ALEXA automatically sends metadata over the SDI output and to the SxS module. The metadata provides information about camera hardware and software, relevant camera settings, look information, reel and clip IDs stored on the SxS cards as well as some production credits. The ALEXA Plus in addition can provide handy lens data information, if the LDS system is used, and data from the roll and tilt sensors.
read more...

ALEXAs running Software 4.x and higher can use user-defined looks to customize the rendering of the video image. When a look file is activated, it travels as metadata in recorded QuickTime ProRes clips and in the SDI output. The user can decide which output (EVF, MON, REC, SxS) get an image with applied look. Typically this is the only the monitoring output, even though it is also possible to the have the look baked into the material that is recorded on SxS or as HD video over SDI. ARRIRAW always carries the look as metadata only.
An ARRI look file contains controls for saturation, printer light (RGB offsets) as well as the ASC color decision list (CDL) parameters slope/offset/power. Optionally, a look file may also include a freeform curve (grey scale tone map LUT) that would be applied instead of the standard Log C to Video transform. The ARRI Look Creator (Mac only) is a simple tool providing controls to create looks based on Log C DPX grabs taken from an ALEXA.
For more information, please check the ARRI Look Creator Quick Guide and ARRI Look Files White Paper.

The uncompressed ARRIRAW signal can be recorded by a number of third party on-board recorders. To facilitate the selection of suitable recording equipment, ARRI introduced the ARRIRAW recording certificate. This certificate indicates that a product can reliably record ARRIRRAW data including all metadata, deliver a live-processed preview and play back image and that the recording system outputs data that can be processed with the standard ARRIRAW toolkit.

* Additional functions are not part of the ARRIRAW Recording Certificate.

* Additional functions are not part of the ARRIRAW Recording Certificate.

* Additional functions are not part of the ARRIRAW Recording Certificate.

* Additional functions are not part of the ARRIRAW Recording Certificate.

A recorder’s magazine usually is offloaded using a hardware docking solution, that will provide the means to copy the recorded material and perform a checksum calculation, comparing the material on the original media to the copies, to verify the data integrity.

Productions recorded in ARRIRAW generally rely on proxy files for a first picture check, dailies and offline edit. These files can be obtained as ProRes clips directly from the camera, during offload from the magazine or in a separate transcoding step.
When ARRIRAW material is processed, the output typically is Log C encoded, which looks very flat with desaturated colors, but in fact represents ideal material for color grading without obstructions of the Rec709 video characteristics. For dailies, however, the ARRIRAW SDK can be set to directly deliver a Rec709 video output. If ARRI Look Files were created and used during the shoot, the ARRIRAW SDK can extract them and deliver the dailies including the intended look. For more information about ARRI Look Files, please check the ARRI Look Creator Quick Guide and ARRI Look Files White Paper

With an ALEXA, QuickTime/ProRes video proxies can be generated directly in the camera and recorded to SxS cards. The recorded clips carry the exact same images, audio, time code and metadata as the online HD or ARRIRAW material. As an example, the ProRes proxies could be recorded in Rec709 with desired look baked in as ProRes422HQ or ProRes422 movie clips.
The ARRIRAW recorder would display an error message or even refuse running if a cable were not plugged in correctly or if it the input signal did not match the recorder settings. Error messages, however, can easily be overlooked. Therefore, as a safety, it is highly recommended to continuously view the main recorder’s monitoring output. Once online and offline material are brought into post, the data handler should perform a sanity check and verify that each offline clip is accompanied by corresponding online material.

A very elegant way to obtain dailies is available through the system provided by Codex Digital. Their machines present the recorded material using a virtual file system, which can be configured to offer a wide range of different file formats for postproduction, viewing, and archival purposes. When a magazine is accessed through a network connection, material that was recorded with a Codex machine shows up in the previously selected file formats. None of the files actually exist until they are opened or copied (hence the term “virtual”). The Codex system will generate what you want on-demand, and on-the-fly.
For dailies, the material could be accessed, for example as AVI, MOV or Avid MXF files in desired resolution and compression along with the original ARRIRAW material. To find out more about Codex Digital, please visit their website at www.codexdigital.com

ARRIRAW dailies can be created using a number of different software and hardware tools that have native support for the format, next to ARRI’s free software, the ARRIRAW Converter. A lot of these applications were built for mastering, meaning they provide the advantage of having color-corrected dailies. Processing ARRIRAW material is fairly easy. All settings made in the camera during the shoot are handed on as metadata in the ARRIRAW files and automatically are applied for the image processing. If look files were used during the shoot, there is no need to send them along for dailies creation. ARRI Look Files are automatically available from any frame of the ARRIRAW material. If desired, the operator can always take control and manually override certain settings, to e.g. process files with a different white balance. To find out which products support ARRIRAW, please have a look at our ARRIRAW processing overview.

