American Cinematographer - May 2001 - 124

conforming and color-correction in
preparation for transfer to film for
theatrical release."
In fact, the

options available in
postproduction are so
impressive that the firm has been in talks
with filmmakers who have produced
features on film, but are considering
converting their footage to 24p HD so
they can take advantage of the precise
control offered by digital post before
transferring back to film for release
prints. (One recent production that used
this sort of approach using West Coast
electronic

100% BRUSHED

COTTON
W/ EMBROIDERED

AMERICAN

hi-def facilities

CINEMATOGRAPHER
LOGO

this
complex, producers
considering it because the creative

control offered in the HD realm is

S15.00

impressive, allowing for precise, surgical
of
motion-picture
images. "Say you have a scene where

PLUS

$4 U.S. / SI EA. ADDL.
$6 FOREIGN / $5 EA. ADDL.

PHONE ORDERS:

(U.S. ONLY)
(ALL AREAS)

CEINEMAIHISTOR'
x 414" x 12" binder can hold up
12 issues and has the AC and American

to

Society of Cinematographers emblems printed
in silver on its durable black covers.

Don't miss out

on

team, notes that "it's essential to know
both film and HD video in order to go
back and forth between them smoothly."

this incredible offer -

order your

AC binder today at the low price of
$15.00 each, plus S&H. (U.S. $3 ea. $1 ea.
additional / FOREIGN $5 ea. $4 ea. additional.)

Digital HD compositing works

so

the actor's face is in shadow and the

well because "there's

background is lit with blue-gelled lights,"
Gordon says. "You love the look of the
background, but need to see the actor's
expression more clearly. In our 2K da
Vinci-equipped color-correction suite, we

grain," Gordon notes. "Grain buildup is a
significant factor that determines the
way keys (composite shots) look
onscreen.
With HD composited in
Inferno, there is no noise or grain, so you
get a much cleaner key because you are
not putting levels of grain together." The
benefits are especially apparent when
compared to composite shots assembled
from elements shot on some higherspeed film stocks. "With some of the
faster stocks, one of the film layers does
not key very well, so the results can be
quite noisy and grainy," Gordon opines.

can

make the actor's face

more

visible

without
Each 914"

HD online editor Craig Gordon, the head
of Rhinoceros Post's HD development

color-correction

SHIPPING & HANDELING

800.448.0145

0 Brother, Where

process may seem
are

323.969.4333

was

Art Thou?; see AC Oct. '00.) Although

altering the look of the
background or any other part of the

scene."

Compositing work is another area
in which the HD format shines. The
layering of images is done with one of
Rhinoceros's three Inferno machines, and
the results are clean and very convincing.
For

commercial for Tide detergent using the
30fps HD D5 format. Every scene was
made up of four to five elements that he

had

Rhinoceros

example, the late cinematographer

John Alonzo, ASC (Chinatown, Scarface;
see In Memoriam on page 133) shot a

shot

in

HD.

The

spot was

composited at Rhinoceros into a
dramatic, totally convincing vision of
idyllic western landscapes. "Procter &
Gamble has been experimenting with HD
for commercials for several years,"

Post

noise,

no

has

no

been

working in HD for three years, although
its 24p HD suite came online late last
year. "We've been in HD since it became
a viable format," says Gordon, "so we
have a depth of experience [with the
format,] as well as people who have
tremendous expertise in both film and
video. It's essential to know both film and
HD video well in order to go
forth [between them

back and
smoothly]."

Gordon notes. "Walter Leffler, our HD
To order

by phone:

(800) 448-0145 (u.s. only) * (323) 969-4344
Or fax:

(323) 876-4973

Or visit our website:

www.cinematographer.com

specialist, has been working with them
extensively. He went on location with
John Alonzo for the Tide spot as the HD
technical director, and he supervised the
postproduction."

Eric
at

Rudolph can be reached via e-mail
erudolph2@nyc.rr.com.
American Cinematographer - May 2001

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - May 2001
