Venice, CA— 3rd October, 2009—Lightcraft Technology has announced the successful long term rental of a Previzion® realtime on-set VFX compositing and tracking system by Zoic Studios. The time and money-saving system is being used in Zoic’s on set and post work with profoundly beneficial results to VFX aesthetics and budgets.

“Lightcraft Technology’s Previzion system is a critical component of Zoic’s on stage and post production pipeline called Z.E.U.S. (Zoic Environmental Unification System,)” says Mike Romey, Pipeline Supervisor for Zoic Studios. “The system binds pre-production digital assets with on-set visualization and post production effects and compositing. On stage, the system allows us to interact with digital sets in real time with a live more

HD-SDI/HDMI/Component LCD Monitor

The ikan Corporation announces the release of our ground-breaking new line of monitors… the VX series.

The brand-new VX7 7” LCD monitor is the all in one input solution with HD-SDI, HDMI and Component inputs. The VX7 boasts a panel resolution of 1024 x 600 and features LED backlighting, HD-SDI inputs, Blue PlusTM and multiple power options. The monitor now sports a sleek, newly designed housing that puts all major features just one button away.

To provide a larger production monitor, the VX9 8.9” LCD monitor is available as well. With the same inputs as the VX7 and the same resolution, this monitor will serve perfectly for a director’s or client monitor on virtually any set.

Each monitor provides a bold new entry into the marketplace at prices that will once more

EXII 0.75X Wide Converters

16×9 Inc.’s new EXII 0.75X Wide Converter is designed with flexibility in mind, fitting more cameras and lenses than the first-generation converter. And, continuing 16×9 Inc.’s aggressive pricing structure for the EXII series, the EXII 0.75X is priced well below the original EX 0.75X (which retailed for $995 U.S.), yet still offers unsurpassed HD-quality optics.

Featuring four glass elements, the compact and lightweight EXII 0.75X Wide Converter provides 25% more extreme angle of view over the stock lens and maintains full zoom-through capability with cameras that have auto focus. Cutting-edge optics reduce geometric (barrel) distortion and improve off-axis performance, particularly chromatic aberrations and flatness of field.

The EXII 0.75X Wide Converter comes in 62, 72, 77 and 82mm threaded mounts that fit a variety of popular HD and HDV cameras from Canon, Panasonic more

* AVCCAMs Configured for Studio Use and Production/Instruction *

SECAUCUS, NJ (October 29, 2009) – Duluth Public Access Community Television (PACT), serving the populace of Minnesota’s fourth largest city, recently purchased 10 Panasonic AG-HMC150 professional handheld AVCCAM camcorders that are available to its members for both studio and field production. more

Chicago, Illinois: You won’t find a printer, post-it-note or scrap of paper at Cimaglia Productions (www.cimagliaproductions.com), a Chicago-based, full service production company. This forward-thinking production company operates more efficiently by incorporating sustainable business practices. Its seasoned staff of media professionals has created one of the leading high tech, energy-efficient production offices in Chicago and Boca Raton—completely paperless, completely sustainable. more

SECAUCUS, NJ (October 27, 2009) – HuskerVision, the high-tech video production unit for the University of Nebraska Athletic Department, recently upgraded its HD video production capabilities with the addition of Panasonic HD Studio cameras and P2 HD camcorders. The equipment roster includes four Panasonic AK-HC931B HD studio cameras, two AK-HC1500G 2/3” multi-format 1080i/720p HD multi-purpose cameras, as well as five AJ-HPX2000, two AG-HPX300 and two AG-HPX170 P2 HD camcorders. more

Matrox MXO2 LE I/O Device

Portable, Professional I/O for the Mac with Matrox MAX Technology for Faster Than Realtime H.264 Encoding

Matrox® Video Products Group today announced that Matrox MXO2 LE, an HDMI, SDI, and analog I/O device for the Mac, is now available from authorized dealers worldwide. Matrox MXO2 LE streamlines editing with Apple Final Cut Studio on Mac Pros and MacBook Pros. It provides all the features of an I/O card in a sturdy, portable breakout box with professional audio and video connectivity. Matrox MXO2 LE is also available with Matrox MAX technology for faster than realtime H.264 file creation using professional application such as Apple Compressor and Telestream Episode. more

Diane Phelan, Rebecca Weiner, Jesse Johnson, Emily van Fleet, Jill Gorie, Scott Denney, Kristopher Lowe and DP Raoul Germain with Panasonic AG-HPX500. Credit:Ryan Mueller.

SECAUCUS, NJ (October 26, 2009) – Clear Blue Tuesday, a highly original cinematic response to the events of September 11, 2001, blends heightened narrative and original music to follow the lives of a group of New Yorkers over seven Septembers as they relearn their city and themselves. The full-length feature, which had its world premiere last month at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, was shot with two Panasonic AG-HPX500 P2 HD camcorders. more

Director/Cinematographer Jerry Simpson on location at Tanglewood Music Festival with Panasonic AJ-HPX3700

SECAUCUS, NJ (October 26, 2009) — Veteran Director/Cinematographer Jerry Simpson, principal of production company Simpson Films (Long Island City, NY), has recently shot a pilot for a documentary profiling drummer Steve Gadd with the VariCam 3700, Panasonic’s premier solid-state P2 HD VariCam camcorder.

Offering the ultimate in image quality, the VariCam 3700 (model AJ-HPX3700) advances the art of high-end cinematography by teaming VariCam’s renowned filmic-look, variable frame rates, and subtle tone control with master-quality, 10-bit 4:2:2 AVC-Intra recording as well as Dual link RGB 4:4:4 output. more

PHILADELPHIA, PA— When Director John Hillcoat wanted to create the post-apocalyptic world of Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” which premiers nationwide November 25th, 2009, he chose DIVE as lead visual effects house for the skill and authenticity required to replicate the mood of the novel. more