NAB 2004: Editing

Epochal Change at NAB '04
Graphics, Effects, and Animation
Editing
Storage and Networking
Sidebar: In Japan with Sony

Red Giant's Look Suite now works with popular NLEs.

At NAB, there is going to be a lot of talk about the
“democratization” of film/video editing and postproduction.
Software-only applications such as Apple FCP and Avid
Xpress Pro, as well as Adobe Premiere Pro (and After Effects),
Pinnacle Systems Liquid Edition, and Sony Vegas probably best
represent this low-cost trend in post.

After pondering the concept of democratization, I have begun to
realize that what may actually be happening is a kind of segregation
into an upstairs/downstairs culture, with an upper class of
postproduction and a lower class of postproduction. This class
consciousness has evolved from the realization that although many
companies with high-end finishing and digital intermediate services
featuring complex graphics/FX compositing and animation facilities
appear to be doing quite well in this tough economy, it's the
“middle-class” post houses that seem to be hurting —
caused by competition from the “lower class” of
postproduction. Moreover, the “lower-class” of
postproduction has grown somewhat generic, extremely competitive, and
with margins so small that if it were not for the “glamorous
world of film and video,” very few business-minded people would
be interested in competing in this market. It will be interesting to
see how this situation shakes out.

For years, there was a belief that HDTV would be the savior of the
larger post houses. At this year's NAB that hope appears to be
vanquished. Manufacturers supporting the HDV format, Microsoft's
Windows Media 9 HD solution, possibly some MPEG-4 HD products, and the
latest QuickTime and DVPro-50 offerings will promote the
“democratization” of HD and digital cinema. Movies and
long-form programming will be showcased to promote the premise that
low-cost solutions exist for professional moving-image storytellers.
Many filmmakers will be taking a close look at Cineform's Aspect
HD and at what Red Giant Software is offering with Magic
Bullet.

Cineform Aspect HD and Connect HD are the plug-ins that enable an
editing application to work with HDV media. NLE manufacturers,
including Sony Digital Media (Vegas software), Adobe Systems,
Applied Magic, and others, will be featuring Cineform
technology.

Expect to see many more low-cost HD editing systems to choose from.
Adobe Premiere Pro and Sony Vegas will surely be demonstrating HD on
one or more of the above formats. Avid will have Media Composer and
NewsCutter with HD options. Leitch will introduce an HD version
of Velocity, and Media 100 will be offering the Media 100 HD for
sale. Matrox will be demonstrating its new HD editing
technology. Pinnacle Systems' Liquid will be offering HD with an HDV
solution, in addition to the Pinnacle Systems Cinéwave offering.
Canopus will unveil its new realtime HD solution that includes
an HD-SDI card and the new EDIUS Professional video editing software.
Applied Magic will be demonstrating its new HD Cinema Workstation.
Sony's booth theme will be “Ride the HD Wave.” 1
Beyond, which makes HD-capable laptops, among other gear, will be
promoting its new high-end division, featuring a bevy of new HD and
digital filmmaker products including SAN storage solutions.

DVS debuts the multi-resolution Clipster editing system with realtime primary color correction in HD.

While In-sync will be promoting its new Loki product with an
AJA OEM breakout box and Speed Razor software, it will also be
showcasing its new SR HD bundle featuring the AJA Thor HD hardware
card. And don't forget the DVS Clipster or the Linux Media
Arts Cinelerra (which LMA promotes as the world's first true 64-bit
HD editing and FX system).

Bauhaus Software will be offering Mirage 1.2, its HD and
digital intermediate-capable realtime video paint, animation, and
effects product. Boris RED 3GL and Continuum Complete high-definition
compatible software will also be demonstrated. Let's not forget
Eyeon Software's Digital Fusion, Apple Shake,
Discreet Combustion, and D2 Software's Nuke 4.0
compositing and effects software. All will be examined for both their
low prices and high-definition capabilities.

Compare and contrast these compositing/FX applications with the
high-end Quantel iQ and eQ, Discreet's Fire, Flame, and Smoke,
(with private showings of the promised Discreet Media Architecture
products formerly known as Strata and Mezzo), and Interactive
Effects (IFX).

When you look at the capabilities in the new low-cost postproduction
products, why would film/video editors consider the advantages of
high-end products? There are several reasons, but you should examine
first whether you are looking at the creative film editing solution, or
a digital intermediate solution.

When I say “creative film editing solution,” I am
referring to what is essentially an offline process — deciding
upon the selection of clips and organizing those clips in a time-based
structure while focusing on the pace and rhythm. This final result is a
list of defined edit decisions, which can be in the form of a negative
cut list or digital metadata for a DI system.

With this type of system, low-priced solutions are very attractive
to independent filmmakers because of the time it takes to
satisfactorily create a structure for a film. The higher-end solutions,
such as an Avid Film Composer XL or Media Composer Adrenaline networked
with a Unity system, offer a workgroup structure perfect for
traditional film editing workflows with assistant editors. Quantel and
BBC Technology will also be demonstrating higher-end workgroup
production solutions at their respective booths.

