Netflix gave the green light for a remake of the popular 1980s comedy show G.L.O.W. (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling). The series features a troupe of female wrestlers trying to make a big break into Hollywood fame through wrestling.
Recently, the production crew invited Teradek to join them on set and see how they were advancing their workflow to tailor to the needs of a fast-paced production.
Gear up with Netflix’s G.L.O.W. from Teradek on Vimeo.
Wireless monitoring is an invaluable asset for a production team to have. It keeps every member of the crew on the same page in terms of filming so people aren’t constantly bothering the video village to replay shots. It reduces clutter on set when there are less wires running around. Overall, it improves the continuity and efficiency of the filming process. This is what film technology is all about, and here’s how the team at G.L.O.W. utilized it.
The production crew used Teradek Bolts for zero-delay monitoring systems and Teradek Cube for wireless monitoring on iPads and iPhones. The Bolts help to transmit video wirelessly via transmitters and receivers with zero delay and can transmit to multiple receivers at the same time. This removes the need for traditional wired connections which hamper the speed and mobility of a camera.
The crew needed a way to serve the video to multiple personnel on set. Uniquely, the Bolt receivers have multiple video outputs, so while the SDI feed was being patched to the monitors, the HDMI out was able to patch into a Cube 655. By doing this, they enabled an extended workflow to wireless monitoring around set.
The Cube is particularly useful for members of the production team that don’t require the zero delay monitoring, but their roles warrant seeing a constant view of what’s in frame. Makeup artists on set are able to view the feed wirelessly from an iPad and even take screenshots for later reference. Boom operators like to carry small iOS device like an iPod Touch to check for boom shadow and frame edge without having to pester the video department. Even executive clients want to see the action on camera, and having their own iOS device with the Teraview app allows them to monitor wirelessly, thus freeing up space and equipment for the production team.
The production team used Teradek COLRs on set as well. Because the crew was using Red Weapon cameras, they were taking full advantage of the cameras’ capabilities. However, the flat log image generated by the camera isn’t representative of the final product, so the DIT on set Chris Hoyle used the COLR in conjunction with Pomfort LiveGrade Pro to create a LUT and adjust colors in real-time. Because the director could visualize a scene’s real color during filming, it makes for a better finished product. As digital cameras with wide dynamic range are used more in fast-paced sets, it’s important for imaging standards to keep up with them. That’s why G.L.O.W. chose the COLR.
“When it comes to technology, I think one of the more important aspects is efficiency. You need to be able to work in fast-paced environments. I think Teradek really took it to the next step in terms of a WiFi or wireless solution.” -Chris Hoyle, Digital Imaging Technician for G.L.O.W.