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Own 4k cameras - new school or old faithfuls?

Discussion in 'Cinestar 8' started by Chris Ross Leong, Feb 10, 2017.

  1. SeBaStIaN BArrEtT

    SeBaStIaN BArrEtT Active Member

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    a couple of my staff are. we started taking clients in Atlanta 6-8 months ago, have not hade time to file trademark lol. ill probably join if/when things settle down and get the rest of team joined up.
     
  2. Chris Ross Leong

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    Back to 4k for a moment (hey gents, digress all you like, this is a very cool thread!) my problem is, apart from the basic DCI spec which is a good one in essence, there still isn't a standard for 4k deliverables that everybody can adhere to. Sound familiar? LOL!

    The last feature film production I was on needed 4k deliverables and I was told, as the finishing house, to "just submit your final print in DCP (Digital Cinema Package) format and we'll run it." But the QC (quality control) house wouldn't release the spec it was, basically, controlling me to.
    When asked, they said "it's complicated".

    However, as a finishing house, it's on me to comply with them. I don't get paid unless I pass their QC. If they say "change this" then I have to change it, whatever "it" might be, and, get this, whenever "it" might be, the when part lasting the duration of the distribution contract. All on my dime. Their QC pass triggers one of my payment stages. And I like to get paid for my work.

    So I went back to the producers and told them, and their hands went up. Vegas hands.
    And so I asked them how long their distribution contract was for. "15 years", they said.
    At which point, feature film and all, I fired the producers.

    So I don't even think there's a UHD standard at this point in time. But of course there are 4k cameras and TVs and so, like HD, they'll get around to it eventually.

    It's the 'eventually' and 'future proof'ing thing that has the equipment producers salivating. Because, like the Sony Blu Ray/HDDVD war, here's another chance to set an industry standard. And, until one is, they can produce whatever they want to, however much the bitrate, etc., and call it all 4k, until the all cinema owners and distributors, who are reeling from the MPAA enforced conversion to 2k digital in the first place (another war there, albeit silently fought), finally get together and declare one format and one standard the winner.

    In the meantime, like the good troops we are, we sit on the wings, prep our gear, hurry up, and wait.
     
  3. Shaun Stanton

    Shaun Stanton Active Member

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    It kind sounds like you're being hustled by the producers IMO. That is bull from what it sounds like. They should have a spec for you to deliver, I mean if they just say send us a DCP, what the hell does that mean? They should tell you UHD or DCI. I would imagine DCI would be the preferred method for the big screen but I am not sure as I am not a finishing house for a full scale feature. It would almost seem like you would have multiple deliverables there maybe some movie houses running UHD projectors.

    I get the QC is important but they should quantify what their standard is in contract or it is open ended. Especially if you are on the hook for 15 years. But to say you will not get paid absolutely is an abuse, which if you were a union shop on a union contract they would not tolorate that bull. I refuse to sign any contract that forces me to work before I can get some pay. Before I got into the 600 we had a producer try that stunt on us. He wanted us to do a day for free and if he liked us he would bring us back for more. I said bull in a polite way and said that's not how this works. He hired our competitor who was a one man only shop. That guy wasted their whole shooting day and blew all the shots he was an idiot and thought auto exposure on the Inspire was good enough, bwahahaha. The DP trusted us and we got back on in our terms and we got the shots. The UPM said since we stood up to him, he should have hired us because that showed confidence. We exceeded his expectations, he marked we out performed every previous drone crew he had previously worked with. So I stick to my guns and not get run around. I have found that if you give them an inch they will take a mile.
     
    #23 Shaun Stanton, Feb 19, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 20, 2017
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  4. Chris Ross Leong

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    Totally. Yes, the indie crowd will try anything if you let them. They seemed quite reasonable until we got to that part, and then it was like, "okay, this is on you, we're not technical". And of course, that's when reason ended and I started to realize they had zero idea what they were talking about. Seems to be the rule these days, outside the IA of course, which is kinda depressing but the reason why I've left the edit bays and taken to the skies... well, the outdoors, at least.
     
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  5. SeBaStIaN BArrEtT

    SeBaStIaN BArrEtT Active Member

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    "were not technical." lmao. if i had a nickel. . .
     

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