Stefán Loftsson went to IBC on behalf of The Film School

So​ ​I​ ​got​ ​to​ ​represent​ ​the​ ​Icelandic​ ​Film​ ​School​ ​at​ ​IBC​ ​this​ ​year.​ ​For​ ​those​ ​of​ ​you​ ​who don’t​ ​know​ ​what​ ​IBC​ ​is,​ ​it’s​ ​basically​ ​the​ ​biggest​ ​broadcast,​ ​tv​ ​and​ ​film making​ ​expo in​ ​Europe.
It​ ​is​ ​held​ ​in​ ​Amsterdam,​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Rai​ ​venue​ ​which​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​leading​ ​international exhibition​ ​and​ ​congress​ ​center​ ​in​ ​Europe​ ​located​ ​in​ ​the​ ​south​ ​of​ ​Amsterdam. The​ ​expo​ ​is​ ​always​ ​in​ ​September,​ ​so​ ​if​ ​you​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​go,​ ​bring​ ​an​ ​umbrella​ ​since September​ ​seem​ ​to​ ​be​ ​the​ ​“monsoon​ ​season”​ ​in​ ​Amsterdam.

With​ ​over​ ​1500​ ​exhibitors​ ​showing​ ​off​ ​their​ ​latest​ ​gear​ ​and​ ​around​ ​55,000​ ​guests, the​ ​expo​ ​is​ ​a​ ​dream​ ​come​ ​true​ ​for​ ​those​ ​who​ ​get​ ​a​ ​kick​ ​out​ ​of​ ​seeing,​ ​and sometimes​ ​testing​ ​all​ ​the​ ​new​ ​stuff​ ​that​ ​is​ ​coming​ ​out​ ​in​ ​the​ ​broadcast/cinema​ ​world.
Networking​ ​is​ ​a​ ​big​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​expo.​ ​While​ ​I​ ​was​ ​there​ ​I​ ​met​ ​some​ ​friends​ ​of​ ​the school​ ​and​ ​made​ ​some​ ​new​ ​ones.​
​The​ ​biggest​ ​part​ ​though​ ​is​ ​getting​ ​to​ ​see​ ​all​ ​the new​ ​things​ ​that​ ​are​ ​coming​ ​out​ ​from​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​biggest​ ​names​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Industry.​ ​That Sony​ ​camera​ ​that​ ​everyone​ ​has​ ​been​ ​reading​ ​about​ ​for​ ​6​ ​months?​ ​It’s​ ​there.​ ​The latest​ ​post​ ​production​ ​software​ ​that​ ​will​ ​finally​ ​make​ ​your​ ​workflow​ ​perfect?​ ​It’s​ ​there. There​ ​is​ ​so​ ​much​ ​to​ ​see​ ​and​ ​even​ ​though​ ​the​ ​expo​ ​stretches​ ​over​ ​6​ ​days,​ ​it’s​ ​barely enough​ ​time​ ​to​ ​see​ ​everything​ ​you​ ​want.

The​ ​first​ ​day​ ​I​ ​was​ ​there​ ​I​ ​spent​ ​mostly​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​find​ ​my​ ​directions​ ​around​ ​the​ ​place. The​ ​Rai​ ​is​ ​huge,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​expo​ ​is​ ​divided​ ​into​ ​15​ ​different​ ​halls.​ ​I​ ​spent​ ​most​ ​of​ ​the time​ ​in​ ​halls​ ​10,11​ ​and​ ​12​ ​since​ ​that’s​ ​where​ ​all​ ​the​ ​film making​ ​equipment​ ​could​ ​be found.​ ​All​ ​the​ ​big​ ​names​ ​were​ ​there,​ ​Sony,​ ​Canon,​ ​Panasonic,​ ​Atomos,​ ​Aputure, Arri,​ ​Dedo,​ ​Cartoni….​ ​I​ ​could​ ​go​ ​on​ ​and​ ​on.
So​ ​what​ ​did​ ​I​ ​want​ ​to​ ​see?
Well​ ​I​ ​am​ ​what​ ​you​ ​would​ ​call​ ​a​ ​Camera​ ​enthusiast,​ ​or​ ​nerd​ ​if​ ​you​ ​want.​ ​So​ ​I​ ​was very​ ​excited​ ​to​ ​see​ ​the​ ​new​ ​cameras​ ​from​ ​Sony​ ​and​ ​Panasonic.
The​ ​EVA1​ ​from​ ​Panasonic​ ​is​ ​the​ ​one​ ​I​ ​was​ ​most​ ​excited​ ​about.​ ​Why?​ ​Well​ ​it’s​ ​price for​ ​starters.​ ​It​ ​costs​ ​around​ ​8000$​ ​and​ ​what​ ​you​ ​get​ ​for​ ​that​ ​is:

