything at the highest resolution possible in that environment because the camera provides such an incredible amount of versatility.” For all of its strengths, however, RED ONE is not a perfect solution. Lt. Charles Abbell, Officer in Charge for the Defense Imagery Management Operations Center that operates the Combat Camera Program (COMCAM), acknowledged the RED ONE’s potential, though he isn’t completely sold. “Currently we have 60 COMCAM professionals who usually use HD equipment and they still prefer less weight and easier operation versus cinematic quality,” explained Abbell. When properly equipped, RED ONE is much larger and heavier than other camcorders used by COMCAM, including SD and HD camcorders from Canon, Panasonic and Sony. The RED also costs significantly more than the camcorder counterparts already in use by COMCAM. It is listed at $17,500 — without lens or accessories — while Sony’s HVR-A1U, for example, is available for well under $3,000. As far as image quality, it’s the viewers who define it, according to Abbell. That said, however, he is not opposed to testing out cameras like the RED ONE. “We always strive to be outfitted with the highest-quality equipment affordable to produce highquality imagery,” he explained. “Any COMCAM videographer would be happy to try one out, as long as it works as advertised.” That’s music to Matthews’ ears. He realizes that it will be a challenge to justify the expense of employing the camera in future Combat Camera operations. However, he isn’t suggesting that it replace the current stock of camcorders. Instead, he plans to continue making a case for the value of RED ONE in a small, specialized team that supplements current video operations with higher-quality footage. DV www.dv.com Staff Sgt. Scott Matthews with his bungee-mounted RED ONE. BY LISA HORAN U .S. Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Scott Matthews adamantly believes that we’re selling ourselves short by failing to capture any footage of the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq in a more refined format. Fortunately, he also believes there is a solution for bridging the gap between the expense and tedious nature of film and what he considers the visual shortcomings of video. A cinematographer for Nashville, Tennessee-based Glory Cubed Productions, Matthews was in the midst of a 10-month deployment in Afghanistan when he began shooting footage of the daily lives of personnel. The footage ultimately became a onehour documentary that won Glory Cubed Productions a National Guard contract to shoot footage for training videos. At that time, Matthews was thrilled to have the opportunity to make the leap from SD to HD because of the increased visual quality. Then along came the RED ONE from the RED Digital Cinema, which promised film-like resolution at a fraction of the price. “I immediately thought about the potential it had for capturing footage of the war,” recalled Matthews. “If this camera was all it said it was, I realized that any footage gathered would be of a quality not seen before and could be used not just for the Web and for TV but for theater as well.” Matthews became determined to get his hands on a RED ONE before his next deployment. Fortunately for him, he and business partner Brian Reisdorf were able to make the purchase so he could test his theory. As it turned out, Matthews’ deployment would be much shorter than normal, leaving him with only four days for shooting footage with his new camera. To complicate matters, the only lens that was available to him at the time was a 40lb. Angenieux zoom. “One of my concerns about working with the camera was the focus,” said dv september 2008 26 http://www.dv.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Digital Video - September 2008

Digital Video - September 2008 Contents Discproducer PP-100 Frameforge 3D Studio 2 First Cuts Expodisc Bird's-Eye View Instant Expert Inside Outsource Red in Combat Tools & Technology My Studio DV101 Production Diary

Digital Video - September 2008

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