PERG News

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition

| PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition |

Coming to Las Vegas?

This special edition PERG Newsletter highlights some of the events and sessions we are looking forward to and features announcements from PERG’s Annual Sponsors about products and events and other news.

WELCOME TO NAB 2017 - EVENTS NOT TO BE MISSED

Be sure to join us for PERG’s General Membership Meeting, Tuesday April 25th, 4-7 pm. Embassy Suite Hotel.

ALLIANZ

You Take Care of the Production. We’ll Take Care of the Risks.

ARRI

ARRI will be having a lighting reception on Tuesday, April 25th in their NAB booth from 6pm – 7.30pm.

FUJIFILM

Fujifilm is at the forefront in the development of 4K UHD and Cine optical technology. At NAB 2017, the Optical Devices Division of FUJIFILM North America will showcase its entire range of Fujinon newly developed and existing 4K Ultra HD Series lenses as well as the expanding categories of PL mount and new E mount cine lenses.

PANASONIC

AW-HR140 outdoor, integrated Full HD PTZ is the perfect camera for permanent stadium installation as it’s built to withstand extreme weather conditions. It features full HD 3MOS sensors and an optical 20X + digital 10X zoom to achieve high sensitivity, high S/N ratio and high resolution.

THE CAMERA DIVISION

VISUAL PRODUCTS

VITEC GROUP

The Vitec Group’s world-class brands help professionals capture and share inspiring images every day. Designed for the broadcast, cinema, and pro-video markets the latest innovations are the award-winning Vinten Vantage, the new μVRC (microVRC) controller, Sachtler’s FSB 10 tripod system, the Lykos Bi-Color Flight Kit from Litepanels, an industry first from Autoscript, new updates from industry leader Anton/Bauer along with other premium products offerings and services.

Welcome to NAB 2017 - Events not to be Missed

| PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition |

PERG General Membership Meeting

Be sure to join us for PERG’s General Membership Meeting, Tuesday April 25th, 4-7 pm. Embassy Suites Hotel. Please register at: https://pergnab.eventbrite.com

4:00 pm -- Refreshments

5:15 pm -- Presentations:

Introducing (drum roll please) The 2017 Digest of Fraud and Theft Prevention Measures
New Technology and What it Means for Rental Houses: Panelists Kate Wurzbacher (Here Be Dragons), Michael Mansouri (VP Radiant Images), Malachi Bierstein (Nokia).
Everything You Always Wanted to Know (as a rental house) About LEDs but Were Afraid the Ask. Chuck Edwards (Cineo), Alan Ipalchian (Litepanels), and Michael Bauman (gaffer and CTO at LiteGear, Inc.).
RENTAL GUARD v2.0
Tailor-made Online Training Coming for ESTA (PERG) members.
Update on Lithium Ion Battery Shipping

NAB Events

ICG Party - Monday, April 24, 5:00 PM, ICG Booth in Central Hall

The SOC Presents: How I Got That Shot Panel Discussion. Meet the amazing camera operators who have gotten the shots that defy description and bend reality. Monday April 24, 5:00 pm – 6:15 pm South Hall Theater, Room S230

SOC Tech Tour - Led by Technical Standards Chair, Eric Fletcher, SOC and other attending Active Members, experience a curated tour of gear and equipment that the SOC feels is impactful for operating! Featuring: ARRI, Canon, Cartoni, CW Sonderoptic, Freefly Systems, Panasonic, Schneider Optics, SHOTOVER and Teradek. Tuesday April 25, 9:30 am – 1:20 pm

“Ghost in the Shell: Creating a Parallel Cyber Future” – A panel discussion in concert with ICG’s April Magazine cover story. DP Jess Hall is top lining and will be accompanied department heads in other crafts. David Geffner ICG Magazine editor is moderating. Hosted session in the Creative Master Series conference program – Monday, April 24, 1:00 PM, South Hall Upper Room S220, Las Vegas Convention Center

Game of Thrones: Behind the Scenes with the Filmmakers. DP Anette Haellmigk and possibly a second DP will be joined by an executive producer and producer. David Geffner is also moderating. Monday, Creative Master Series session – April 24, 2:30 PM, South Hall Upper Room S220, Las Vegas Convention Center

