LOS ANGELES—The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA), announced the winners of the second annual SMPTE-HPA Student Film Festival.

Held yesterday, Oct. 26, at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., the film festival showcased submissions demonstrating creative uses of technology in storytelling. SMPTE and the HPA received over 250 submissions from more than 46 countries, and the 24 official selections shown during SMPTE 2016 represented Brazil, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Iran, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Slovakia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The event was hosted by Howard Lukk, SMPTE director of engineering and standards, who is also a film director. The official selections at the festival were screened in SMPTE-DCP format, courtesy of Sundog Media Toolkit. Five films earned awards in the following categories:

Best Creative Use of Entertainment Technology to Engage the Audience in the Story — Animated Short

·“The Graveyard Shift” by Lara Arikan of Ringling College of Art and Design (Sarasota, Florida, U.S.)

Best Creative Use of Entertainment Technology to Engage the Audience in the Story — Live-Action Short

·“Bug Killer” by Unggyu Choi of School of the Visual Arts (New York, U.S.)

Best Use of Mobile Device or Tablet to Convey a Story — Narrative Short

·“ISMS” by Jayden Gillespie of Canyon Crest Academy (San Diego, U.S.)

Best Use of Virtual Reality in Storytelling — Narrative Short

·“Rhapsody” by CHAN Ming Chun of Hong Kong Design Institute (Tiu Keng Wan, Hong Kong)

Audience Choice Award (three-way tie)

· "At the Game: An RIT Hockey Experience" by Anna Dining of Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, New York, U.S.)

· "Rhapsody" by CHAN Ming Chun of Hong Kong Design Institute (Tiu Keng Wan, Hong Kong)

· "Unmasked" by Christina Faraj and Alice Gavish of School of the Visual Arts (New York, U.S.) 

The student filmmakers of the winning selections received awards as well as prizes courtesy of Avid, Blackmagic Design and ICG Magazine, the publication of the International Cinematographer’s Guild. Filmmaker information and trailers are available at www.smpte.org/film-festival.

VR selections were screened with viewers provided by Google and Unofficial Cardboard.

“The wealth of entries for this year’s festival was inspiring,” said Seth Hallen, HPA president. “The work was outstanding and imaginative, and it is wonderful to see entries from students from a wide array of global educational institutions. Our jurors faced quite a difficult challenge choosing winners from the high caliber of submissions we received. As the festival screenings demonstrated, it was an excellent and competitive field, and one that included the first high school student to win a category! Looking at these entries, winners and nominees, I am eager to continue enjoying the great works these budding young artists have in store for us as their careers unfold.”

This is the second year that SMPTE and the HPA have hosted a student film festival in conjunction with the SMPTE Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition.

LOS ANGELES—Hitachi offers a range of cameras that cover a number of different resolutions, and they are highlighting a number of them currently at SMPTE 2016. The company is demonstrating four of its cameras to attendees that can handle 2K, HD and 4K.

SK-HD1300

Covering 2K footage is the SK-HD1300, a new progressive HDTV studio and EFP camera. Images are captured by three 2.4 million pixel 1080-line progressive MOS imagers. The camera also features an advanced digital processing technology for low-noise, HDR pictures. Hitachi will also show a 2K box camera, its DK-H200, a native 1080p compact box camera that outputs 1080p, 1080i and 720p.

The HD range is represented by Hitachi’s Z-HD6000. This HD MOS camera is built with 2.4 million pixel, 2/3-inch, 1920x1080 HDTV MOS sensors and offers 1100TVL resolutions, F12 standard sensitivity, and 60 dB signal-to-noise ratio.

The SK-UHD4000 camera delivers 4K pictures via B4 2/3-inch bayonet lenses. It also features 2/3-inch sensors for depth of field and high sensitivity. The camera features 8.8 million pixels and is designed around the latest generation of CMOS sensors.

LOS ANGELES—Arvato Systems is following up on its release of the EditMate software last year with the addition of the proxy functionality. EditMate proxy is integrated into Arvato’s VPMS media asset management system, allowing users to work in Adobe Premiere Pro with lo-res streaming of central hi-res media.

The proxy offers a centralized render engine to incorporate all effects, audio, subtitles, graphics and locally produced voice-over tracks. Users are able to edit at their desktops while their work is centrally available in EditMate project. EditMate also manages project conversion from hi-res to lo-res when needed.

EditMate proxy can hold multiple hi-res clips in a central location or distributed across customer sites, with users being able to connect to it via the internet. In addition, EditMate proxy users can work with media from parked projects or archived clips before they have been completed or restored. Users can continue editing while a project is parked and switch at any later point to a hi-res version.

Arvato Systems is located at booth 112 during SMPTE 2016, which is currently underway.

Shortly before the start of the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition, NewBay editors spoke with Paul Peace about his session “Loudspeaker Requirements in Object-Based Cinema.”

TV TECHNOLOGY:How many loudspeakers does a cinema need?

PAUL PEACE:For immersive formats, the research is too early to have firm confidence and also greatly depends on format, geometry and the loudspeakers chosen. My research points toward less than the current practice, but the loudspeakers must be designed specifically for the task. Current techniques do not present adequate frequency response to enough seats to make a conclusive judgment on this. The coverage issue must get dramatically better before a definitive answer to this can be achieved. Also, the directionality requirements ultimately translate into a fairly predictable layout in every theater, which then looks much more like a channel-based delivery system and can then simplify the rendering process.

TVT:Is immersive sound here to stay in the cinema?

PP: I obviously cannot answer this, but I see no technical reason for it not to succeed. Economic forces will decide this. My research points towards simplification that will mean cost reduction and improved performance. The formats were released before the loudspeaker requirements were fully understood and we are now playing catch-up. This will resolve itself in time.

