Big news...

[Elan Gunos]

I think we're so used to getting the latest news from Red, we're spoiled. Jim and the Red team could've stayed quiet about HDRx and postponed the release of Epic-Ms until NAB, but they didn't — and the news of that alone would've hit the industry like a ton of bricks. I'd rather have transparency than theatrics, but I understand the decision to keep quiet (i.e a lot of people are whiners).

 

[Pierce Cook]

Jim and Co. certainly have the background and backbone to deal with all of this, I know we're all friends here and yet have our opinions (another reason I enjoy coming here no matter the temperature). I agree that it's unwise to think that action from Jim is wholly or by and large a result of the Reduser reaction, or forum bullying, no doubt - and realize my post was forward in turn. I mean not to point out anyone in particular, just reacting to what felt to me a surprising amount of seemingly negative reaction.

Much respect to everyone.

 

[magillb]

While full transparency has it's perks such as getting feedback, it's also a marketing tool for Red. The subject of their website has had Scarlet in it for how long now? They're trying to get people excited, build up anticipation, hold out on buying other options, 'something better is coming' mentality , etc.

Putting a big picture of Scarlet on the website and "Coming Soon!" isn't to simply to be transparent-- it's to get people excited to buy. And they have effectively done that.

So now that people have been waiting with anticipation for years to buy, it's no surprise that this strategy has gotten some flack. I think RED would agree that it's taken way longer than they wanted (with or without Japan).

Good news for RED is they can still come out on top-- by most indications, Epic/Scarlet the best option for a lot of people-- and that's what will ultimately sell. In the meantime, you can certainly understand people's frustration.

 

[patrickortman]

The Right Thing

The Right Thing

My small two cents...

As much fun (and occasionally confusing) as reading all these updates has been, I do think RED's made the right decision for future projects/products. As for those already "happening" such as the Epic-Xs... I'd really like to know what's going on. Kinda too late to put that one back in the bottle.

 

[Mike 'Fireman' Ross]

Another two cents...

I'm as near certain as I can be about anything unknown that the big announcement Jim decided not to give was Scarlet 8x. From the conversations I had with RED folks - as near as I can recall, any memory failures or lapses in comprehension are mine and mine alone - Scarlet 8x is done. Finished. Ready for production. The problem of course is Japan. I got the sense that solutions for the missing components were being worked on from a couple of angles but nothing solid was in place yet, so don't hold your breath. I also got the message very clearly that RED are more than aware of their current reputation for delivery and availability delays, and are very conscious of the very strong demand there will be for Scarlet; they might sell more of them every month than they have total cameras to date. They are absolutely determined that there Shall Be No Backorders and they won't announce Scarlet until they have sufficient stock *on the shelves*, ready to ship, to meet expected initial demand.

Hence, the promised 'Scarlet details at NAB' did not happen. For reasons with which I wholeheartedly concur. At least that's how I read the entrails. This analysis is worth what you paid for it.

Oh and for those complaining about a lack of New Things - I haven't seen much mention of the prosumer RED RAY, which I hadn't seen before - and was quoted as '$1,000 and available at the end of the year'. I regard that as significant; I'll call it more significant when there are reasonable priced 4k displays!

It was a pleasure meeting Jim, Jarred, Ted (got to hold an EPIC!), Graeme, Stuart, Marco, Nate, and probably a few names I've forgotten - and of course some of the REDUSER crew, Steve, Ketch, Joseph, Tonaci amongst others. Sorry I could only free up one day for NAB.

Mike

 

[Mark Toia]

NAB... still no official RED NAB forum UPDATES

But I found something for us all !!!!!
http://vimeo.com/22274762

Thank God for this visitor to NAB, Emmanuel Pampuri or other wise we would have hardly anything from NAB to see at all.

Come on RED. What's happening.
You have tens of thousands of clients here wanting some Official RED NAB news.
What's happened to your PR people?

 

[Paul Duvilla]

I'm as near certain as I can be about anything unknown that the big announcement Jim decided not to give was Scarlet 8x. as near as I can recall, any memory failures or lapses in comprehension are mine and mine alone - Scarlet 8x is done. Finished. Ready for production.
Mike

That would be fantastic! Even if production is halted, it could still be much closer than I thought it would be. It would be fantastic news to hear it was done.

 

[John Bellari]

NAB... still no official RED NAB forum UPDATES

But I found something for us all !!!!!
http://vimeo.com/22274762

Thank God for this visitor to NAB, Emmanuel Pampuri or other wise we would have hardly anything from NAB to see at all.

Come on RED. What's happening.
You have tens of thousands of clients here wanting some Official RED NAB news.
What's happened to your PR people?

I was hoping to see oodles and oodles of Scarlet and Epic footage from Red,
and prove to myself they will intercut seemlessly...

Has anybody seen this at NAB?

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

NAB... still no official RED NAB forum UPDATES

But I found something for us all !!!!!
http://vimeo.com/22274762

Thank God for this visitor to NAB, Emmanuel Pampuri or other wise we would have hardly anything from NAB to see at all.

Come on RED. What's happening.
You have tens of thousands of clients here wanting some Official RED NAB news.
What's happened to your PR people?

About time. Mark, you ROCK! Very well done.

Thanks for posting "Ted et et le Dragon Rouge" NAB 2011 Episode #1.

They got the booth. Watch this.