“Next Generation Image Making - Taking Content Creation to New Places”

Light field, volumetric capture, computational photography, real-time rendering, and generative imaging have the potential to transform image making for all forms of content. Already, they are contributing to the blurring lines between live action and computer-generated imaging, and between what takes place in preproduction, production and post... Moderated by Local 600 Business Rep Michael Chambliss. Tuesday, April 25, North Hall. 10:30 AM-11:30, Room TBD, Las Vegas Convention Center.

VR/AR

The Outlook for 360 / VR / AR in Local Markets
Sun. April 23| 12:15 PM - 1:00PM | N262/N264

How You Get Inside It: AR/VR/AI and Deep Learning
The Immersive New Media Landscape and the Solutions Needed to Get Us There – Sun. April 23| 1:40 PM - 2:40 PM | S222/S223

AbelCine

| PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition |

AbelCine is excited to bring you the show from booth #C8215. We will be featuring panel discussions and presentations revolving around important and emerging industry topics, both technical and creative. Panelists include working cinematographers, technology specialists, industry experts, producers and more. For those who won’t be attending the show in Las Vegas, we will be livestreaming each session on our dedicated NAB portal. We’ll also be scheduling free tours of the must-see manufacturers’ exhibits at the show, allowing those who sign up to get a guided look at new products, as well as meet one-on-one with manufacturers’ key product specialists. We’ll also be producing our popular AbelCine NAB Guide to highlight the most interesting gear, trends, and key manufacturer booth locations, so make sure you stop by to pick one up at the start of your first day at the show. And of course, it wouldn’t be NAB without our specialists blogging directly from the show floor. So, keep your eye on our NAB 2017 portal as well as our social media channels for more details as the show gets closer!

Allianz

| PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition |

You Take Care of the Production.

We’ll Take Care of the Risks.

Allianz Entertainment • Film & Television • Live Events • Motorsports

ARRI

| PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition |

ARRI will be having a lighting reception
on Tuesday, April 25th in their NAB booth from 6pm – 7.30pm.

FujiFilm

| PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition |

Fujifilm is at the forefront in the development of 4K UHD and Cine optical technology. At NAB 2017 (booth# C7225), the Optical Devices Division of FUJIFILM North America will showcase its entire range of Fujinon newly developed and existing 4K Ultra HD Series lenses as well as the expanding categories of PL mount and new E mount cine lenses.

The ever expanding line of lenses designed for Cine applications will be featured in the booth covering every application starting from the new MK18-55 and MK50-135 “E mount” lenses for emerging cinematographers. The groundbreaking lines of ZK and XK Cabrio series of “PL mount” lenses will also be on hand and culminating with the HK Premier series of “PL mount” lenses used to make some of the world’s biggest blockbuster feature films.

The FUJINON 4K UHD Series of 2/3” lenses will also be on display in the Fujifilm NAB booth and will be joined this year by three more newly developed models that will be announced at the show. Additionally, the UA107x8.4B field lens featuring the biggest zoom ratio in the world and its sister, the UA80X9 field lens will be on display along with their companion portable lenses, the UA13x4.5B wide lens and the UA22x8B tele completing the largest and highest quality line of 2/3” 4K UHD lenses in the market today.

FUJINON CINE Lenses

Panasonic

| PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition |

New from Panasonic, booth C3607, NAB 2017

AG-UM20 portable recorder and AG-UCK20 compact camera head combine to offer an ultra-lightweight system capable of high-quality 4K and 1080P capture and recording. Use the UM20 standalone or with the UCK20. The system provides network operation for IP streaming and control.

The latest free firmware upgrade for the VariCam 35 and LT cinema cameras and VariCam HS high-speed 1080P camera includes additional ProRes codecs, HD-SDI Monitor output improvements, an iPad app for remote control and more.

