To hear the Podcast push the play button or download here.

Upon taking the podium to accept the Georges Méliès Award for pioneering achievement in the field of visual effects from the Visual Effects Society at that organization’s gala awards dinner Saturday evening, the legendary Phil Tippett confessed, “I was [dragged] kicking and screaming into the digital age—some pioneer I was.”

The self-deprecating Tippett objected all night long to the notion that he was a pioneer in the field, no matter how many times his contemporaries, like friend and periodic collaborator Dennis Muren, insisted that he was, and no matter that he was only the third-ever recipient of the Méliès Award, following in the footsteps of such legends as Robert Abel and John Lasseter. But when he sat down for an exclusive interview prior to accepting his award with millimeter Senior Editor Michael Goldman, Tippett happily discussed the career accomplishments that earned him the designation, and gave his frank thoughts on the current state of the visual effects industry from creative, technical, and business points of view. Hear a portion of their conversation.

Check out the complete list of VES 2009 award winners, see millimeter’s coverage of past and present award nominees and winners, and watch www.digitalcontentproducer.com and millimeter magazine for more coverage—including conversations with VES Lifetime Achievement Award winners Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy.

Show Notes

-Visual Effects Society

-Tippett Studio

-VFX/CG Animation

Presented by REEL IMPRESSIONS. Have your demo reel shown in HD on a 35 ft. screen at the 2009 NAB Show. Entry deadline Feb. 27, 2009.

To hear the Podcast push the play button or download here.

Although state-of-the-art high definition production and post-production technology is now readily available, upgrading an existing studio’s infrastructure to HD can still be extremely complicated, particularly in today’s difficult economic environment. But one of Hollywood’s largest independent production facilities, Hollywood Center Studios, recently accomplished the feat. The facility includes 11 sound stages, five all-digital TV control rooms, editing rooms, and all the “bells and whistles” one would expect out of a busy production facility.

Hollywood Center Studios recently completed a $2.25 million expansion of its infrastructure into the HD realm in order to accommodate production on two new series for the Disney Channel (The Suite Life on Deck and The Wizards of Waverly Place), and anticipated future projects. Among the new technology in the facility are several Sony HDC-1500 multi-format HD cameras, Ross Video QMD/X multi-definition switchers, Yamaha PM1D digital audio mixing consoles, and much more, all with a goal toward allowing any show produced at the studio to be shot in any or all HD broadcast formats and aspect ratios.

To learn more about the transition, Millimeter Senior Editor Michael Goldman recently discussed the process, logistics, costs, and considerations of upgrading the facility with Hollywood Center Studio’s longtime Chief Engineer, David Maxwell.

Show Notes

- Hollywood Center Studio

- Sony HDC-1500 Camera

- Apple Final Cut Pro/Compressor

- Ross Video QMD/X Switchers

- HD Trends

- 2009 Digital Transition

- Tapeless Workflow

Presented by REEL IMPRESSIONS. Have your demo reel shown in HD on a 35 ft. screen at the 2009 NAB Show. Entry deadline Feb. 27, 2009.

To hear the Podcast push the play button or download here.

Caesar Schultz is an up-and-coming professional boxer who decided to take on the prize fighting industry’s ruling class-the promoters-by creating his own web video series to build interest and market himself. As a “Gym Warrior” most of his life, he had no prior expertise in shooting or editing video at all–however researching what makes certain television and webisodes successful pointed Schultz in the right direction on how to create a successful web video series–including how to encode and distribute to various audiences. Schultz discusses his experiences with millimeter Senior Digital Media Editor Craig Erpelding.

Show Notes

- ImmortalCaesar.com

- Canon XL H1

- Apple Final Cut Pro/Compressor

- Apple MacBook Pro

- HD Video

- Video Encoding for the Web

- Web Series Creation

Presented by REEL IMPRESSIONS. Have your demo reel shown in HD on a 35 ft. screen at the 2009 NAB Show. Entry deadline Feb. 27, 2009.

To hear the Podcast push the play button or download here.

In this issue of HD Focus, we get an overview of the postproduction workflow used on The Tracey Ullman Show, which is in its second season on Showtime. The creative team just went to a Red Digital Cinema Red One digital acquisition system and now shoots 4K—the postproduction is handled via four Avid Media Composer systems. For insight on the new workflow, millimeter Senior Digital Media Editor Craig Erpelding speaks with Editor Guillaume Aubuchon, who works on the postproduction team for The Tracey Ullman Show.

Show Notes

- Red Digital Cinema

- Avid DNxHD Codec

- Avid Symphony Nitris

- Da Vinci Color Correction

- Digtial Production

- HD Trends

Presented by REEL IMPRESSIONS. Have your demo reel shown in HD on a 35 ft. screen at the 2009 NAB Show. Entry deadline Feb. 27, 2009.