American Cinematographer - September 2000 - 22

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and laying down fiber-optics, the only
transmission medium that can provide
the speed and quality of service required
by this industry, according to Tolleson.
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highest resolution, even up to high-defin¬
ition (HD). According to Tolleson, the
Media.net network runs at 2.5 gigabits
per second, which would more than
accommodate uncompressed HD, which
runs at 1.5 gigabits per second. Obvi¬
ously, that kind of through-put is a piece
of cake for the requirements of D-1 or
Digital Betacam images. Clearly, this is
no typical network.
"The files that contain profes¬
sional-quality video would be a gigabit in
size or larger, which isn't something you
can download across the Internet today,"
says Tolleson. "The types of technologies
used on the Internet are very valuable,
with workgroup tools and e-commerce
that create manufacturing efficiencies.
But to make them usable in Hollywood,

Data is stored and forwarded from four
Media.net stations built in Los

Angeles,

Burbank, Hollywood and Santa Monica.
This

Virtual

ATM

network

offers

complete security because it is
completely private, disconnected from
the Internet

we

all know.

The company sets up workgroups
defined by show or project, and only

people involved with that project are
Although Media.net can also
connect the private network to the Inter¬
net, most people opt to keep it shut oft,
reports Tolleson. "If everyone on the
project is on Media.net, they don't need
to be on the Internet," he points out. "We
can also give them a second connection
through Qwest, Global Crossing or PSI
Net with good prices."
Which brings us to cost.
Media.net isn't cheap; the high-quality
connection costs $6,500 per month. But it
is aimed at the kinds of players and
projects who typically find the cost off¬
set by the efficiency of a high-speed
network. There is also a less expensive
option - $375 per month - for those
connected.

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who

only need "review-quality" video,
as a 20-megabit-per-

which is defined

second connection. "This won't do for

a

review of visual effects or

cinematogra¬
pher's dailies," Tolleson says of the
cheaper option. "But it enables a director
to look at a scene and say, "Gee, that
was a bad performance. Let's reshoot the
scene."
Whereas Media.net

provides the
the
subscribers, Tolleson says a group of
content providers that have partnered
with the company provide the tools and
other content. Avid Technology will offer
AvidProNet to interface with Avid prod¬
ucts, making it more integrated with the
network; Getty Images offers stock
footage; Beatnik offers downloadable
songs; and Creative Planet provides a
variety of preproduction and production
software tools. According to Allen
infrastructure

and

manages

DeBevoisen of Creative Planet, one of his

company's services is PlanetPoint,
online

resource

creative

an

that hosts the reels of

professionals.

DeBevoisen
working
with the ASC to implement the next
generation of this service, enabling cine¬
matographers around the world to host
their portfolio reels online. "The ASC will
work with us to get its members' reels
online and to promote the service," says
Creative Planet is

notes that

DeBevoise. "We believe Media.net will
be

terrific distribution system

for view¬
ing those reels at studios, networks,
production companies and advertising
agencies."
Bight now, the speediest 2.5 giga¬
bit network is only available in Los Ange¬
a

les,

as

well

as

for a handful of corporate

facilities and TV filming

lots in New York.
plans are afoot to complete a high¬
speed New York network this fall, then
But

roil out Media.net to

a

host of other cities

by 2001.
Is

Media.net the

networking
waiting for all these
years? Motion-picture studios, TV
networks and postproduction facilities
that have signed on think so. How they
service we've been

it

promises to define
high-speed networking.

use

a new era

in
■
American Cinematographer - September 2000

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - September 2000