Panasonic will also showcase an array of technologies to enhance the stadium and arena experience, including a centerhung LED scoreboard; BalloonCam, a drone/large balloon combination; window augmented reality projection for enhanced suite viewing; LinkRay-equipped LCD displays for wayfinding; digital signage and personalized communications solutions, and new lighting and pro audio products.

AW HDR140 PTZ Camera

The Camera Divison

| PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition |

We are thrilled to announce that The Camera House and Division Camera are merging to form The Camera Division. As of May 1, we officially launch our combined effort to be the best full service boutique rental house in Southern California. With double the inventory and expertise, we look forward to continuing to provide top notch service to our loyal customers.

WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO:

THE SPACE

25,000 sqf Converted Warehouse with Exposed Brick and Lots of Charm
Virtual Reality Lab *In Development*
Fully Repeatable Lens and Camera Test Room
Private Screening Room with 4K Projector
Brand New Client Cafe
Sustainable and Eco Friendly Initiatives

THE GEAR

14 Prep Stations
Well over 100 cameras, with the latest releases from every major manufacturer, such as ARRI, Black Magic, Canon, Panasonic, RED and Sony
Comprehensive spherical and anamorphic lens inventory
Exclusive, custom-developed, Vintage style lenses

THE SERVICE

Factory-Level Service Department
Research and Development Lab
Custom Tailored Packages
Full-Service Machine Shop
Customer Centric Atmosphere

THE EXPERIENCE

Emergence Program
An Evening With
Workshops
Monthly Events
Old School Swag

Visual Products

| PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition |

Over the past 25 years of serving the entertainment production community, Visual Products has grown to become the largest reseller of motion picture equipment. We specialize in the sale of refurbished production equipment. From the smallest HDSLR camera all the way up to Supertechnocranes, Visual Products has sold it all. If you’re a rental company that wants to thin its inventory to raise capital for new equipment purchases or an insurance company seeking an outlet for recovered equipment, Visual Products can help. We have a 15,000 square foot facility and a staff of highly-skilled service technicians who work to ensure that the equipment we refurbish and resell is in top condition—doing so enables us to offer the longest money-back guarantee in the industry. We buy, sell and trade equipment. Whether you’re seeking to purchase great gear at a great price or need an outlet for your surplus equipment,Visual Products is your solution.

Vitec Group

| PERG News: NAB 2017 Edition |

The Vitec Group to Unveil Groundbreaking Technology at Booth C6025

Vitec will be showcasing the latest in industry technology at booth C6025.

The award-winning Vinten Vantage enables users to go beyond a PTZ and future-proof their studios. From smooth on-air motion to being camera and lens agnostic, this compact robotic head is a clear upgrade from the traditional PTZ solution since it uniquely enables users to choose the best camera and lens for their application without limitations. Vantage offers the same capabilities as Vinten’s high-end broadcast robotics, so as users need to change from HD to 4K or 8K, the Vantage head will support their future investment in new camera technology.

Along with the Vantage, Vinten will also be introducing their newest industry game-changer: the μVRC controller. The first of its kind, the μVRC controller is a brand new solution that allows studios of all shapes and sizes to control high-end robotics and third-party PTZs. Ideal for users looking for a complete robotic solution that suits their budget, the μVRC is the perfect companion to the Vantage compact robotic head, offering unmatched flexibility in content creation and broadcast-quality movement and control. This cost-effective, modular version of Vinten’s high-end HD-VRC software lets users control multiple units for various shooting angles and allows them to adapt and increase the controller’s functionality based on their specific needs and budget.

In addition to the innovations from Vinten, NAB visitors will also get to experience Sachtler award-winning FSB 10 tripod system. Winner of Videomaker’s “Best Tripod of 2016” Award, the FSB 10 is the latest entry-level 100 mm tripod that offers silky movement and a fast set-up at an affordable price. Offering an increased payload up to 12 kg, this fluid head is ideal for the latest ENG or pro-video cameras such as the Sony FS7/FS5, Canon C300 Mark I/II and the Blackmagic URSA Mini.

