Archive of the Affordable HD Category

Independent technology consultancy Visual Acuity is expanding once again, this time appointing Damian Andrews to the position of Lead Consultant, Project Development. Andrews brings a fresh perspective to the consultancy with a wealth of experience working in various project roles ranging from client user, owner,operator and integrator.

This key role has both internal and customer-facing dimensions, as Blair Parkin, Managing Director, Visual Acuity, explains:

“The technological scope of our work continues to develop, as does our geographical reach – we are currently working on projects as far afield as Asia, the Middle East, the US and Europe.

“Damian will lead and champion our customers’ interests and provide advice and support to architects, building engineers, vendors and other service providers on each project.”

In addition to project-management expertise, Andrews also brings specialist skills in stage lighting and production to the party – significantly broadening Visual Acuity’s range of technological competencies as the diversity of the company’s customer base continues to grow.

Andrews’ industry experience dates back to the mid-1990s when, while studying for a Diploma in Audio Visual Design, he worked in the technical department of the UK’s Middlesbrough Theatre. He subsequently studied Electrical Engineering for Theatre, before embarking on a large-scale musical as production electrician and working as Company Stage Manager for the Carl Rosa Opera Company. Several years travelling the world as a technical manager in the cruise-ship industry culminated in the appointment as Senior Production Manager on the Queen Mary 2 overseeing the operation of multiple and varied entertainment spaces.

“The QM2 featured the world’s first Planetarium at Sea, and it was while working there that I developed a passion for planetarium design, technology and content,” Andrews explains. “After returning to dry land to work as an event technician and convention-centre operations manager in New Zealand, I was delighted to be approached by Sky-Skan, Inc., to work on a planetarium installation for them there.”

Andrews subsequently worked on other planetarium projects for Sky-Skan all over the world, including the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco – which is where he first came to the attention of Visual Acuity. He now joins Visual Acuity from Staging Connections, an event services company in Melbourne, Australia, where he was Operations Manager. Prior to that, he was Technical Director and Chief Lighting Technician at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, Ireland.

Andrews has returned to the UK where he will be based at Visual Acuity’s Brighton HQ. “This appointment gives me the perfect opportunity to use the skills I have gained from working in varied industries around the globe, to compliment what is already a well-respected and experienced team,” he concludes. “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Visual Acuity.”

www.visual-acuity.com

2x More Powerful in Every Way, The HD HERO2 Democratizes Professional Image Capture and Broadcast with Support for Remote Control and Live Video Streaming from Virtually Anywhere to the Web

HALF MOON BAY, CA (October 24, 2011) – GoPro today announced the release of its new HD HERO2® camera. Twice as powerful as GoPro’s original HD HERO camera, the HD HERO2 enables consumers and professionals to capture and broadcast their lives most exciting moments in professional quality 1080p HD video and 11 megapixel photos. The new HD HERO2 is now available at GoPro.com, specialty retailers around the world, and at Best Buy for MSRP $299.99.

Arguably the most versatile camera in the world thanks to its innovative mounting system, renowned durability and small form factor, the HD HERO2 surpasses its predecessor with several technology upgrades. The HD HERO2′s new processor delivers twice the processing power, taking full advantage of a new high performance 11 megapixel sensor that delivers more than twice the image detail along with professional low light performance. A totally redesigned wide-angle lens was required to take full advantage of the HD HERO2′s increased image-processing, resulting in a lens that’s twice as sharp as the previous model. And with the arrival of GoPro’s new Wi-Fi BacPac™ and Wi-Fi Remote products slated for release this winter, the HD HERO2 will enable video remote control via the Wi-Fi Remote, smartphones and devices, tablets and computers as well as enabling live GoPro video broadcast from anywhere there is Wi-Fi or a mobile hotspot.

Famous for its globally best-selling HD HERO line of wearable and gear mountable cameras, GoPro spared no expense developing the HD HERO2.

“GoPro created a new category of camera with the HD HERO back in 2009, and it’s gone on to become one of the best selling video cameras in the world,” says Nicholas Woodman, GoPro’s founder and CEO. “With these big shoes to fill, we invested massively in engineering the HD HERO2 to be one of the greatest, most versatile cameras of all time. We think we’ve achieved our goal and we’re very excited to see the content our customers around the world capture and share with their powerful new GoPros.”

