ABC Network News format/cameras

2mancrew

Member
Hey since there is a thread about NBC Network
What format does NBC network shoot? I thought I'd make one about ABC Network News.
Since the end of 2007 ABC went with XDCAM and mostly 16:9 SD video with that Sony PDW-510 XDCAM camera announcement statement they released in 2007.
Since that thread is 4 years old and never shows up in the ENG / TV News forum since it has always been in the EFP / Freelance / Production forum I felt we needed one here for ABC Network News.
This year they've shot some XDCAM HD along with their old 1st generation model Varicam cameras mixing and matching 720/30p with 1080/30p and renting some Panasonic HDX-900s for 1080/30p shoots. This Summer ABC Network NY finally purchased about 8 Sony F-800 XDCAM HD cameras and by the end of Summer have all their staff camerapersons using them.
Not everything is yet shot in HD though. It's on a shoot-by-shoot basis whether its DVCAM codec (480/60i) or 4:2:2 50Mbps HD.
Although even though ABC is a 720/60p network most of the producers want 30p which the F-800 does not do in 720p. To date I cannot remember doing a HD shoot for ABC at 720/60p.
Even "What Would You Do?" Finally went 16x9 HD all the time since there were a number of episodes ordered for the OWN HD network.

More location shoots are being done for "20/20" in 1080/30p @ 422 50Mbps.
I've heard some freelance camerapersons in NY have Sony PMW-F3s and are using them as a 2nd angle for interviews. A couple people in NY have been bringing Canon 5D DSLRs on shoots as a 2nd angle.
One cameraperson has a Canon XF105 (1/3" chip) camera shooting 4:2:2 50Mbps MXF files on Compact Flash cards as a 3rd camera.
The shots have been used so the editors have figured out how to deal with the footage.
Quite often the GoProHD Hero cameras are getting on shoots as alternate behind-the-scenes production shots placed and moved around the set. The SDHC cards are handed off along with the XDCAM discs.
Quite often associate producers are shooting on Sony HVR Z5U in DVCAM and I haven't yet seen them start shooting using the HDV format with those cameras since it would be cutting against 50Mpbs XDCAM big HD cameras I'm not sure how hugely different it is going to look aside from the handheld nature of the 1/3" chip camera.

What have you guys been using elsewhere in the USA for ABC Network stuff? Anyone using any PMW-F3s or Canon XF105?
How have you been delivering files on harddrives to ABC?
 
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2mancrew

Member
It's been almost 3 weeks.
Anyone have any info on what ABC Network level field pieces are being shot on around the USA?
 

dazapper

Well-known member
I know ABC network news still wants video shot 4X3 and not 16X9.
Not true. A couple of months after switching from Beta to the XDCam SD the network went to 16:9 for all shows but everything is 4:3 safe. That was about three years ago.
 

Lensmith

Member
Not true. A couple of months after switching from Beta to the XDCam SD the network went to 16:9 for all shows but everything is 4:3 safe. That was about three years ago.
Are you referring to ABC network news? The only reason I ask is a buddy of mine did a shoot for them last week and they insisted it be shot 4X3.

Maybe he was dealing with a confused producer. But he asked twice about the 4X3 and was told that's what they wanted the aspect ratio of the video to be.

...strange.
 
mixing and matching 720/30p with 1080/30p and renting some Panasonic HDX-900s for 1080/30p shoots. This Summer ABC Network NY finally purchased about 8 Sony F-800 XDCAM HD cameras and by the end of Summer have all their staff camerapersons using them.
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2mancrew

Member
update

ABC News in NY has not upgraded their post production yet. They are unable to ingest loads of HD on their shared servers.
Some pieces are shot in HD and it is producer driven. Sometimes it is 720/60p.
HD Rendertime is another issue in post for them and that shows they have not upgraded their hardware. No rumors of when this will happen either.
 

2mancrew

Member
New York - Network

I received word that ABC Network in New York is purchasing some XDCAM EX cameras using SxS cards for September 2012.
Unclear how many models they are purchasing.
It was unclear from the 2nd hand info which model it was for.

Available ENG models in that SxS range:
PMW-500 XDCAM EX HD422 2/3" PowerHAD FX CCD Shoulder-mount
PMW-350 XDCAM EX 2/3" CMOS Shoulder-mount
PMW-320 XDCAM EX 1/2" CMOS Shoulder-mount
PMW-EX3 XDCAM EX 1/2" CMOS "wrist-killer" camcorder

Though it was mentioned that the model was a $20K camera.

