A spot recorded with an iPhone. This is the spot produced by an NGO that seeks to raise New York on the amount of food wasted in New York and the number of hungry in the city. Here are the piece:

Beneath the apparent simplicity that implies that this spot is recorded entirely with an iPhone, there is a substantial technological framework. The prestigious studio The Mill , responsible for the audiovisual work as detailed in its web was made this spot.

Indeed the base sequence shot of the spot was shot entirely with an iPhone in a New York subway station. Later in postproduction CGI should be incorporated in this case was the crowd of apples that come in an avalanche of wagons of the train. presente en toda la escena provocan una distorsión difícil de salvar por los softwares de tracking así que The Mill ideó un “rig”o armazón de cámaras , en cocreto  tres Canon 5D MKII, que situadas fijas en la estación grababan sincronizadas en todo momento la posición del iPhone. For this integration was needed to make a tracking of the whole scene, which was quite difficult to do directly with the material recorded with the iPhone. The compression artifacts and the CMOS rolling shutter present in the whole scene cause a distortion difficult to save for tracking softwares so The Mill devised a "rig" or frame cameras, Canon 5D MKII cocreto three, which still placed at the station recorded synchronized at all times the position of the iPhone. This in turn was easy to locate by tracking software thanks to LED lights clearly marking its position in space. In this way the tracking is greatly simplifició although it was necessary to correct by hand, frame by frame as it happens almost always.

For realistic textured apples used an HDRI map generated by a camera 360 ° x180 °, in particular a SpheronVR which also has an amazing 26f stops, camera any day deserve an article on this blog.

This whole process can be seen in detail in this "breakdown"

Finally, post-production to mimic the compression artifacts and color correction did the rest to provide that sense of realism.

So, yes, a spot shot with an iPhone, but there is more behind it to get that "look random" cinéma vérité.

(2001, Dodot) así como en el primer spot rodado con RedOne también en España (Schweppes-Dr House, 2008). Gabi Garcia , oco / DIT / Technical Digital Film is one of the technical pioneers in Spain in the use of HD technology and the use of Red One camera has participated as a coach in the first spot shot in Spain in HD (2001, Dodot) as well as in the first shot with RedOne spot in Spain (Schweppes, Dr House, 2008). On its website you can find technical articles of interest about film and digital video technology very in tune with the philosophy of this blog, we highlight some such as:

• Manual RedOne in Castilian (translated by Gabi Garcia and Pol turrents)

• The video signal is processed and Raw

• How to check HD Video Equipment

• How to match two chambers

In short, an interesting site with information first hand from someone who works every day with these new technologies and first person living in technological change between SD-HD-RAW

And thanks Gabi for putting this blog under the heading of technical interest links .

The controversial and confusing topic of the pixel aspect ratio , discussed earlier in this blog, seems to keep to complicated.
In the new version of After Effects CS4, Adobe has changed the proportions of some of its settings in composition, since the sizes used during the nine previous versions of After Effects seems, according to Adobe's own admission, they were "slightly inaccurate" .

Now, if we work on PAL square pixels, we set the compositions in the following frame sizes:

• 4:3 square pixels (PAL D1/DV): 788 × 576 (formerly 768 × 576)
  

• 16:9 square pixels (PAL D1/DV): 1050 × 576 (previously 1024 x 576)

These proportions go to recalculate the dimensions of the box and reinterpret PAL analog to digital, taking into account the so-called "clean aperture", which is the name given to the overall size of the box counting PAL analog lines that do not carry picture information. According to recommendations of the BBC, which are those that have led to Adobe tiing a bit more with the theme, the calculations to arrive at these sizes would be:

• , aplicando una regla de tres lo deducimos: (576×4)/3=768 There is a measure which is always unchanged: an image 576 pixels PAL is always horizontal (digital equivalent of the 625 analog) 576 horizontal pixels in a 4:3 ratio, providing 768 vertical pixels by applying a rule of thumb we deduce: (576 × 4) / 3 = 768