2x as Powerful in Every Way:
The HD HERO2 benefits from a complete redesign that results in dramatically enhanced image quality and ease-of-use:

List of HD HERO2 Feature Enhancements:

• Professional 11MP Sensor
• 2x Faster Image Processor
• 2X Sharper Glass Lens
• Professional Low Light Performance
• Full 170º, Medium 127º, Narrow 90º FOV in 1080p and 720p Video
• 120 fps WVGA, 60 fps 720p, 48 fps 960p, 30 fps 1080p Video
• Full 170º and Medium 127º FOV Photos
• 10 11MP Photos Per Second Burst
• 1 11MP Photo Every 0.5 Sec Timelapse Mode
• 3.5mm External Stereo Microphone Input
• Simple Language-based User Interface
• Compatible with Wi-Fi BacPac™ and Wi-Fi Remote™
- Long Range Remote Control of up to 50 GoPro Cameras per Wifi Remote
- Wi-Fi Video/Photo Preview, Playback and Control via GoPro App
- Live Streaming Video and Photos to the Web

Visit http://gopro.com/hd-hero2-cameras/ for more information on the HD HERO2, Wi-Fi BacPac and Wi-Fi Remote products.

Upgraded Professional Photo Quality and Features
The HD HERO2’s photo capture performance has also been significantly upgraded. In addition to much improved low light performance, the HD HERO2 can capture up to ten 11 megapixel photos in a one second burst mode as well as automatic time-lapse photos with quick .5 second timing between photos. This dramatically increases the success-rate when attempting to capture magazine cover quality photos during fast action sports and activities.

Simplified User Interface
GoPro also placed a priority on redesigning the HD HERO2’s user interface for dead simple ease-of-use. The HD HERO2 features a totally new, straightforward language-based user interface that eliminates the need for instructions.

“The HD HERO2 is much, much easier to use than the original HD HERO. If you know how to use a traditional camera, you can use the HD HERO2 straight out of the box without instructions. This makes the HD HERO2 very powerful as an every day, easy to use consumer camera while retaining all of the features, modes and performance that has made GoPro the best selling small form factor HD camera to Hollywood,” said GoPro’s Director of Product Definition, Rudy Samuels.

Specialized Right Down to the Packaging
The HD HERO2 sells in three bundled-accessory configurations, each containing the necessary mounts for particular genres of use or activity. The HD HERO2 is backwards compatible with all existing GoPro mounts and accessories.
Click each product name for a complete list of included mounts and accessories:
HD HERO2: Outdoor Edition – $299.99
HD HERO2: Motorsports Edition – $299.99
HD HERO2: Surf Edition – $299.99

The original 1080p HD HERO camera is now available for MSRP $199.99 – $239.99 (USD) (previously $259.99 – $299.99) through GoPro.com and GoPro’s worldwide authorized dealer network. The Wi-Fi BacPac and Wi-Fi Remote are also compatible with the original HD HERO camera, but functionality is limited to remote control only. Video and photo streaming is not supported.

About GoPro

Based in Half Moon Bay, California, GoPro makes the world’s most versatile cameras, enabling people to capture and share their lives’ most exciting moments in professional quality HD video and photos. GoPro’s HD HERO line of wearable and gear mountable cameras are used collectively by more consumers, professional athletes, and video production professionals than any other camera in the world. GoPro’s products are sold in over 60 countries via specialty sports retailers, Best Buy, and at gopro.com.

Editor David Leonard recently completed cutting Al Pacino’s Wilde Salome at Wild(child) Editorial in New York. The film, which recently premiered at The Venice Film Festival to a standing ovation, skillfully weaves together stunning cinematography with documentary-style footage to create a complex and illuminating examination of Wilde, the man, and Salome, his once-banned play about illicit love and brutal revenge.

