What will you use? ProRes or ARRIRAW?

[Fred Jodry]

Rob, easy answer. ARRI is making the Alexa as a business tool introduction or re-introduction to Broadcasting productions. After several decades of seeing their line of film cameras and the new digital line atrophy from common use by Broadcasters, the Alexa is coming in as a visible wanted tool. Broadcasters will use both ProRes and ARRIRAW, and it`s my prediction that they`ll be using them in combinations, such as obviously pipeing ARRIRAW towards live mixing boards while ProRes records editable archives. The Arriscan telecines are already in increasing use, as film transfers are far from decreasing; the standard definition productions got rid of their Ranks too early, so the isoLinux community especially, is trying to make huge mistake- free archives -of every film age from old to brand new- complete with pre- sampled EDL (?) lists. My own experience in broadcasting suggests that a lot of annoying suppliers of parts and software, like Microsoft, Avid and Adobe, Sony, and Panasonic, could get flung out of the rodeo. The Apple community is fortunately not far behind in the archiving area. You, and others who come up with the right sweat will be both liked and needed problem solvers, who provide the mundane cures to the ills as ordinary for example, as those camera users who accidentally or on purposely use aspect ratio combinations on the photosensor plate that are not the “first choice” because they temporarily or not, don`t have or use the typical taking lenses. Stay of your own best training, you`ll be making many new friends with their business.

[Gary Adcock]

Interesting Fred, I do not see the same workflows for broadcast, but I too think that the key to Alexa is the variable nature of the workflow. This is a camera that will be able to create offline, online and RAW all at the same time, so the user can decide what their production needs and change those needs based on client whims. Offline and web video from ProResLt with final DI from ARRIRAW.
I want it all, poor bob has had to put up with my rant in person more than once. Yes I know that everyone wants to do the ProRes workflow, and that will be good enough for a good number of the people that want this camera. The real power To those users is when they need it, the 14bit RAW is available by adding a recorder, but the users are not saddled with first having to convert the files for realtime editing as is the case with most RAW formats (Viper, SI, Phantom,Red, Wiesscam etc..)

I cannot wait to get my hands on Alexa for real world testing of all of the workflows, just to show people that Native/Raw and DPX workflows are not something to be anymore afraid of than a ProRes HQ and that the high end formats are going to be a big part of the future of production and post for a while longer.

gary adcock
Studio37

Post and Production Workflow Consultant
Production and Post Stereographer
Technology Development
Quality Assurance Assistance

Chicago, IL

https://blogs.creativecow.net/24640

[David Battistella]

This will be an interesting one to watch.

Broadcasters will tend to take the fastest path to the finsh line and creatives will want to access as much of the RAW data as time and budgets will allow.

The kay will be what the actual cost increase will be if you are shooting RAW and planning to finish in that RAW workflow. In essence it will come down to how the PRORES is viewed by production. If they see it as a replacement to using HDCAM SR or another tape format, then PROREZ will rule.

If they see it as a replacement to film (which low budget productions might shoot prores and transfer to print) then higher end production will shoot with all od the features enabled.

Recording the multiple data formats will actually put a bigger strain on the (mass storage and archiving) pipeline, as RAW and dallies will need to be backed up and archived.

So while capturing data is front end fast at the back end it still requires more labour to store, etc.

My hunch is that when people capy files from an SxS card and start editing on powerful macs with PR 4444, there may be no need for RAW, even in the rare instance of a 2K finsih.

David

Peace