TVT:Anyone who's had the misfortune to be seated right under, say, the left surround speaker in a 5.1 theater knows that some people pay the price for others' improved audio experience. Do object-based sound systems like Dolby Atmos increase or decrease the number of "optimal seats" in a theater?

PP: Pushing seating into ‘bad’ experience areas in a theater has the same basic effect in any format. That said, coverage mappings for 5.1 are, in general, much better than in object-based formats; this is at the heart of my research and design work going forward. The analysis metric includes frequency response, level, directionality and timing. Object-based formats offer directionality and timing cues that 5.1 cannot, so on that issue, the comparison is apples and oranges. The difficulty is that frequency response uniformity and balance are quite poor in object-based theaters with only 20 percent of the seating or less properly covered when a small group of surrounds must deliver the signal. Typical 5.1 rooms are much better in this regard—they always act as a large group—and if well executed can be >80 percent.

TVT:Is object-audio being employed in outdoor concert spaces, e.g., Roger Waters at Desert Trip?

PP: This is not my area of expertise, so I do not know. I do hear of different experimental attempts, so it would not surprise me.

TVT:Is a less-than-perfect object-based audio environment still an improvement on a perfect 5.1 experience? Or do the larger numbers of speakers and the greater directionality of the sound actually create more ways for a flawed presentation to sound bad or distract from the movie overall?

PP: Here are some fundamentals, however, that are important assuming the level of execution is the same:

1.The main LCR screen loudspeakers are virtually the same.

2.If one is in the 20 percent of the theater where object-based coverage is balanced, then object-based should always be better.

3.If one is outside the 20 percent, there are significant problems and 5.1 is better and the data suggests this as follows:

a.Coverage is too poor in current practice to allow spot effects to be realistic.

b.Poor coverage greatly diminishes realism and tonal integrity of any precision motion effects.

c.The sheer numbers of loudspeakers should give object-based formats a clear advantage for environmental effects and when delivering the “big” moment. However, 5.1 layouts aim the loudspeakers to evenly distribute coverage while object-based formats aim loudspeakers to optimize spot effects. The end result creates coverage issues for the object-based formats when attempting to simulate 5.1 environmental effects or deliver material from a large number of surrounds. See attached. This also puts these rooms in a big disadvantage when trying to play traditional 5.1 content.

TVT:To what extent would upgrading theaters to the ideal loudspeakers and rendering engines require an extensive investment by the theater circuits. Are there any metrics to indicate that they could recoup this investment by charging more for the superior audio experience?

PP: The analysis points towards simplification and cost reduction in reference to current practice. Our analysis shows the individual loudspeakers need to be more sophisticated and more powerful, which will most likely make them individually more expensive, but less are needed. The audio system infrastructure and installation costs are dramatically reduced. Architectural impact is also reduced.

Paul Peace oversees loudspeaker development for Cinema, Retail and Commercial for JBL Professional, and is the designer of the JBL 9350, 9300, 9310 surround loudspeakers. He previously served as director of audio engineering and chief loudspeaker designer/engineer for IMAX Corp.

Shortly before the start of the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition, NewBay editors spoke with Sara Kudrle about her session “File Workflows and Formats 2 —IMF and DPP-Interoperability From Creation to Delivery.”

TV TECHNOLOGY:How many new IP standards can we expect over the next five years?

SARA KUDRLE: Ideally, just one: SMPTE ST 2110. IP Standards are currently in use for both compressed and uncompressed video signals. If I can narrow down the question to uncompressed signals for live production, ideally all vendors and users would follow one roadmap, such as the one promoted by the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS). The alliance is working with industry organizations and standards bodies, such as Video Services Forum (VSF), the Joint Task Force on Networked Media (JT-NM), the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers (SMPTE), taking the work they’ve done to foster a unified path to IP interoperability. These industry experts are working towards a single standard, which is currently in progress, SMPTE ST 2110.

TVT:Should the United States make DPP a requirement as it is in the United Kingdom?

SK: Today all of our delivery standards are voluntary. Digital Production Partnership (DPP) offers some interesting advantages in delivering file formats, but when and where DPP is used should remain up to the individual broadcaster in order to best meet their needs.

TVT:Do these file formats have the flexibility to hold data from media files far beyond what's available today? Will they inevitably need to be upgraded at some point?

SK:Using the internet as a model, there are constant improvements and updates to the efficiency of delivery via new compression schemes and file formats. For instance, we used to have MPEG2 and then MPEG4 and now we have HEVC. As technology advances, formats will adapt. The file formats being suggested at this time have been designed to be flexible into the future, based on our current knowledge. It’s hard to say for certain what the future will bring and what features or requirements will be needed. File-based workflows have come a long way and the work continues. These formats have legs. Only time will tell how long they are.

TVT:Aside from technological issues, what are the most significant obstacles to an industry-wide adoption of a specific file format right away?

SK: Aside from technological issues, I would say a large obstacle would be the established workflows that work well today. Suggesting that someone change to another format, unless their model is broken, is not going to gain traction nor be a high priority. Instituting new workflows and the training that goes along with that task can introduce significant costs. Unless there is a clear monetary benefit to changing, broadcasters will wait until it affects them. Additionally, big internet companies have their own preferred codecs: Apple has ProRes. Google uses VP9 and is developing AV1. Netflix is moving to IMF. 

Another obstacle is that some applications may not be covered by a one-size-fits-all approach and as new applications appear, they may need new specific features.

TVT:Does interoperability necessarily require some kind of compromise over using more project- or display-specific formats?

SK:Interoperability means that it plays well with others. In my experience, playing nice with others has always meant some sort of compromise along the way. That’s the nature of collaboration; finding an equitable way to work together. In the long-run, the small compromises that are required pay off in greater efficiency, accelerated innovation and more confidence among buyers.

Sara Kudrle is currently Product Marketing Manager, Networking for Grass Valley, a Belden Brand. She is active within SMPTE serving on several committees and within the standards community. Sara is a current SMPTE Secretary/Treasurer and former Section Manager for Sacramento as well as the Western Region Governor for SMPTE.