 

[Meryem Ersoz]

I would say, Jim, that seeing and hearing Ted announcing RED Dragon on this video: http://vimeo.com/22274762 was a lot more adrenalinizing than hearing it trickle tepidly into the forum through third-hand sources - just suggesting that the news was terrific, but the delivery system, not so much. I know you all are very busy and all, but this is just a plea not to give up on feeding the monkey, I mean, your user base...

thanks, as always, for listening -

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

Here is a vote for Red shooting their own NAB show. Shot on nothing but Red products. And shot by Jim and Jarred. Hosted by Ted, and I bet Graeme would love to drop by and play a little. Start rolling right as the doors open, and release it that same night! All edited by them right on atop the very NAB floor. We'll let you cheat if you want and upload or send the audio along with a small h.264 so someone can mix it in a sound booth and send it back. One day of forum frenzy fun on RedUser, and a party at night when the 12hs production goes live, right on Red.com! After that Red can relax and sip some of the good stuff through the rest of the conference, of course this will be while holding an Epic with a 35mm Leica prime on the other hand, and while casually mentioning to us that sensor obsolescence is still obsolete at Red. And they might also mention their 4k projector on the verge of launch, which will make the 4k Theater movement even stronger. Low Distribution Cost = More Production Budget! Jus ma' to cent.

 

[chris layhe]

I hate to say it, but wonderful though the news that is coming out of NAB is, the greatest RED reveal may still be Ted's shirt in the vimeo video... one truly epic piece of work that should be in the store this very day!


Chris
www.redfilm.us

 

[Michael Mayda]

+1...

 

[Wayne Morellini]

Quite..:undecided: With the greatest of respect to the RED team, a proper announcement is, well, announced publicly for all the world to see, not hidden in a post somewhere or made at a trade show, with no online follow up for those not there. I mean, you have a nice website, why not use it?:huh: ... :confused1:

Yes, it would be good to have a concise summary blog (of information in Jim's posts), and simultaneousness website announcements for releases. I often have spent up to 6-10 hours going through Red user and long threads to find out what is happening, a happy camper it does not make, particularly with the delays in Scarlet (we seek him here, we seek him there, but where is that .... Scarlet Pimpernel).

 

[Patrik Kisucky]

Ok, so this Jim's announcement mean that we will know the specs and pricing of the Scarlet 8x, after it is ready to ship? I guess.

 

[Wayne Morellini]

Another two cents...

I'm as near certain as I can be about anything unknown that the big announcement Jim decided not to give was Scarlet 8x. From the conversations I had with RED folks - as near as I can recall, any memory failures or lapses in comprehension are mine and mine alone - Scarlet 8x is done. Finished. Ready for production. The problem of course is Japan. I got the sense that solutions for the missing components were being worked on from a couple of angles but nothing solid was in place yet, so don't hold your breath. I also got the message very clearly that RED are more than aware of their current reputation for delivery and availability delays, and are very conscious of the very strong demand there will be for Scarlet; they might sell more of them every month than they have total cameras to date. They are absolutely determined that there Shall Be No Backorders and they won't announce Scarlet until they have sufficient stock *on the shelves*, ready to ship, to meet expected initial demand.

Hence, the promised 'Scarlet details at NAB' did not happen.

If it is coming soon anyway (a few months) then it should have been announced as pre-announced. Otherwise it means long delays before it comes out, and at this rate a SHD revision before the IPod Nano starts shooting SHD footage.

I am sure the scarlet announcement has quashed a number of plans for other quality sub $5000, and $1000 SHD cameras, like even hacking the less than $1000 6mp 60fps Casio EX-Fx1 camera in 2008 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QsXkD6uw_0 ) to record out.

 

[Mike 'Fireman' Ross]

If it is coming soon anyway (a few months) then it should have been announced as pre-announced. Otherwise it means long delays before it comes out, and at this rate a SHD revision before the IPod Nano starts shooting SHD footage.

I am sure the scarlet announcement has quashed a number of plans for other quality sub $5000, and $1000 SHD cameras, like even hacking the less than $1000 6mp 60fps Casio EX-Fx1 camera in 2008 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QsXkD6uw_0 ) to record out.

If I was a betting man (and I'm not, which is enough to get me run out of Vegas on a rail!), I would bet the next we'll hear about Scarlet will be Jim saying 'Scarlet 8x, RED Store, 9am tomorrow morning, and I dare you to try to run us out of stock'; I got the impression they were DEAD serious about no more tease or pre-announcements or delays or backorders. Nothing, until it's ready to ship in serious volumes.

They *really* want to roll with this, yesterday, but they will *not*, until they're ready!

Mike

 

[Petr Dvorak]

"Tattoo movie" is probably that real tattoo shop on Red booth

 

[Gavin Greenwalt]

I would say that red's move to secrecy will probably be good for Red, but I wouldn't say it's good for us. lots of companies telegraph their moves months and years in advance (See the foundry etc.). I don't begrudge them looking out for their botto.comm line, well within their rights but I don't think its good for customers.

 

[Jeremy W]

Count me among those who will miss the old way of announcements and teasers here. I found it really fascinating to watch the Epic and Scarlet programs evolve and change. The Scarlet Fixed has gone from a cool idea to the camera of my dreams. But nothing blew my mind more than that my very first post here was answered by Jim himself. (I've since come to believe he watched for first posts and went out of his way to reply to same.) Whether by chance or design it was very touching.

I can understand if, for Jim, something that started as a way to share his enthusiasm and delight with a wider audience of devotees became over time something less fun and more stressful. Not that I would pretend to know exactly how he feels about it, however. I'm glad he's decided to keep us informed even if we won't hear quite as much quite as often.

I rarely post, but I am a huge cheerleader for RED. I'll miss the feeling of being an insider by reading the latest news from the bleeding edge, but I'm not bitter in the least. I'll still be here waiting eagerly for the next Scarlet announcement.

Knock 'em dead at NAB, RED Team!