LeVar Burton Shoots First 4K Feature with DALSA Origin Camera; Post Logic Studios to Complete 4K DI


Posted 10/25/2007

Director of Photography, Kris Krosskove (left), and Director, LeVar Burton with DALSA Origin camera on the set of the film Tempting Hyenas, the first feature length film shot with the Origin camera.

Hollywood, CA- "Tempting Hyenas", the first feature length film shot with the DALSA Origin 4K digital cinema camera, will undergo a full 4K DI at Post Logic Studios, a leading independent post-production and digital intermediate (DI) service facility. Post Logic's Image Science Division provided on-set supervision during principal photography, which completed recently, working closely with the production team to oversee the transfer of digital assets and ensure that the 4K image quality was maintained throughout.

"Post Logic Studios truly provided what we as filmmakers need when entering into the world of true digital cinema," said "Tempting Hyenas" director LeVar Burton. "Their Image Science Division not only introduced us to the DALSA team and their spectacular Origin camera, but worked with us hand in hand to deliver a complete work process." Burton went on to say that "The DALSA camera was a Godsend. It is the 4K solution for filmmakers interested in working with a digital medium. In addition, the commitment that Rob Hummel and the other good people at DALSA bring to the table makes the decision to go digital that much easier."

In addition to directing, LeVar Burton also acts in the film, lensed by DP Kris Krosskove. "Tempting Hyenas" is a heartwarming story set in a hospice during the final days in the lives of Alvin (Oscar nominated Seymour Cassel) and Kevin (Johnny Whitworth), where they discover that it's not the minutes one has left that are important, but how those moments are spent. Oscar nominated Alfre Woodard co-stars, and the cast also includes Adrienne Barbeau and Lacey Chabert. Charlene Blaine-Schulenburg, Susan R. Rodgers and Mark Wolfe produced the film through AMediaVision.
"We knew that Post Logic could provide the most advanced digital workflow solutions available, and they proved to be an ideal partner on this film," commented Rob Hummel, President, DALSA Digital Cinema. "Rather than focusing on standardized processes, Post Logic thought out of the box, and invested in talent that truly understands color science. They understood that the Origin produces true 4K digital imaging of the highest order and that it is not HD video. Perhaps the greatest technology Post Logic brings to bear on a 4K workflow are two people named Mitch Bogdanowicz and Denis LeConte!"

Post Logic's 4K workflow, developed in cooperation with DALSA Digital Cinema, begins with the careful handling of assets at the end of each day of shooting. Data from the Origin 4K camera-up to two terabytes a day-was recorded onto a Codex unit and output as 2K ProRes files for viewing dailies and for creating an edit decision list (EDL) during online editing.

The files were offloaded daily from the Codex onto a Ciprico Media Vault for transporting back to Post Logic Studios in Hollywood. Upon arrival, the data was backed up onto 400GB LTO3 tapes, with all assets and metadata meticulously catalogued in a proprietary database. This process ensured that the production could shoot continuously without skipping a beat. With the LTO3 tapes serving as the 4K image master files, Post Logic Studios will match up the time codes with the EDL to create the final 4K product.

"With the new digital cameras, post production houses are becoming involved in every stage of production. We're there during pre-production, during production and afterward in post," said Dr. Mitch Bogdanowicz, Executive VP of Imaging Science, Post Logic Studios. "Early on, we made very specific suggestions about working with the DALSA camera. The quality output of any digital camera you shoot with requires not only an understanding of what you're capturing, but also the limitations of the curves you're placing images on, so that when you get to the final product you can really optimize things."

"We were really pleased to work so closely with DALSA on this project, and to jointly develop our digital workflows on this film," added Denis Leconte, VP of Software Engineering, Post Logic Studios. "We recognize that digital is the way workflows are going, and we want to be at the forefront of servicing all feature projects regardless of acquisition format."

About DALSA Digital Cinema

DALSA Digital Cinema is a leader in the development and commercialization of 4K digital motion picture capture tools. The company's flagship product, the DALSA Origin®, is widely acknowledged as the best cinematography camera available. The camera captures at 4K resolution, the industry's preferred image capture and archiving resolution format. Designed for cinematographers with 35mm cine lenses and a through-the-lens reflex viewfinder, the award winning camera combines industry leading 4K output with the widest possible exposure latitude for the highest quality motion picture production. The camera is distributed through the company's state of the art, full service camera rental facility in Woodland Hills, California.

About Post Logic Studios

With technologically advanced facilities in Los Angeles and New York, Post Logic Studios has distinguished itself as a leader in digital intermediate and feature film restoration, and continues to expand into new and emerging arenas within the post-production realm. The company provides unmatched digital intermediate, digital mastering, editorial assembly, restoration, visual effects and audio postproduction services to feature film and television clients from its flagship Hollywood facility and Manhattan-based satellite, Post Logic Studios N.Y. Encompassing a team of the feature film and television community's most talented digital artists and a 1,500-square-foot digital cinema-enabled theater, Post Logic Studios continues to lead and innovate.

For more information, please visit www.postlogic.com or call 323-461-7887.

Media Contacts:
Karen Raz
Raz Public Relations
(310) 450-1482
karen@razpr.com
Patrick Myles
DALSA Corporation
Tel: (519) 886-6001 Ext. 2177
patrick.myles@dalsa.com

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