LOS ANGELES—The recently formed TV Solutions Group (TVSG), which is made up of Linear Acoustic and Minnetonka Audio, will be center stage at Telos Alliance’s booth during SMPTE 2016. In addition, Telos Alliance will also showcase its AoIP products from other companies like Axia and Telos.

TVSG is meant to aid broadcasters in the transition to the latest TV industry technology by focusing on customer requirements and technology that helps meet those requirements. The group utilizes both file-based and real-time processing, and products from multiple Telos brands can be included as part of a deployment. Products that are expected to be available at SMPTE include workstation plug-ins for content creation, enterprise and cloud processing, as well as real-time broadcast processors, AoIP Livewire+AES67 interfaces, and consoles.

SMPTE 2016 is currently underway and will continue through Oct. 27.

Shortly before the start of the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition, NewBay editors spoke with Blake White about the paper he co-authored being presented by John Footen titled “Through the Smoke and Noise: M&E Technology Trends Enabling Consumer Engagement.”

TV TECHNOLOGY:Won’t Millennials skip all the advanced video features now in development and go straight to VR?

BLAKE WHITE:No. There’s a time and a place for donning a VR headset, as there was for wearing 3D glasses. VR lends itself better to certain, more immersive content, such as gaming, but not checking out what your friends watched the night before.

TVT:How can engineers best differentiate between technologies that will connect with consumers (4K) and technologies that don't (3D)?

BW:The work engineers do will not be successful without better consumer understanding and research. This can come from a range of sources, but typically from the product teams. It’s critical, however, that engineers work with product teams to ensure that consumers’ needs are translated into the art of the possible. Both 3D and 4K have been very successful at connecting audiences in theatres. My feeling is that 4K will be more popular than 3D as a shared experience in the home.

TVT:Is it better to roll out one feature at a time or push whole packages of services out at once? In other words, will consumers lose interest if they're sold too many "improvements" to their entertainment experience all at once?

BW: Minimal viable products with continuous improvements are generally accepted by the industry as the best way to launch new services. However, what is accepted as MVP may require significant engineering to make that possible.

TVT:Are there any lessons to be learned from what was essentially the failure of 3D TV?

BW: Consumers don’t like wearing head-gear sitting in their living room to watch a movie. Although there are obvious parallels with VR, I think the key difference is that 3D was intended to be a shared experience in the home, where-as VR is more of a personal experience. Also, 3D challenged broadcasters to make changes to their processes and systems and a lack of standards around encoding and compiling 3D were an expensive problem; but the failure of 3D on TV was more based on the consumer experience.

TVT:Is it possible to make too much content accessible too easily? Does it fragment audiences to the point where no single show/piece of content gets a significant number of eyeballs? Should content owners think in terms of rationing access somewhat?

BW:I think the lack of good data regarding consumer usage of content, as well as historically treating second screen content as marketing experiments, means that companies have sometimes taken a shotgun approach to distribution. I think armed with better data, and more of a P&L orientation for digital platforms, we will see media companies being more selective regarding distribution platforms.

Blake White is a consulting partner, Information, Media & Entertainment, Cognizant Business Consulting.

LOS ANGELES—Black Box is ready to showcase what it has to offer in response to the growing areas of 4K and virtualization at this year’s SMPTE 2016 conference. The KVM and AV technology provider is bringing new technologies in the virtual desktop infrastructure and high-performance KVM systems.

One of these products is the 4K60 module for the DKM system. The new module can be installed via a card, saving users from replacing the whole system. The updated DKM system enables matrix switching and console extension for multiple video formats, as well as flexible cross point switching. This allows the systems to be up to 140m apart over CATx or 10km over fiber.

There will also be the InvisaPC, which is designed to close the gap between traditional KVM and virtual machines. The device can be used to extend and switch DVI, USB HID, USB 2.0 and audio, in addition to controlling virtual machines using RDP 7.1/8 Remote FX. The IP-based system requires a bandwidth of 35 Mbit to transmit HD moving images.

Three other products that Black Box is planning to show at SMPTE are the Agility, DCX3000, and Radian video wall processor. The Agility is a multi-faceted system for digital switching, extension and distribution of video, audio, serial and USB signals that can convert from point-to-point extension to cross-point switching. The DXC3000 offers a 30-port matrix for switching of digital HD videos, audio and USB signals. The Radian video wall processor offers design freedom, with the ability to position or change images as the user sees fit.

SMPTE 2016 is currently underway. Black Box is located at booth 305.

Shortly beforethe start of the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition, NewBay editors spoke with Stephanie Wu about her panel session “Re-Inventing Entertainment Engineering: How to Blend the Experience of Yesterday with Millennials’ Vision of Tomorrow.”

TV TECHNOLOGY:How would you characterize the primary differences between the current and future (next-gen) engineers?

STEPHANIE WU:We have grown up in vastly different worlds. Baby Boomers grew up in an analog world, with books, classic radio, television, etc. In the workplace, they are steeped in practical and direct experience.

My peers and I have been raised as digital natives, where the most complex engineering processes have already been simplified to a single swipe. We want a work environment that challenges us to not only learn from traditional broadcast engineers, but also allows us to push the boundaries and map out new frontiers. Millennials also look for ways to personalize our careers, adapting our roles to our personalities. What we do on a day-to-day basis must incorporate what we feel we strongly bring to the table.

As new technology continues to spin up, we can expect that future roles within our industry will start to become increasingly multifunctional; moving further away from the traditional engineering roles we see today. Success for all of us is dependent on how well we learn from one another and how willing we are to adapt work processes that are new or different for us. 

TVT:SMPTE historically has been about "standards," which by their very nature involve locking technology in place for a certain period based on hardware limitations. What is the future of such an organization to people who grew up in an IT-based world?

