CASA

The CB to IBC 2015!

The 2015 International Broadcast Convention, or IBC, is on again in Amsterdam and this year I (Carl) am making the trip for the first time. The convention provides an opportunity for manufacturers to showcase their latest offerings in technology – from acquisition, post, storage, and broadcast media platforms – anything to do with content really!

So what is it all about? The last 5 years has seen an explosion in the way content is delivered and viewed, as well as the roll out of new formats, including the never ending cycle of increasing resolution! With UHD/4K a reality for end users, talk is now of higher resolutions still and the compression techniques and formats to deliver them. I will be attending seminars and workshops across a spectrum of topics that involve our work now, and where we see it in the future.

From an production perspective, we have been creating and delivering UHD/4K content for nearly 2 years. This process saw us build and commission a new 4k edit suite in the form of an Avid Media Composer workstation that was equally capable of cutting as well as compositing. But this year it is the camera department’s turn and I will be getting hands on with Sony, Panasonic, Arri, Canon and Blackmagic’s 4k production camera lineup prior to purchase. Much to the envy of the two Marks.

In the software areas I’ll be visiting Avid (of course), Adobe, Lightworks and Blackmagic. Blackmagic’s “Resolve” software is rapidly gaining a reputation for editing as well as its more traditional colour correction role. This could see it join Avid as our #1 long form edit platform.

Then of course there are all the other manufactures and “toys” I’ll be looking at. Drones are big news right now, and our current 4K test platform will get superseded by a monster rig with production 4K acquisition in the next 12 months – with my own personal CASA certification.

So stay tuned – on my return I plan to write a series of articles on what I learn at IBC 2015!

A Game of Drones – GMi’s new aerial filming platform!

Exciting times at GMi as we commence building our 4K RC drone.

Custom made – by us – it will support new 4K cameras. Why custom make it?  Well it comes down to flexibility of use – we want a drone that has added safety features, can carry a variety of payloads and can support new improvements in batteries, motors and cameras as they are released.

So having scoped the requirements and components needed it was off to the workshop to commence building, testing and configuring.  Bring together the lifelong hobby of RC building and flying and skills in electronic implementation, our tech nerds (read Carl and Peter!) spent a week building.

We are now into the configuration and test flying phase whilst developing operating procedures and safety guidelines.  The aim of the project is to prepare the way for the next drone – capable of lifting much heavier camera rigs.  It will be coming soon too!

GeoDrone 02