(Secaucus, New Jersey--March 31, 2009) Until very recently, whatever troubles were about to beset the Hughes and Snyders of Midwest soap mecca Oakdale, the drama was largely confined to the indoors. TeleNext Media (New York, NY), longtime production company for the venerable daytime drama, As The World Turns (ATWT), would limit exterior work to once or twice a year due to logistics and expense.
That was prior to TeleNext Media's 2008 purchase of three Panasonic AG-HVX200 P2 HD handheld camcorders, which now handle ATWT's greatly expanded exterior work schedule. TeleNext Media Digital Producer Kelsey Hunt explains that a typical work day may now encompass up to five locations, with her department's two camera operators shooting throughout the New York metropolitan area. The hills and dales of Staten Island, Long Island and New Jersey stand in for Oakdale's suburban environs, while Brooklyn is a credible substitute for Chicago, the big city closest to the fictional Oakdale.
All interior photography takes place at a studio in the Midwood section of Brooklyn. First airing in 1956, ATWT is the industry's second longest-running soap opera and has always been produced in New York City.
Hunt supervises all digital production for ATWT, which includes creation of the show's web site and other on-line content in addition to the digitally-shot location work. She became familiar with Panasonic digital cameras during the production of an on-line soap opera series and a reality show spin-off of ATWT.
"I immediately saw the advantages of the DVX100 series' cost-efficiencies and extreme mobility," Hunt said. "When it came to making our own purchase, however, we opted for the HVX200; we wanted the option to shoot in HD if need be, although we currently continue to shoot in SD. We also liked the tapeless workflow as well as the cost-savings and portability."
"One of features we like most about the HVX200 is its light handling capabilities," Hunt said. "We work strictly with available light. We don't see a lot of grain when the gain is on, and the color saturation is excellent. The images are crisp with no focus issues.
"Given our intensive schedule, we have already used the cameras in many outdoor situations, and we've only had to cancel one shoot because of the weather. Unless conditions are dictated by the story line, we deal with it."
Hunt said that the ability to match time code on the cameras is another critical feature of the HVX200s (the third camera is used as a back-up).
ATWT exterior crews are comprised of approximately 17 people, including two shooters, a tech manager, a boom operator and an audio mixer. The production is using numerous 32GB P2 cards and elects to erase the cards after a one-hour episode is put together. The exteriors are assembled in Final Cut Pro, and those scenes are laid into the master show edit.
Hunt said she is also utilizing the HVX200s to shoot on-line pieces for ATWT various web sites (http://www.astheworldturns.net, http://www.cbs.com).
"Our production model is 'quick, fast and affordable,' and the HVX200 fits into that mold very well," she said. "The camcorder is by far the best choice for what we do. Everyone in our department loves the HVX200 and the look we get with it."
About TeleNext Media, Inc.
TeleNext Media, Inc. is a full-service production agency primarily known for producing the Emmy award-winning daytime serials As The World Turns and Guiding Light. TeleNext Media has produced twenty different daytime serials since 1933. Its current serials, As The World Turns and Guiding Light, together have received over 125 Daytime Emmy Awards. TeleNext Media, Inc. is also the producer of The People's Choice Awards and continues to develop new multi-platform content in a variety of genres and strong industry partnerships, including the New York Television Festival. Headquartered in New York, TeleNext Media is a business unit of MediaVest, a full-service media and communications unit of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of the Paris-based Publicis Groupe network.
About the AG-HVX200A
An enhanced version of the HVX200, the 1/3" 3-CCD AG-HVX200A handheld P2 HD/DV camcorder features improved progressive 3-CCD imagers, a DSP that increases sensitivity while lowering noise and smear, and a 13X zoom lens. The ultra-versatile HVX200A records in 1080i and 720p in production-proven 100 Mbps DVCPRO HD quality, with the ability to capture images in 21 record modes. The DVCPRO HD format offers users cost-effective, intra-frame compression, where each frame stands on its own for editing, and its full 4:2:2 color sampling allows the image to hold up under color correction. The camera records video on a P2 card as IT-friendly MXF files in 1080/60i, 30p and 24p; in 720/60p, 30p and 24p; in 50Mbps DVCPRO50 and in 25Mbps DVCPRO or DV. The HVX200A can capture fast or slow action in 720p at various frame rates: the shooting frame rate in 720p native mode can be set for any of 11 steps between 12fps and 60fps including 24fps and 30fps. For more information on the HVX200A, visit http://www.panasonic.com/P2HD.
About Panasonic Broadcast
Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Co. is a leading supplier of broadcast and professional video products and systems. Panasonic Broadcast is a unit company of Panasonic Corporation of North America. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE Symbol: PC) the hub of Panasonic's U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. For more information on Panasonic Broadcast products, visit http://www.panasonic.com/broadcast.
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