Silicon Imaging Integrates SpeedGrade Color-Correction and Green-Screen Keying into SI-2K™ Cinema Cameras

IRIDAS’ color-correction and keying toolset allows for intuitive color manipulation with live feedback in the camera interface.

Las Vegas,NV , April 12, 2007 – Silicon Imaging, Inc., leader in IT-centric digital cinema cameras in partnership with IRIDAS, the industry pioneer in non-destructive grading technologies, is proud to introduce the latest innovation in look creation, color correction and keying technologies by integrating the functionality of SpeedGrade OnSet directly into the SI-2K™ Digital Cinema cameras.

The Silicon Imaging cameras will now be capable of not only importing .look files created with IRIDAS’ SpeedGrade applications, but also of creating and modifying “looks” and applying them directly through the user interface in the context of the live shot. Instead of ‘baking in' the color-correction, as traditional HD camera internal pathways necessitate, unaltered RAW digital negatives are recorded and stored along with the .look metadata information for lossless retrieval and modification in post.

While other cameras with color-correction require the user to have knowledge of either cryptic RGB matrices or the mastery of non-intuitive controls, the Silicon Imaging’s SI-2K™ color-control interface combines an innovative tactile touch-screen control surface with a familiar, colorist-friendly interface. It incorporates a comprehensive set of tools including HSL color-wheel controls and sliders, white-balance adjustments and isolation between shadows, mid-tones, and highlights to create a live 3D look-up-table and display. It even has the ability to integrate and grade within a target color-space, using calibration LUT’s from Rising Sun Research, for accurate color rendition from the set to the screen. All color-correction attributes are completely non-destructive and stored as metadata along with the digital negative files, using the CineForm RAW™format.

“The ability to apply non-destructive color-grading in-camera is the next step in the evolution of digital filmmaking technology, and we’re delighted to be working with Silicon Imaging to continue making it happen.” says Lin Kayser, IRIDAS CEO. “The SI-2K™ camera system gives filmmaker the tools to tell their stories better. Building in an industry-leading color-correction system with an artist-friendly front-end is just one more step Silicon Imaging has taken to speed the shooting process and optimize the post production workflow.”

Silicon Imaging has also integrated SpeedGrade color selection technology to enable in-context blue and green-screen keying. Using the intuitive SI-2K™ touch screen user interface, colors and ranges are interactively selectable from the scene to create the key. The resulting feed is then combined with images from the internal frame-store to provide instantaneous live feedback of the final composite. Now, visual effects artists can non-destructively shoot with the effect in-camera, using the frame store to combine on-set talent with pre-rendered effects for precise alignment, and then simultaneously export non-destructive key and fill information into their post-production compositing applications for further manipulation and fine-tuning.

“Live 3D LUT color-correction and green-screen keying in the SI-2K™ camera interface provides unprecedented visualization tools for directors, cinematographers, colorists, and actors for use in today’s visual effect intensive films,” says Ari Presler, CEO of Silicon Imaging, Inc. “These new interactive tools enable effects artists to seamlessly integrate live on-set elements with their post-production chains using a metadata-rich pipeline. They also give cinematographers the ability to interact with color and the freedom to tell the nuances of a story with the confidence that all of their ideas are being captured.”

The SI-2K™ also provides a set of shot continuity tools. Images from the live camera or playback can be saved or grabbed for future recall, such as those from a previously take. These images can also be mixed with the live feed to set the mark for the following take.

“Silicon Imaging's SI-2K™ camera is changing the way we make movies!” states Producer Michael George, Pacific Gold Entertainment. “We just completed shooting a feature film called “Blood: A Butchers Tale” with Aaron Douglas of Battlestar Galactica and actress Jennifer Sciole, in just 17-days. The project was shot almost exclusively on green screen in the same style as '300' or 'Sin City'. The image quality and detail from the SI-2K™ is simply amazing. The visualization tools were incredibly powerful and helped shorten our production process.”

The SI-2K™ series cameras, with IRIDAS SpeedGrade embedded and CineForm RAW™, will be on display at NAB booth SL7826.

Pricing and Availability

The SI-2K MINI™ with SiliconDVR™ recording software, embedded SpeedGrade technology, and universal lens-mount system bundled with an included PL-mount option is $14,500 and available now, with shipment in 2 weeks.

The SI-2K™, which includes an embedded version of SiliconDVR™ recording software and integrated SpeedGrade technology, is $23,500. Orders are currently available with shipping in June.

Silicon Imaging is also announcing a special NAB promotional discount of $2000 for the SI-2K™ and $1000 for the SI-2K MINI™ for orders placed by April 30, 2007.

About IRIDAS

IRIDAS pioneered desktop film-resolution playback in 2001. Its FrameCycler products are now the industry standard for frame-based image review. In 2003 IRIDAS introduced the first non-destructive color correction application. Today SpeedGrade and FrameCycler provide the critical links in an end-to-end pipeline for uncompressed content and color metadata. For more information, visit www.iridas.com.

About Silicon Imaging, Inc.

Silicon Imaging, Inc. is a leader in IT-centric high-definition digital camera and RAW workflow solutions. Silicon Imaging’s products incorporate disruptive technologies to deliver a new generation of products outperforming traditional HD cameras while increasing flexibility and lowering cost. Please visit us at www.siliconimaging.com.