For low-cost workgroup film/video editing, check out Pinnacle
Systems' Liquid Editing for Workgroups utilizing Pinnacle's Palladium
Store 100 and up to 16 Liquid Edition editors. Pinnacle Systems will be
introducing HD- and HDV-based low-cost digital cinema
postproduction.

Grass Valley's Spirit 4K DataCine now offers SD and HD video output as well as 4:4:4 RGB and YUV. Rob Hummel, senior vice president of production technology at Warner Bros., praises the new 4K Spirit, noting the improved look over 2K scans, whether the final output is film or HD.

Final Cut Pro will be seen with several workgroup SANs (e.g.,
Omneon, CharisMac, Ciprico, Studio Network Solutions, etc.). My
recommendation before looking at these various new media storage
solutions? Stop by Avid's booth and pay close attention to the
workgroup software tools offered, and make a tool-to-tool comparison as
well as a performance comparison of server technologies. Tell an Avid
Unity representative that you are considering a lower-cost alternative
and ask him what to look for. You will get a list of features to
consider.

Of course, another major issue is media asset management. The
high-end systems have worked out and tweaked this process so it is easy
to manage a large database of clips, sounds, graphics, animations,
script notes, and timelines, and find them fast and easily when needed.
With long-form work, management of all the sources, archiving, and
versioning are crucial tools.

One of the most exciting demonstrations for crossing this
“cultural divide” last year was that of Apple Final Cut Pro
timeline metadata transcoded to a Quantel iQ timeline thanks to AAF
technology and Automatic Duck for DI processing and finishing.
This technology should be available at this year's NAB, along with a
host of other AAF and MXF metadata demonstrations and metadata
management solutions.

For film editing where double system sound is involved, the issue of
24fps becomes more of a concern for the synching of sound. Systems that
are 23.976fps will not maintain synchronization with a 24fps digital
audio recording. If, on the other hand, an editor needs to deal with
the new issues of electronic cinematography and various pulldown
technologies, the editing system must be capable of handling those
issues.

Nucoda releases Version 2 of its Film Master film finishing solution, which provides editing, conforming, compositing, color grading, and effects.

Whatever the price, selecting a system should allow the editor to
focus on the creative process and not the technology. This is most
often a preference of the individual editor, but the graphic user
interface, keystroke operations (e.g., JKL trim), or other interface
issues (The Pen&Tablet, Rat, and Mixer controls on the Quantel
systems; the jog-shuttle on a Lightworks Touch; or the USB-based
hardware controllers found on a Sony Xpri) all affect whether an
editor will be distracted and less creative while editing.

While many define digital intermediate as everything in between
acquisition and distribution, I refer to DI solutions by exempting the
offline process, and to mean those workflow solutions that focus on the
various conform and finishing processes. While many classic post
players — Quantel, Discreet, daVinci, Grass Valley, and even the
scanning and recording manufacturers — are all striving to define
the DI process on their terms, companies like Nucoda and
MTI are popping up at NAB with very interesting DI products. The
Nucoda Film Master V.2.0 drew crowds at the February HPA Technology
Retreat.

The features to look for in various high-end DI tasks are:

• High resolutions and bit depths for the best quality possible;

The above features are discussed further in an article on digital
intermediate on page 113 of this issue, but in this brief synopsis of
features to consider, they sum up what can be found with the high-end
solutions.

Nevertheless, DI solutions will exist at the low price-point
alternatives as well. Resolution-independent compositing and effects
may require extensive rendering, but will be available on the show
floor. Metadata compatibility may mean using the same platform for
creative editing and finishing. And with new metadata standards, it is
now possible to bring your months of creative labor to a digital
intermediate lab and have your AAF timeline input, your media storage
attached or media ingested, and your conform and processing finished in
short order.

It will be possible to edit uncompressed high definition with dozens
of new or updated postproduction products, many of which may cost less
than the VCR used to record and play back the uncompressed HD video and
audio. There are many workarounds that will allow you to output a
high-quality film or long-form program without accessing a high-end
solution. Frequently the biggest difference with the low-cost solution
will be the performance issues and working with less sophisticated
toolsets.

Having conceded that DI is possible with the new low-cost products,
the more likely scenario will be that the high-end DI facilities will
remain busy. With superior talent and the high-end equipment this
talent utilizes, the results will be very high quality, with high
production values and high-speed performance.

Meanwhile, there will be a separate group of professionals who will
create films and other long programming using more compressed image
technologies such as HDV, 50Mbs compressed video, or other new
compressed image acquisition and distribution technologies. These
storytellers will use the creative freedom that this low-cost
technology provides to create some wonderful programming. While some
performance issues will be frustrating, and some compromises may be
required, their stories will be told.
— B.T.