Projects
Talk ing
tapeless XDCAM
Extensive recording times, no moving parts and crisp images;
tapeless filming enhances the whole production process
T
apeless models from Sony’s XDCAM HD
and XDCAM EX ranges are adaptable to
many productions, whether it be the robust
build lending itself to extreme expeditions in
freezing conditions, such as TwoFour’s doc series
On Thin Ice or the clarity of image offered when
shooting productions like Werner Herzog’s film for
English National Opera and Sky Arts. As well as
the quick ingest and rapid review of clips the
tapeless formats allow, users benefit from the
media’s flexibility. When filming promo footage for
Puma using the PDW-700, Wing Productions
found the ability to film for more than three hours
in HD onto double density 50GB discs valuable
throughout. And with the SxS PRO memory cards
used with the EX1 and EX3 cameras now being
available in 16GB or 32GB storage capacities, the
HITTING THE OPEN SEAS options are opening up even further for those
A robust camera was called for when Wing Productions choosing to go tapeless with their productions.
filmed a high impact promo for Puma
Production house and media
consultancy Wing Productions used the PDW-700 it cable without needing a capture record deck an
bought from Visual Impact to shoot promotional advantage: “We could capture data at twice real time on
material to demonstrate Puma’s involvement in the location and turn it around for the client the same day.
Volvo Ocean Race. The company filmed the Il Mostro It has changed the way we work as we don’t have to
boat’s christening event and offshore aerial shots of carry as much equipment,” says Ingham. “The immediate
the Puma team competing in the race to use as in-store playback and thumbnails mean clients and cameraman
ads, at big screen cinema showings and Puma events. can see what has been filmed straight away too.”
As Wing Productions uses specialised lenses for The team found the ability to film for long periods of
filming in helicopters, on water and in extreme time on the dual layer discs useful during filming. “If you
environments, it needed a camera these could be are in the middle of a big shoot and have a rain jacket
attached to. “The PDW-700 was a no brainer as we on your camera it can be a pain having to change your
wanted an HD camera that allowed us to work quickly tapes frequently. I find, especially for aerial photography,
with a smooth workflow. The camera also has the bonus it is great to be able to put one disc in and know I am
of a studio front-end so the definition is sensational,” set for most of the shoot,” says Ingham. The company
says Wing Productions director Will Ingham. also wanted to use the Professional Dual Layer Discs
The crew also found the ability to take footage from as a back up so if a project needed to be recreated in
the camera into a computer on location using a FireWire future it would still have the images on disc.
Spring 2009 theproducer 23
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