Keeping the material in raw format as long as possible maintains the highest image quality standard while providing additional possibilities for the creative. Parameters like ASA rating and white balance, for example, can be altered to provide an optimized basis for image operations that work on the resulting RGB images. If a part of the image needs to be cropped, rendering to a larger output resolution delivers superior quality than rescaling the image after the crop.
There is an increasing number of postproduction tools from ARRI partner companies that can work directly on ARRIRAW material. Some only use ARRI’s color management and work with their own de-bayer algorithms and some integrate the ARRIRAW SDK, in which case they get both ARRI’s best quality de-bayer and color science. Please have a look at the ARRIRAW processing overview to find out which tools are available from our partner companies. When ARRIRAW material is processed, the output typically is Log C encoded. For 3D and compositing, Log C material can be converted to linear exposure and back using LUTs available from the ARRI LUT Generator, which is available at www.arri.com/camera/digital_cameras/tools/lut_generator.html. For additional information how to use Log C material in VFX, please have a look at the ALEXA Log C Curve documenation.
When producing the deliveries, the material needs to be converted for display on HDTV or digital cinema projection. If a project will be printed to film, one option is to apply a 3D LUT that maintains Log C encoding, but performs a color transformation to film color space. Another option is to convert the material to Rec709 video and let the film printer’s color management take care of the rest. The required conversion LUTs can be obtained from the ARRI LUT Generator.
Using ARRI look files and Log C recording is a good way to convey the look that was intended into the grading suite. The grading artist easily can convert ARRI look files can into 3D LUT files for his mastering tool and apply them to get a preview of what the DP had in mind. It is important to understand that by no means, this could replace a color grading session. It merely represents a very effective alternative to sending photoshopped digital stills.

ALEXA automatically sends metadata over the SDI output and to the SxS module. The metadata provides information about camera hardware and software, relevant camera settings, look information, reel and clip IDs stored on the SxS cards as well as some production credits. The ALEXA Plus in addition can provide handy lens data information, if the LDS system is used, and data from the roll and tilt sensors.
read more...

ALEXAs running Software 4.x and higher can use user-defined looks to customize the rendering of the video image. When a look file is activated, it travels as metadata in recorded QuickTime ProRes clips and in the SDI output. The user can decide which output (EVF, MON, REC, SxS) gets an image with applied look. Typically, it is desired that only the outputs used for monitoring show an image including a look, whereas the recorded material remains untouched (also referred to as non-destructive mode). It is also possible to have the look baked into the recorded material on the SxS Pro cards or as HD video over SDI (also referred to destructive mode). ARRIRAW always carries the look as metadata only (non-destructive).
An ARRI look file contains controls for saturation, printer light (RGB offsets) as well as the ASC color decision list (CDL) parameters slope/offset/power. Optionally, a look file may also include a freeform curve (grey scale tone map LUT) that would be applied instead of the standard Log C to Video transform. The ARRI Look Creator (Mac only) is a simple tool providing controls to create looks based on Log C DPX grabs taken from an ALEXA.
For more information, please check the ARRI Look Creator Quick Guide and ARRI Look Files White Paper.

ALEXA cameras are equipped with an SxS storage module that takes two Sony SxS Pro cards. For increased security, the camera can record the same QuickTime clips to both cards simultaneously (dual recording). If, in the future, better, faster storage options become available, the storage module can easily be replaced.
Sony SxS Pro cards currently are available at 32GB capacity. At 24 fps, the approximate* recording time is:

• 20 minutes using ProRes 422HQ
• 13 minutes using ProRes 4444

*Note: As ProRes is a variable bit rate codec, the exact recording time per card will vary depending on the captured scene content.

Ever transferred pictures from your digital camera and later on noticed that an image was not copied properly, but you already reformatted the memory card? Now imagine this happening with “the one take” of an airborne police car crashing into a hovering helicopter. When the recorded material is transferred from the original media, this should never be done using a simple file copy. There are different software and hardware solutions available that will copy a file to one or several destinations and perform a checksum calculation, comparing the material on the original media to the copies, to verify the data integrity.
The price for such tools ranges from free to several thousand dollars, depending on how convenient and easy to use the solution should be.

