National Association of Broadcasters' conventions showcase the latest high-end equipment that well-financed television networks and stations can purchase. Our challenge was to find tools that are affordable or accessible to filmmakers working on very low budgets. It was like trying to locate your apartment building from the top of the Twin Towers.

Cameras:

Most impressive was the Canon XL1 MiniDV camera. It features interchangeable lenses (including 35mm still camera lenses), optional connection for XLR inputs, modular design, Pixel Shift technology, and the ability to record 4 separate tracks of sound in the camera. It also takes digital stills. Canon has designed the XL1 so it can be upgraded, although it is a very good camera in its most basic form (approx. price $4,000-$4600).

Sony's VX1000 is not a dinosaur yet, although it was not on display since Sony was only promoting their professional models. Sony was featuring its new DVCam, the DSR300, which appears to be a solid entry at the next level above MiniDV. Some observers questioned Sony's decision not to arm it with a firewire output. Representatives of some other companies selling digital video cameras could not seem to grasp the concept of shooting features with their equipment.

Non-linear editing:

Adobe's unveiling of Premiere 5.0 generated a lot of excitement. Designed to be more useful for long form projects (eg. features and documentaries), Adobe has further refined an editing program which makes filmmaking accessible to the inexperienced user (although computer knowledge is essential).

New versions of the Media 100 software (see monitor//3.3) are designed to expand its use by filmmakers. Taz, the no-last name filmmaker, is currently shooting 2 feature films both of which will be edited on the Media 100. He was giving demos of Slingshot which provides the Media 100 with 24fps matchback capabilities. Taz described the real-time functions now available with the Media 100xr and the upgrades of audio performance in 4.5. Media 100 is reportedly working on a firewire input, which would make post less expensive by allowing footage shot on digital cameras to be downloaded directly into the computer, without having to first convert to analog.

The Avid booth was so packed that it was difficult to find the least expensive version, the Avid Xpress 2.0 for Mac. If the $30,000 price tag for a full system (monitors and all) doesn't scare you, the Xpress features significant audio enhancements and an integrated matchback to your negative. An Avid representative said that director James Boyd used Avid Xpress to edit "The New Gods".

Other interesting products included equipment that utilizes Iomega's Jaz2 technology. Sony Pictures had ADSG create a machine which has two Jaz2 drives for recording archive/V material. You can record up to 4 hours of mono sound onto a Jaz2 (hardware necessary). It holds up to 10 minutes of Hi-res archive/V material. Some uses could be trailers, demos, and recording field sound. Sony also demonstrated its new digital video editing system the Sony ES-3, which is expected to cost between $20,000 and $30,000. Digital projectors from companies including Digital Projection were on display utilizing the Texas Instruments new DLP technology which will open up theatrical options.

Excellent stuff.

(Source: Tara Veneruso @ IndieWIRE)