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GLOSSARY
The Digital Cinema revolution has created new terms and redefined others; to try and demystify some of these, I have created a GLOSSARY of common Digital Cinema terms.
ARRIRAW
ARRIRAW is a Raw codec (see RAW below) similar to R3D and CinemaDNG that contains unaltered Bayer sensor information.
Digital Imaging Technician (DIT)
A digital imaging technician (DIT) works in collaboration with a cinematographer on workflow, systemization, signal integrity and image manipulation to achieve the highest image quality and creative goals of cinematography in the digital realm. A DIT's role is especially prevalent with the widespread use of digital imaging technology, and to assist cinematographers normally accustomed to film stock in achieving their desired look. They may also be in charge of transferring and managing the image data. The Digital Imaging Technician is a relatively new position on a motion picture set. The position was created as a response to the transition from the long established film medium into digital cinema, which utilizes various formats like HD, 2K, and 4K. Since digital sensors react much differently to light than film in many situations, the DIT's job is to work with the cinematographer and help achieve the best results. This includes but is not limited to: monitoring exposure, setting up "look up tables" (LUTs), camera settings, and media management. (source: Wikipedia)
Digital Workflow
This refers to the processes involved in capturing, monitoring, processing and archiving of your Digital Cinema footage. Prior to any project starting it is advisable that a Digital Workflow document is produced so that the whole production and post-production team on the job are all on the same page. This is an invaluable tool to the production/producing team as it helps them to budget, plan the logisitics and alleviates any possible surprises or issues cropping up with your footage during or after a project has wrapped. It is the DIT's responsibility to produce the Digital Workflow document.
Linear Tape-Open (LTO)
LTO archiving has become the archival choice for digital cinema workflows. During the shoot and through post production your footage lives on hard drives; whether it be RAID or single drives they can fail or be corrupted. LTO Tapes serve as a vital backup ensuring you have your footage safe during production and in years to come. For example, on a typical project we would create two LTO tape copies and one spinning disc (RAID or Server) copy, giving you three copies of your footage offering ample redundancy and piece of mind that your footage is safe.
Log
The Log curve is a logarithmic encoding of the scene, meaning that the relation between exposure measured in stops and the signal is constant over a wide range. Each stop of exposure increases the signal by the same amount. The overall shape of the Log C curve is similar to the exposure curves of film negatives. Because of fundamental differences between a sensor and negative film, however, the colour characteristics remain different. (source: ARRI Media)
R3D
R3D is RED Digital Cinemas proprietary RAW codec and is the file extension for footage recorded on camera. Both images and audio are encapsulated in the R3D container.
R3D Transcoding
The RED camera records to its own proprietary codec so (see R3D) the best and most efficient post production workflow is to transcode/convert the R3D RAW footage into a file format that is native to the non-linear editor that will be used. For example, DNxHD MXF for Avid or ProRes for Final Cut Pro. This is much like the telecine process that celluloid film goes through.
RAW
The benefits of RAW are that you have the ability to freely adjust white balance, exposure and many other image attributes after the footage has been recorded. In essence RAW footage is much like film but instead of celluloid you have digital files that go through a digital telecine process.
RED Rocket
The RED Rocket card enables you to decode and debayer 4K R3D files in real-time. It allows accelerated transcoding to any system codec (Avid, FCP, Premiere, DPX, etc). This enables you to leave the set with files that any modern post house can ingest and start working with immediately. Before this card existed you would be in for lengthy render times or have very low quality offline files to work with.
Rec709
Rec709 is a display specific encoding. Rec709 maps the actual contrast and colour range of the scene to the total contrast range that a display device is able to reproduce. The purpose is to directly provide a visually correct representation of the captured material when it is screened on an HDTV monitor. Rec709 is mainly used to monitor what is or has been recorded but normally modern digital cinema cameras are set to record with Log encoding (see Log).
Solid-State Drive (SSD)
A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store data in the same manner of a traditional hard disk drive. SSDs are distinguished from traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), which are electromechanical devices containing spinning disks and movable read/write heads. Compared to electromechanical HDDs, SSDs are typically less susceptible to physical shock, are silent, and have lower access time and latency. RED Digital Cinema have created the RED MAG SSD; giving users increased recording times and improved media security.