Al Pacino in the role of King Herod in his tour de force film, 'Wilde Salome'

Directed by and starring Pacino, Wilde Salome could be described as a film about a movie about a documentary. The innovative exploration of the writer and his play, and an actor and a roll crosses the traditional boundaries of filmmaking, weaving together three distinct threads of content: A cinema verite-style documentary about the making of the film and recreations of pivotal touch-points in Wilde’s life, the film of the play itself, which is beautifully shot on 35mm film, and documentary footage shot with a SD video camera that followed Pacino to Ireland, England, and France as he researched the writer’s life and interviewed experts and about his subject.

A deep passion for the play and fascination with Wilde led Pacino to begin work on the project over five-years ago. A number of early rough-cut versions had taken it in different directions as his vision evolved. David Leonard was first signed on to finish shaping the film into its final form in October 2009. Working with existing material, it fell to Leonard to create a cohesive and compelling movie that achieved balance between the distinct threads.

“Al is very much about experimentation and the process of discovery,” says Leonard, who cut the movie on Wild(child)’s Avid System. “He had lived with the film for a long time, and it had gone through numerous incarnations before we began talking about what he wanted the editing to achieve. There were some elements from the last cuts that he wanted to continue shaping, and some fresh ideas and new things he wanted to try. He would tell me what he wanted to see and feel, discuss a scene, give me notes and then come back, respond to a scene and we’d continue the process of shaping and refining.”

Pacino has described his film as, “… not a documentary. It’s not a film. It’s a much more ambitious and complicated gesture of cinema. I wanted to make a kind of collage.”

Leonard, who learned his craft assisting in the cutting rooms of iconic directors

Al Pacino and actress Jessica Chastin in a scene from 'Wilde Salome'

Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman, Paul Schrader and Tim Burton, on films like Goodfellas and The Last Temptation of Christ, says, “As an editor, the challenge was not only to capture the visceral feel Pacino wanted to achieve, but to reach a balance and fluidity between the documentary-style footage and the dramatic film. It was a unique challenge and opportunity to “come into the editing process at a late date and get to be able to add a fresh perspective to the film.”

Pacino noted, “David’s commitment and individuality are a real gift. I always trusted his taste and judgment and felt I could rely on him to deliver what was needed. He always got it done and then some.”

Pacino has sought out a mix of outlets for his longtime passion for the famed writer. At the same time that he was directing the film and playing the role of King Herod opposite Jessica Chastain as Salome, he was performing the same part on stage in the 2006 production of Oscar Wilde’ Salome, also opposite Chastain.

Leonard first introduced Pacino to Wild(child) Editorial when the actor/director had asked him he if knew of a space in New York that would work for an interview with Katie Couric for the TV show, 60 MINUTES.

“He was blown away when he stepped out of the elevator into the huge, sun-filled

lounge,” recalls Leonard. “The space is loft height and the stark, all-white modern minimalism and open architecture does give it an unexpected ‘wow’ factor. When he commented on how much he loved it, I asked him if he wanted to edit the film there. He was still surprised that he was in an editorial house when he said yes.”

“But ambience isn’t the only thing Wild(child) has going for it,” says Leonard. “It also has premiere edit suites, talented people and a strong infrastructure, which is what makes it my favorite place to edit in New York.”

“I found Wild(child) Editorial to be wildly accommodating,” says Pacino. “Without a doubt it was the most pleasant atmosphere I’ve ever done post production work in.”

During the editing of the film Pacino made himself comfortable at the Flatiron-based boutique. “He would arrive at about 4:00, after he finished rehearsal; work with me and then hang out – relaxing in the lounge, playing ping pong, making calls – until around 7:00 when he left for other appointments,” recalls Leonard.

Editor Yvette Pineyro, owner of Wild(child), says, “Wilde Salome is the kind of tour de force that takes filmmaking to the next level and it gave us a privileged peak into the creative process of an iconic talent. It was also great to see Mr. Pacino settle in and make himself at home at Wild(child).

Pinyero adds, “Wild(child) is very proud of its association with David Leonard and the prestigious roster of films he has brought here. We always strive to stay diverse and David brings a fresh cinematic perspective that we strive to incorporate into our spot work.”

Among the films Leonard has cut at Wild(child) are director Raymond de Felitta’s City Island starring Andy Garcia, The Guitar, directed by Amy Redford with Saffron Burrows, and War Boys, directed by Ron Daniels with Peter Gallagher. The Leonard edited film, Two Family House, also directed by Felitta, took home Sundance Film Festival’s Audience Award For A Dramatic Film.

