FOCUSING ON CAMERAS, COLOR CORRECTION AND FILMLOOK®

Isn't video easier to use than film? Shouldn't it be cheaper and faster to shoot video and fix it in post if there's a problem? In many ways, shooting video is more complex and challenging than shooting 16mm or 35mm film. Film is easier to shoot correctly. There is no detail enhancement circuitry in a Panavision or Arri camera. There is no knee, gain, RGB, nor is there a "white balance" adjustment. All that is necessary is to select the correct film stock, set the right f-stop value, shutter and focus. Film is a little more forgiving than video if there is a chance of overexposure, because of film's dynamic range. Film exposure and color problems can usually be fixed in the lab or in telecine. Yet, film is certainly more expensive than FILMLOOK and may not be necessary for all productions, especially if they are going to end up on video.

Therefore, when shooting video for FILMLOOK, it is essential to use broadcast-quality cameras and a broadcast format in order to achieve the highest quality FILMLOOK transfer. It is important to have an experienced director of photography who is familiar with adjusting a video camera to compensate for variances in detail, color temperature, exposure and lighting. This experience is especially critical for a multi-camera setup on a sitcom, or even for a single-camera setup where matching different angles is essential. When shot correctly, a video production does not need color correction.

Many of our clients have inquired about DV/DVCPRO and Digital S camcorders and whether they are good substitutes for Betacam SP and digital Betacam camcorders. We've looked at and processed several projects that have used DV-type cameras, and there is a consensus that DV is indeed superior to Hi8 and SVHS. However, as far as replacing a $70,000 digital Betacam with a $4,000 DV, we have not seen any DV video that can consistently challenge even Betacam SP in the areas of dynamic range, resolution or color stability. If budget is a concern, we strongly suggest that for an important video project, you weigh the benefits of buying a DV versus renting a top-of-the-line digital Betacam for a few weeks. Will a better DV camera be out in the near future? Who knows if a particular DV (or any other format) will be around in a few more years? Perhaps it would be best to lease the latest broadcast cameras rather than purchase something that may be obsolete in the near future.

ROSEANNE, THE NANNY & COSBY CAST FILMLOOK

HOLLYWOOD - Carsey-Werner Company has used FILMLOOK to process segments of the "Roseanne" season opener, as well as segments of "Cosby," this Fall season.

The episode of "Roseanne" features parodies of such classic film sitcoms as "That Girl," "I Dream of Jeannie" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." "Cosby" will also be using FILMLOOK for segments that require the look of film. CBS's "The Nanny," which has used FILMLOOK extensively in the past, and recently used it to process segments for the season premiere, which featured "Seinfeld's" Jason Alexander.

FILMLOOK'S STORY OF GUILT

MEXICO CITY - FILMLOOK will "co-star" with movie and television personality George Hamilton in "The Guilt," a limited-run nighttime soap opera for Televisa, Mexico's media giant. "The Guilt" is the fourth English language telenovela series to be processed by FILMLOOK for the international market.

THE GREAT WAR ON FILMLOOK

LOS ANGELES - PBS station KCET has finished post-production on the eight-part documentary, "The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century." The series features rare WWI combat and archival film, as well as interviews with historians from around the world that were shot on video and processed by FILMLOOK. "The Great War" will air this Fall on PBS stations nationwide.

PBS TAKES FILMLOOK BACK TO SCHOOL

LOS ANGELES-On September 13, The Saint Hayden Company and PBS aired the compelling and controversial special "Children in America's Schools." The video documentary examines a shocking difference in the quality of education between two neighboring communities in Ohio. "Children in America's Schools" was processed by FILMLOOK to give its video footage a consistent film texture throughout.

MONSTERVISION INVADED BY FILMLOOK

TRAILERPARK, USA - TNT is using FILMLOOK to process wraparound segments for "Monstervision," its Friday Night Horror Flick Festival. The cult movie favorites are introduced by celebrated critic Joe Bob "The Drive-in Will Never Die" Briggs in a series of FILMLOOK-enhanced video clips.

MASTERS ON FILMLOOK

KANSAS CITY - Pamplin Entertainment and Take 2 Productions have used the FILMLOOK process on "Mickey Masters," an action series for children, which focuses on the adventures of an adolescent secret agent who fights crime and solves mysteries. "Mickey Masters" is available in Christian bookstores nationwide.

DIRECTORY

HOME

BLUES TRAVELER SIGNS WITH FILMLOOK

LOS ANGELES-To promote the motion picture "Kingpin," Original Films turned to FILMLOOK to process segments of the latest Blues Traveler video "But Anyway" for A&M Records. The music video incorporates film clips from "Kingpin" with video from Blues Traveler performing. The video selects were taken to FILMLOOK for processing before being incorporated seamlessly back into the edited master.

MULTIPLICITY GANGS UP ON FILMLOOK

LOS ANGELES - The Berkeley Group has produced a special for HBO, "The Making of Multiplicity," which features interviews with stars Michael Keaton and Andie McDowell, along with behind-the-scenes video footage. As in the past, The Berkeley Group called on FILMLOOK to process a promotional video for a major motion picture. "The Making of Multiplicity" debuted this June on HBO.

FILMLOOK CAPTURES THE UNIBOMBER

LOS ANGELES - Peter Brennan Productions has just finished the docudrama "The Story First: Behind the Unibomber," a profile of bombing suspect Ted Kaczynski told from the perspective of his family and a lone private investigator

According to producers, video was used instead of film for economy and flexibility, and FILMLOOK was called on for advice on achieving the best possible look during each step of the production. "The Story First" is the pilot for a possible series of specials to air monthly on Lifetime this season.

FILMLOOK ACES CABLE AWARD NOMINATIONS

Three FILMLOOK projects have been nominated for CableAce Awards this year: "Rebels with a Cause," produced by Joe Levine for HBO, "Journey of the African-American Athlete," produced by Leslie Farrell for HBO, and "The Revolutionary War," produced by Carol Fleisher and Real TV for The Learning Channel.

FILMLOOK congratulates and wishes the best of luck to these deserving nominees.

FILMLOOK CONGRATULATES PAST AND PRESENT CLIENTS

"The New Red Green Show," returns for a fifth season on Canadian and American television.

"The John Larroquette Show" and Witt-Thomas Productions are back for a fourth season on NBC.

"Beakman's World," the wild and wacky children's science program, returns to CBS for a fourth straight year.

"WMAC Masters" is kicking its way to a second successful season.

"Crossroads Cafe," a new show from Intelecom, premiered on PBS this Fall and will now be airing several times a week.

© 1996 FILMLOOK, Inc. All Rights Reserved. FILMLOOK is a registered trademark of FILMLOOK Inc.