ARRIRAW
ARRIRAW is a Raw codec (see RAW below) similar to R3D and CinemaDNG that contains unaltered Bayer sensor information.
Digital Imaging Technician (DIT)
A digital imaging technician (DIT) works in collaboration with a cinematographer on workflow, systemization, signal integrity and image manipulation to achieve the highest image quality and creative goals of cinematography in the digital realm. A DIT's role is especially prevalent with the widespread use of digital imaging technology, and to assist cinematographers normally accustomed to film stock in achieving their desired look. They may also be in charge of transferring and managing the image data. The Digital Imaging Technician is a relatively new position on a motion picture set. The position was created as a response to the transition from the long established film medium into digital cinema, which utilizes various formats like HD, 2K, and 4K. Since digital sensors react much differently to light than film in many situations, the DIT's job is to work with the cinematographer and help achieve the best results. This includes but is not limited to: monitoring exposure, setting up "look up tables" (LUTs), camera settings, and media management. (source: Wikipedia)
Digital Workflow
This refers to the processes involved in capturing, monitoring, processing and archiving of your Digital Cinema footage. Prior to any project starting it is advisable that a Digital Workflow document is produced so that the whole production and post-production team on the job are all on the same page. This is an invaluable tool to the production/producing team as it helps them to budget, plan the logisitics and alleviates any possible surprises or issues cropping up with your footage during or after a project has wrapped. It is the DIT's responsibility to produce the Digital Workflow document.
Linear Tape-Open (LTO)
LTO archiving has become the archival choice for digital cinema workflows. During the shoot and through post production your footage lives on hard drives; whether it be RAID or single drives they can fail or be corrupted. LTO Tapes serve as a vital backup ensuring you have your footage safe during production and in years to come. For example, on a typical project we would create two LTO tape copies and one spinning disc (RAID or Server) copy, giving you three copies of your footage offering ample redundancy and piece of mind that your footage is safe.
Log
The Log curve is a logarithmic encoding of the scene, meaning that the relation between exposure measured in stops and the signal is constant over a wide range. Each stop of exposure increases the signal by the same amount. The overall shape of the Log C curve is similar to the exposure curves of film negatives. Because of fundamental differences between a sensor and negative film, however, the colour characteristics remain different. (source: ARRI Media)
R3D
R3D is RED Digital Cinemas proprietary RAW codec and is the file extension for footage recorded on camera. Both images and audio are encapsulated in the R3D container.
R3D Transcoding
The RED camera records to its own proprietary codec so (see R3D) the best and most efficient post production workflow is to transcode/convert the R3D RAW footage into a file format that is native to the non-linear editor that will be used. For example, DNxHD MXF for Avid or ProRes for Final Cut Pro. This is much like the telecine process that celluloid film goes through.
RAW
The benefits of RAW are that you have the ability to freely adjust white balance, exposure and many other image attributes after the footage has been recorded. In essence RAW footage is much like film but instead of celluloid you have digital files that go through a digital telecine process.
RED Rocket
The RED Rocket card enables you to decode and debayer 4K R3D files in real-time. It allows accelerated transcoding to any system codec (Avid, FCP, Premiere, DPX, etc). This enables you to leave the set with files that any modern post house can ingest and start working with immediately. Before this card existed you would be in for lengthy render times or have very low quality offline files to work with.
Rec709
Rec709 is a display specific encoding. Rec709 maps the actual contrast and colour range of the scene to the total contrast range that a display device is able to reproduce. The purpose is to directly provide a visually correct representation of the captured material when it is screened on an HDTV monitor. Rec709 is mainly used to monitor what is or has been recorded but normally modern digital cinema cameras are set to record with Log encoding (see Log).
Solid-State Drive (SSD)
A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store data in the same manner of a traditional hard disk drive. SSDs are distinguished from traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), which are electromechanical devices containing spinning disks and movable read/write heads. Compared to electromechanical HDDs, SSDs are typically less susceptible to physical shock, are silent, and have lower access time and latency. RED Digital Cinema have created the RED MAG SSD; giving users increased recording times and improved media security.
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