• The TV pixels are not square but rectangular in PAR ratio of 1:1094, therefore: 768 / 1.094 = 702. That is, an image is actually analog PAL 702 × 576 rectangular pixels. ¿?
• Where are los18 missing pixels to 720 × 576 which we all use?. These 18 pixels are equivalent to the two side black bars (of 9 pixels each) that we always observed that digitized PAL video. This is called "clean aperture", ie including the full PAL image signal lines that carry picture information. , es decir exclusivamente las líneas que llevan información de imagen. Within this "clean aperture" or fully open, is the proportion of 702 × 576 pixels of which we spoke earlier, that is called "production aperture", ie only the lines that carry picture information. But digital should be used fully open and all its pixels, watching these 18 pixels as safety margins, or 720 pixels (702 +18) rectangular.
• One more thing, if those 18 pixels are rectangular what if they are converted to square pixels? Let's see them doing the reverse: 18 × 1.094 = 20. 20 square pixels, 768 pixels added to the square of which we set equal to 788 × 576. Here are the new dimensions that proposes Adobe After Effects.
• : (18 x 4)/ 3 = 24 pixels rectangulares que equivalen a 24 x 1,094 = 26 cuadrados . In a ratio of 16:9, those 18 pixels rectangular pixels are converted into 26 squares (18 x 4) / 3 = 24 equivalent rectangular pixels to 24 x 1.094 = 26 square. They added 26 pixels to 1024 pixels which had previously assumed PAL 16:9 gives us: 1024 +26 = 1050 × 576 square pixels, which are the correct dimensions to compose a digital image in 16:9 PAL square pixels! !

But many laps and marearnos with these conversions, it is true that we have to assume that the new box sizes proposed Adobe, taught by the BBC, are correct and in theory we should use so that the proportions of graphs and images appear properly when converting PAL.

More information:

• ADOBE page

• BBC

. The last Oscar in VFX, as expected, went to "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" . And is that aged face behind Brad Pitt is a true technological revolution that is a leap in the creation of digital human characters, a challenge that so far had not been achieved so successfully.

The lecture given by Ed Ulbrich TED Unveils encounters in the process step by step and not be missed. It's really interesting and highly recommended to see.

In short, Ed Ulbrich, executive producer of effects house Digital Domain , tells in this talk as this film could not be performed earlier because there was no adequate technology was capable of aging in a realistic and progressive for an actor.

It was in 2004 when he finally decided to produce the film, although the technique employed was not clear.

It concluded that he must use a different cast of actors for the character's body and to show the evolution of this over time. On the other hand a single actor needed for the interpretation of the face, and to keep and physical features along the entire film. The selected actor turned out to be Brad Pitt. Then digitally "implant" the head in the aging bodies.

The problem was how.

First we looked at the use of the technique known as motion capture, the problem is that this technology works well for the kinetics of bodies and limbs but can not accurately capture the emotions of a human face.

So the idea was a new technique still under development. distribuidas en distintos ángulos graban entonces el fantasmagórico rostro del actor y luego esos movimientos son interpretados por un software capaz de recrearlos en 3D. It was the face of the actor record previously impregnated with a fluorescent makeup to turn off the lights see only the main features and their gestures. 4 cameras located at various angles then recorded the ghostly face of the actor and then these movements are interpreted by software to recreate in 3D.

If you want more information about this technology you can find it here: Contour Reality Capture of MOVA

The invention does not end there. In addition, three busts modeled latex character at different stages of age, 80-70-60, but the basis of the features of Brad, and was scanned in 3D (do not miss this part of the video.) Thus three models were obtained at high resolution with the smallest details of wrinkles and folds.

On this model able to apply the interpretation of Brad Pitt, captured in this unique way. That's what they lick "retargeting".

para la “decapitación” de los cuerpos , tracking para la colocación del nuevo rostro… Solved the main problem that remained was the implementation of other mature technologies that, while Ed does not go into detail, we can sense to see the making off: HDRI lighting of the face in 3D to simulate the different environments, rotoscoping and chroma for "decapitation" of bodies, tracking to the placement of a new face ...

In short, the result is an impressive digital recreation of a human face with all its details, small tics, subtle movements, expressions ... able to convey emotion and feeling without digital puppet so far caused humans in 3D.

Although it is true that there is something in the brightness of the eyes that betrays its digital nature, that subtle spark that has so far not been able to be reproduced by any means.

You will have probably already heard the announcement that Red did last November 13th.
Red has done it again. As anticipated and Jim Jannard , Red was going to revolutionize the market with a new concept camera, the DSMC (Digital Still Camera Motion), which is said not to have even more surprises.
Here is the complete list of specifications , models and other accessories that have been announced as a probable future.

In summary the main bets and innovations of network would be:

• A modular system allowing endless configurations. Extensions and combinations of lenses, bodies, sensors and accessories almost without limit.

• Back longed concept camera for life, or what they call Obsolence Obsolete, which means that the camera is updated over time, via a modular or firmware, without the need to change machine every time you leave an update.

• A range of sensors ranging from 3k to ... 28K!

• . New "brains" that add to the already known RedOne: Epic Escalet and redesigned and combined with the new sensors Misterium X and Monstro.

• Motion Digital Still Cameras, or what is the same, the final chamber, which is valid both for professional photography and cinematography. With Canon and Nikon mounts to specifications.

• REDCODE RAW recording format developed and supported native in the future by leading manufacturers (Adobe, Apple ...)

• 3D RED future.

