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How the Work Flows… Future Proof
The ALEXA system represents the most versatile,
fastest and smoothest method to get
images, audio and metadata from the set
to post and distribution. This is achieved
through a multitude of output options, support
for Direct to Edit workflows, rich metadata
and integrated color management.
The ALEXA camera is unique in that it can
simultaneously record Apple ProRes files,
output uncompressed HD-SDI video and
uncompressed ARRIRAW data. This output
versatility makes it ideal for a myriad of
productions and workflows from telenovelas
to feature films.
As one of only a handful of companies that
have licensed the ProRes codec, ARRI has
worked closely with Apple on creating
camera electronics that can encode images
with the ProRes codec and combine them
with audio and metadata into QuickTime
files in real time. The Apple ProRes codec
family provides an unparalleled combination
of multi-stream, real-time editing performance
coupled with impressive image
quality for 1920 x 1080 HD or 2K at reduced
storage rates. The availability of
such a high powered codec for ALEXA is a
revolutionary step that offers a number of
dramatic improvements for straight on-line
as well as for off-line/on-line workflows,
collectively known as “Direct to Edit” (DTE).
Productions that need to get HD images as
quickly as possible from the camera into post
can record QuickTime/ProRes files onto the
on-board SxS cards, pop the cards into a
laptop and start editing immediately. This is
the fastest and simplest method for increasing
production efficiency through tapeless,
filed-based recording. Recording the content
in the same codec that is natively used by
the Final Cut Pro editing software removes
the hassle of transcoding and takes full advantage
of the speed and power of the
editing software. Furthermore, the extremely
high quality of the ProRes 422 (HQ) and
4444 codecs means that the edited result
can be immediately distributed.
Productions that choose to record in uncompressed
HD or ARRIRAW for an off-line/online
workflow gain another benefit: the
QuickTime/ProRes off-line editing proxy is
created directly in the camera, carrying the
exact same images, audio, timecode and
metadata as the on-line HD or ARRIRAW
material. This removes the time-consuming
extra step of ingesting and creating an offline
copy, plus it ensures complete congruency
between off-line and on-line versions.
As the best recording media for Apple
ProRes files, ARRI has chosen SxS cards
because of their high data throughput.
Two SxS cards can be slotted into a module
on the camera’s left side for convenient
on-board recording of QuickTime/ProRes
files.
Smoothing out the workflow is rich metadata
in the QuickTime headers, a separate
XML file, the HD-SDI video stream and
ARRIRAW files. ALEXA generates all the
necessary information right in the camera
in the correct format and marries it to the
image.
Integrated color management allows the
cinematographer to apply a look file to any
camera output. This is extremely useful for
either “baking in” a look, or for recording
a “clean” log or ARRIRAW image and applying
a look file only to the camera’s monitor
HD-SDI output.
C a m e r a
To protect our customer’s investment in the
ALEXA camera, we have designed the left
and the right side as well as the lens mount
of the camera in a modular fashion. Attached
to the camera’s left side is the Removable
Storage Module RSM EC35, which holds
the SxS cards. Should another recording
technology prove more desirable in the
future, it is quick and easy to exchange the
storage module for a new one. The camera’s
right side contains the control electronics,
which can also be exchanged when a new
version with expanded functionalities becomes
available. To make a whole new
world of lenses accessible to productions,
ALEXA is equipped with an Exchangeable
Lens Mount (ELM) system. The standard PL
lens mount can be removed and replaced
with either a Pana vision or a stills camera
lens mount.
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