P3W Picture Capture

Traditional feature-film-style data management practices should be sufficient for GS productions. The original camera data should be stored in a non-compressed, unaltered, raw form. To ensure that LTO tapes and hard drives are undamaged and no files are missed, the lab should ingest the files and compare with the information on the DIT report. After verification, the lab should store the hard drives and LTOs in a climate-controlled media vault facility for at least several weeks after final delivery. Forward to Offline Forward to 21. Universal [...]

In-camera metadata, such as lens data and 3D rig data, can and should be recorded whenever possible. Metadata can then be added to assist in asset tracking and visual effects (VFX). Forward to 12. Post-Shoot Storage of Camera Data Drives, Verification, and Audit Back to 10. Transcoding Camera Data to Offline Proxies    

Most GS productions set up their digital cameras to shoot in a raw image format. Shooting raw is the best approach for giant screen, as it maintains maximum image quality. A raw image is largely unprocessed camera sensor data, with 10-, 12-, 14-, or 16-bit sampling, and a minimal amount of processing and compression to get from analog to digital. Such raw images can be either recorded with minimum compression (such as RED-CODE raw at 3:1 to 12:1 wavelet compression) or uncompressed by going to an [...]

Tape-based data storage of raw footage is currently the best long-term storage option, as spinning disk drives and solid state drives have long-term survival issues. LTO tape is a very stable and compact storage medium that can last decades, at a fraction of the cost of hard drives. Creation of LTOs is a lengthy process and should be completed on location, if possible, or at the post-production lab if not. Best practice is to create two identical LTO tapes simultaneously for redundant protection of footage. There [...]

For redundancy and insurance reasons, backups should be completed as soon as recording media are taken from the camera. If the production needs to recycle the camera media, the backups should be made as soon as the quality check of the downloaded media is complete. Check with your insurance provider to see how many copies will be needed, in how many different places, before budgeting and shooting. Best practice is to create one copy on external hard drive and two copies on LTO tape. For organizational [...]

When shooting digitally, footage is transferred off the camera storage media, and the media are recycled. A program that performs a checksum or verification must be used to ensure that all copied data files have been accurately transferred to the local RAID storage before the camera storage media are reformatted and reused. After the footage is downloaded or transferred, it must be thoroughly reviewed for any corrupt or missing data, files, or shots. The failed download of one or more clips is an all-too-common occurrence, and [...]

When shooting 3D, monitoring live footage in 3D is vital in all but the most extreme circumstances (space, weather, time, etc.). If live 3D monitoring is physically possible, not doing so is a false economy. Reviewing footage in 3D is ideal, and should be done as soon as possible, at least once a day. Most GS productions use some form of on-location post-production to verify and backup master raw material. For example, if shooting in 3D on RED cameras, RED Cine software can be loaded on [...]

DIT and Media Management The handling and organization of digital media in the field is an absolutely critical component of the filmmaking process. This work must be performed by a qualified Digital Imaging Technician (DIT). The DIT is the camera department crew member who works in collaboration with the cinematographer on workflow, systemization, camera settings, signal integrity, and image manipulation to maintain the highest image quality in the digital realm and achieve the creative goals of the cinematographer. The DIT uses a specialized set of tools, [...]

Developing is the chemical process that transforms exposed film into a stable negative or positive image that is no longer light reactive.   Forward to 5. Telecine Transfer of Dailies Back to 3. Film Lab  

The film laboratory is where exposed film negative is processed, telecined, and/or scanned, and where prints are made. It’s also where digital media are transferred back to film. Fotokem Industries in Los Angeles is now the only lab in the world capable of processing and printing 15/65mm negative.   Forward to 4. Develop Film Back to 2. High Res Digital Camera RAW/Minimum Compression