News

Press Release

NewTek unveiled TriCaster Mini -- the world’s most complete and compact multimedia studio. The ultra-portable system allows anyone who doesn’t speak or understand the technical language of video production or broadcasting to transform an ordinary presentation into engaging multimedia content that looks like network-style TV in a matter of minutes. Marketers, corporate employees, small business managers, community administrators, educators, trainers, non-profit and worship service volunteers, and entertainers who are interested in delivering their messages like seasoned television professionals can now use TriCaster Mini to assemble visually sophisticated multimedia presentations––and stream them live, publish to social media or upload to a website from the office, an event, or any location with an Internet connection. The tiny, sleek design, support for virtually any camera, and comprehensive toolset make TriCaster Mini easy to carry in one hand, setup, create and share content.

“With TriCaster Mini, we have built a product that gives anyone wishing to use video to communicate with others the ability to create content that looks like professionally made television achieved in minutes where traditionally it took hours or days. Our goal is to dispel the myth that it’s too technologically difficult or expensive to produce engaging multimedia content, and we’ve achieved that with TriCaster Mini,” said Dr. Andrew Cross, president and chief technical officer for NewTek. “Video is the fastest growing and most compelling communication medium in history, and to stay relevant, people in all areas are finding it increasingly important to conduct video interviews, webcasts, and presentations that mix slides, video clips, graphics and more. No other system in the world makes it as easy for anyone to get started than TriCaster Mini.”

Anyone familiar with computer software and has access to one or more cameras can use TriCaster Mini to capture and mix multiple live video camera angles with graphics, video clips, audio, titles and special effects. Setup is fast, straightforward and uncomplicated, and within a matter of minutes, users can create a multimedia program that looks professional without any other broadcast studio equipment or a professional crew. An integrated and configurable video screen on the side of the system also serves as a monitor for displaying a range of content selected by the user.

As newcomers become more comfortable with multimedia presentations, they can further explore a wide range of creative tools that come standard with TriCaster Mini, including:

– Mix different visual sources

– Overlay logos, presentations, charts, titles, media files, animations

– Import your own branding elements and have them appear in transitions and animations

– Incorporate a slideshow, web-pages from another computer

– Replace solid backgrounds with a simulated environment

– Webcast programs on a live video stream

– Post clips to YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, your web site

– Have guest speakers call in from their webcams

– Record the program so people can watch it on-demand

– Record all camera footage simultaneously so you can edit the program

– Make keyboard shortcuts for sophisticated sequences with one touch

Pricing and Availability

TriCaster Mini, including the optional integrated display screen and system storage capable of recording approximately 45 hours of footage, is available immediately for $7,995 USMSRP. TriCaster Mini is also available without the integrated display screen and system storage capable of recording approximately 15 hours of footage for $5,995 USMSRP. An optional control surface is available for $2,495 USMSRP, and an optional TriCaster Mini cable-kit with four 100-foot HDMI cables is also available for $495 USMSRP.

About NewTek

NewTek is transforming the way people create network-style television content and share it with the world. From sporting events, Web-based talk shows, live entertainment, classrooms, and corporate communications—to virtually any venue where people want to capture and publish live video, we give our customers the power to grow their audiences, brands and businesses, faster than ever before.

Sony PXW-X200 incorporates an improved 1/2 inch-type Exmor 3CMOS sensor, a new 17x zoom lens and XAVC Intra/Long GOP recording with 4:2:2 10-bit sampling. The successor to Sony's PMW-200, the new camcorder has a 1/2 inch-type 3CMOS sensor and MPEG HD422 (50 Mbps) recording capability. To be available in November 2014.

This latest software update for Blackmagic Studio Camera enables zoom control using LANC on MFT lenses that support electronic control of zoom.

Panasonic shipped new VariCam models. Available in two variants – the VariCam 35 (Super 35 4K camera) and the VariCam HS (high speed 2/3 type camera), the new VariCams feature innovative modular design enabling to separate the head with sensors and lens mount from the recording module. This allows to switch between Super 35 and 2/3 type heads to best suit the shoot. The VariCam 35 comes with PL mount and supports 4K, UHD, 2K and HD resolutions for the most demanding applications in filmmaking and episodic television. The new Panasonic Super 35mm MOS sensor with 4096 x 2160 (17:9) resolution and 14+ dynamic range produces a no-compromise image quality recorded to either RAW or AVC-ULTRA codecs. The VariCam HS incorporates a B4 lens mount and Panasonic's AVC-ULTRA family of video codecs and high speed 1080p image capture of up to 240 fps to produce extraordinary high-definition imagery for the most demanding documentary, sports or SFX slow-motion applications. It also includes Apple ProRes 4444 and ProRes 422 HQ support for HD recording.

Press Release

Blackmagic Design today announced that the latest television commercial for Mitsubishi’s hybrid car, the Outlander PHEV, was graded using DaVinci Resolve by Tokyo based production and post production company Helmet Inc., founded by Horibe Toshi.

Helmet also used Blackmagic Design’s SmartScope Duo monitor and UltraStudio 4K capture and playback device to complete the commercial, which is airing throughout Japan. .

Outlander PHEV is the latest crossover SUV from Mitsubishi and is the world’s first 4WD plugin hybrid SUV. Helmet, a boutique production company known for its visually stunning commercials and music videos, showed the power and elegance of the new PHEV by featuring the SUV driving through the majestic landscapes of New Zealand.

“The goal for this commercial was to show the audience the coolness and power of the car. People have the impression that a hybrid car is a family or city car. However, we wanted to emphasize that the hybrid car is not just for city use by showing it driving around rough mountain roads. We shot in New Zealand for three weeks, and we shot in 4K or 5K so that we could resize in post production,” explained Takashi Chiba, a cinematographer at Helmet, who shot and color graded the commercial.

“I took a lot of care to make the car look really cool,” said Chiba. Many car commercials for family or city use tend to have a soft and less contrasty look, however, with this commercial Helmet tried to show a sharper image of the car. “I tried to create a look which is sharper and more contrasty look so that the car looked powerful and classy.”

He continued: “When we went back to our hotel after each day’s shooting, we picked the best takes. We then applied gamma for the cameras we used for shooting and exported as ProRes 422 LT for offline. We did the offline edit when we came back to Japan using XML files to pass around data with Resolve.”

When grading the commercial on DaVinci Resolve, Chiba had to reproduce the body color of the car and the natural colors in the nature. “I used Power Windows to make masks and added more contrast to the pale blue color of the body. Also I used Resolve’s sharpen tool to make the edge of the car more obvious, which gave a cooler look to the car. Also, since some of shots were done on cloudy days, the backlit shots tended to make the color green a bit too dark, so we used Resolve’s curves functions to bring some green back.”

Chiba and his crew also used an UltraStudio 4K for monitoring DaVinci Resolve’s output, as well as a SmartScope Duo for waveform monitoring in their Tokyo offices. And they use a wide range of Blackmagic products, such as Audio Monitor, Teranex 2D Processor and Mini Converters, in their day to day work.

“Blackmagic products have a consistency in their design, so they look very nice when mounted together in a rack. We sometimes bring Blackmagic equipment in a fly away kit to use on set. Helmet Inc., owns its own equipment, allowing us to do everything in house, such as planning, directing, shooting and editing. Resolve is a powerful tool for jobs which require flexibility and speed, and we are now planning to do more on set grading with Resolve,” concluded Chiba.

Press Photography

Product photos of 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.