So I'm guessing it is the
PMW-350L XDCAM EX 2/3"-type Shoulder-mount Camcorder without Lens
$20,500.00 U.S. List Price
on the sony website.

This would be a major change to a file-based production in NY as the data storage and archival needs infrastructure would have to be addressed for all of the shows.
Also the PMW-350 data rate maxes out at
HQ mode: VBR, maximum bit rate: 35 Mb/s, MPEG-2 MP@HL
Maybe they will stop shooting DVCAM codec standard def for 70% of the shoots and stop using the occasional lockdown wideshot with the PDW-510 XDCAM standard def cameras by September and go HD across the board...
 
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2mancrew

Member
cameras

Last I heard from a staffer in NYC this month is the new SxS card cameras are Sony XDCAM EX PMW-EX1R .

The EX1R model
includes SD recording in DVCAM, so it will work for their current shoots and the 2012 U.S. Presidential campaign coverage.
[SD mode: 720 x 480/59.94i or 29.97p ]
This is a 1/2" chip camera. so instead of staffers using a 1/3" chip Sony HVR-Z5U HDV camera they would use the EX1R...
The EX-1R is only 4 ounces heavier.

Oh and ABC Network NY also purchased a few new Canon 5D MarkIIIs DSLRs with 5" monitor and 1 arm bracket with a Zoom H4n recorder in the bag. With a 24-105mm EOS f/4 lens.


This staffer also mentioned that after the election in November then circa January 2013 ABC News will also go completely HD for acquisition. No more shooting standard definition after that.
This is the most concrete information so far as to when their switch may happen.
 
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The Thrill

Active member
Our station's been sending stuff to ABC NewsOne in 16x9 HD for months now.

Sometimes it's a .WMV with PathFire Direct, but usually it's FTP'd as a QuickTime file.
 

2mancrew

Member
update on SxS cameras

I spoke with a staffer in NY this week.
ABC Network News purchased 42 of these. They are currently being setup this month.
PMW-500 XDCAM EX HD422 2/3" PowerHAD FX CCD Shoulder-mount
records 50 Mbps MPEG HD422 MXF files on SxS cards
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-xdcam/cat-broadcastcameras/product-PMW500/HD02/
Los Angeles bureau will get 4 cameras.
Washington DC bureau will get 11 cameras.
NYC will get ? cameras.
Unsure of the rest of the distribution for other ABC Network News bureaus.
Once staffers received training on this model they will start using them in the field this month.

I can't wait to see how they will handle the SxS card workflow in these busy city operations.
I'm guessing the F700 & F800s will be used for 2nd and 3rd camera lockoff shots.

Producers will soon carry
Sony PMW-100
One 1/3" Exmor CMOS XDCAM HD422 Handy Camcorder
records 50 Mbps MPEG HD422 MXF files on SxS cards
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-xdcam/cat-broadcastcameras/product-PMW100/
Unsure of how many purchased.


Still some Nightline and World News is XDCAM SD 480/30p.
20/20 and GMA is all HD in the field shoots. A mix of 720/60p and 1080/30p for specs.
Most producers still carrying Sony HVR-Z5U
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-HVRZ5U/
usually HDV but still DVCAM if for Nightline or World News.
Some producers carrying Canon 5D Mark3 DSLRs as additional footage cameras usually @ 1080/30p for all Network News shows.
 

Lensmith

Member
Yes, my friends at ABC tell me the days of them worrying about buying "play" machines for a variety of formats are over. Saves money. Now all video arrives on hard drives or by fiber and recorded to cards. HD422 and happy accountants who see less money spent equipping edit rooms.
 

2mancrew

Member
NYC update

In NYC finally staffers have been using the Sony PMW-500 this past month.
Keep in mind this SxS camera was announced and released by Sony in Autumn 2010.

So far standardizing on 720/60p with these cameras.

The whole XDCAM disc workflow has changed now to SxS cards.
Even on multicam shoots without a PMW-500 they are asking for other HD cameras to feed a PMW-50 deck recording on SxS cards.
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-editing/cat-editingandproduction/product-PMW50/
which is not quite a VDR but a $5000. SDI input only recorder (50 Mbps MPEG HD422 recording as MXF files. There are no Audio inputs or timecode in/out. It has a headphone out though to listen to CH.1 & 2 only.
It at least has a nice 3.5" monitor built in and also HDMI out so you can feed any nearby consumer HDTV with just a normal HDMI cable.

The staff will also be given PMW-100 cameras to carry.

I heard the staff camerapeople turned in their F-800 XDCAM HD cameras and they have been shipped off to the London ABC bureau.
 
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