Tsunami Of Data Hits Editors' Lounge 10th Annual Pre-NAB Panel

BURBANK, CA, April 03, 2013 (Press-News.org) Burbank based AlphaDogs Post Production celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Editors' Lounge by convening a group of industry experts for their annual Pre-NAB Discussion Panel. Topics ranged from 3-D, 4K, multi-screen and what to expect at this year's NAB in Las Vegas with an extensive Q&A before an audience of over 100 production and post-production professionals. http://www.editorslounge.com

Moderated by Debra Kaufman, Associate Editor at Creative COW, panelist speakers included; Terence Curren (Editor/Colorist and Founder of AlphaDogs Post), Mark Raudonis (VP of Post Production, Bunim/Murray Productions), Michael Kammes (Director of Technology, Key Code Media) and Dan Lebental (Editor, Iron Man, Cowboys & Aliens and Creator of TouchEdit for iPad).

The evening's discussion began with the consensus that 3-D is fading when it comes to the consumer television market, but still has a good presence in the theatrical market. "You have to separate between television and theatrical distribution. I've had 3D capable TV for 3 years and watched maybe 8 hours during that time period. The home market is absolutely dead, but theatrical has more possibilities. Each are two different experiences," said Mark Raudonis, VP of Post Production at Bunim/Murray. Overall 3D is still not an easy experience for the consumer to enjoy, as some people report side effects such as nausea and headaches. The format still remains popular with the bigger blockbuster movies despite the ill effects. Dan Lebental (Editor, Iron Man, CowBoys & Aliens comments, "3D is not dead in the terms of film. You can't produce a tent pole movie that isn't being released in 3D, and conversions keep getting better."

One of the hot topics of the evening was 4K, also called Ultra HD, with NAB 2013 expected to be saturated with this evolving technology. 4k however, will not be mainstream anytime soon, as the distribution model for 4K doesn't exist yet. Michael Kammes, Director of Technology at Key Code Media comments, "4K as a creative tool is important at the moment, but distribution is a whole other can of worms I don't think will be addressed adequately at NAB this year." LCD manufacturers have recently struggled to turn profits and are currently looking for new ways to attract the consumer market. Therefore, it is likely that 4K could become the future of TV, and in turn cause new challenges for the post-production professional including bandwidth and storage issues.

Panelists agreed that high frame is subjective with mixed experiences from audiences. Having the appearance of early video technology and the feeling of being too "real" can in some people's opinions take away from the suspension of disbelief. "It's an aesthetic. 24 frames does make a difference," said Terence Curren, CEO of AlphaDogs.Post "Sports will be a good sell for high frame rate. When you can pan and follow the football in 4K at 60fps that's going to look cool. In sports you don't want the disbelief, you want to see what's actually happening. I know a lot of people who thought the The Hobbit at 48 frames felt too real."

One thing that has changed for certain is the consumer demand for the multi-screen experience. Now considered by studios as part of the content for television shows, producers must have this component in place when pitching new shows to the networks. "Anytime you pitch a show to a network, it's no longer what is the show about. They want to know what the second screen component is going to be," said Mark Raudonis. "You no longer can just come in with one show idea. You basically need to have a whole plan for second and third screen. That is now part of the pitch." Web based content delivery is equally as extensive as the traditional show deliverables, which translates into more hours and cost in post.

Looking ahead panelists agreed post-production will continue to evolve with convergence of old technology with new. Film will become obsolete and tape delivery will end once the networks no longer have a need for it. New ways of doing things continue to emerge in the digital realm, opening up a whole new world of opportunities for the post-production professional. The key to navigating this plethora of technology is to learn more, and do more.

Stay tuned to The Editors' Lounge Channel. Full NAB panel discussion will be available soon. http://www.editorslounge.com/videos.html

About the Editors' Lounge: The Editors' Lounge is a hands-on seminar for industry professionals. Each month, scores of professionals in the production and post-production industries exchange ideas, discuss trends and learn about new technologies; allowing editors to have their questions addressed objectively. To learn more visit http://www.editorslounge.com

Alpha Dogs is a full service post production company. Operating in the heart of Burbank's media district, Alpha Dogs offers state of the art editing bays, color correction, audio mixing, visual effects, production offices and equipment rentals. To learn more http://www.alphadogs.tv