AMAZING BLUEFISH444 4K 60P I/O
26 October, 2015
We were able to interview Mr. Yoshikatsu Ito, the executive producer of NEP just before he planned to leave as an assistant for the new sensational 4K projection mapping concert, Blue Symphony, of the Awa City Festival held in Awa, Tokushima. The purpose of this interview was to ask about Bluefish444 turnkey system; a 4K video production system, and one of the products that Crescent introduced into its lineup in July 2015. The Bluefish444 turnkey system was also incorporated into the Blue Symphony.
“The Bluefish444 turnkey system is a unique non-compressed 4K 60P production system. In addition to the high-resolution quality, we needed to have something that was easy enough for anyone to use, since we are a stage production company, and not a technology one. (Before introducing Bluefish444) We used other systems, but the capture and playout of data was difficult, and it was tough to use them from an operational standpoint. That is when Crescent presented (Bluefish444) to us. People at our company had a high opinion of it since “it used previously developed software, and could easily capture and replay data.” It was incredible how they swiftly reduced the obstacles of 4K production.”
“We have reached an age in which producers and directors can use existing editing software, in addition to technicians (4K). It had never been possible until now to view original 4K data in a way that was so user-friendly. It was amazing. There was no longer a content production phase in a test period for 4K at NEP, but rather it had reached a phase in which there was a mass-production system, so as much data as possible was created. It was a price battle, even as it was 4K mass production. The cost to performance is also excellent and so I’m really satisfied that we introduced it.”
“NEP Infini (the original 4K system) is a workflow in which all the data is monitored from the filming up until the completion. It is a process in which 4K data is not directly controlled, but rather converted into HD, and then incorporated and processed into a workflow. NEP Infini is basically a casual HD method that allows you to use 4K. The 4K capture and output are controlled by a Bluefish444 turnkey system. Interestingly, it could only actually handle a file base, up to now, to incorporate 8K contents, but it required several days just to move the material. The current Bluefish444 turnkey system is easy so when you bring it to the editing room and directly connect the system to the 4K output, you can see the 4K playback in real time.”
“Conversion is difficult in file management and there are frequent conversions so the workflow becomes cumbersome. NEP Infini was developed to solve this problem, and the Bluefish444 turnkey system plays the role of removing the difficulties that arise when incorporating 4K.”
“In the past, we would convert 4K material previews into a XAVC format. It is 4K non-compressed RAW data format, so there is no method to preview it in its original format. Now, we put the original data into the Bluefish444 turnkey system and preview it that way. The event in Tokushima in October 2015, Blue Symphony, was the first example of the recorder being used.”