Currently David Leonard is in California working with Pacino on yet another related project, a film of a theatrical production of Salome.

Wild(child) Editorial is a NYC-based creative boutique with an award-winning roster of in-house editors complimented by a select roster of global talent. Its diverse talent offers advertising agencies and content creators in the general and multicultural arenas the ability to connect with a wide range of cultures and styles.

Wild(child) Editorial and its sister CGI company, Resident Creative Studio, have created an open-architecture collaborative environment driven by a passionate collective of accomplished editors, FX artists, animators, directors, creative directors, and producers. Their shared creative vision provides a seamless concept-through-completion approach to commercials, films, music videos, promos, graphic packages + broadcast programming, all under one roof.

Wild(child)’s recent work includes spots for Nike, Verizon, Givenchy, Candies, Time Warner, Frontier Airlines, P&G, Wendy’s, USA Network, as well feature films, such as Al Pacino’s Wilde Salome, which will be presented with the Glory Award at the 2011 Venice Film Festival, and City Island, starring Andy Garcia, which took home the Tribeca Audience Award.

Wild(child) is a 100% minority woman-owned company, launched by Yvette Pineyro in 1995. It is an active member of The National Minority Supplier Development Council , The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and the Central Contract Registration.

For more information about Wild(child) Editorial contact executive producer Elissa Muddell, elissa@wildchildpost.com, 212.725.5333. Resident Creative Studio can be contacted through director of development Liz Ludden, liz@weareresident.com, 212.683.7377. NY General Market contact for Wild(child) Editorial and Resident: Roxanne and Co, roxanneandco@mac.com, 212.679.9797. Wild(child) Editorial + Resident Creative Studio: US Hispanic Market: Isabel Echeverry (isabel@kontaktoreps.com,) 786.275.6555.

CREDITS:
Title: Wilde Salome Length: 95 minutes
Premiere: Venice Film Festival
Cast: Al Pacino, Jessica Chastin, Estelle Parsons, Kevin Anderson
Production Company: Salome Productions
Director: Al Pacino
Screenwriter: Al Pacino (based on Oscar Wilde’s novel, Salome)
DP: Benoit Delhomme
Editor: David Leonard (at Wild(child) Editorial, on AVID)
Roberto Silva

Executive producers: George Ann Mason, Sakiko Yamada, Beni Atoori, Reza Rashidian, Andrea Grano, Amy Nederlander, Daryl Roth, Tony Schiena, Giulia Marletta, Enrica de Biasi, Pierluigi Navoni, Tod Blatt, Lamont Bennett?
Producers: Barry Navidi, Robert Fox?
Production designer: Nicole Ruby?
Music: Jeff Bea

See projectiondesign at xSolutions, Stand A6, EXCEL, London, 19-20 October 2011

Visitors to xSolutions trade show are in for a treat when they visit the projectiondesign stand.

Demonstrated will be the largest ever line-up of projection solutions including the award winning F35 wqxga high-resolution projector, the FR12 Remote Light Source™ projector for command and control and the F82 series featuring 3-chip DLP® technology. All projectors are made for 24/7 operation and come with warranty programmes for up to five years. In addition, projectiondesign will preview the world’s highest resolution 3D single-chip DLP projector, the F35 AS3D.

The dedicated UK based team comprises several recognised industry professionals to support partners and customers with projects more

See Dataton at prolight+sound, Shanghai, Stand W5A22, 11-14 October 2011, New Expo Center, Shanghai, China

Stereoscopic playback, 3D effects, and iPad control shown for first time in Shanghai

Dataton and Audio Visual Technique will be launching the brand new version 5 of WATCHOUT multi-display production and playback system at prolight+sound, Shanghai.

Kenneth Cheung of Audio Visual Technique says: “We’re delighted to showcase our technology at prolight+sound and expect it to receive a tremendous reception. WATCHOUT is extremely popular with our partners and, after our success at the Shanghai EXPO, we have supplied it to new installations and special events.”

As well as exhibiting at the show, AVT and Dataton will be hosting seminars throughout the show for partners in China to give them the latest, hands on product information.

