Future-proofing, Comp work and life-sized projection. Scarlet for specialty training.

[Tyler Garn]

I reckon I'd share my thoughts about why I'm buying Scarlet(s), because I'm interested to hear from others of you that may be planning to use your camera in a less-conventional way.

I work for a small company that creates training content for law enforcement and military markets. Essentially, a video scenario is projected on a life-sized screen which trainees interact with and then see a video branch to different outcomes based on what they do, say or what force option the decide to utilize.

The on-screen footage is usually the product of extensive compositing work to add special effects (blood, gunshots, explosions) as well as "fixes" (continuity correction, rig removal) and environmental effects (matte painting, sky replacement, day-for-night). Shots are often re-sized, heavily graded and rotoscoped to an absurd amount. BTW, it's all shot and presented in stereo 3D (SBS rig).

Because of time and budget restrictions our shoots don't usually allow us the luxury of extensive lighting set-ups or practical effects rigging, it's all done in post.

Having rented a RED ONE package for a couple of shoots I am 100% convinced that RED camera systems are perfect for this kind of effects-heavy work. Also the word "future-proofing" has real meaning for the content my team creates because I fully expect that in the near future 4k display for stuff I'm shooting and editing now will become a standard for us.

I know that RED cameras might not be the perfect tool for every shoot but I remain gob-smacked and amazed that I have access to such a remarkable piece of technology at a price that my company can afford.

Thanks RED!

 

[Eric Lange]

Hi Tyler,

Thanks for posting.



Yup,

We are definitely working in more unconventional areas for use of Scarlet… when we get it.

So we also have precision applications in Government and Defense sectors for very high end and efficient visualization that is also cost effective.

We are based in New Mexico… (almost down the road).

Today is a busy day, but perhaps keep your eye out for a PM from, me/us.

We also have some software that I think you guys might be able to run very well indeed with…

Good to know that people see the more varied applications for RED Scarlet, Epic and S-3d based and extended applications.

CAN’T wait to see the RED laser projector, I think that’s going to make very big difference.


All good stuff.


Very Best,

Eric

PS.

Your applications sound terrific and very worthwhile…

I know from personal (development) experience that the life size immersive s-3d is a lot of fun… and can be really striking.

 

[Paul Toth]

I was thinking about this too, and with the whole Philip Bloom thing I think it doesn't really matter why anyone may or may not want a particular camera.

I'm getting a Scarlet for two reasons: 1. I really like the image quality and 2. the fact it shoots in RAW format. Because every video should be color graded/corrected (and I do that on every video no matter how trivial) working with RAW is so much better than not, IMHO. I also like shooting with zooms over primes as it allows me speedier control of framing, which is a constant on most shoots, and the Scarlet 4k allows for further fine tuning in post.

The type of work I do ranges from TV commercials to corporate video to music video to training video to program production. My delivery has historically been for broadcast tv, DVD and now the web. For me to have a platform that allows me to deliver to all those destinations, I find, and like, the idea of shooting at high resolution appealing. There are a handful of times my work gets projected as well so if I can have an image that holds up across all of these then, for me at least, it is worth the price of admission.

I've tried shooting with my DSLR but frankly none of them are setup to shoot professionally. Plus I have an older HD camera that I can do quick n dirty run gun stuff if needs be. I also don't see why I couldn't use the Scarlet for run and gun as well. I have always configured all my cameras to be user friendly so that if I need to go big, bulky and slow I can and if I need to go small, simple and quick I can. And I plan to do that with my Scarlet rig - I expect delivery sometime before 2013 Luckily I already have other gear that I can multi-purpose to the scarlet, which lowers my barrier of entry costs, plus my opportunity costs shift favorably.

So while everyone will have their own reasons for buying any camera these are some of my reasons for getting a Scarlet.

 

[Mondo Ghulam]

Hello Tyler,

I'm looking to shoot narrative fiction, created by myself a long-standing collaborator & close friend. I hope the work is unconventional in the sense that we can tell the stories that we want, how we want.

I will be drawing on my background in 3D Animation and FX too, so I'm very excited about the possibilities of RAW & 4K acquisition. I think I've been waiting 20 years for this camera I'll also be doing a fair amount of post-work with Scarlet footage like yourself - Backgrounds, foreground elements etc. for comp work and grading too of course.

Perhaps less conventionally, I'm planning to use the 5K mode for 3D scanning. Over the last year, I've done lots of work with my 7D and amazing piece of software called Photoscan (agisoft). It's cheap as chips and yet produces amazing 3D models. 12fps at 5K on the Scarlet is actually faster than I need and I think this could be a great use of stills from motion. Assuming motion blur can be minimised, simply walking around a subject will prove to be a much quicker method of image acquisition than pausing to take stills. This is key when dealing with human subjects. I've read that using scan data can also dramatically improve 3D-tracking in post, so the possibilities really open up with Scarlet.

In addition to that I liked shooting video and capturing HDRi reference for relighting in 3D, I've been able to do this with the 7D of course, but with compressed video and raw stills. With Scarlet it'll be RAW all the way

Good luck when your cam arrives!

 

[Tyler Garn]

See THIS is what I'm talking about!

I really am not interested in getting caught up in the debate about Canon C300 vs. Scarlet, Alexa vs. Epic or whatever. Discussing the pros and cons are fine to help people educate themselves about what piece of gear is right for them but I would much rather hear about what people are doing with this awesome technology. Putting game-changing tools in the hands of creative and talented people is what it's all about and I really believe that THAT is what RED is all about.

Keep the thread going!