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To the Bay Area photographic and videographer community: Announcing: The Grand Opening of the Bay Area's newest broadcast equipment supplier. We are Draco Broadcast: the maker of the Dracast lighting brand as well as other production equipment brands such as..... • Magicue Teleprompters • Laizeske Camera Monitors • A&J Camera Sliders • and many more! We have a newly renovated showroom with spare studio space and will host monthly seminars, product swap meets, and other events. In addition, we will be offering rental services and providing a place for consignment sales. Right now, we're running a special promotion on the products: Kingjoy VT-860 Tripod - $31.99 each MaxxMove Rize H4 4K Action Camera $49.99 each Dracast Silkray LED 400 Soft Light -$203.49 each Dracast 140 Ring Light -$149 each We offer incentives for referral business. Please stop by and let us know if there's any service we can offer your organization. We want to become an integral part of the local broadcast community. For more information, visit dracobroadcast.com or call 408-229-9222. Thank you, Aaron Street General Manager

Telling Stories with LED Lights, a panel discussion featuring leading cinematographers and gaffers examining the impact of new LED lighting sources on feature films and TV creativity and production. Produced by the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE, ICG Local 600) WHEN: Saturday, June 3, 2017 (10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) WHERE: Sherry Lansing Theater, Paramount Studios, 5555 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, 90038. Cine Gear Expo pass required. Panel open to all attendees at no cost. http://www.cinegearexpo.com/ ABOUT THE PANEL DISCUSSION: Cinematographers have a new creative tool in their arsenal: high quality LED lighting sources. LEDs offer increased flexibility, control and reliability. They enable greater subtlety and precision and open the door to new kinds of lighting schemas and new ways to design and control color palettes. Hear from leading cinematographers and gaffers discussing how they work with off-the-shelf products, custom built sources and lighting programmers to finesse traditional looks and to explore new visual territory. Learn about their artful use of LEDs to convey mood, character and plot points on highly regarded motion picture and TV projects. Panel Participants: Mike Bauman, Gaffer; Phantom Thread, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Iron Man 2 Ronald Dragosh, Gaffer; Chicago Justice, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire (Season 1, electrician) Jess Hall, BSC, Director of Photography; Ghost in the Shell, Transcendence, The Spectacular Now Erik Messerschmidt, Director of Photography & Gaffer; Mindhunter (DP), Gone Girl (Gaffer), Fantastic Four (Gaffer) Rachel Morrison, ASC, Director of Photography; Black Panther, Dope, Fruitvale Station Steven Poster, ASC, Director of Photography; Amityville: The Awakening, Southland Tales, Donnie Darko, Someone to Watch Over Me James Plannette, Gaffer; The Artist, The Adjustment Bureau, Ocean’s Eleven, Traffic, Someone to Watch Over Me Lisa Wiegand, ASC, Director of Photography; Chicago Justice, American Crime, Chicago Fire Moderator: Michael Chambliss, Technologist & Business Representative, International Cinematographers Guild IATSE Local 600

Hit Series Has Relied on Vitec Videocom Brands for All Seven Seasons LOS ANGELES (December 1, 2014) - As the acclaimed FX series Sons of Anarchy nears its finale, director of photography Paul Maibaum, ASC continues to rely on solutions from Anton/Bauer, Litepanels, and OConnor during the production's stage and location shoots in Southern California. The DP and his crew have trusted the gear to perform throughout all seven seasons of this hit show. (LINK TO VIDEO: http://vimeo.com/112959296). Maibaum has been the show's director of photography since the second episode of the first season. Created by Kurt Sutter, Sons of Anarchy explores the lives of members of an outlaw motorcycle club in California's Central Valley. The drama has been the highest-rated series in the history of FX. "Sons of Anarchy is like a modern-day Western with vistas and composition driving a look that harkens back to the movies of John Ford and Spaghetti Westerns," Maibaum says. "Only on this show the horses are motorcycles, and the code of the west is the code of the club." The challenge of developing the look for the show was to make it "natural, not too slick," he notes. "Handheld gives the narrative a feeling of immediacy that's organic to the story. There are many non-verbal, dramatic elements that are signature shots of the show; it's not rushed, in the sense that we like to get the reactions of the characters." Maibaum is a long-time user of OConnor