PlattForm Advertising is seeing RED

PlattForm Advertising’s Video Production Director, Jason Kerschner, often talks these days about ‘seeing red.’ In this case, he’s not upset, he’s fired up—about an advanced video camera known popularly as The RED—one we now use for filming some of our commercials.

Red isn’t the color of the camera body (of course). RED is the branded nomenclature for a relatively new, and advanced digital motion camera system that is capturing the imagination of video producers, including Jason, and their clients.
So, I asked Jason recently to tell us more about what it means to ‘shoot on the RED.’ Here’s that interview:

LS: Jason, could you define the RED camera for us?

JK: Well, the RED is not a traditional camera, it’s not Film and it’s laying anything down to Video tape. The RED gives us the ability to capture full 4K film resolution images, using film quality Prime lenses all in a digital format. To give you a popular example of what it looks like, Neill Blomkamp and executive producer Peter Jackson used the RED to shoot the Academy Award nominated District 9. And, likewise, David Fincher shot The Social Network on the RED. It’s a high-end look, needless to say.

LS: From a producer’s perspective, what are the advantages of using the RED?

JK: Several things. The aesthetics, for one. I’ll talk more about that in a minute. The immediate advantage for us in the studio or out shooting is that it uses a proprietary single chip 4K CMOS sensor called the MYSTERIUM. We can record to the proprietary drive or to a compact Flash card. The image is stored in RAW data, using a wavelet based compression scheme. In non-technological terms, it eliminates the need for tape or film stock, as well as any processing or digitizing. Meaning the image is 100% digital and file based. This speeds up the process of getting into post-production exponentially, as well as helps us review raw footage in the field.

In addition we have a great deal of available latitude in back-end production. It allows us a wider range of color correction opportunities. Also, because the sensor is the same size as 35mm film, it allows us to use 35mm lens mount systems. In our case we use lenses that were created specifically by RED to use with this camera. However it gives us access to more lenses and increased depth of field without having to change cameras.

LS: Sounds technical but exciting. So, why would a client want you to shoot their commercial using the RED?

JK: It’s a full 1080p high definition, high quality, film-like look. We can achieve greater depth of field in the shots, richer skin tones and colors, and we can go stylized. The camera also offers a variable frame rate so we can shoot specifically for the way we want to edit. Want to have amazing slow-mo? Just change the frame rate.

So, when a client wants to create the high-end theatrical quality look of film, or pull the viewer in with close-ups on faces to highlight emotional appeal, the RED camera would be their first choice for a really impressive result.

LS: I’m guessing you call yourself a REDtrepreneur. Can you show us an example of a commercial you shot using the RED?

JK: I never thought of it that way, but I guess I sort of am. In the 15 years I have been in the Television, Film and Video business I have never seen a camera that can give you the flexibility and the quality that RED can. Here's one of my favorite spots that we've shot using the RED camera: