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The Producer Report: File-based production


which may prove to be useful if any mistakes occur along the way,” advises Chris Elson, head of new business at post house Molinare. The technology race that goes on between all


the camera manufacturers can mean that new features may have been added since the camera was purchased. “The key is to check all firmware updates and make sure that your edit team have tested footage in their system before you make your final decision on the camera,” he says. “The workflow itself can be infinitely


malleable and will determine the quality of the production,” adds Graham McGuinness, director and workflow designer, root6. “Choosing a particular camera for a desired look for example, can prove meaningless if tested in isolation from the workflow through which the files are to be passed.”


SAFEGUARDING RUSHES Next on the PMs list should be assigning the vital role of safeguarding the show’s rushes. For drama productions, where large amounts of data will be captured, a digital imaging technician


(DIT) is almost a pre-requisite. “A DIT will be responsible for processing the data and looking at different LUTs (look up tables), reviewing how footage might be graded so that the DoP can light with that look already embedded,” explains Wiggins. The primary role of the DIT is the security the digital rushes but


and integrity of the


challenge for them is getting to the bottom of what is expected. “What is the shooting ratio likely to be? Are


they expected to help with quick turnaround for the edit department, or to produce files for an AP on set?” poses Shelley. “Are they required to back-up and offer playback? If the production is shooting more than one camera format how will that be managed? Does the DoP want to use pre- assigned LUTs? And that’s before we get into the potential minefield of vfx.” He stresses: “Make sure the producer understands the critical role DITs play in the success of a shoot and make sure that person has a voice on set if things go wrong.” Producers of lower budget, multi-camera ob- docs where ratios can be as high as 80:1, are more


Summer 2011 theproducer 31


The quality and


economy of high end digital cameras has


opened up the market... file-based in the future


of TV and filmmaking Andy Shelley, On Sight


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