In general the list of every professional audiovisual Christmas could ask ...
Everything ..? I would not say much ... The Achilles heel of all this orgy of Megapixels and Gigabit (which is ultimately what it comes down footage from these monsters) is the storage and processing power of computers.
Are you already developing the hardware that these 28K pull in RAW?.
Who is making the economic storage system, cheap, durable and reliable, allowing to keep all this information without risk to fade in a couple of decades?

The company that meets this challenge successfully will have a parallel to the real network and then we can talk of revolution. For now, while RED, or otherwise, get a Digital Still Camera Motion 2k, with variable frame rate, light, economical, with sensitivity and wide dynamic range will be happy ... 98% of the market. Let's see if you get really.

Many maybe you Ken Burns, especially Apple users, as are several of the apple software in their libraries using the "Ken Burns effect."
This effect is simply to use pans, zooms and, in general, movements of "camera" on images. It is a very effective way to give life to photos.

In video editing is often used and level of 'everyday', who has not ever done a DVD of family photos with one of those automatic software that animate your photos?.

Well it seems that Ken Burns was the one who popularized this technique, though it was not the first to use it. Ken Burns is an American author of interesting documentary series like The Civil War (1990) and Jazz (2000). In documentary films where the video material is scarce or nonexistent, the photographs become the vehicle of storytelling and driving a camera on them resolve many situations, and even accentuates the dramatic nature of discourse.
Ken Burns has been using this technique for over 25 years and does so with special expertise. It is interesting to hear in this video how Apple was interested for more than two decades in this effect. As good visionaries, and thought to include a software for anyone to animate your photos using this technique (in the 80's!). Good old Ken, just agreed to let her name the young Steve Jobs in return for a computer for his wife. Little did he know where to reach the boy.
With a little ear for English is interesting to take a look:

We will resume online EfectoHD technical articles, trying to shed some light on a confusing concept that you sure sound: the gamma correction.

, a los dispositivos que la reproducen ya la luminosidad del entorno donde la estamos viendo. The gamma correction is responsible for the "feel" contrast of an image, and we feel it is not something inherent in the image, if not the registered devices, devices that reproduce the ambient brightness and where we are seeing.

That is why one image looks very different depending on the monitor or system that is playing as well as the surrounding brightness. The same picture may appear whitish or "washed" in a system, while another may appear dark contrast, all due to the gamma correction is applied.

Although each system has its own intrinsic gamma correction, it is important to understand how it works.

To understand the concept of gamma applied to image processing, we must first understand the concepts of "linear", "logarithmic" and "dynamic range."
While the explanation of these concepts would take at least a long article for each one, yes we do here a little closer.

THE REAL WORLD DYNAMIC RANGE

The dynamic range of an image would be the scale between the maximum brightness and the darkest value. y el valor máximo de luminosidad posible, que sería, por supuesto, el Sol . If we apply this to the real world, the dynamic range situraría for example between the value of an opaque surface, black and reflects no light and the maximum value of light as possible, which would, of course, the Sun.

Thus the dynamic range of "reality", although the concept sounds a bit abstract, is incredibly broad, almost immeasurable.

But since this is not useful for practical purposes of this vast dynamic range, only take a fraction, the fraction of values that the human eye work.

DYNAMIC RANGE OF THE HUMAN EYE

(más allá de ese valor estariamos hablando de un espejo). Although the dynamic range of the human eye is also very large (at least 4 times more than the best film negative) could normalize their values and make a range of measures from a black surface that reflects only 1% of light and such a white surface that reflects 90% (beyond this value would be talking about a mirror.) The remaining 10% would be reserved for objects that produce their own light candles, lamps and finally the sun.

“, el ojo humano no percibe detalles en ellos, sólo una luminosidad cegadora , que no es sólo un 10% mayor que la superficie blanca antes citada, si no 1000, 10000 o 20000 más brillante. That is the human eye moves between the 1% -90%, which is where almost all the values perceived contrast and detail are above 90% and 100% until the maximum light provided by the sun, we can speak of "SUPERWHITE", the human eye does not perceive details in them, only a blinding light, which is only 10% higher than the white surface cited above, if not 1000, 10000 or 20000 brighter.

. Therefore we can say that the human eye has a nonlinear response with respect to the brightness of the real world: with increasing brightness, the perception of such light by the eye is not proportional. Mathematically this is a form of expression: a logarithmic function. Here, then, the three concepts: dynamic range, linear and logarithmic.

LOG RESPONSE

The negative film and photography are also a logarithmic response, similar to the human eye: the more light is exposed to the emulsion, the darker, but not in proportion as it has a cap that is determined by the density of negative.