EF​ ​mount
2.6lb​ ​camera​ ​body
4k​ ​up​ ​to​ ​60p,​ ​2k​ ​up​ ​to​ ​240p
5.7K​ ​raw​ ​output​ ​via​ ​future​ ​firmware​ ​upgrade
V-log​ ​&​ ​V-gamus
400​ ​Mbps​ ​Recording
Dual​ ​SD​ ​card​ ​slots
4:2:2​ ​10​ ​Bit
2/4/6​ ​stop​ ​ND​ ​filter​ ​wheel
Removable​ ​IR​ ​filter​ ​via​ ​wheel

I​ ​got​ ​to​ ​try​ ​it​ ​out​ ​for​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​with​ ​a​ ​beautiful​ ​angenieux​ ​zoom​ ​lens​ ​and​ ​the​ ​images​ ​it​ ​can produce​ ​are​ ​quite​ ​something.

Another​ ​camera​ ​that​ ​people​ ​were​ ​drooling​ ​over​ ​was​ ​the​ ​more​ ​expensive​ ​Sony VENICE​ ​6K​ ​CineAlta​ ​camera. The​ ​specs​ ​are​ ​amazing​ ​and​ ​they​ ​should​ ​be​ ​since​ ​the​ ​price​ ​is​ ​around​ ​40,000$

Full​ ​Frame​ ​Sensor​ ​24×36​ ​mm
6K​ ​Full​ ​Frame​ ​6048​ ​x​ ​4032​ ​maximum​ ​resolution
4K​ ​Super35​ ​window Full​ ​Frame,​ ​full​ ​6048​ ​photosite​ ​width​ ​of​ ​the​ ​sensor
Widescreen​ ​spherical​ ​2.39:1​ ​or​ ​Large​ ​Format​ ​Scope
Super35​ ​full​ ​height​ ​2.0x​ ​squeeze​ ​Anamorphic
8-Step,​ ​8-Stop​ ​Internal​ ​NDs​ ​(0.3​ ​to​ ​2.4)
PL​ ​and​ ​Ruggedized​ ​E-mount​ ​(E-mount​ ​native)
Spherical​ ​FF​ ​&​ ​S35
Anamorphic​ ​FF​ ​&​ ​S35
15+​ ​Stops​ ​of​ ​Exposure​ ​Latitude
Native​ ​ISO​ ​500
Retains​ ​highlights​ ​and​ ​color​ ​detail​ ​6​ ​stops​ ​overexposed​ ​and​ ​9​ ​stops​ ​into​ ​the shadows
Power:​ ​both​ ​12​ ​VDC​ ​and​ ​24​ ​VDC

But​ ​there​ ​is​ ​also​ ​another​ ​thing​ ​with​ ​IBC​ ​that​ ​makes​ ​it​ ​great.​ ​You​ ​get​ ​to​ ​see companies​ ​that​ ​are​ ​up​ ​and​ ​coming,​ ​many​ ​of​ ​whom​ ​have​ ​products​ ​that​ ​can​ ​make your​ ​film​ ​look​ ​great​ ​without​ ​breaking​ ​the​ ​bank.