SW:Growing up in an IT-based world means there is far more autonomy in technology. With an increase in people’s understanding of technology, the advancements in what will come next become increasingly limitless. The need for standards will always be important within our industry. Without it, we would potentially be adding a large number of proprietary products that are neither dynamic nor interchangeable, which becomes less and less desirable from a consumer standpoint.

SMPTE will need to focus on developing standards with a “speed-to-market” approach that is less around hardware limitations, but revolve around the ability to traverse across all platforms and future products. At the same time, we need to lessen the requirement for new standards to stay compatible with legacy protocols. If we continue to depend on legacy compatibility we will only be making incremental adjustments, rather than truly innovative and broad transformation.

TVT:In what way do Millennials in the entertainment technology workforce feel the most misunderstood? Are there stereotypes out there that are just wrong?

SW:One perception I’ve heard about Millennials is that we are “praise-hungry” and need constant positive reinforcement in order to perform our work. In reality, we are simply more accustomed to obtaining frequent feedback. What we are really trying to get to when we are “fishing for compliments,” is constructive criticism and confirmation on whether or not we are meeting expectations, and making a difference on the company or community.

TVT:What does the panel think are the ways Millennials might misunderstand those who came before–Boomers and Gen Xers? Are there stereotypes out there that are just wrong?

SW:In regards to Baby Boomers, I believe there is a perception they are out of sync with technology; however, I don’t believe that to be the case. Consider, for example, that both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs reside within this generation; they are actually the first to adapt to modern technology. The major difference would probably be that Boomers predominantly use technology for its specific function and purpose. For example, the primary purpose for their phones is to make calls while Millennials tend to incorporate it into their daily lives far more frequently for calls, texting, browsing and socializing–sometimes perhaps sharing and posting more than they probably should.

As far as Gen Xers, they are generally seen as more traditional and skeptical, thus they have a tendency to push back on ideas. If you think about it, they’ve witnessed the demise of major corporations (such as Enron or Worldcom), and the unsuccessful Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. I think the misunderstanding of Gen Xers is: while they criticize change, their criticality is due to genuine care and interest in the outcome. They are not averse to change, however they are thinking in depth from a diverse set of history and perspective; asking the right questions to ensure that before we make a change, it is considered from every outlook and angle.

Stephanie Wu is the operations manager for Disney ABC Television Group Media Operations & Distribution. She is responsible for providing collaborative support and vision on strategic projects and initiatives across the wider department.

LOS ANGELES—It’s light, cameras, action for EVS at SMPTE 2016, as the company is ready to showcase its systems that leverage IP live production and content, specifically its DYVI live production switcher.

The DYVI has already had the Hollywood experience, previously being used in a project by director Francis Ford Coppola. The DYVI system allows users to cut together feed from multiple cameras in real time and features a multiviewer and control panel assignment for reduced set-up times and a simplified production process.

EVS will also demonstrate its virtualization systems. These “elastic production” platforms leverage COTS hardware, maximize existing investments, and deploy open standards supported by AIMS and SMPTE.

EVS is located at booth 9 during SMPTE 2016, which is currently underway.

Shortly beforethe start of the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition, NewBay editors spoke with Jaclyn Pytlarz about her panel session “Re-Inventing Entertainment Engineering: How to Blend the Experience of Yesterday with Millennials’ Vision of Tomorrow.”

TV TECHNOLOGY:How has social media affected TV and movie production, and where does it go in 10 years?

JACLYN PYTLARZ: Social media is not only a new form of advertising, but it’s also a form of collaboration and unity. Studios can directly connect with the audience and fans across the globe can unite. This sparks a new world for TV and movie production where independent productions will continue to gain in popularity. Exposure, especially positive, in social media will continue to influence audience perception and ultimately number of viewers. Studios now have more information than ever before. Through social media they have a way to closely monitor what people are interested in and how certain topics are trending. This information can help guide storytelling to better meet the interests of the target audience. Over time, I see story telling following the trends of popularity. As movie-goer numbers continue to decline, a certain amount of innovation is required. Utilizing social media will be vital to gain insight into the target market.

TVT: How would you characterize the primary differences between the current and future (next-gen) engineers?

JP: On the whole, goals of Millennial, Baby Boomer, and Gen-X engineers are very similar. We all want to succeed and serve our company to the best of our abilities. The main differences are the methods that we go about fulfilling these goals. From my perspective, there are two main differences in the work place between Millennials and previous generations. First, as Millennials, we’re more collaborative; many prefer to work in groups. So in the work environment, there tends to be two camps: those who take a project and prefer to work on solutions alone, and those who are constantly discussing ideas between people in the team. Second, as Millennials, we search for meaning in our work; we don’t just work to put food on the table. We’ve been told all of our lives that finding a job we enjoy is the most important thing. So our methods and motivations differ slightly from previous generations. We tend to be a bit pickier about our jobs, but have great passion when we find one that fits.

TVT: SMPTE historically has been about "standards," which by their very nature involve locking technology in place for a certain period based on hardware limitations. What is the future of such an organization to people who grew up in an IT-based world?

JP: I feel that there will always be a need for standards as consistency is vital to successful motion picture/television deployment. There is, however, a certain amount of fluidity that is helpful for the rapid evolution of technology. In the future, I see standards organizations requiring more proof points and industry approval. Deployment of OTT services creates a network for rapid prototyping and verification of new technology. Therefore, moving forward, before a piece of technology evolves to a standards proposal, I think there will be a greater amount of industry vetting. Standards are helpful not only to aid in consistent imagery from channel to channel and everything in-between, but also for international program exchange. I don’t see these needs going away.

TVT: What does the panel think are the ways Millennials might misunderstand those who came before–Boomers and Gen Xers? Are there stereotypes out there that are just wrong?

