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Press Release

Blackmagic Design announced that the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K was used to shoot Australian new wave band Pseudo Echo’s music video for the title track off their new album “Ultraviolet.” Shot entirely on green screen, Melbourne, Australia based production company Final Focus required a 4K camera that delivered Ultra HD cinematic images at an affordable cost.

“We needed a 4K camera due to the fact that the music video was shot entirely on green screen. This not only helped in regards to the quality of the key, but also gave us the ability to punch in for a closer shot without quality loss since the delivery was HD,” explained Adam Haywood, DP and co owner of Final Focus. “The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K’s images are amazing, and even back in the edit suite, I couldn't believe how good the shots looked.”

The look and feel of the music video was inspired by lead singer Brian Canham’s love for retro and futuristic films and art, and this is a passion he shares with the video’s director Stuart Stanton, also co owner of Final Focus. Brian wanted to explore the idea of people's energy existing beyond death in an ultraviolet realm.



With these factors in mind, Stuart came up with the concept of a celestial character inviting, controlling, evolving and transitioning another version of herself from one dimension to another. Intercut with footage of the band, the music video is a throwback to the world of retro sci-fi, designed to be visually engaging and in line with the energy and vibe of classic Pseudo Echo.

Shot in 4K ProRes, Adam noted that the 4K format was especially advantageous when editing and delivering in HD. “Shooting in 4K is probably the best thing in regards to reframing or cropping shots for more options without having to compromise image quality. The other element is the strength of the ProRes codec, which saves time in the edit suite and which other cameras don’t record in camera,” he said.

Adam added: “The Blackmagic Production Camera 4K marries both these features and combines them in an extremely affordable package, which means we own the camera and the power that comes with it.”

“We wanted a look to match the artwork on our latest album, and we wanted a very modern futuristic look,” said Brian Canham of Pseudo Echo. “The video turned out fantastic. We love the high end look Final Focus achieved using all green screen.”

During post, Adam used a few curves and a little saturation in DaVinci Resolve for color correction and to give the images a final finesse. “When the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K became available, we pretty much purchased it immediately, and we haven’t looked back since. The camera’s images are just amazing to work with,” Adam concluded.

Press Photography

Product photos of Blackmagic Production Camera 4K and DaVinci Resolve are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/press/images.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.

Press Release

Blackmagic Design announced that San Francisco-based 4K Studios is using a Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, ATEM Production Studio 4K and DaVinci Resolve, as well as a number of additional Blackmagic Design products, to help support its 4K workflow. 4K Studios converts existing media and creates original materials for its new Ultra HD network, UltraFlix.

4K Studios is a wholly owned subsidiary of NanoTech Entertainment, a San Jose based technology company focusing on all aspects of the entertainment industry, including 3D, Gaming, Media & IPTV, Mobile Apps and Manufacturing. Launched at CES 2014, UltraFlix is the world’s first all 4K Ultra HD streaming network and has been ported to multiple platforms, including Android devices and Smart 4K Ultra HD TVs, such as Samsung, Vizio and Sony.

In addition to the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, ATEM Production Studio 4K and DaVinci Resolve, 4K Studios uses a HyperDeck Studio Pro SSD recorder, SmartScope Duo 4K monitor, DeckLink 4K Extreme capture card and numerous Mini Converters HDMI to SDI to deliver a wide variety of digital formats and streaming ready media for its numerous digital channels.

As a Senior Producer at 4K Studios, Owen Morris is responsible for clean up and compression of the various content sources they receive, much of which is 35mm film. “Once the 35mm film is scanned at 4K, we run it through DaVinci Resolve for color and clean up, and the mastered films then get compressed and placed in the cloud ready to stream,” he said.

“DaVinci Resolve has been the biggest game changer so far. We scan a film to 6TB of uncompressed 4K at roughly 1TB per reel of film, and we need a way to color grade, assemble and sync these huge sequences,” continued Owen. “DaVinci Resolve is a great all in one application that lets us output an assembled master file in a single step. For good quality scans, Resolve’s dust cleaning tool takes care of quite a bit of cleanup, instead of having to use an additional damage software, which saves significant production time.”

