CUTTING EDGE GOES DI RGB 4:4:4 WITH HD|LUST AND SYMMETRY
11 July, 2005
About Cutting Edge
Cutting Edge, one of Australia’s largest full service post production companies, with facilities in Brisbane, Sydney and on the Gold Coast, is utilizing Bluefish444’s HD|Lust video graphics card and Symmetry application for use in a DI RGB 4:4:4 workflow on a blockbuster feature film shot in Australia to be released June, 2006.
Founded in 1992, Cutting Edge offers telecine, offline editing, online editing, visual effects, broadcast design, 2D & 3D animation, and sound design capabilities for film and television, and was recently awarded two Bronze Pencils at the ‘Award’ Awards. Cutting Edge has completed multiple projects for feature films, TV series, TV commercials, reality TV, and outside broadcast events.
The DI 4:4:4 RGB Workflow
For the upcoming film Cutting Edge needed a solution that could capture to the 10 bit RGB DPX file format from the HDCAM SR deck via a dual link 4:4:4 connection. The solution needed to support the raw uncompressed panlog 4 data that is generated from the Panavision Genesis camera. Bluefish444 engineered the HD|Lust to support that format and capture the 10 bit RGB quality from the camera system. Cutting Edge then sent the DPX files to various visual effects vendors such as Rising Sun Pictures, who after completing their vfx, rendered the files in the DPX format, retaining the integrity of the 10 bit RGB 4:4:4 workflow. Cutting Edge then loaded the returned DPX frames into Symmetry and exported them out to the Sony SRW VTR via dual link 4:4:4 for grading and digital intermediate (DI) work.
The Tools
HD|Lust connects Cutting Edge’s DI solution with the Sony SRW 10 bit RGB VTR via a dual link 4:4:4 SDI connection. Files are digitized to a local storage, where they are then sent via Ethernet to other departments and outside studios.
Support for sequential files in the 10 bit RGB DPX file format with the ability to add and preserve metadata and head information in the file structure is very important to Cutting Edge’s DI workflow, as it needs the flexibility of this industry file format to be shared among various facilities working on the film without having to deal with application compatibility issues and the risk of quality degradation in time wasting file format conversions.
John Lee, Manager of Cutting Edge, states, “The HD|Lust has been stable and very reliable. We were impressed by the flexibility of Bluefish444 to adapt to changing circumstances by quickly engineering new features that we required in our workflow, and which helped make this feature film project a success. A good example is engineering features into the HD|Lust to support the Panavision Genesis camera panlog4 data format and DI workflow. The HD|Lust is a good fit within our dual channel HD longform and DI workflow. We’re pleased to work on a film that is shot in Australia and utilizes Australian post production facilities and manufacturers.”
“Cutting Edge is an excellent example of Bluefish444’s flexibility and commitment to work closely with production studios to engineer new features and technology for their requirements”, says Paul Cameron of Bluefish444. “Solutions such as the Sony SRW VTR’s, Panavision Genesis camera systems, Bluefish444 hardware and Symmetry software are a testament to industry leaders supporting the DI RGB 4:4:4 workflow worldwide.”