Dataton WATCHOUT™ version 5 is already making waves in the international audio-visual more

High Five Entertainment chooses TNDV’s “Aspiration” multi-camera SD/HD/3D truck for production services

NASHVILLE, October 11, 2011 – Two Emmy-award winning production companies have joined forces to help bring live performances from the venerable Grand Ole Opry performance stage to televisions around the country.

Through the fall, the Scripps-owned country music entertainment network Great American Country (GAC) will broadcast six “Opry Live” episodes featuring live performances from country music stars. Nashville-based production companies High Five Entertainment and TNDV will come together for the project.

The Grand Ole Opry contracted High Five Entertainment, the Emmy-award winning entertainment production company, to produce the live shows. High Five Entertainment has contracted mobile production company TNDV, owned by Nic Dugger, to provide the HD mobile production systems and technical crew needed to produce the events. The SD shows will go more

Key staff, reseller and training centre additions deliver dedicated SCRATCH Six And SCRATCH Lab sales and support

ASSIMILATE (www.assimilateinc.com), the leading provider of powerful post-production tools for digital workflows, has established a sales and technical support division in India. The company has also extended its reseller network and appointed new Authorised Training Centres covering key filmmaking and broadcast markets across the country for its SCRATCH Six and SCRATCH Lab file-based workflow products. This initiative, prompted by increasing sales success, underscores ASSIMILATE’s commitment to supporting the burgeoning broadcast and Bollywood filmmaking industries in India.

ASSIMILATE’s new division is led by Prasenjit Sengupta, who joined recently as director of sales for India. Sengupta’s role is to oversee the expansion of the company’s sales channels, and to strengthen customer services across the country. ASSIMILATE has also recruited Arun Kumar, who will provide training and technical support services in conjunction more

Building on Company’s 3D Synching Technology, GoPro Array Defines New Level of Camera Versatility

HALF MOON BAY, CA (October 10, 2011) – GoPro, the world’s leading activity image capture company, today released a new video for international surf brand, Rip Curl, that uses the first ever mobile, waterproof 48 camera array to capture never-before-seen perspectives of two time world champion surfer, Mick Fanning, doing what he does best in the warm waters of the South Pacific. The video highlights the capabilities of the GoPro Camera Array that was used for Rip Curl’s upcoming marketing campaign for its Mirage Boardshort and was shot in conjunction with the pioneers of camera array photography, Tim and Callum Macmillan. Additional videos for the Rip Curl campaign featuring this new GoPro Array technology will showcase Rip Curl surfers Owen Wright, Matt Wilkinson, Dillon Perillo and Dean Brady.

“At GoPro we’re always looking more

New high definition (HD, 2K, 4K) royalty-free stock footage timelapse video clips have been added in Energy category on HDtimelapse.net website.

Some of the shot are Time Lapse of Oil Pump in Sunset, Dusk, Day, Pumpjack, Old Pumping Unit, Jack Pump, Fossil Fuel Energy, Electricity Big Pylon, Golden Field, Cumulus Mediocris Clouds, Plain Field, Wind Turbines in Sunset, Dusk, Day, Green Energy, Wind Mills, Natural and Renewable Energy Resource.

HDtimelapse.net library contains +6400 time lapse video clips from 125 locations in 40 countries.

Timelapse royalty-free stock footage here: http://www.hdtimelapse.net

See Dataton at InfoComm MEA, stand B8-30, 9-13 October 2011, Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Center, Dubai, UAE

Working with projection technology partner projectiondesign to showcase stereoscopic playback, 3D effects, and iPad control

Dataton and projection technology partner projectiondesign® will jointly share a stand at InfoComm MEA to showcase stunning presentation and imagery managed by the brand new version 5 of WATCHOUT multi-display production and playback system.

Launched just three months ago, WATCHOUT version 5 is already making waves in the international audio-visual marketplace where it received several industry prizes and accolades, including the prestigious Media Server product category in the Commercial Integrator Awards. Dataton WATCHOUT ™was also recognised as Best Show Control Product at the InfoComm/Rental and Staging New Product Awards.

Fully scalable, software-based and requiring no proprietary hardware, WATCHOUT orchestrates still images, animations, graphics, video, sound and live feeds into a single more