JP: One common stereotype that we as Millennials tend to assume is that Baby-Boomers and Gen Xers are technology inept. This is, on the whole, untrue. Both those generations have adapted far more to technology than we ever have including cell phones, computers and the internet–all things we as Millennials practically grew up with. As a generation who was raised with this technology, Millennials do have an advantage: this technology is built into our thought process; it is a part of us. However, as we think through this stereotype, we can’t forget one thing: the Baby-Boomer generation was the leader of this technology revolution with innovative tech elites such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. They are the reason tech is where it is today.

TVT: In what way do Millennials in the entertainment technology workforce feel the most misunderstood? Are there stereotypes out there that are just wrong?

JP: I feel the most common Millennial stereotype that misrepresents my generation is that we’re lazy. The era of our upbringing was vastly different than the previous two generations, so we are fundamentally different. My generation works less with our hands, and more with our minds. Just the other day I was watching a game show where teams were split between Millennials and Gen Xers. The Gen Xers immediately started moving puzzle pieces around trying different ideas, working it through. While the Millennials sat back and studied the puzzle. Counting tiles and working it out in their heads. Millennials grew up with video games and puzzles. We’ve learned to use our minds more than our hands; our difference in working style is not a lack of effort.

The other aspect that leads to a laziness assumption is that Millennials tend to balance work/life integration more than either previous generation. The borders between work and social life are becoming fuzzier. Gen X and Baby Boomers especially come from a time of “work, work, work.” As Millennials tend to socialize and take breaks more frequently, I’m not surprised that a stigma of laziness has formed. However, with this work-life integration comes a number of positive aspects as well. We tend to work longer hours, making up for these breaks. Teamwork tends to be stronger and work-life happiness higher. In the end, the only differences are our methods, not our motivation or effort.

Jaclyn Pytlarz is an applied vision science engineer at Dolby Laboratories. Her research includes vision science surrounding developing technologies for high dynamic range and wide color gamut displays.

LOS ANGELES—Artel is taking the opportunity of SMPTE 2016 to showcase some of its latest technology, including a number of products that highlights the company’s IP capability.

InfinityLink

One of the main products on display will be Artel’s InfinityLink broadcast media transport solution, which is designed for transporting broadcast-quality media over IP, direct fiber and managed optical networks. One of the models on display will be the IL6000, a 1RU, four-slot chassis with internal 20x20 3G routing and Ethernet switching capabilities and features on-board chassis management.

InfinityLink models ILC450 and ILC410 will also be shown, adding seamless IP capabilities to the InfinityLink platform. The ILC450 supports auto-sensing of standards-based, broadcast quality HD/SD-SDI and ASI video formats, while also featuring SMPTE 2022-1/2/5/6 IP encapsulation and optional Forward Error Correction algorithms to enable flexible configurations. The ILC450 also has a 1GigE IP interface for end users to bridge IP data for greater bandwidth utilization of the 10G Ethernet interface. The ILC410, meanwhile, enables DVB-ASI and SD-SDI video to be transported over IP networks.

Also set to be shown during the conference is Artel’s DLC510 L-band satellite demodulator and automatic L-band satellite scanner. Operators using the scanner can locate active signals on a satellite and display signals in an easy-to-read list with other essential data. Additional features include dual RF inputs, DVB-S2X support, ETSI Carrier ID transmission coding and full integration into the InfinityLink and DigiLink media transport platforms.

A technology showcase for the 3500 series of FiberLink 4K/UHD systems is also set.

Artel is located at booth 105.

Shortly before the start of the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition, NewBay editors spoke with Francois Helt about his session “HDR Perception Challenges and Measures in Cinematographic Environment.”

TV TECHNOLOGY:What are the primary challenges of delivery true HDR to a theater? How are these being addressed?

FRANCOIS HELT: The first challenge is to get correctly lit and graded HDR content. Camera technology is already allowing this; the creative people, cinematographers and colorists especially, will become accustomed to HDR productions. The other challenge is to assess HDR rendering in projection. The technologies are not solving everything. It is absolutely necessary to understand how the audience is perceiving the content. The projection, the audience and the room environment must be taken into account.

TVT:What do cinematographers think about HDR?

FH: Frankly I do not have enough information to speak for cinematographers. I heard one interesting remark from a colorist saying that some current shots were so well done they were already easily graded in HDR. I guess that the most important factor is their personal experience of HDR rendering in theaters.

TVT: How delicate is the HDR image–in other words, how easy is it for a compromised environment to simply undo all the benefits of an HDR display over SDR?

FH: A small theater room with bright safety signs is enough to reduce perceived contrast considerably. But HDR-graded images have a different look. They will retain this look even in reduced contrast projection environment. As cinema is an evolving self-referential language, HDR-graded sequences will eventually become the mainstream look, and SDR images would have a special meaning; something similar to the artistic use of saturated images.

TVT:For the cinematographer: The transition in the ’60s/’70s from shooting for BW to color TV was rather slow–most DPs, producers and networks wanted to hold onto techniques that made the most of the limitations of BW displays, rather than abandoning those methods to make the most of what color offers. HDR allows for both subtle and extreme lighting techniques that simply won't translate to SDR. Is there some tipping point to look for where DPs should ignore how something plays in SDR and just shoot for HDR?

FH: This is a difficult question. The answer will vary with distribution channels, content type, financial and even cultural motives. In short and for broadcast, sport is the content that will make the most use of HDR quickly; but a good enough SDR rendering will be important, at least to understand the action because HDR displays should not outnumber SDR display soon.

For cinematographic work, my guess is that the number of cinemas offering a good HDR experience will play an important role. Studios are already used to produce many different graded versions of a movie, but there’s a general trend to try to reduce this number. So this would favor mixed productions for a time.