One​ ​of​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​companies​ ​in​ ​this​ ​industry​ ​at​ ​the​ ​moment​ ​is​ ​Aputure.​ ​They​ ​have taken​ ​the​ ​market​ ​by​ ​storm,​ ​offering​ ​competitive​ ​prices​ ​on​ ​LED​ ​light​ ​solutions​ ​and they​ ​also​ ​have​ ​a​ ​selection​ ​of​ ​some​ ​great​ ​on-camera​ ​monitors.

I​ ​spoke​ ​to​ ​Ted​ ​Sim,​ ​The​ ​chief​ ​creative​ ​officer​ ​at​ ​Aputure​ ​about​ ​the​ ​Lightstorm​ ​300d, a​ ​light​ ​they​ ​a​ ​releasing;

The​ ​new​ ​Lightstorm​ ​300d​ ​is​ ​a​ ​game​ ​changer​ ​for​ ​LED​ ​lighting.​ ​The​ ​light​ ​has​ ​what​ ​is called​ ​Chip​ ​On​ ​Board​ ​technology​ ​to​ ​replicate​ ​a​ ​single​ ​point​ ​source​ ​light.​ ​In​ ​practical terms​ ​this​ ​means​ ​the​ ​light​ ​casts​ ​one​ ​shadow​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​the​ ​multiple​ ​shadows​ ​you typically​ ​get​ ​with​ ​the​ ​banks​ ​of​ ​LEDs​ ​on​ ​panel​ ​lights. There’s​ ​now​ ​a​ ​magenta​ ​filter​ ​that​ ​adds​ ​a​ ​touch​ ​of​ ​correction​ ​to​ ​the​ ​COB’s​ ​light,​ ​and tweaks​ ​the​ ​fixture’s​ ​TLCI​ ​score​ ​up​ ​to​ ​(a​ ​claimed)​ ​98

​Ted​ ​claims​ ​it’s​ ​comparable​ ​to​ ​a​ ​traditional​ ​2K​ ​HMI,​ ​putting​ ​out​ ​31,000​ ​Lux​ ​at​ ​1m.
That​ ​is​ ​quite​ ​impressive​ ​for​ ​a​ ​light​ ​that​ ​only​ ​costs​ ​around​ ​1,000$

The​ ​LS1​ ​Led​ ​panel​ ​is​ ​another​ ​light​ ​from​ ​Aputure​ ​I​ ​am​ ​quite​ ​fond​ ​of. The​ ​specs​ ​are​ ​impressive​ ​for​ ​a​ ​compact​ ​led​ ​panel
● High​ ​CRI​ ​98,​ ​perfect​ ​color​ ​of​ ​sunlight​ ​and​ ​ensure​ ​that​ ​its​ ​light​ ​is​ ​natural​ ​and lifelike
● Daylight​ ​5500K​ ​color​ ​temperature
● Unique​ ​light-control​ ​separation​ ​design
● Tough​ ​and​ ​Professional​ ​Aero-Aluminum,​ ​Ultra-Small​ ​Size

I​ ​got​ ​to​ ​use​ ​it​ ​on​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​of​ ​shoots​ ​and​ ​I​ ​love​ ​it​ ​because​ ​of​ ​it’s​ ​output,​ ​portability​ ​and the​ ​remote​ ​option.​ ​Plus​ ​it​ ​is​ ​very​ ​well​ ​built​ ​so​ ​it​ ​can​ ​definitely​ ​take​ ​a​ ​knock​ ​or​ ​two.

The​ ​software​ ​solutions​ ​at​ ​IBC​ ​were​ ​quite​ ​impressive​ ​as​ ​well.​ ​I​ ​checked​ ​out​ ​an​ ​event at​ ​the​ ​Blackmagic​ ​design​ ​booth​ ​where​ ​they​ ​were​ ​showing​ ​of​ ​all​ ​the​ ​new​ ​potentials​ ​in DaVinci​ ​Resolve​ ​14.​ ​This​ ​version​ ​is​ ​their​ ​biggest​ ​update​ ​yet,​ ​and​ ​they​ ​claim​ ​it​ ​is revolutionary.​ ​Once​ ​DaVinci​ ​was​ ​only​ ​used​ ​for​ ​color​ ​grading.​ ​Now​ ​with​ ​the​ ​new version​ ​you​ ​can​ ​do​ ​all​ ​your​ ​editing,​ ​grading​ ​and​ ​post​ ​sound​ ​work​ ​in​ ​the​ ​application.​ ​I was​ ​actually​ ​amazed​ ​how​ ​simple​ ​and​ ​user​ ​friendly​ ​it​ ​looked.​ ​I​ ​would​ ​not​ ​be​ ​surprised if​ ​Amateurs​ ​and​ ​pros​ ​alike​ ​start​ ​using​ ​DaVinci​ ​Resolve​ ​for​ ​their​ ​work.