The HyperDeck Studio Pro and SmartScope Duo 4K are currently being used to capture a variety of old Kung Fu films for clean up and conversion to HD. “Capturing these older formats is a common use for the HyperDeck and SmartScope,” said Owen. “We capture the old tapes in real time at low res and then take the files up to HD. The HyperDeck and SmartScope combination is often used like this to create workable files from old formats.”

In addition to converting existing content, 4K Studios also creates its own original Ultra HD content using the Production Camera 4K. 4K Studios produces full 30 minute episodes as well as shoots short videos and promos on a variety of subjects to build and populate 4K channels.

“It’s amazing to be able to stream 4K live to the Internet from a camera that's actually shooting high quality 4K,” said Owen. “We even used the camera in conjunction with the ATEM and DeckLink to live grade with DaVinci Resolve. We have plans for a 4K gaming channel, and I anticipate the camera, ATEM and DeckLink to let us produce amazing 4K streams.”

Owen is working on a Twitch like streaming channel that will feature a host of gamers and entertainers hanging out and gaming. Shot with the Production Camera 4K and a few additional cameras, the ATEM Production Studio 4K will mix the camera footage with a live feed of the game and produce a 4K stream.

“The notion here is to be able to broadcast video games at 4K, and the ATEM can capture and handle multiple video sources, including broadcasting the final 4K signal. Game developers will be able to showcase their games at a higher resolution thanks to the added production value from Blackmagic Design’s 4K products,” said Owen.

“We don't have big budgets, and we don't have lots of artists with the hours to burn, so we need affordable tools to begin working in the 4K space now,” he concluded. “Blackmagic Design is simply ahead of the game when it comes to professional 4K.”



Press Photography

Product photos of Blackmagic Production Camera 4K, ATEM Production Studio 4K, DaVinci Resolve and all other Blackmagic Design products are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/press/images.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.

About NanoTech Entertainment

Headquartered in San Jose, CA, the heart of Silicon Valley, NanoTech Entertainment is a technology company that focuses on all aspects of the entertainment industry. With six technology business units, focusing on 3D, Gaming, Media & IPTV, Mobile Apps, and Manufacturing, the company has a unique business model. The company has a diverse portfolio of products and technology. NanoTech Gaming Labs operates as a virtual manufacturer, developing its technology and games, and licensing them to third parties for manufacturing and distribution in order to keep its overhead extremely low and operations efficient in the new global manufacturing economy. NanoTech Media develops proprietary technology which it licenses to publishers for use in their products as well as creating and publishing unique content. NanoTech Media Technology includes the world's first 4K Ultra HD streaming solution. NanoTech Communications develops and sells proprietary apps and technology in the Mobile and Consumer space. Clear Memories is the global leader in 3D ice carving and manufacturing technology. 4K Studios creates digital 4K Ultra HD content using both licensed materials as well as original productions. NanoTech is redefining the role of developers and manufacturers in the global market. More information about NanoTech Entertainment and its products can be found on the web at www.NTEK.com.

Press Release

Blackmagic Design announced that Muse VFX has expanded its Fusion pipeline to include Fusion 7 Studio. Fusion 7 Studio will be used for VFX on all of Muse VFX’s projects, including CBS’s “NCIS” and “NCIS: New Orleans,” as well as MTV's “Teen Wolf” hit television shows.

Muse VFX is one of the world’s leading VFX houses that has created one of the most efficient yet artistic VFX studios in Hollywood today. Its artists have used Fusion on some of the biggest films in recent years, including Columbia Picture’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” Lionsgate’s “Safe” and Dreamwork’s “Fright Night,” as well as dozens of hit television shows.

“We’ve been working with Fusion for years. It's been the clear winner for us with its amazing node based architecture and incredible feature set. Fusion has enabled us to create anything our clients have requested. The speed of Fusion has always been fast, but with version 7, there is a noticeable boost in performance,” said Fred Pienkos, founder and VFX supervisor at Muse VFX.

Outlining their diversity in creating top quality VFX for any type of project, the Muse team also recently received the prestigious Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Visual Effects for their work on the Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

“By using Fusion in our day to day film and television workflows, we are able to confidently drive the best possible work in special venue projects. Fusion easily tackles large format projects with speed and is easy to customize for less common pipelines, such as multi camera projections and installations. This was essential for the Kennedy Space Center project,” said Pienkos.