• Rsync is a free terminal application. It requires a computer expert to run a verified data transfer and even then, is rather cumbersome to use.
• For less than $100, there are more convenient applications like Shot Put Pro or Al3xa Data Manager that can also be used by normal computer users.
• Silverstack Set costs $650, but offers a lot more than just verified copy. The program keeps all material in a database, can edit and export the metadata, provides a simple interface for quality control feedback and can create ARRI Look Files as well as extract and modify look files from ALEXA ProRes material.
• Codex Digital recently introduced a device named Vault, which follows their concept of the digital lab on the set, but for SxS cards instead of their recorder’s magazines. The fully featured version is a powerful standalone unit that handles a secure data transfer, can be used to directly playback or export dailies and it provides a data management and metadata server.

SxS memory cards can be read by laptops that are equipped with an ExpressCard/34 slot (PCI-Express interface), such as the latest 17” MacBook Pro or various Windows Notebooks. Other, external options are the rather slow Sony SBAC-US10 (USB 2.0), the universal and quite fast Sonnet Qio (PCIe) and, coming soon, the Sonnet Echo ExpressCard/34 Thunderbolt Adapter. Please note: There are a number of low-priced ExpressCard/34 adapters that only support the USB2.0 interface/bus and therefore will not work with the SxS Pro cards.

Productions shot in Rec709 have direct dailies, as the ProRes clips can be played back immediately without any transcoding.
Material that was shot in Log C looks very flat with desaturated colors. In order to show a grayscale characteristic and color reproduction that is more suitable for display, the images have to be tone-mapped and transformed into the target color space. This can be achieved by applying a 3 dimensional look up table (3D LUT) to the Log C material, either directly in the editing application or in dedicated dailies creation tools. A list of tools that can be used to create dailies can be found in the ProRes Editing Overview . ARRI provides 3D LUTs for most tools through the ARRI LUT Generator, which is available at www.arri.com/camera/digital_cameras/tools/lut_generator.html. learn about applying 3D LUTs in different applications, please have a look at one of the howto documents.
If ARRI Look Files were created and used during the shoot, they can also be uploaded to the ARRI LUT Generator in order to retrieve 3D LUTs including the image adjustments from the look file. That way, the dailies and edit material can be delivered including the intended look. For more information about ARRI Look Files, please check the ARRI Look Creator Quick Guide and ARRI Look Files White Paper

Post houses offering a HDTV post pipeline should be able to handle ProRes encoded QuickTime clips without problems. A list of tools that could be used for mastering can be found in the ProRes Editing Overview.
For 3D and compositing, Log C material can be converted to linear exposure and back using LUTs available from the ARRI LUT Generator, which is available at www.arri.com/camera/digital_cameras/tools/lut_generator.html. For additional information how to use Log C material in VFX, please have a look at the ALEXA Log C Curve documenation.
When producing the deliveries, the material needs to be converted for display on HDTV or digital cinema projection. If a project will be printed to film, one option is to apply a 3D LUT that maintains Log C encoding, but performs a color transformation to film color space. Another option is to convert the material to Rec709 video and let the film printer’s color management take care of the rest. The required conversion LUTs can be obtained from the ARRI LUT Generator.
Using ARRI look files and Log C recording is a good way to convey the look that was intended into the grading suite. The grading artist easily can convert ARRI look files can into 3D LUT files for his mastering tool and apply them to get a preview of what the DP had in mind. It is important to understand that by no means, this could replace a color grading session. It merely represents a very effective alternative to sending photoshopped digital stills.

ALEXA automatically sends metadata over the SDI output and to the SxS module. The metadata provides information about camera hardware and software, relevant camera settings, look information, reel and clip IDs stored on the SxS cards as well as some production credits. The ALEXA Plus in addition can provide handy lens data information, if the LDS system is used, and data from the roll and tilt sensors.
read more...

