Beta testing program

[Emanuel]

Is there already any program? And if so, will you accept inscriptions?

[GaryinCalifornia]

I love to be a beta tester...

Shooting a feature this summer... but the camera might not be out be then... just short on funds... actually I have enough to make it... its that I have three out of four known actors interested in the script... so I have to pay them... so saving money on a camera rental would pay for one of the actors...

[imgentertainment@mac]

I would chop off my right arm, Well maybe leg need my right hand to run the camera to beta test on my feature this summer and any other stuff that jim needs shot. But I have a feeling that we are so far down the list for this. There is allot of big names paying attention to this camea.

[insanityfw]

If they do a beta program maybe there could be some sort of submission contest in relation to upcoming projects or past projects to make sure Red gets tested in real-world situations. I don't know how beta selections are made. Then again, they could just give one to the usual suspects (ie: Jarred, Barry, etc.) and be just fine.

Maybe people wanting to shoot with Red as a Beta product on their projects could hire the DP's that are testing it for Mr. Jannard. Sounds exciting.

[insanityfw]

PS- I love this red-themed area a lot, but now I'm going to have to change my avatar because the orange really clashes with the red. :)

[spencer]

You know what would be a good beta test? Give a camera to someone extremely young, with no experience, and has no background of high end cameras. Tell him how to record, and let him into the wild, after making sure he knows how expensive the thing is.

That way, the images would be representative of a videographically incompetent kid, and if the images are awesome, everyone will say "wow, that camera can even make that stupid kid's stuff look good!"

Perfect thing is, I am pretty videographically incompetent, and young!

[Gibby]

I am pretty videographically incompetent, and young!

Rest assured that even the most seasoned DP (or is that VP) started out in that category! You can have all the talent and technology on the planet in your hands - and still produce funky footage. There is no shortcut to experience, you simply put in stick time on multiple camera systems to get it. Just know that nobody is born knowing anything. We start absorbing knowledge from the day we're born. Knowledge taken in the correct light should simply let you know how much you still don't know! Unfortunately, ego often gets in the way, and it doesn't always work out that way. An eagerness to learn throughout your career, coupled with tenacity, will get you to where you want to go...assuming that you have natural talent, and can get your hands on something to shoot with.

That said...I like your idea!

Gibby
www.cut4.tv

[ggoerl]

I'm so down to help beta test, but I doubt I'll be given a camera:(

[blckhawk542]

If I could test out this camera....my life would be complete. haha

and i totally agree with Spencer...Somebody young...but should have a decent amount of knowledge...no professional level of shooting knowledge....They should be one of the beta testers..:)

...btw...im born in '90 and have been involved in videowork for 5 years and working freelance for the past year...:thumbsup:

[Jannard]

I think this is a good idea (in concept). I'd like some time to figure out the best way to do something like this.

Jim

[Daniel Skubal]

If this is the sign up post, then count me in :)

[Emanuel]

I think this is a good idea (in concept). I'd like some time to figure out the best way to do something like this.

JimJim, :dankk2: for your answer.

Best luck to NAB presentation!
Emanuel

[blckhawk542]

How about something like this..

You get two beta testers....one from a professional who really knows like everything about videography.

Then..someone like a normal consumer whos not really pro but has a very good amount of knowledge of how films are made etc.

get the feedback from both the professional and indie filmmaker..so you can know how well both of them really like the workflow of this camera in the pro and indie world.

Just an idea though..but I really think it can work out well.

[Haakon]

Get the feedback from both the professional and indie filmmaker..so you can know how well both of them really like the workflow of this camera in the pro and indie world.
I don't think the different users have to necessarily be completely prescribed, but I do think that the idea of some kind of "focus group" of different users with different backgrounds would be extremely helpful to both the end users and the company. Things from ergonomics and design all the way to technical specifications and workflow could be examined and discussed. Often times things come up in these kinds of situations that no one has thought of before (this happens all the time in software development) and situations can arise that the manufacturer wasn't even aware of.

I will say that I think just the fact that the people behind RED are hungry, active users themselves will help immensely. But certainly a "real world" perspective from users who don't own their own F900s and Varicams couldn't hurt either. :)

[kai]

I'll gladly throw my name in the hat as a beta. I'll run it through its paces on some national broadcast spots.

[dan]

Yes, gladly, count me in.

[DavidBeier]

Like everyone here I'd kill to test the camera.

I'm a very indie minded film student. I'm about to graduate from the University of New Orleans Film Department in a few weeks. I've spent all four years of my undergraduate career as a film major (being an honors student means you can take all the better classes early). I've shot 8mm and 16mm film but I fell in love with the DVX100 pretty quickly and have shot about around 10 projects on it, the latest of which I'm about to send off to festivals. I've also messed around with some HD cames like the Sony HDR-FXI and the JVC HD100U.

I guess I think it's good if beta testing is done to get a sampling of everyone. Professional indie DPs but also college guys like me who have worked a lot with digital and are used to doing stuff on our own in a maverick fashon.

In other words: PLEASE LET ME PLAY WITH YOUR CAMERA!!!

[Spartacus]

Betatesting?
Naaaaaaaaaaaaa, I´ll pass...
I´ll shoot my next feature on polaroid and duck tape...
And, Gentleman prefer Ray Ban...