fluid heads and Litepanels LED lighting fixtures. "I cannot remember a project that I have worked on where there weren't at least two OConnor heads, going back to the days of the OConnor 100, and I have used Litepanels' Ringlite Minis, MiniPlus and 1x1 LED panels almost since they first came on the market," he notes. On Sons of Anarchy, Maibaum has a pair of ARRI ALEXA cameras as his A cameras with one or two Sony F55 CineAlta cameras supplementing the 1st unit or serving as a two-camera package on the 2nd unit. Angenieux Optimo Zoom lenses are deployed to enable operators to switch back and forth from handheld to studio mode and stabilized camera moves with minimal downtime between modes. Maibaum notes that approximately 60% of the show is shot handheld, splitting the rest of the scenes evenly between dollies and camera stabilization systems. Location and studio production are evenly split during the seven- to eight-day shooting schedule, with the studio housed in a converted warehouse in North Hollywood and locations throughout Los Angeles. OConnor 2575 fluid heads, the flagship of OConnor's Ultimate range of fluid heads, have been part of Maibaum's camera package since the outset of production. "It is the fluid head of choice for every operator who has been on the show," he reports, citing the variable counterbalance and drag as the fluid head's most outstanding features. "The OConnor head is easy to use, and resetting the sinusoidal counterbalance is a simple step. It's easy to add more or less drag and tension so the operator can easily adjust to his or her needs," Maibaum explains. "The ALEXAs and F55s weigh approximately the same, but the lenses change and they can weigh more than the camera. OConnor makes it easy to adjust with a change of lens and to go from shoulder to dolly to camera stabilization systems. It makes it easy to point your camera where you need it. The show's signature shots include large masters, high angles and close ups. OConnor makes this possible." Litepanels fixtures are prominent on the show with Ringlite Minis and the MiniPlus - popularly called "bricks" - as well as 1x1s playing key roles in the lighting package. "They're invaluable," Maibaum declares. "They work alongside all of our other lighting instruments, whether tungsten or HMI, on stage and on location. They're lightweight, and the ability to run on battery power, along with their dimming capabilities, makes them essential tools in our lighting package." He recently tested the new Litepanels ASTRA 1x1 Bi-Color panel on the show. "This light is a marked improvement over the current 1x1s, and that's saying a lot because they are one of my favorite lighting fixtures," he adds. "The output of the ASTRA is surprising. Recently, I was able to use it as a fill light during some insert car work, filling the actors' faces in broad daylight with the fixture projecting from roughly 8 feet from the subject's faces. It was much brighter than the original light that we planned to use." The DP turns to the Ringlite Minis on the cameras about half the time. On the set, he reports that the 1x1s hang quick and easy - "they're a solid, good-looking light; from flood to spot it's easy to narrow the beam." Litepanel MiniPlus bricks are often used for eye light. "In scenes where lighting is sketchy, I'll tell the team to add a 'ping' - or place a 'brick' to brighten the eyes," says Maibaum. "Litepanels gear is an essential element in my bag of tricks," adds gaffer Tony Anderson. "The freedom of battery-powered lighting has saved me many times. When the DP needs 'one last thing,' the 1x1 is my go-to instrument. I have also worked with the ASTRA and am very impressed with the versatility and output of this head. It has enough output for bounce keylights yet is light enough to rig just about anywhere." Anton/Bauer batteries fill many mobile power needs for Maibaum's crew. They use the award-winning CINE VCLX as the main camera battery for the ALEXAs and F55s when on dollies or cranes. The DIONIC® HC and HCX batteries act as a power supply for the handheld cameras and Litepanels 1x1s, and also power the wireless video assist. "What I like about Anton/Bauer batteries is that they charge quickly, don't lose their charge, and the digital readout tells me how much power is left all the time. They're also lightweight and attach on and off quickly to the camera or light," Maibaum points out. No matter how many surprises Sons of Anarchy has had in store for fans over its seven-season run, behind the scenes Vitec Videocom brands have delivered consistently unsurprising results. "I don't believe we would be able to complete our day's work within the time allotted if we did not have the complement of Vitec equipment that we employ on virtually every set up on an average shooting day on Sons of Anarchy," Maibaum concludes.

