NAB 2013 Predictions

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It's that time of year again. No not an Apple announcement (where the heck is the new iPhone by the way), the 2013 NAB Show. This is where the National Association of Broadcasters tell us that the future of broadcasting is technology and methodology that has been around for a year. But seriously the exciting news that will be coming out is going to be all about hardware and software. New cameras and production devices as well as cloud software that finally realizes the state of modern digital filmmaking, this is the hope anyway.

I've thought about this long and hard and here are my hopes predictions:

  1. Low-cost RAW camera at 10-bit
    • Canon came out with the c300 and c500 as an answer to professional filmmaking at the DSLR scale. The c300 just isn't feature rich enough while the c500 is silly expensive.
    • I'll look to RED or ARRI for something that I can take home for less than $8k that does this.
    • Just like the 5dmii revolutionized digital filmmaking so can an affordable 10-bit RAW camera.
  2. Useful DSLR software
    • DSLR clips to color correction to edit to sfx to grading is the most convoluted and annoying transition/process. We need something that streamlines this.
    • I want a tool that takes DSLR clips, allows me to color correct them individually, and then add continuous timecode before editing.
    • The software should also have an opinion about sound and fx workflow. (Adobe has dynamic linking but it's a pain in the ass when you need to go back and forth, which is common).
  3. Online review & collaboration software
    • Seriously? Every industry has great web/mobile apps to make their work more efficient. Why is the production industry lagging so far behind?
    • Shotgun is too complicated, looks more useful for big productions with lots of people.
    • Scenios is nice for its simplicity but it's unpolished and it doesn't have great inline document creation (scripts/callsheets). You can create a blank doc and format yourself or upload an already created file.
    • GoSimian has nice client pages but is just a gussied up web page.
    • I want a web software that:
      • Allows for creation of all production documents from scratch with multiple templates
      • Integrates all these assets together so I can convert a script to a call sheet to a shot list, etc.
      • Has client pages/review where they can view/edit assets as needed and watch embedded youtube reviews.
      • Has a mobile client (for fricks sake this is 2013) so I can pull up a call sheet and call the nearest hospital in two clicks.
  4. Cake, that I can eat too
    • We are superbly fortunate to live when we do. If we didn't have all the affordable technology that we have then Backflip Films wouldn't be able to offer video production in the Madison area. It just would not have been feasible. For this I am thoroughly thankful.
    • Because we live when we do we have great expectations though. I want all this and a bag of chips and I want it in my pocket.
    • Seriously though, I'm really hoping for some craft services breakthroughs.

This entry was posted in Musings