ALEXAs running Software 4.x and higher can use user-defined looks to customize the rendering of the video image. When a look file is activated, it travels as metadata in recorded QuickTime ProRes clips and in the SDI output. The user can decide which output (EVF, MON, REC, SxS) get an image with applied look. Typically this is the only the monitoring output, even though it is also possible to the have the look baked into the material that is recorded on SxS or as HD video over SDI. ARRIRAW always carries the look as metadata only.
An ARRI look file contains controls for saturation, printer light (RGB offsets) as well as the ASC color decision list (CDL) parameters slope/offset/power. Optionally, a look file may also include a freeform curve (grey scale tone map LUT) that would be applied instead of the standard Log C to Video transform. The ARRI Look Creator (Mac only) is a simple tool providing controls to create looks based on Log C DPX grabs taken from an ALEXA.
For more information, please check the ARRI Look Creator Quick Guide and ARRI Look Files White Paper.

The camera delivers uncompressed HD video over a standard HD-SDI connection, which makes it compatible with a large range of recording systems. Which solution is the best for the job needs to be decided based on attributes such as ruggedness, size, weight, power consumption, type of image compression or uncompressed recording, supported frame rates, integrated monitoring and so on.
In any case, it is highly recommended to involve postproduction supervisor when selecting a recording system, as this has a great impact on the efficiency of the overall workflow.

When the recorded material is transferred from the original media, this should never be done using a simple file copy. A file copy should always be verified using checksum calculation, i.e. a comparison of material on the original media to the copies, to verify the data integrity. Hardware docking stations for the bigger recorders usually offer an automated verification of data as it is copied off the magazines.

Productions shot directly as Rec 709 video hardly need to make use of proxies as modern system can playback uncompressed HD video without any problem.
Material that was shot in Log C looks very flat with desaturated colors. In order to show a grayscale characteristic and color reproduction that is more suitable for display, the images have to be tone-mapped and transformed into the target color space. This can be achieved by applying a 3 dimensional look up table (3D LUT) to the Log C material, either directly in the editing application or in dedicated dailies creation tools. Another option is to use the in-camera recording option and let the camera produce the dailies as ProRes clips on SxS cards.

With an ALEXA, QuickTime/ProRes video proxies can be generated directly in the camera and recorded to SxS cards. The recorded clips carry the exact same images, audio, time code and metadata as the online HD or ARRIRAW material. As an example, the ProRes proxies could be recorded in Rec709 with desired look baked in as ProRes422HQ or ProRes422 movie clips.
Recorders connected to the camera would display an error message or even refuse running if a cable were not plugged in correctly or if it the input signal did not match the recorder settings. Error messages, however, can easily be overlooked. Therefore, as a safety, it is highly recommended to continuously view the main recorder’s monitoring output. Once online and offline material are brought into post, the data handler should perform a sanity check and verify that each offline clip is accompanied by corresponding online material.

The advantage of using postproduction software to create video proxies is the possibility to create color-corrected material. There are a number of grading and effects applications that can read and write ProRes QuickTime movies and some that also can export to other popular editing formats, such as Avid’s DNxHD.
For the Log C to video conversion, ARRI provides 3D LUTs for most tools through the ARRI LUT Generator, which is available at www.arri.com/camera/digital_cameras/tools/lut_generator.html. To learn about applying 3D LUTs in different applications, please have a look at one of the howto documents.
If ARRI Look Files were created and used during the shoot, they can also be uploaded to the ARRI LUT Generator in order to retrieve 3D LUTs including the image adjustments from the look file. That way, the dailies and edit material can be delivered including the intended look. For more information about ARRI Look Files, please check the ARRI Look Creator Quick Guide and ARRI Look Files White Paper.

Post houses offering a HDTV post pipeline should be able to handle any flavor of uncompressed or compressed HD, delivered from the recorder.
For 3D and compositing, Log C material can be converted to linear exposure and back using LUTs available from the ARRI LUT Generator, which is available at www.arri.com/camera/digital_cameras/tools/lut_generator.html. For additional information how to use Log C material in VFX, please have a look at the ALEXA Log C Curve documenation.
When producing the deliveries, the material needs to be converted for display on HDTV or digital cinema projection. If a project will be printed to film, one option is to apply a 3D LUT that maintains Log C encoding, but performs a color transformation to film color space. Another option is to convert the material to Rec709 video and let the film printer’s color management take care of the rest. The required conversion LUTs can be obtained from the ARRI LUT Generator.
Using ARRI look files and Log C recording is a good way to convey the look that was intended into the grading suite. The grading artist easily can convert ARRI look files can into 3D LUT files for his mastering tool and apply them to get a preview of what the DP had in mind. It is important to understand that by no means, this could replace a color grading session. It merely represents a very effective alternative to sending photoshopped digital stills.