HOLLYWOOD - Six of the industry's leading brands - Anton/Bauer, Bexel, Litepanels, OConnor, Sachtler and Teradek, all part of the Vitec Group - will be demonstrating a range of their latest, innovative products at the upcoming Cine Gear Expo on June 6-7 in Los Angeles, at booths #64-66. Cine Gear Expo offers film, video and broadcast media makers an opportunity to discover the latest technology and techniques, get hands-on training, gain knowledge and skills from industry leaders, obtain the newest equipment, hear breaking industry news, and network with peers and industry leaders. In addition to a prize drawing for a new Litepanels product, highlights of the advanced portfolios being shown by these brands include: Anton/Bauer® will officially release its V-Mount Digital Battery™ Series. The company's revolutionary Digital Battery Series is the first battery line designed specifically to power digital production for the cinema and pro-video sectors. The new battery series, also available with Gold Mount® connectors, meets the unique needs of 4K camera set-ups and other digital cameras in use today, while providing top-tier levels of safety, performance and reliability. With the introduction of a V-Mount option to the Digital Battery Series, Anton/Bauer's best of breed batteries will now be available for use with any camera and any accessory, and includes three battery sizes (90 Wh, 150 Wh, and 190 Wh). Litepanels will officially launch its much anticipated next generation LED panel series, in addition to showcasing the recently released Sola 9 (daylight balanced) and Inca 9 (tungsten balanced) LED Fresnels. The new 9-inch fixtures fill a market demand for medium-sized LED Fresnels. Litepanels' industry-leading collection of LED Fresnels now covers the complete range needed to deliver a full LED solution for broadcast studios, episodic television, and feature film production. Also making its Cine Gear premiere is the new Hilio D12 (daylight balanced) and Hilio T12 (tungsten balanced) high light output panels. The innovative panels provide the light quality, versatility and intensity of an open source fixture, while offering all of the benefits of Litepanels' proprietary LED fixture design. OConnor will present a growing line of camera and lens accessories. Engineered to address the needs of today's fast-paced production environments, the line includes the CFF-1 and O-Focus Dual Mini follow focus systems relaunched in Photo and Cine Kits, the award-winning O-Box WM mattebox, innovative O-Grip Handgrip System and the Universal Baseplate. Sachtler will display the Ace Accessories, a new range of premium camera support gear, which includes the Ace Base Plate, Ace Follow Focus and Ace Matte Box. The accessories can be bought individually or as a package. Sachtler also will showcase its redeveloped Ace L fluid head, now compatible with all types of sliders. The Ace L 75mm tripod head can conveniently be converted to a flat base, through the removal of a bottom screw, and mounted on a range of sliders. The Ace L is extremely versatile with a payload range of up to 6 kilograms and can be used with three different carbon fibre tripods - the floor spreader, mid-level spreader or telescopic tripod system. The product also features the seven-step counter balance, patented SAdrag™ and illuminated level indicator to ensure precise and smooth camera operation. artemis, the camera stabilizer system by Sachtler, will also be on display. Whether it's a film, worldwide live-broadcast of a sporting event, or a TV show, artemis camera stabilizer systems are always used when perfectly balanced pictures of moving subjects are required. Bexel and Teradek, also Vitec Group companies, will be exhibiting at Cine Gear Expo. Bexel (booth #98c) provides brilliantly designed and flawlessly executed systems and solutions to producers of some of the biggest and most important televised events in the world. Experts from Bexel will be on hand to discuss their end-to-end solutions, including systems integration, fiber and infrastructure support. Bexel representatives can discuss new and used professional audio, video and fiber equipment solutions, as well as elaborate on their comprehensive broadcast rental equipment and technical services for television productions. Teradek (booth #119) will showcase their brand new Bolt Pro series of zero-delay wireless video products, along with their Serv and Cube Pro encoders, which offer users real-time HD monitoring on iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. The Vitec Group brands are technology leaders in the broadcasting, pro video and cinematography marketplace. They are characterized by innovation, reliability and long-term cost savings, with the highest levels of customer support. For further information visit their booths at Cine Gear Expo.

