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.

Millimeter and Digital Content Producer continued our annual coverage of the Sundance Film Festival with numerous conversations with filmmakers whose films were chosen as a part of the 2009 Sundance offerings. In depth interviews, news, information, and musings are posted on our Sundance blog which consists of both blog postings and audio conversations, all of which are archived at blog.digitalcontentproducer.com/sundance. Filmmakers covered in the blog include Davis Guggenheim (It Might Get Loud, An Inconvenient Truth), R.J. Cutler (The September Issue), Greg Mottola (Superbad, Adventureland), Robert Siegel (The Wrestler, Big Fan), Ondi Timoner (We Live in Public), Michael Polish (Manure), and more. Excerpts of some of these conversations, and others, are highlighted in this 2009 Sundance Filmmaker podcast.

Show Notes

- 2009 Sundance Film Festival

- 2009 Sundance Blog

- R.J. Cutler

- Greg Mottola

- Robert Siegel

- Ondi Timoner

- John Hindman

- Michael Polish

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, 2008.

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

This issue of HD Focus delves into the business prospects for the digital camera sales and rental industry for the coming year as the industry, and everyone else, grapples with the global economic crisis. To discuss the topic, Millimeter Senior Editor Michael Goldman speaks with Michael Bravin, Chief Technology Officer at Band Pro Film and Digital in Burbank, Calif. Bravin is a longtime veteran of the HD industry, and the two converse about how the greater economic atmosphere may, or may not, impact the HD business in the coming weeks, months, and years.

Show Notes

- Band Pro

- Red Digital Cinema

- Viper Filmstream Camera System

- Sony Professional HD Camera Systems

- Panasonic HD Camera Systems

- 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, 2008.

To hear the Podcast, press the play button or download here.

In last week’s HD Focus, Ed Ulbrich, Digital Domain executive producer for visual effects on David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, discussed that company’s role in helping Fincher build his digital filmmaking pipeline for the movie. This issue, we continue the discussion with a conversation between Millimeter Senior Editor Michael Goldman and Digital Domain’s visual effects supervisor on Benjamin Button—Eric Barba. Barba explains the project’s use of digital cameras for visual effects plates and gives his views on the issues and trends in the industry regarding the role and future of digital cameras for making high-end visual effects.

Show Notes

- Digital Domain

- Viper Filmstream Camera System

- S.two Recorders

- CG Animation

- Digtial Cinematography

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, 2008.

To hear the Podcast, press the play button or download here.

Director David Fincher’s new film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, was created using a refined version of Fincher’s all-digital filmmaking pipeline that he used on his last movie, Zodiac (listen to Fincher speak on Zodiac). Once again, Fincher relied on Grass Valley Viper cameras and S.Two hard drive recording systems, but this time, on a movie with major and complex visual effects—particularly the sophisticated work done to age actor Brad Pitt backwards. That work was done at Digital Domain, a facility that has worked with Fincher since he first started developing his digital pipeline on commercials and music videos a few years ago. This issue of HD Focus offers the first of two conversations with officials at Digital Domain about incorporating visual effects into Fincher’s workflow. First, this issue, is a conversation with Digital Domain Executive VP of Production Ed Ulbrich, a longtime collaborator with Fincher at Digital Domain.

Next week, we’ll continue the discussion with a chat with Eric Barba, Digital Domain’s visual effects supervisor on the Benjamin Button project.

Show Notes

- Digital Domain

- Viper Filmstream Camera System

- S.two Recorders

- CG Animation

- Digtial Cinematography

To hear the Podcast, press the play button or download here.

HD Focus continues the discussion between millimeter Senior Editor Michael Goldman and digital 3D pioneer Vince Pace regarding the Pace/Cameron Fusion HD camera rig system being recently used on the 2009 3D horror/thriller movie, Final Destination 4 and what kinds of trends that application portends for the industry. Their conversation began in the November 25, 2008 issue of HD Focus.

Show Notes

- Pace/Cameron Fusion Camera System

- Sony F23 Camera

- Sony PMW-EX1 Camera

- Digial Cinematography

To hear the Podcast, press the play button or download here.

In August of 2009, a new film called Final Destination 4 will debut—a 3D sequel to the ongoing horror franchise. The movie was shot by DP Glen MacPherson’s team using Pace/Cameron Fusion HD camera rigs outfitted with Sony Cinealta F23 cameras. That configuration has been growing in popularity across the industry in recent months since it was developed by digital 3D pioneer Vince Pace in collaboration with director James Cameron. What makes its use on Final Destination 4 particularly interesting is that the film was essentially shot on location, run-and-gun style, rather than on a strictly controlled bluescreen or greenscreen stage.

Millimeter Senior Editor Michael Goldman recently chatted with Vince Pace about how the technology was applied to this project, and where 3D digital filmmaking is going next across the industry. Here is the first part of their conversation. Look for part two in the next issue of HD Focus.

Show Notes

- Pace/Cameron Fusion Camera System

- Sony F23 Camera

- Sony PMW-EX1 Camera

- Digial Cinematography

Welcome to Digital Content Producer’s new Blogcast. You may still check out older podcasts from the archive section at http://digitalcontentproducer.com/podcasts/audio/.