And last but not least, visitors can get an up-close look at the Lykos Bi-Color Flight Kit from premier LED leader Litepanels. Perfect for traveling cinematographers and lighting professionals, this all-in-one kit consists of three Lykos Bi-Color fixtures, three light stands, a small soft box, power cables, and three small Anton/Bauer L-series batteries and chargers – all in a rolling Pelican 1510 case.

Stop by booth C6025 to witness all the exciting launches from some of the most respected and innovative brands in the industry.

Vinten Vantage R10

Monday, April 3, 2017

PERG News: April 2017

| PERG News: April 2017 |

RFID IN 2020

RFID (Radio-frequency Identification) has been around since the 1970s. The first passive RFID tag was patented in 1983. But the technology is now approaching a new level of reliability, sophistication, and affordability that has experts predicting rapid expansion into some truly massive markets. Read more…

PERG TO PUBLISH DIGEST
PERG is happy to announce the upcoming publication of the Digest of Fraud and Theft Prevention Measures, a document that leverages the collective knowledge of our industry and delivers it into the hands of rental houses. Read more…

USITT AND ESTA LAUNCH INNOVA FOR ONLINE LEARNING
ESTA and USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) announce INNOVA, a platform to provide online learning to professionals in entertainment technology and design. Read more…

NAB GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Last year, PERG’s General Membership Meeting at NAB was attended by over 185 rental house owners and company principals from all over the US, Canada and beyond. Read more…

PERG RENTAL HOUSE BREAKFAST AT CINE GEAR EXPO
PERG will be hosting a breakfast, Saturday June 3rd, for rental houses and Cine Gear exhibitors. This is a unique opportunity to get in early—no lines, easy parking—and enjoy a coffee with friends on Saturday morning. Read more…

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Would other members of your staff benefit by receiving the PERG Newsletter? To join our mailing list, just shoot us an email.
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Sponsorship opportunities are available for PERG events.
Let people know you are a proud member, display the PERG Member logo and RENTAL GUARD shield on your website. Contact us to receive your link to download.
Not a PERG member? Consider supporting the only industry trade association committed to the health and future of professional rental companies.

RFID in 2020

| PERG News: April 2017 |

With thousands of rental items to count and keep track of, most rental companies have, at some point, wondered if there is an easier way. In an ideal world, there would be no barcodes. All you would have to do is roll the carts of equipment through a portal and your rental software would instantly tell you if the order is complete. In this fantasy world, such a system could track and locate each item within your facility (asset tracking) and even warn you if an item left the facility without authorization (loss control).

RFID (Radio-frequency Identification) has been around since the 1970s. The first passive RFID tag was patented in 1983. But the technology is now approaching a new level of reliability, sophistication, and affordability that has experts predicting rapid expansion into some truly massive markets. The question is, would it make a worthwhile investment for a medium to large rental facility?

According to RFID Journal, over the next few years RFID systems will be widely deployed in huge markets like clothing retailers, factory processes, pharmaceutical and organ tracking, cargo shipping, and industrial applications where tracking vehicles and machinery assets increases efficiency and lowers costs. These applications will join those that have been around a long time—cattle tracking, animal identification, tracking high-value mobile medical equipment in hospitals, timing marathon runners, airport baggage logistics, etc. Currently passive RFID tags, bought in bulk, range from stickers that cost $0.10 to more sophisticated tags with larger antennas for $2.25 per tag or more. Mass implementation of RFID could lower the cost of tags over the coming years.

The reliability and sophistication of RFID systems is also improving. Improved antenna technology and dynamic management of the reader enable systems to detect both clear and faint reflections from tags. This helps the reader detect items that are under other items and provides consistent coverage over an entire zone.

The main motivation for rental houses to be interested in such a system is inventory control. Though RFID could in theory also make check-ins and checkouts go faster, most rental items still must be inspected for damage or tested for proper operation. So, while an RFID system would be faster and potentially more accurate than a barcode reader for counting items, it can never replace the labor-intensive process of preparing a package for rental and checking one back in afterward.

Therefore, the greater attraction for the rental house is having a better way to track equipment. Often, items get added and dropped during checkout. If something falls between the cracks, a portal RFID system would be able to tell you exactly what went out. Having the ability to look back and know exactly when an item left the building could be a great help in staying on top of assets.