“Fusion’s 4K toolset, along with Generation’s playback capabilities, have provided us with the means to effectively deliver on time and on budget, over and over again. With the ability to go from pre-vis to post production in one application, we are able to offer efficiencies that other products can't touch,” he continued.

With Fusion 7 Studio now available, facilities worldwide have begun the migration to Fusion’s new offering.

“We are very excited to see how Fusion 7 Studio will integrate into our VFX pipeline. Blackmagic has a great reputation for building upon the products they develop, so we’re all really happy with Fusion’s new home,” Pienkos concluded.

Press Photography

Product photos of Fusion 7 Studio are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/press/images.

About Muse VFX

Muse VFX is a world-class visual effects and design boutique in Hollywood, California that consists of award winning artists, supervisors and producers. The Muse team specializes in CG animation, compositing, digital environments, character animation, on-set supervision, and conceptual design for Television, Feature Films, Commercials, Special Venue Projects and Online Content. Proud to offer a groundbreaking 4K pipeline and other powerful tools that ensure Muse VFX is among the leading VFX providers in the industry, Muse partners with clients from pre-production to delivery, developing and executing solutions that provide the highest quality, most efficient workflows within tight deadlines. For more information, please visit www.musevfx.com.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.

Panasonic is introducing the new lineup of UHS-I type SDXC/SDHC memory cards that boasts maximum read speed of 95MB/s and maximum write speed of 90MB/s, in addition to compatibility with UHS Speed Class 3 (U3). In addition, the lineup includes a maximum capacity upgraded from 64 GB to 128 GB.

In recent years, the standard of video content has become larger and even consumer products are capable of recording motion picture in 4K. The footage bitrate is also higher, for products such as the Panasonic Camcorder HC-X1000 and the DMC-GH4 which record Full-HD All-Intra at approximately 200Mbps. To make the most of these cutting-edge imaging tools, the recording media also needs to function so there are no dropped frames and all content data is recorded without error. By crystallizing the technology long fostered through the development of digital camcorders and cameras, Panasonic is proud to produce the high quality memory cards that excel not only in the data transfer speed but also in the stability and durability under wide usage conditions to keep the data safe for the long term.

High Speed for 4K Video

The cards are compliant with UHS Speed Class 3 (U3). The UHS Speed Class 3 is the latest, highest level of UHS Speed Class demanding a constant minimum write speed of 30 MB/s (240 Mbps) to ensure smooth recording of high bitrate video. The UHS-I card types also feature higher speed data transfers. The UHS-I bus interface enables ultra-high-speed read/write operations: when used with a UHS-I compliant product, the cards can have a maximum read speed of 95 MB/s and maximum write speed of 90 MB/s.

Reliable

The cards also feature high reliability, including Smart Guard secure data protection technology.

Thanks to the Power Failure Protection, the data will be securely protected even if the recording device has a sudden power failure. Smart Data Writing technology equalizes the frequency on each writing block in order to reduce defect risk and extend products' lifetime. The cards are also compliant with Proof 7 standards, and are water/shock/magnet/X-ray/electrostatic/temperature-proof, and have a built-in fuse. The memory cards are durable enough to withstand severe field use. The integration of fuse prevents the cards from overheating or igniting even if the card causes mechanical destruction internally.

The following CFast 2.0 cards are recommended for 4K ProRes 422 HQ (up to 60 fps):

Lexar Professional 32GB 3400x

Lexar Professional 64GB 3400x

Lexar Professional 128GB 3400x

Lexar Professional 256GB 3400X

Sandisk 120GB Extreme Pro

Sandisk 128GB Extreme Pro

Wise CFast 2.0 128GB 3400X

The following CFast 2.0 cards are recommended for 4K RAW (up to 30 fps):

Lexar Professional 64GB 3400x

Lexar Professional 128GB 3400x

Lexar Professional 256GB 3400X

Sandisk 120GB Extreme Pro

Sandisk 128GB Extreme Pro

Wise CFast 2.0 128GB 3400X