[ggoerl]

Im Young :)
Like 16 years young.
Born in 89.

[blckhawk542]

Id like to shoot my short in 4k...:)

[Danilo Del Tufo]

The problem is the editing...

[ChrisForbes]

I'd like to blow 4k on shorts

[spencer]

Id like to shoot my short in 4k...:)

I'd like to shoot anything in 4k. Doesn't even have to be a short. could just be clint howards head for ten minutes straight, and I'd still wanna shoot it.

[Forrest Schultz]

I shot yo' momma in 4k last night...:Drogar-Evil(DBG):

[insanityfw]

Maybe this could work into some kind of contest if RED would be up for it.

How about a 30 second Oakley commercial contest with a certain set of guidlines and then the winning teams DP could be one of the Beta testers?

OK, this isn't fully formed or totally sensible, but maybe something based on this starting concept.

I guess I would just love to figure out an Oakley spec commercial or something with a great product line like Oakley has....even on the DVX or other cameras. :)

My friend puts on the Almost Famous Film Festival (thea3f.net) here in Phoenix which is catching on nicely and he's been talking about finding a sponsor for a mid-year 48 hour film challenge based on doing a spec commercial. I think it sounds like fun and that's what gave me the idea. DVXuser.com could probably pull something like this together.

just freestyling here.

[insanityfw]

I shot yo' momma in 4k last night...:Drogar-Evil(DBG):
Oh...no... you... didn'

[Robert Pottorff]

What an exciting time for independent film. And of course :) I too would love the chance to work with the camera that promises to revolutionize.

[spencer]

Oh...no... you... didn'

Oh no, my momma didn'. What the hell is up with her being in the same room with RED and not even telling me? :furious3:

(someone will now whisper into my ear the reason)

Oh...

Still though, if you need a young and inexperienced beta tester, me and blckhawk are great for that. I don't know about him, but i'm obsessive over gear, and would take utmost care of it, while providing a amateur image that will probably still look awesome.

[Danilo Del Tufo]

Only 36 minute and Red camera will be mine! Er...Er...:crybaby: :crybaby: :crybaby: :badputer:
...I know a lucky guy that will have today the camera in his hands...his name is Jim! :2vrolijk_08:

[TimurCivan]

if yo uwant to see what it will do in the hands of a Video artist.... id be happy as hell to give it a whirl....

i can make more of these..... www.bolt.com/timurcivan/video/

[MattinSTL]

If there were going to be any beta tests then I'd say the most sensible thing to do would be to give one to Jarred... because that would cover both Jarred and Barry... and between the two of them I'm sure a very effective article plus updates would come of it. At the very least I think that would be reasonable.

After that I'd say betas would go to the most articulate members of the board having a long history as a productive member... and I mean productive professionally... although there are obviously some senior members who don't appear to have a very professional ethic.

If you gave me a truckload of RED cams I could tell you who I'd give each one to and why... and unfortunately I don't think I'd be high on the list.

Beta units need to go to people who are doing high profile professional work OR they need to go to responsible senior members/moderators on the board who are minimally biased and articulate... and frequent to post.

[Isaac_Brody]

I like Insanityfw's idea for a contest. Winner gets a betatesting spot? Could be part of the herofest or a seperate contest. That way people would earn the spot and it would represent the best/better filmmakers producing stuff.

[insanityfw]

I don't know how Beta tests work as in what kind of volume they test with, etc., but you'd think that there may be a couple of ways to approach it. I don't know for sure why I'm so interested, since I'm sure that RED has their own plan intact. I'm sure Jim Jannard is more than capable of figuring out a plan.

I guess that's forum-life....just can't help, but think out loud.

[taubkin]

Would the BETA tester need to lve in the US? I promise I'd take the camera to Rio every other weekend... LOL!

[insanityfw]

Would the BETA tester need to lve in the US? I promise I'd take the camera to Rio every other weekend... LOL!
Rio in SuperHD? You win Taubkin.

[Spartacus]

Rio?
I would rather take it to central Sao Paulo at night hehehe...
Or Rua Augusta...
Hmm, but I could also imagine some things on Ipanema in 4K harhar...

[coolguy007]

I'd take it anywhere, just so long as i could have it...this camera looks amazing and im up for a beta tester contest...sounds cool

[bleutuna]

Well, Jim...

I plan on shooting my Senior Thesis here at SCAD on 35mm. However, you and your team could come out with a test-unit, and I could shoot it on the RED instead!

We're shooting 35mm for the visual effects folks, to make sure they have the best quality screens and scans. Plus, I love the look of 35mm. For something like RED ,though, it would give us what we need for Vsfx, as well as giving your team a real-world scenario.

Heck, our school even owns an Avid Nitris DS system that the film will be edited on, for full and complete un-compressed manipulation! A match made in heaven!

Hey, a man can dream, can't he!


http://www.godiswatching.net - the site for the film.

[wildgrace]

I'd love to beta test. I'm realtively new to video/film so if you're looking for the novice to beta test that describes me perfectly.

I'm in Canada, maybe to a Toronto shoot? I have two lovely shorts - one 5 minutes and one 8 minutes that would work (int/ext locations).