ATC Introduction
From REMAP
We are developing the technologies for an on-set network that senses, reports and records the conditions of media production, using technologies that will be commercially available within five years. Our primary focus is on supporting the day-to-day work of cinematographers and directors on the set, and we expect the technologies will also provide extremely useful information for post-production and production management.
The new technologies of intelligent environments and ubiquitous computing have changed our thinking about the future of the home, office, and highway. But they have also made practical contributions to our lives today. The modern car is a good example: it dynamically adjusts suspension, brake pressure, and fuel injection based on the changing environment and its “perception” of the driver’s needs. The driver is undeniably in control, but the car’s awareness of its surroundings makes the experience safer and the vehicle more responsive. Filmmaking equipment, part of a process that can require far more attention and nuanced control than driving, is rarely designed to “know” where it is or what it’s doing, much less adapt to these conditions. At every step of a shoot, human beings must keep track of the location and state of each piece of equipment, each prop, and each actor. There is no broad-ranging system to assist filmmakers in observing the conditions of production. For example, once decisions are made about the color temperature of certain lights, a focus pulling sequence, or where an actor should stand to be in focus, the complex mechanical coordination of modern film production makes these choices hard—or at least expensive—to change. Digital post-production and computer graphics require even more precision from the cast and crew, which hinders experimentation and improvisation.
Technologies being developed at UCLA for “smart rooms” and other ubiquitous computing applications can return flexibility to intricate, technically complex shoots and assist with the daily grind of production. Simple automation is little more than a novelty; cruise control is a boring way to drive. These technologies’ usefulness will come from making the production environment more responsive and lowering the time and cost of testing and realizing complex shots.