Interestingly cultural factors could play a role. I am thinking about the difference between entertainment and “cinema d’auteur.” HDR entertainment needs to provide a real high-contrast experience and would require enough theaters with corresponding projection specifications. So they will need to push theater owners to do the upgrade. On the contrary some cinematographers may be more interested by the linguistic aspect of HDR-graded sequences and would use HDR faster.

TVT:What should come first, standards/recommendations for theatrical environment specs or for HDR projection specs?

FH: In my opinion it is clear that theatrical environment is more important. It is necessary to ensure that the audience is having a good enough perception. Financial considerations should also be taken into account when readying all the theaters for HDR.

Francois Helt serves as chief scientific officer of Highlands Technologies. His current interests include visual perception models, measurement theory and philosophy of information.

ATTO Technology Inc. is showcasing Celerity 32 Gb and 16 Gb Gen 6 Fibre Channel host bus adapters (HBAs) to power data transfers and guarantee data will be delivered in order with the lowest latency. With ATTO’s proprietary MultiPath Director technology, Celerity HBAs reduce downtime by providing real-time access to data through load balancing and failover protection.

ATTO’s new ThunderLink and ThunderStream devices offer connectivity to Thunderbolt 3 platforms, with sufficient throughput for 4K uncompressed video editing. The small form factor of these Thunderbolt connectivity devices enables work in the field on laptops, all-in-ones and mobile workstations, while still allowing multiple users to work on the same footage simultaneously on either Fibre Channel or 40 Gb or 10Gb Ethernet networks.

Shortly before the start of the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition, NewBay editors spoke with Bruce Devlin about his session “Security in the Cloud With IMF.”

TV TECHNOLOGY:How has security evolved alongside new distribution channels of content?

BRUCE DEVLIN: Security seems to evolve based on the revelation of vulnerabilities and also based on design against threat. I see some excellent work in companies like Amazon who are building a security ecosystem that appears to be very strong, but is not necessarily compatible with their competitors’ implementations. I think we will see a couple of major developments coming soon—first is "best practice" for media organizations to be aware of the different security requirements for their organization, and secondly will be the technology to address those requirements, e.g. encryption authentication and trust.

TVT:Should content owners just assume that some security breaches are the cost of the convenience of new, automated versioning technology?

BD: Like all aspects of a business, if you're informed, then you can make good decisions. There will never be (and never has been) perfect security. Content theft has occurred forever. What has changed now is the ability to do it on an industrial scale from a distance. The canny businessman accepts that breaches will continue to occur and will put in place operational practice, good system design and technology to mitigate the effects of the breach. Just like protecting our homes—it is a practical impossibility to keep all burglars out, but we don't have to leave a pile of $100 bills in the hallway to welcome them.

TVT:The advantages to one master/automated versioning are obvious, but is there any kind of security advantage to having content exist in multiple masters for multiple formats (if something is pirated, it's not “reformattable” for every possible display)?

BD: That is an astute observation. By splitting the content up into separate chunks and allowing multiple keys to be used, this is one strategy where the effects of a breach can be mitigated.

TVT:Assuming all parties adopt the recommended protocols: Since recent history tells us there's no such thing as absolute, 100 percent security, where would the weakest link (the most vulnerable part of the chain) be?

BD: It is often the humans who circumvent the best practices because it takes too much time or is just "a pain."

TVT:Is there life for IMF outside of film and television production?

BD: Yes, absolutely—many different types of business and security content need the sorts of tools in IMF for both versioning and tracking. I think it will have a long and rich life.

Bruce is the founder of Mr. MXF Ltd. and co-founder of The Media Bay. He has several consultancy roles including chief media scientist at Dalet and advisor to media companies on technical and business issues.

LOS ANGELES—Thinklogical will use the bright lights of SMPTE 2016 to highlight its new TLX24 matrix switch. This 24-port matrix switch offers end-to-end routing of video and computer peripheral signals, is available with fiber-optic, CATx and hybrid connectivity options, and can be configured as a unidirectional 24x24 or bidirectional 12x12 switch.

The TLX24 delivers a 10Gbps signal path and when combined with TLX extenders can offer pixel-for-pixel transmission and switching of UHD, HDR and 4K DCI resolution video with no visual artifacts, jitter or lost frames, and with computer peripheral responsiveness. It also features a push-button front panel interface for simplified access and control. Any port on the TLX24 can be configured to accommodate any signal format or direction, in or out.

Additional features for the TLX24 include the ability to extend and switch video data up to 80 km over fiber, 100 m over CAT6a; MTBF over 100,000 hours; hot-swappable optical modules; replaceable modular power supply; and System Management Portfolio integration for switch control and management.

Thinklogical will display the TLX24 at its booth, 404, during SMPTE 2016, which gets underway this week.

ALEXANDRIA,VA.—The pace of technology change is rocketing at warp speed, and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, now celebrating its 100th anniversary, stands in the middle of that change. Over the century, SMPTEʼs technology universe has seen a heck of a lot of change, much of which will be on display and under discussion at this yearʼs SMPTE Conference.

SMPTEʼs 2016 Technical Conference and Exhibition, held Oct. 24-28, 2016, in the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, Calif., is actually several events in one. It includes educational sessions, an exhibition and even a student film festival that received more than 250 submissions from nearly 50 countries. In this 100th year of the organization's existence, the SMPTE Conference will also feature its annual Honors & Awards Ceremony, where technology leaders are highlighted for their contributions to the industry.

ENSURING CONTINUITY

For all its looking forward, SMPTE puts forth an effort to remain familiar and accessible to its members, as well as to the attendees at its annual conference.

Jim DeFilippis, SMPTE Conference co-chair

“We have similar sessions to ensure continuity from last year,ˮ said Jim DeFilippis, SMPTE Conference co-chair and blogger for tvtechnology.com. “Focus is on the topics that were new last year and are becoming mainstream, such as high dynamic range video, interoperable master format development and virtual reality, while also continuing the tradition of color management, file workflows, network media infrastructure, cinema, image processing, storage, audio, displays, security, compression and new distribution methods.ˮ

Attracting new blood to the technical side of the business will also be a feature of this yearʼs conference.

