Filmscape Technical Videos and Product Overviews

| PERG News: August 2023 |

In June 2023, in partnership with PERG, Filmscape Chicago offered two days of maintenance and QC training of lighting, grip, camera, and lens equipment, specifically tailored to the rental community. If you couldn’t attend the sessions, complete recordings are now available (still free!). The sessions can be accessed via the links that were emailed to PERG member rental companies. Our thanks to our friends at Filmscape: Ned McGregor (Barbizon), Gary Adcock (Filmscape Chicago), Brentt Burns (MBS), and Collette Gabriel (Keslow Camera).

Lighting and Grip

AC Lighting. Network Switches and Monitoring Software. Anthony Sofflet, the Brand Manager for AC Lighting and AC Media, presents a primer on Giga core switches and network monitoring software from Luminex. The presentation covers different flavors of switches, including one-gig and 10 gig options, Poe plus and non-Poe options, ruggedized and install versions, mobile network configuration through R and Ao, and intuitive webUI for easy network configuration. The GigaCore 12 is a portable switch with ruggedized fiber connectors that can accommodate various fiber types, including nitric, dual quad, and single mode multimode.

Cream Source LNX System and Vortex Upgrade. Jim Amorosino discusses the LNX system including tools and prep for rental, mechanical safety features, and standard mounting options. The link system is fully scalable mounting system for mounting lighting arrays for small to large. Sean Goossen, Technology Evangelist at Cream Source, performs a full demonstration of upgrading Vortex fixtures to work with the LNX system. The presentation includes videos of the LNX system being used in the field. 

Astera Rental Efficiency Tricks. Thor Andre, Support Manager for Astera, discusses efficiency tricks geared for rental companies, color spaces, firmware updates, the use of stereo pins, warehousing, and wireless control protocols in their ecosystem, including Bluetooth pairing, radio PIN, and master PIN. Thor explains the importance of using different radio pins for multiple setups within range of each other, as using the same PIN can lead to problems when multiple setups are within range. The app transfers new firmware updates to the lights in the background.

Ratpac Dimmer Service Overview. Anthony Bernal, Service Technician at Ratpac, gives a detailed technical walk through of single-phase and three-phase dimmers, the power flow internally, the location of test points and their voltage, and points of possible failure during rentals. Anthony uses the 10-by-1.2-inch to demonstrate.

Fiilex Product Overview, Troubleshooting, Tips and Tricks. Brent Siebenaler, Fiilex Brand Representative, discusses Fiilex history and products including their tunable white light series and the RGBW matrix. After detailing the control interface, he covers firmware updating, wireless, DMX plots and mapping, troubleshooting, and tips and tricks. Fixtures include the G3 color and Q5 color, as well as the Quad Color, Matrix Color, and MotoQuad. 

Chimera Product Overview and Demonstrations. John Fuller, Director of Sales and Marketing, and Heather Doran, Marketing Communications Director, give product overview and product demonstrations. They discuss the wide range of supported fixtures, including strobes, speed lights, and large 24-kilowatt lights. Chimera offers two broad categories of light banks plus tech banks for current led fixtures and pop banks for specific fixtures. The company makes panel frames, speed rings, and panel frames to hold textiles in various sizes.

Arri HMI Service and Work Practices. In this 45-minute presentation, Brian Doran, Product Specialist, Lighting, at ARRI discusses technical details about fixtures, best practices, service questions, troubleshooting, prep, and equipment inspection. Brian highlights service and work practices to avoid equipment burn-out and prolong the service life of the equipment. 

Camera and Lenses

ARRI Hi-5 Ecosystem. Michael Best, Project Specialist for Pro Camera Accessories (PCS at ARRI), details the Hi-5 ecosystem—Arri’s stronger, faster, 5th-generation intelligent hand unit the Hi-5 follow focus, RIA-1 (radio interface adaptor), modular radios, the app, ZMU-4, and OCU-1.

ARRI Impression Filters – Vintage Effects for Signature Lenses. Chase Hagen, Technical Sales Rep for camera systems at ARRI describes ARRI’s new Impression filters. Signature zoom and prime lenses have a magnetic rear interface to mount back-of-lens filters designed around the high dynamic range and the Alexa 35. He describes compatibility, filter strength and types that create “gritty” or “glamorous” looks, with lots and lots of examples of images created with the filters. He addresses issues like focus shift, how the T-stop effects the filter strength, focusing for contrast vs edges, and myriad other helpful technical questions.

Chrosziel/Denz. Chrosziel Lens Projector and Denz Lens Testing Products. Michael Burnam, International Sales Rep for Chrosziel, performs a tour of the Chrosziel TP72 Large Format Projector and demonstrates lens testing products from Denz.

CORE SWX. Battery Maintenance, Repairs, and Good Work Practices. Battery Maintenance, Repairs, and Good Work Practices. Joe DeJulius, Technical Marketing, and Joe Teodosio, Chief Technical Officer, cover battery maintenance and battery care (especially during down times). They cover battery repairs, and Joe DeJulius describes how the Helix Max Series make life easier for rental companies and supplies great flexibility for customers.

Zeiss Tour. David Warner, Cinema Lens Specialist at Zeiss Cinema, gives a tour of Zeiss’ unique demo space—half clubhouse, half lab, a place for techs to come and perform tests, and screen footage, and talk optics. David describes the new camera tracking merger. He answers questions about Zeiss training, Ncam, lens metadata, updating lens firmware, and more.