HD Today Featured Article

Low-budget solution via HD

Sillwood Films found two solutions for the production of their latest film, SAXON: one was a specially-structured tax rebate scheme for investors, and

the other was to use High Definition.

SAXON follows ex convict Eddie back to the corrupt housing estate where he grew up, to investigate the disappearance of a local TV quiz champion.

Sillwood call it “Unforgiven meets Trainspotting” after the triggerstreet.com review of the script, although the producers know that, unlike those two ground breaking greats, this is a micro-budget Britfilm with a breathtakingly modest budget.

Sillwood also offered investors a 20% tax rebate on their investment through a special EIS (Enterprise Investment Scheme) structured by lawyers Bolt-Burdon and Drew & Co, with the accounting side handled by Derek Rothera & Co.

Says SAXON Producer Elise Valmorbida: Using HD made it financially possible to make the film. To start with, the stock is cheaper; Then we did our own off-line edit and we didn’t have to spend extra funds getting master footage transferred to digital for post-production, as you would for conventional film. Also, screening the off-line version at VMI’s screening room gave some essential feedback from viewers which we were able to work into the film to make it much tighter – this is something we would definitely do again.

Also, shooting in HD meant we could be very speedy and economical throughout the actual production and we could check footage as we went along. HD was great for the night shots. It worked beautifully for the close-up intimacy of the cinematography which the director desired. We used a Sony HDW-F900 camera with Canon DigiPrime lenses from VMI, so that we could get a good cinematic range of focus and depth of field. All the camerawork was hand-held. It was a dream watching the cinematographer and the focus-puller work together. Actually, much like a waltz.

More information about SAXON can be found at www.saxonthefilm.com

Introduction to VMI Broadcast Rental

Established in 1979, VMI are one of the success stories of the new generation of Digital facilities companies in the UK specialising in quality HD Camcorder hire for drama, feature and documentary productions. We support every HD format for camera rental including HDCAM SR, HDCAM, Varicam, XDCam HD, XDCAM EX, P2 and SD formats and also supply VTR hire as well.

VMI specialise in supplying quality HD Camera hire and broadcast hire plus grip equipment for drama, feature and documentary productions. We support every HD format for camera rental including HDCAM SR, HDCAM, Varicam, XDCam HD, P2 and SD formats and also supply VTR hire as well.

VMI operate out of 3 London offices: the North London office is the main equipment prep area which includes camera test rooms; HD post production is located at West Digital in Shepherds Bush and the Soho office includes a 16 seat HD screening room and client hospitality area.

VMI also has a specialist HD film unit specifically set to provide support for feature films. This department includes assessing film finance subsidies to part defer charges for camera hire, post production and screening facilities. Over the last 3 years, VMI have been involved in the production of approaching 50 feature films supplying HD hire on these projects and has taken investments in many of them.

VMI have been recognised for excellence winning many awards including Hire Company of the year, Broadcast Camera Hire Company of the year and also the Natwest Business award for good business practise; VMI is a recognised Investors in People company in for its training and staff development.

To ensure that clients are equipped to cope with the rapid advance of technological progress, VMI also run seminars and camera courses on High Definition production - Over 100 DoPs have attended VMI courses to shoot on HD, all of which are now shooting HD features, dramas and documentaries.

With such vast HD experience, VMI has made the conversion to HD both painless and enjoyable. We encourage face to face meetings with clients to discuss the choice of HD equipment and project-manage the programme migration, oversee post-production route and advise on such technical issues such as format, frame rate and delivery.

Our staff are well trained in HD and this ensures that we can advise clients well. VMI offer free camera testing facilities for the crew and viewing facilities for the production company and every HD production receives a free screening in our HD screening room- all of which explains why VMI is number 1 for HD Camcorder hire.