“For the second year, we have a special session on diversity in the workforce, focusing on millennials and their early experiences in the workplace,ˮ DeFilippis said. “We focus on providing the latest topics for experienced SMPTE members, and are also mindful that we need to address the younger audience. With the addition of the student film festival as well as the diversity session, we are attracting younger people to the SMPTE Technical Conference.ˮ

The conference location in the Loews Hollywood Hotel is in the middle of Californiaʼs massive film and television industry.

“The location is key and is the epicenter of the Hollywood community,ˮ DiFilippis said. “The venue fits well for SMPTE 2016 with access to dual-session ballrooms, exhibit areas as well as cinemas.ˮ

HOT LOCATION

The Loews Hollywood Hotel, at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland, is a location that has allowed the SMPTE Conference to expand. A few years ago, the conference was mostly contained inside the Loews Hollywood Hotel, which is within the complex.

With the event growing, it has expanded into the facilities on level five of the hotel. There will be a second exhibit hall this year, Centennial Hall, complete with a beer garden, broadcast studio and an exhibit of artifacts from SMPTE founder C. Francis Jenkins. Also being used for this yearʼs conference is the Ray Dolby Ballroom at the hotel, named for the industry icon and multiple SMPTE honoree.

This yearʼs conference will use the Egyptian Theatre, only a block and half away, for the SMPTE-HPA Student Film Festival on the night of Oct. 26.

Barbara Lange, SMPTE executive director

SMPTE celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, and this milestone will be highlighted at the conference. One event with a retro look will be the Honors & Awards ceremony and its after party, which will feature a “Roaring 20sˮ theme. SMPTE is encouraging attendees to dress in their 1920s-inspired cocktail attire.

The 100th anniversary is a big deal to the organization, which started well before television was even demonstrated in a laboratory and when silent films still had a future.

“SMPTE has lasted 100 years because it has played a critical role in the technology development of the industry,ˮ said Barbara Lange, SMPTE executive director. “As an internationally recognized standards body, we bring industry experts together to hash through the tough technical problems that result in interoperability that brings high efficiency to the system. In addition, we educate the industry on these important aspects and technologies, while promoting a healthy network of like-minded, smart individuals. Through these three pillars—standards, education and membership—we remain a relevant organization to this day.ˮ

PRESENTATIONS AND SESSIONS

The conference will have a wide range of presentations and sessions, and it includes a symposium that consumes the first day (Oct. 24) of the conference. Some of the symposium titles include “Want to Know How to Preserve Digitally? Play a Game,ˮ“Enhanced Formats Need Enhanced Archival Brainsˮ and “Why Restore Films Anymore?ˮ

VR will be among the hot topics at this year's SMPTE

The exhibition begins on the second day (Oct. 25) and the next two days are filled with presentations and sessions, as well as action on the exhibition floor. Some of the topics for these presentations include “Networked Media Infrastructure 1 - Topics on IT-Based Media Infrastructure,ˮ “Perceptually-Based Gamut Extension Algorithm for Emerging Wide-Gamut Display and Projection Technology,ˮ “Adapting Content to Different Display Capabilities and Viewing Environments,ˮ “A Modern Approach to HDR Color Timing,ˮ “Broadcast Infrastructure: Cable - Even Less Dead Than Last Yearˮ and “The Special Challenges of Offering High-Quality Experience for VR Video.ˮ

Being recognized by SMPTE for a special achievement, invention or contribution to the industry is a great honor. At this yearʼs SMPTE Conference, the following people will be recognized for their achievements and contributions: Daniel Teruggi, R. Norman Hurst, Peter G. M. Centen, Paul Kellar, Michael F. Korpi, Neil A. Shaw, Johannes Steurer and Thomas G. Edwards. In addition, one paper from this past yearʼs issues of the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal will be singled out for recognition: “Source-Timed SDN Video Switching of Packetized Video,” which was published in the May/June 2016 issue.

To a SMPTE insider, the conference covers so much ground in so many ways that itʼs impossible to pick a favorite.

“From the SMPTE Symposium on preservation to the Women in Technology lunch to the SMPTE-HPA Student Film Festival to an expanded exhibition floor, including a Centennial Museum, to special student events and three days of technical papers, it’s a week full of competing activities,ˮ Lange said. “We will also be delighted to honor the best in the industry at SMPTE’s Honors and Awards Ceremony on Monday, Oct. 24. Last but not least, we end the week with the Centennial Gala, our tribute to this great organization and the people in it.ˮ

For more information on the conference, visit www.smpte.org.

LOS ANGELES—Victoria Alonso, executive vice president of Physical Production for Marvel Studios, will appear in a featured conversation at the annual Women in Technology luncheon on 24 October, presented by Hollywood Professional Association Women in Post and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. The luncheon will be held in conjunction with the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition and will take place at Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood, Calif. The conversation with Alonso will be moderated by Kari Grubin, co-chair of HPA Women In Post and vice president of Mastering at The Walt Disney Studios.

Alonso is an exuberant and consistent voice advocating for women to play key roles in the visual effects sector of the industry. Born in Argentina, she moved to Los Angeles at age 19 to study psychology and drama and quickly realized that she preferred working behind the camera. She began as a production assistant and then discovered her passion in VFX, working at RSA, Digital Domain, Rhythm & Hues, DreamWorks and Sony, before joining Marvel in 2006.

Over the course of her career, Alonso’s credits include an array of VFX-driven projects, including Big Fish, Kingdom of Heaven, Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Iron Man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, and Ant-Man, to name a few. Dr. Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2., Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War are on the horizon between now and 2018.

Alonso was executive producer and executive VP of VFX at Marvel until 2015, when she became one of the few women to ever hold a position as physical production chief at a major studio. She has been a member-at-large of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 2013.

