KCET-TV has chosen Sony’s XDCAM HD system to shoot the new PBS series “Wired Science.” The optical disc-based system was used to shoot the show’s premiere season, which is currently airing. According to the production team, the HD tapeless workflow offers unique efficiencies for capturing and editing material that far exceed their previous tape-based experiences.
The team, headed by Gordon Bell, VP of engineering and operations, shot more than 300 hours of footage for the 10-week series using three Sony PDW-F350 HD optical camcorders.
The camera was favored for its small, lightweight design, SD/HD switchable recording and 24p look as well as special features such as time lapse and slow shutter. The system’s flexibility also allowed the crew to shoot footage from multiple vantage points simultaneously. Bell noted that instead of having to stop shooting and match up the white balance for each camera when the scene changed, the crew could simply instruct each other via walkie talkie to dial in a specific color temperature so all cameras would match.
Additionally, the immediate, random access to digitized material enabled the crew to turnaround footage quickly. “The file-based nature of the PDW-F350 camcorder is a definite asset, making it possible to take a proxy file, flip it into the editing system, start editing immediately and eliminate the amount of digitizing time,” Bell said.
The “Wired Science” team also uses Sony’s HVR-V1U HDV professional camcorders to capture specific shots that required smaller or more mobile equipment.
For more information, visit www.sony.com.
