HD Expo —March 8, 2007

HD ASKS

What capture, editing and/or graphic technology advancements, if any, do you see reshaping our industry in 2007?

In my opinion, the element that will reshape our industry in 2007 will be the swift advancement of tapeless recording options. As the year goes on, the introduction of tapeless acquisition will not only be made easier, but also become far vaster as the options for recording will become more streamlined and affordable. Furthermore, the peripheral support of these capture mediums will diversify in such a way that the adaptation of start-to-finish tapeless workflows will begin to encourage more film acquisition shows to shoot digital. For many productions, eliminating stock and processing costs is not enough to justify a switch from film to HD. The speed in which wellrun tapeless workflows move is enough to convince film shows to give HD acquisition a second look.

How do all the technology choices impact the end user/consumer and what should we, the creators be aware of ?

I believe the impact on user and consumers alike should be the feeling of empowerment. Rarely does a new technology emerge and leave people feeling like their being cornered with fewer opportunities than they had before. True, the overall abundance of options can sometimes be its own devil in disguise; but if the user is apt to research and development, the ability to take advantage of new technologies should only result in the encouragement of exploring alternative tools rather than be intimidated by them. Users should, however, be aware of the fallacies in rumors. There is always a story roaming around about suspicious problems associated with a breakthrough technology -which may not have any bearing in real life. Make sure to empower yourself not only with the options available, but the proof of their efficiency.

What area(s) of our industry do you see as a leader in future technologies? Do you have any examples of what would demonstrate this?

I believe some of the great leaders in our industry today are the alternative content distribution pipelines being laid by online organizations. Companies like Clickstar, Xbox Live or Netflix Online are just a few vessels for providing alternative, online content that not only is readily available, but cheaper than rentals and theater tickets and in most cases is already 720 or 1080p. These organizations also can provide exclusive content that isn't even available through theaters, rentals or broadcast networks. And as the “usual suspects” begin catching onto these alternative pipelines, we'll see an onslaught of content being shared and sent through phones, cable providers and gaming consoles in such a way that the avenues for independent film distribution will broaden nearly overnight. The result will be a far more direct line from filmmakers to consumers, cutting out much of the middle man processes. The catch, however, is the ability to properly evaluate the cost effectiveness of this distribution model and maintain profit margins as the online market begins to diversify in the next 3 years.

Michael Cioni
PlasterCITY Digital Post, L.L.C.
Founder, Chief Knowledge Officer