The Women in Technology luncheon is held each year in conjunction with the SMPTE Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition and features industry leaders speaking about engaging and relevant topics. Last year’s featured speaker was AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and previous years have included Michelle Munson, Ron Bailey, Rob Kaufman, Wendy Aylsworth, Jacki Morie, and Poppy Crum. With a limited number of seats, the luncheon consistently sells out, and early registration is encouraged.

Tickets for the Women in Technology luncheon are available with SMPTE 2016 conference registration packages or may be purchased separately as “ticket-only” registration. For registration and other information, visit www.smpte2016.org. Those interested in attending only the Women In Technology luncheon should select ticker-only registration and select “HPA Women In Post and SMPTE Present the Women In Technology Luncheon” from the list of ticketed events.

LOS ANGELES & WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—The Society of Motion Picture and Engineers aren’t “yada-yadaing” over its centennial celebration, though they have tapped “Seinfeld” alum John O’Hurley to handle emcee duties during the Centennial Gala. The actor best known for portraying J. Peterman on the popular sitcom will host the event, which wraps up the annual SMPTE Tech Conference and celebrates the Society’s 100 years of motion-imaging innovation and creativity.

John O'Hurley

In addition to his time on the show about nothing, O’Hurley’s credits include time on Broadway’s “Spamalot” and “Chicago,” as well as voice acting for popular cartoon shows “SpongeBob Square Pants” and “Phineas and Ferb.”

“The more I learn about SMPTE, the more I understand how powerful its influence has been in the entertainment industry,” said O’Hurley. “I look forward to the SMPTE Centennial Gala and celebrating all that the Society has accomplished in helping to make those of us on screen look good and in providing technology that contributes to the industry’s ability to produce engaging content for audiences across the globe.”

The Centennial Gala will feature a cocktail hour, dinner, and live music and entertainment. It will also bestow Honorary Membership on “Avatar” director James Cameron and its most prestigious award, the Progress Medal, to Douglas Trumbull, who worked on visual effects for “2001: A Spacey Odyssey” and “Blade Runner.”

The Centennial Gala is set to take place on Oct. 28 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood, Calif. For more information, visit www.smptegala.org.

LOS ANGELES & WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Celebrating the last 100 years of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers is just too big an event for one hall, so SMPTE has announced that its annual Technical Conference has expanded to a second. The new exhibit space, being referred to as the Centennial Hall, will accommodate more demonstrations of new technology as well as special amenities to celebrate the Society’s special anniversary.

The Centennial Hall will feature a Centennial Exhibit that will showcase SMPTE Founder C. Francis Jenkins artifacts; multivendor interoperability demonstrations of SMPTE Standard 2059 for Internet Protocol Precision Timing; the SMPTE Live Studio; a beer garden; and it will host an Oktoberfest reception on Oct. 26 from 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

SMPTE 2016 is set for Oct. 25-27 at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood, Calif. The event will be preceded on Oct. 24 by the SMPTE 2016 Symposium, and will host the SMPTE Centennial Gala after the conference’s conclusion on Oct. 28. For more information, visit www.smpte2016.org.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—It’s been a year long party for the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers as the organization celebrates turning the big 1-0-0, but the next couple of weeks will include a pair of major anniversaries. The first will be Founder’s Day on July 24, followed by the 100th anniversary of SMPTE’s incorporation on Aug. 10.

Hans Hoffman, Egon Verharen, Barbara Lange, and Simon Fell toast the SMPTE Centennial at the EBU Tech Assembly.

SMPTE was originally founded in 1916 as the Society of Motion Picture Engineers—Television was added later—by C. Francis Jenkins and his contemporaries Paul Brockett, Herbert Miles, Donald J. Bell, Paul H. Cromelin, C.A. Willatt and J.P. Lyons. In its existence, the organization has formulated, formalized and standardized the technical details for many technical advancements in entertainment technology.

As part of its celebration, SMPTE has planned a special August edition of the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal dedicated to the centennial. There will also be a Centennial Exhibit at the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition with early artifacts. In addition, the full history will be chronicled in a new book, “Magic & Miracles: 100 Years of Moving Image Science & Technology” and in a documentary produced by 3 Roads Communications; both will be released in 2017. It all will culminate with the Centennial Gala at Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood, Calif., wrapping up SMPTE 2016 on Oct. 28.

For more information on SMPTE’s celebration, visit www.smpte100.org.

LOS ANGELES & WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—The doors are open for those interested in registering for the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers annual technical conference and exhibition, which will also celebrate the society’s 100th anniversary.

SMPTE 2016 serves as a “forum for the exploration of media and entertainment technology,” per SMPTE’s official press release. Among the topics expected to be discussed during conference sessions at this year’s event include UHDTV high frame rate; wide color gamut; broadcast and IT-based networked media infrastructure; cloud media architectures; new distribution modalities; virtual reality; and more.

Additional events for SMPTE 2016 include the SMPTE Honors & Awards Ceremony; Women in Technology Luncheon; Fellows Luncheon; SMPTE Annual General Membership Meeting; the SMPTE-HPA Student Film Festival; and the SMPTE Centennial Gala.

Tickets are limited, with SMPTE offering early bird registration through Aug. 20.

The SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition will take place from Oct. 24-28 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, Calif.

For more information, please visit www.smpte2016.org.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—If you have a topic involving technical theory, research, innovations and applications for the media technology industry, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers wants to hear from you. SMPTE is now accepting proposals for technical papers for the SMPTE 2016 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition.

Technical papers can cover a wide range of topics, including image acquisition and processing; UHD, color and dynamic range management; restoration and preservation; the future of media distribution; and future media technology.

The deadline for submission of initial abstracts is April 22. Commercial or promotional papers will not be considered. For more information, visit www.smpte2016.org.