One of the pitfalls with RFID, according the companies who have tested systems, is that lighting and camera equipment tends to have many little bits and pieces. Some pieces are small, and many parts are difficult to tag. For example, how can you tag media that fits into a tiny camera slot, or an item like a bridge support for a lens system where every surface on the item has a physical function that precludes the tag. In addition, readers cannot get a signal through metal cases. For many rental companies, until the system can accommodate every item in their inventory, and be counted without reopening any cases, there may not be sufficient reason to invest in the system.

An RFID system’s usefulness depends largely on how it is deployed and the procedures used. For example, the Department of Defense had implemented an integrated RFID system where RFID counts individual tagged items as they are packed into a case. Then a case-level RFID tag is printed (which looks like a baggage label used by the airlines) and adhered to the outside of the case. When a whole bunch of cases are shipped on a pallet, the case tags are read, and a pallet-level label is printed and attached to the pallet. Using a system like this, even if individual items are initially counted by hand, once they are in the case, they can be tracked via RFID.

There are a variety of types of RFID readers. Handheld units, commonly dual-use RFID/barcode readers, are currently the most common type. Instead of having to focus the reader on each barcode, the user simply waves the RFID reader over an opened case full of items, for example, and it instantly identifies every tagged item in the case.

A portal-type reader monitors tagged items, pallets, or carts of equipment, passing by the reader antenna. The portal may be placed at a doorway, hallway, or other zonal coverage area. The portal’s area must be free from interference from other tagged items.

Lastly, there are ceiling-mounted, wide-area readers that enable constant, real time item location monitoring and transition detection. This type of reader enables a clothing retailer, for example, to locate any item in their inventory in 3D space with an accuracy of about a meter. Rental companies that experimented with this type of system several years ago encountered too much RF interference for this to be reliable on a checkout floor. However, advances in technology may now solve some of these issues. The software for this type of reader is tailored to tracking all the items in the inventory, rather than checking in and out a subset of items. It is therefore not a replacement for a portal.

The RFID tags represent the lion’s share of the expense of deploying an RFID system. A passive RFID tag works by using the radio wave energy sent from the reader to generate and reflect a unique identifying radio signal back to the reader. This unique identifier can be paired to a specific item in the rental software. Tags are available in a wide variety of forms, including tags that can be sewn into fabrics, tags on thin plastic substrate, tags with their own antenna for better reading, tags that are intended to be stuck to a metal item and use the metal as their antenna. Part of the challenge of developing a reliable system is to pair the right type of tag with each type of item. Today’s tags are generally about the size of a credit card, but tags as small as ½ inch round have been developed. Tags vary in price and capability. For items like fabrics (e.g. grip rags) the simplest, least expensive type of tag has been shown to work reliably. For items that are made of metal such as C-stands and cable a more expensive type of tag must be used to maintain the reliability of the signal.

Several rental software companies support RFID. The implementation is not that different than traditional barcode readers. Software supports using both systems at the same time. Rental Works is currently working with the lighting and grip departments at NBC/Universal on a pilot program that tracks a subset of their inventory. The studio rental department reports using a portal reader to count items such as C-stands and cable with 100% accuracy, though a lot of the work is still carried out using a hand-held dual-use barcode/RFID reader. Reliability is still subject to variables. Some items need to be spread out to read reliably. Tags sometimes fail and must be replaced. The maintenance of the RFID system requires a certain amount of labor itself.

The fantasy of a tracking rental items with radio frequency tags appears to be just out of sight over the horizon, but as we move closer it will be something to watch for over the next few years.

PERG to Publish Digest

| PERG News: April 2017 |

PERG is happy to announce the upcoming publication of the Digest of Fraud and Theft Prevention Measures, a document that leverages the collective knowledge of our industry and delivers it into the hands of rental houses—with input from insurance underwriters, law enforcement, security experts and rental houses. The document is informed by real-world, industry-specific evidence collected by RENTAL GUARD from 182 theft incidents over three years. PERG developed the Digest of Fraud and Theft Prevention Measures to share information with its members that they can use to identify security weaknesses, train rental house staff, and respond in the event equipment is stolen.

