IRIDAS' color-correction and keying toolset allows for intuitive color manipulation with live feedback in the camera interface

Silicon Imaging, Inc., leader in IT-centric
digital cinema cameras in partnership with IRIDAS, the industry pioneer in
non-destructive grading technologies, is proud to introduce the latest
innovation in look creation, color correction and keying technologies by
integrating the functionality of SpeedGrade OnSet directly into the SI-2KT
Digital Cinema cameras.
The Silicon Imaging cameras will now be capable of not only importing .look
files created with IRIDAS' SpeedGrade applications, but also of creating and
modifying "looks" and applying them directly through the user interface in
the context of the live shot. Instead of 'baking in' the color-correction,
as traditional HD camera internal pathways necessitate, unaltered RAW
digital negatives are recorded and stored along with the .look metadata
information for lossless retrieval and modification in post.

While other cameras with color-correction require the user to have knowledge
of either cryptic RGB matrices or the mastery of non-intuitive controls, the
Silicon Imaging's SI-2KT color-control interface combines an innovative
tactile touch-screen control surface with a familiar, colorist-friendly
interface. It incorporates a comprehensive set of tools including HSL
color-wheel controls and sliders, white-balance adjustments and isolation
between shadows, mid-tones, and highlights to create a live 3D look-up-table
and display. It even has the ability to integrate and grade within a target
color-space, using calibration LUT's from Rising Sun Research, for accurate
color rendition from the set to the screen. All color-correction attributes
are completely non-destructive and stored as metadata along with the digital
negative files, using the CineForm RAWTformat.

"The ability to apply non-destructive color-grading in-camera is the next
step in the evolution of digital filmmaking technology, and we're delighted
to be working with Silicon Imaging to continue making it happen." says Lin
Kayser, IRIDAS CEO. "The SI-2KT camera system gives filmmaker the tools to
tell their stories better. Building in an industry-leading color-correction
system with an artist-friendly front-end is just one more step Silicon
Imaging has taken to speed the shooting process and optimize the post
production workflow."

Silicon Imaging has also integrated SpeedGrade color selection technology to
enable in-context blue and green-screen keying. Using the intuitive SI-2KT
touch screen user interface, colors and ranges are interactively selectable
from the scene to create the key. The resulting feed is then combined with
images from the internal frame-store to provide instantaneous live feedback
of the final composite. Now, visual effects artists can non-destructively
shoot with the effect in-camera, using the frame store to combine on-set
talent with pre-rendered effects for precise alignment, and then
simultaneously export non-destructive key and fill information into their
post-production compositing applications for further manipulation and
fine-tuning.

"Live 3D LUT color-correction and green-screen keying in the SI-2KT camera
interface provides unprecedented visualization tools for directors,
cinematographers, colorists, and actors for use in today's visual effect
intensive films," says Ari Presler, CEO of Silicon Imaging, Inc. "These new
interactive tools enable effects artists to seamlessly integrate live on-set
elements with their post-production chains using a metadata-rich pipeline.
They also give cinematographers the ability to interact with color and the
freedom to tell the nuances of a story with the confidence that all of their
ideas are being captured."

The SI-2KT also provides a set of shot continuity tools. Images from the
live camera or playback can be saved or grabbed for future recall, such as
those from a previously take. These images can also be mixed with the live
feed to set the mark for the following take.

"Silicon Imaging's SI-2KT camera is changing the way we make movies!" states
Producer Michael George, Pacific Gold Entertainment. "We just completed
shooting a feature film called "Blood: A Butchers Tale" with Aaron Douglas
of Battlestar Galactica and actress Jennifer Sciole, in just 17-days. The
project was shot almost exclusively on green screen in the same style as
'300' or 'Sin City'. The image quality and detail from the SI-2KT is simply
amazing. The visualization tools were incredibly powerful and helped
shorten our production process."

The SI-2KT series cameras, with IRIDAS SpeedGrade embedded and CineForm
RAWT, will be on display at NAB booth SL7826.

Pricing and Availability

The SI-2K MINIT with SiliconDVRT recording software, embedded SpeedGrade
technology, and universal lens-mount system bundled with an included
PL-mount option is $14,500 and available now, with shipment in 2 weeks.

The SI-2KT, which includes an embedded version of SiliconDVRT recording
software and integrated SpeedGrade technology, is $23,500. Orders are
currently available with shipping in June.

Silicon Imaging is also announcing a special NAB promotional discount of
$2000 for the SI-2KT and $1000 for the SI-2K MINIT for orders placed by
April 30, 2007.