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Dear Friends and Colleagues
Dr. Martin Prillmann (left),
Franz Kraus (right)
From the frozen Arctic wastes to the precious frescos of the Sistine Chapel – ARRI products have
created unforgettable images at extraordinary locations all over the world in recent months, as the
stories in this issue testify. ALEXA, of course, is the biggest story for us this year, and we’ve been
looking forward to revealing the details of this groundbreaking camera for some time. In fact,
ALEXA is more than a camera; it’s an entire production system. During its development, we’ve had
to address the fact that our industry is changing fast, and the needs of our customers with it. We
must pay more attention than ever to pragmatic concerns such as providing our customers with
genuinely innovative and future-proof tools that will give them an edge now, and prove a sound
investment for years to come.
With exchangeable electronics, recording systems and lens mounts, ALEXA is both equipped for
today and ready for tomorrow. Perhaps most important of all, however, are the camera’s workflow
solutions. Simplicity and choice seem to be the watchwords when it comes to workflow, both of
which we’ve made integral to the ALEXA concept. Our Direct to Edit feature inordinately simplifies
access to image and audio, delivering time and cost savings that will mark a real milestone in the
evolution of production processes. In response to the emergence of workflow as a factor that can
determine every technical decision made on a production, we have assembled a dedicated taskforce
to explore workflow issues and disseminate expert information. The Digital Workflow Solutions
Group is a comprehensive point of contact to assist you on your path towards the digital future.
Film still excites and inspires us. As an acquisition format, an exhibition format and an archive format,
film remains a lynchpin of the motion picture industry. The discovery of lost reels from Fritz Lang’s
M E T RO P O L I S in Argentina and the restoration of early Lumière films in France constitute a vital
reclamation of our cinematic heritage. Both projects were digitized with the ARRISCAN and both
took advantage of new developments such as the archive gate and the sprocketless drive. At the
front end, too, innovation drives film technology forward. Our improved 2-perforation movements
for the ARRICAM cameras achieve new heights of engineering precision, and rewrite the rules on the
affordability of 35 mm acquisition. The new HD-IVS Video assist units deliver for both, ARRICAM
and the ARRIFLEX 435, pristine, high definition monitor images on set, and provide the basis for
efficient postproduction workflow thanks to innovative features such as Ground Glass Cancelation.
ARRI lighting technology continues to stride ahead as well: just as the ARRIMAX raised the bar at the
top of the wattage scale, the M18 and AS18 are now redefining performance standards at the lower
end, offering unprecedented light output – “straight out of a household power outlet,” as our American
friends enthusiastically proclaim. Here, as with all of our products, communication with end users and
a truly interdisciplinary approach have provided the basis for success.
Dr. Martin Prillmann
Franz Kraus
E d i t o r i a l