Some of the topics covered in the document include:

Assessment of new customers, tips and techniques
Verification of the rental application
The “Slow Down” strategy
Red flags
Insurance exemptions to watch for
A layered physical security strategy
Alarms, camera systems, and notifications
Protection against theft during transport
What to do if a theft occurs
A User Manual for RENTAL GUARD

The Digest is to be rolled out in conjunction with a fund-raising effort to help ensure the future of RENTAL GUARD as an enduring industry resource. Details are to be announced at the General Membership Meeting at NAB on April 25th and emailed to our mailing list shortly thereafter.

Did you know PERG maintains a Watch List? It could help you avoid theft-by-rental!

USITT and ESTA Launch INNOVA for Online Learning

| PERG News: April 2017 |

ESTA and USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) announce INNOVA, a platform to provide online learning to professionals in entertainment technology and design. INNOVA, launching in late April, will offer on demand training in a wide variety of disciplines and levels and will include renewal credit courses for the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP) and American Institute of Architects (AIA). The possibilities for PERG to offer online content for members is wide open--training, presentations, info sessions with subject matter experts, and so on.

Both non-profits have been seeking to offer constituents educational opportunities that allow them to learn at their convenience. By joining forces on INNOVA, ESTA and USITT hope to create a central online learning hub for the industry and they invite other organizations to utilize the platform to provide educational opportunities for their constituents.

INNOVA will feature a mix of offerings including sessions created by some of the industry’s best known educators, recorded panel presentations from industry conferences, and a series of short public service features. All INNOVA content will be reviewed by groups of subject matter experts (SMEs) for technical quality and content accuracy. Please contact INNOVA, if you are interested in providing content.

The public service features will include informational presentations on each of the American National Standards developed under ESTA’s Technical Standards Program. Of interest to students will be tips on writing resumes and cover letters.

INNOVA is a win-win for the entire industry. Convenient continuing education will be available to all, trainers will receive a royalty for every download, and the income received by ESTA and USITT will be reinvested back into the programs so important to the industry.

Visit innova.usitt.org

NAB General Membership Meeting

| PERG News: April 2017 |

Last year, PERG’s General Membership Meeting at NAB was attended by over 185 rental house owners and company principals from all over the US, Canada and beyond. The meeting will be held this year on Tuesday April 25th beginning at 4pm with an hour or so for people to enjoy refreshments and have an opportunity to chat, network and refresh ties. Starting at 5:15 pm, PERG will present a panel discussion on changing technology: changing consumer platforms, changing image capture, and what it could mean for rental houses. The panel includes Kate Wurzbacher (Here Be Dragons), Malachi Bierstein (Nokia) and others. Plus PERG has some exciting announcements, including the release of the Digest of Fraud and Theft Prevention Measures.

PLEASE JOIN US IN LAS VEGAS!

PERG General Membership Meeting

Tuesday, April 25th, 4pm-7pm

Embassy Suites Hotel, 3600 Paradise Blvd

(just down the road from the Las Vegas Convention Center)

RSVP at: https://pergnab.eventbrite.com

PERG Rental House Breakfast at Cine Gear Expo

| PERG News: April 2017 |

PERG is hosting a breakfast for rental houses at the Paramount Theater, Saturday June 3rd. This is a unique opportunity to get onto the Paramount lot early for Cine Gear—no lines, easy parking—and enjoy a coffee with friends on Saturday morning. Last year we saw great interest in this event, but this year’s event is bigger and better than ever!

Breakfast starts an hour before Cine Gear opens
Lovely shaded spot outside the Paramount Theater with plenty of comfortable seating
Your event ticket gets you guest parking in a lot close to the event and onto the lot early
Full breakfast (we mean it this time)
Coffee and breakfast drinks
Participants must be pre-registered for Cine Gear and will need to present their PERG event ticket to Paramount security. Tickets go on sale in April.

PERG needs additional sponsors for this event. Contact the PERG manager to find out more about benefits for event sponsors.