Crew Chooses Vitec Videocom Brands for Second Season BROOKLYN, NY - The camera crew behind the hit FX TV series The Americans chose Vitec Videocom brands to support the production through its second season. The show's cinematographer Richard Rutkowski, and camera assistants Brendan K. Russell and Rory Hanrahan, rely on Anton/Bauer batteries and chargers, Litepanels LED lights, and OConnor fluid heads and tripods for their reliability and durability during stage and location shoots, which helps keep the show on pace and on budget. The season two finale aired last night, and The Americans returns with all new episodes in 2015. One of television's most critically-acclaimed dramas, The Americans follows the complex marriage of two KGB spies posing as Americans in suburban Washington D.C. shortly after Ronald Reagan was elected President. The arranged marriage of characters Philip and Elizabeth Jennings (played by Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell) grows more genuine by the day but is constantly tested by the escalation of the Cold War and their interactions with the dangerous network of spies and informants they come into contact with. Shot on stages at Eastern Effects Studios in Brooklyn, NY, The Americans also films on location throughout Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and Westchester County. Anton/Bauer DIONIC HC® and award-winning CINE VCLX® batteries are used exclusively to power the series, which is shot using two ARRI ALEXAs as the A and B cameras, and two additional ALEXA PLUS cameras. "We've been able to reduce what used to be a headache of cables," says Rutkowski. "We can put the DIONIC battery on the back of our wireless transmitter and sit the transmitter on the back of the Alexa, making us a self-contained shooting unit. The guys hook up to an Anton/Bauer CINE VCLX between takes, then they pull the VCLX battery cable out, and we run off the DIONICs. It gives me the ability to walk around utterly free while broadcasting full HD, and that's pretty remarkable." Brendan Russell, second assistant on the A Camera, adds, "We're able to swap back and forth between the two batteries fairly easily without ever having to power down the camera. That keeps things moving quickly and efficiently, which is vital on set. "And the ability to break away and use the DIONICs alone is really beneficial," he continues. "The Americans features a lot of conversations inside cars, and we often find ourselves strapping a stripped down camera to a car mount - just the lens, the camera, and the DIONIC HC battery. It allows us a lot more versatility and the ability to get into tight spaces and angles." The video village cart can also run entirely off the Anton/Bauer CINE VCLX batteries. "We go off of the power provided by our electrical department when possible, but in order to be quick and on the move, and to get an image up for the director as soon as we can, we'll often go with the VCLX batteries," says Russell. "And if our location restricts us from getting any power from electrics, we can subsist all day off the VCLX batteries. We also wear DIONICs on the back of the two 7-inch monitors that are primarily for the DP and director outside of the video village." Rutkowski also utilizes Litepanels' signature 1x1 LED panel to keep them on the move. "We use a 1x1 panel in cars quite frequently on this show. We'll also sometimes use them on streets or other exteriors where I'm going to have a hard time getting a power source. Since it's an LED, I can snap a battery onto the back of the panel, and it will last quite a long time." The camera department also carries two OConnor 2575 fluid heads at all times, primarily for use on the A and B cameras. "The 2575 has absolutely become the industry standard fluid head," comments Rutkowski. "It's what every operator I work with asks for." During this past season, Russell and First Assistant Cameraman Rory Hanrahan developed an interesting way to use the OConnor 2575's innate flexibility. "You have to figure out how to get certain angles for more interesting shots, and we've often had to get the lens as close as possible to the ground for our show," Russell explains. "We tried a few different ways, but the best technique we found was to under-rig the 2575 to the jib arm. Then, we set up our camera with a low mode bracket that mounts on the top of the camera and attach a quick release plate to that. We mount the camera and the head upside down, allowing us to get an inch off the ground without anything inhibiting our movement." Rutkowski's classic OConnor 100 fluid head frequently gets called into action on set too. "We have Richard's 100 on one of the mounts on our lens cart, and everybody in our camera department knows what to do when Richard calls for it," says Russell. "It's a lower profile head, so if we're on a hi-hat, or boxes or even the dolly, instead of having to wait for different parts, we can throw the 100 on and get clearance of 4 to 6 fewer inches than we could get before. It really helps in getting low angles, and it also comes into play a lot for us when we're working with process trailer rigs, so we can get low over a car hood." All of the Anton/Bauer batteries, the Litepanels fixtures, the OConnor 2575 fluid head, and the two ARRI ALEXA PLUS cameras are furnished to the production through ARRI CSC. The team from ARRI CSC worked closely with Daniel Brosnan, Video Utility for The Americans, and Yusuke Sato, Second Assistant, B Camera, to bring additional functionality to some of the Anton/Bauer batteries used on the show. "They worked with the guys at CSC to create a genius piece for us," notes Russell. "When we needed to get into really tight spaces, we were able to actually mount an Anton/Bauer VCLX battery and our wireless transmitting system, running off of a DIONIC Gold Mount wired with an XLR power cable, onto the back of the dolly. It was great to work with them and come up with new, cool ways to bring us added functionality with this gear out in the field." "Working with Richard closely and listening to his vision helped us identify with the unique shooting conditions they planned," says Matthew Kolze, camera service department manager at ARRI CSC." Anton/Bauer products gave us the ability to match the challenges The Americans crew had while offering the flexibility they needed on set and at location."