Likewise the response of a CRT monitor is also logarithmic.
In particular the electron beam hitting the phosphors, it has a linear relationship with the voltage applied to it. Its intensity increases logarithmically, and so lienal no increases or decreases the contrast and brightness of the image reproduced.

This relationship between the applied voltage and light responses, or the relationship between the chemical emulsion and its response to light, must be quantified, and corrected if necessary in order to determine what the "look" of the resulting image.

GAMMA

This is where the concept comes into play GAMMA.
The GAMMA is a numeric value that provides the valuable information to know how much you darkens or shine an image to be reproduced by a device. This value is intrinsic and affects all the images that reproduce and thus altering its brightness.

It is therefore necessary to introduce a GAMMA CORRECTION OF avoid altering the image display and balancing devices with different gamma.
This is essential, for example if several people are working on the same image on different computers.

Here's something a little more complicated because in reality, we must speak of three different GAMMA.

• GAMMA monitor: is the numerical value increases the value of image pixels and converts the brightness of the image. It is intrinsic to the device because of the behavior of its components. It is invariable and must be provided by each manufacturer.

• Gamma Correction: it is the numerical value with which one must compensate for the gamma of a device to show the original, unaltered image.

• GAMMA result: the numerical value is obtained to compensate for the gamma of the monitor with gamma correction. It is obtained by dividing the monitor gamma / gamma correction. While in theory not to distort the image, its value should be 1, is usually no attempt to give a value of 1.1 or 1.2, so the image is perceived a little darker and contrasted, which is often preferred.

On the other hand is essential viewing environment for this image also alters your perception. While darker the viewing environment (living in darkness, cinema ...) should be higher resulting gamma to achieve a correct view.

Put this into practice.
. CRT monitors have an inherent gamma of 2.5.
In PC systems, gamma correction is set to 2.2
. Therefore the resulting gamma is: 2.5/2.2, which gives us a gamma of about 1.1. Just enough for a dim viewing environment

que se multiplica por gamma del proyector de revelado, que es 2.5 . The negative film has a gamma of 0.6 which is multiplied by gamma revealed projector, which is 2.5. . So with 0.6 × 2.5, a gamma of 1.5's overwhelming. Just enough for a room in darkness.

, que es más apropiada para imágenes impresas. For their part, the MAC systems typically charge a 1.8 gamma correction, which is more suitable for printed images. . Resulting in a final gamma of about 1.4, so the same image will look much more contrasted than in a PC.

The TFT, Plasma, LCD, etc but have a very different technology CRT tubes, trying to imitate his response, so the gamma correction of 2.2 would also be appropriate for them.

The domestic TVs do not apply any gamma correction. For this reason the correction is applied directly on the camera to record. That is, every image is recorded with a camera for gamma correction of 2.2.

It is therefore important to control the gamma correction in the entire chain of devices through which it passes an image (camera, monitors, projection systems ...). For this there are the so-called LUT (look up table or lookup table) that are shared between devices and simulate the image would look like in each system.

It is a complex and confusing concept but of enormous importance. Inadequate management of gamma correction can result in unwanted effects, yet is a relatively easy problem to solve, again adjusting the gamma correction of the system until it resembles the gamma that was created.

Bbliografía:
Digital compositing for Film and Video (Steve Wright)
Charles Poynton, Color technology

, el creador de Red One y su prole, Scarlett y Epic, ha reaccionado y anuncia una revolución. We went on vacation and we are surprised to Nikon SLR cameras that also record HD video 720p/24fps ... But it seems that Nikon has uncovered only a small corner of the Pandora's box ... Jim Jannard, the founder of Red One and their offspring, Scarlett and Epic, reacted and announced a revolution. ) o lo que es lo mismo una cámara, ya no de vídeo, ya no de foto, sino una cámara integral que alberguará las dos opciones. The visionary creator of Red, who is also an avid photographer, says that in the near future (as close as next year) will begin developing a new concept camera, which he calls DSMC (Digital Still & Motion Camera) or what is the same camera, no video, no picture, but a comprehensive camera hostelling the two options. A DSLR that records HD video, which makes the RED ONE 20Mp photos?

. For its part Canon seems to have also a surprise in this regard and already saying that its new 5D can record at 1080p. The revolution is near.

How about taking advantage of optical reflex to record video without all this paraphernalia ?
Is the depth of field longed finally available to everyone? "Video on RAW? "HD video on economic Fullframe sensors?

This unification seems a natural evolution of the market, and if RED is maintained in that line, will serve as an incentive for large companies that are in RED and a competitor to fear and respect, and only a couple of years!.

It seems that we will live again changing times in the audiovisual market, and it is not new formats, in SD against HD, but a radical change in concept, which should be redeveloped, the ergonomics of the cameras, access manual checks, formats for recording, storage systems, software editing and retouching ... The future is promised interesting.

Seen Prolost