Here​ ​is​ ​some​ ​info​ ​on​ ​DaVinci​ ​from​ ​Blackmagic​ ​Design:
DaVinci​ ​Resolve​ ​14​ ​has​ ​hundreds​ ​of​ ​new​ ​features​ ​for​ ​editors,​ ​colorists​ ​and​ ​now,​ ​for the​ ​first​ ​time,​ ​audio​ ​professionals.
The​ ​new​ ​playback​ ​engine​ ​dramatically​ ​increases​ ​responsiveness​ ​with​ ​up​ ​to​ ​10x better​ ​performance​ ​for​ ​editors.
You​ ​also​ ​get​ ​a​ ​whole​ ​new​ ​page​ ​with​ ​the​ ​full​ ​Fairlight​ ​audio​ ​post​ ​production​ ​tools​ ​that let​ ​you​ ​record,​ ​edit,​ ​mix,​ ​sweeten​ ​and​ ​master​ ​sound​ ​with​ ​full​ ​3D​ ​audio​ ​space​ ​and​ ​up to​ ​1000​ ​channels.
Colorists​ ​will​ ​find​ ​amazing​ ​new​ ​Resolve​ ​FX​ ​that​ ​include​ ​automatic​ ​facial​ ​recognition and​ ​tracking​ ​for​ ​quickly​ ​smoothing​ ​skin​ ​tones,​ ​brightening​ ​eyes,​ ​changing​ ​lip​ ​color and​ ​more!

So​ ​I​ ​could​ ​go​ ​on​ ​and​ ​on​ ​about​ ​IBC​ ​but​ ​I​ ​think​ ​there​ ​is​ ​only​ ​one​ ​way​ ​to​ ​get​ ​to​ ​know​ ​it. Go​ ​there!​ ​Flights​ ​from​ ​Iceland​ ​are​ ​cheap,​ ​hotels​ ​can​ ​be​ ​pricy​ ​but​ ​there​ ​is​ ​always Airbnb​ ​and​ ​hostels.

Finally​ ​I​ ​will​ ​give​ ​you​ ​some​ ​tips​ ​if​ ​you​ ​plan​ ​to​ ​go​ ​to​ ​IBC​ ​2018:
● Register​ ​early​ ​(early​ ​bird​ ​registrations​ ​are​ ​free,​ ​but​ ​if​ ​you​ ​miss​ ​out​ ​on​ ​that​ ​you can​ ​find​ ​some​ ​companies​ ​who​ ​are​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​exhibiting​ ​there​ ​and​ ​many​ ​of them​ ​offer​ ​a​ ​coupon​ ​code​ ​so​ ​you​ ​can​ ​get​ ​a​ ​free​ ​pass​ ​to​ ​IBC)
● Bring​ ​an​ ​umbrella​ ​and​ ​a​ ​raincoat​ ​(trust​ ​me)
● Reserve​ ​a​ ​place​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​early​ ​(I​ ​was​ ​quite​ ​late​ ​in​ ​booking​ ​a​ ​place,​ ​but​ ​me​ ​and my​ ​girlfriend​ ​found​ ​an​ ​AirBnb​ ​apartment​ ​for​ ​a​ ​reasonable​ ​price)
● Buy​ ​a​ ​Tram​ ​Card​ ​(taxis​ ​can​ ​be​ ​expensive​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Tram​ ​system​ ​in​ ​Amsterdam is​ ​great)

Stefán Loftsson