Daniel Mulligan message - Open Source Cinema UK

Dear All,

It feels the right time to introduce myself to this blog and explain why we are approaching Open Source for Film Production, which I have been researching and working on now for nearly a full year, and still it is a subject that needs a lot more explaining and development, but that is why I am now involved, it is exciting and could revolutionise the industry over the coming years.

I have a background starting in cameras (assisting and focus pulling) then graduating up the ranks to Camara Operating for F1, BBC Dramas then 2nd Unit Cinematography for Feature Theatrical Productions.

During this time I also started and ran privately a camera rental house supplying digital cameras plus an onset/location company providing location post and digital camera workflows.

This culminated just recently with a 2-3 year stint at Technicolor as their locations digital dailies supervisor, looking after projects such as Jupiter Ascending, Mortdecai and The Man from UNCLE.

During this long time servicing and working I have seen a few changes and re-iterations of the current digital workflows and it has struck me over time how much we do rely on proprietary systems for most delivery. Quite rightly as they do deliver, for VFX to DI to onset LUTs and more.

I then made contact with Apertusº in Vienna, who were funding and developing an Open Source 4K camera. I went to see them and was immediately struck by how little Open Source, for both software and hardware, is utilised by the Film Production community.

Certain single elements are there, Blender for 3D, DCP creation, but nothing has been created and developed to service an entire production workflow for shooting films digitally.

It is quite a broad subject with a wide scope and in this blog entry a little short as the subject has many more strands to it, such as sensor processing, transcoding, VFX, DI and colour, LUTs and more, plus add in the actual cameras themselves then we have a very deep set of requirements needed for the entire Productions pipeline and workflows.

But by approaching the subject now, and also introducing and researching ethical approaches to feature film production, I am hoping that we can create a community of like minded contributors who would like to see Open Source for Film production become stronger and a more realistic proposition as it continues to thrive and develop.

Thank you for reading,
Daniel Mulligan
January 27th 2015

Education, Open Source, Film Production

Part of the continuing development of the Open Source ecology & ethos for Film Production services is the further enhancement and knowledge of education for coding.

Already various education establishments at University and research level are ready to discuss Open Source for Film Production and its continuing development.

Naturally part of this is developing an educational platform to cover not only an in point to media creation and film working practices but also developing coding knowledge and workflow pipeline creation.

For us the future of faster and more collaborative digital workflows, with growing engagement for the filmmaking communities, is that continuing evolution of the software and how it helps drive the hardware to better performance levels.

Our software roadmap will help develop a framework for this education and growth, with the 'OpenFlow' platform being that creative bedrock for growth.

Ethical Film Making

As part of the growth for 2015 Open Source Cinema UK will also be embracing any new approaches to Film Production that include the adoption of more ethical solutions.

Examples such as Fairphone, where new technology is sourced, as best it can, from more ethically minded areas and support. This can drip down into Film Production for energy and power (electric vehicles, location generators) with battery power and newly developed Hydrogen Power options (already being used on some BBC wildlife Productions to power cameras left in place for days at a time, they are more efficient).

Aligning an ethical approach to Film Making alongside new and developing Open Source Hardware and Software there is a growing requirement to offer these services for the future of Film Production.

Yes it is early days but this will all grow and perhaps, in a few years, will become something a lot more common than we can see today.

Daniel Mulligan
January 27th 2015

"OpenFlow" a new development for 2015

New in the development for both open source environments we are creating "OpenFlow", a complete suite of workflow solutions to help make sure open source is at the forefront of Film Production for years to come.

OpenFlow will create workflows and both software and hardware for the capture, distribution and delivery of OCDN, Original Camera Digital Negative.

From the sensor a combination of both hardware (shooting and capture) and software (digital negative, RAW media) and then storage (workstations, RAIDs) can be used from open source solutions to create and build an entire single pipeline.

Included in this process can be VFX solutions, Post and DI solutions, colour pipeline solutions and more.

Open Source - 2015 Roadmaps

For 2015 and onwards we will not only be promoting Open Source Hardware and Software from dedicated suppliers and sources but also developing our own initiatives to create both software and hardware solutions for Film Production.

Hardware   :  Roadmap
Software    :  Roadmap

Workflows : Roadmap

New in the development for both open source environments we are creating "OpenFlow", a compete suite of workflow solutions to help make sure open source is at the forefront of Film Production for years to come.

Open Source Film Production Roadmap 2015

Open Source Cinema UK is not just about engaging the Open Source Community to the possibilities of Film Production but will take an active approach in establishing new software and hardware that can help deliver those results.

We will be creating and developing "OpenFlow" , a brand new slate of workflows and software development for the entire Film Production pipeline.

OpenFlow will also develop hardware and showcase new hardware as other developers produce and introduce their product to the market.

More to come but OpenFlow will be a new source of engaging Film Production.

Open Source Cinema UK - 2015 onwards

Statement for continuing throughout 2015 with Open Source software and hardware solutions for Film Production

Open Source Cinema UK will be taking an open and transparent approach to Digital Film Production and Services. Our  intention is to allow growth and freedom and provide the tools to achieve the desired results through access to a network of products providing both hardware and software solutions with open information and to encourage like minded collaborators and collaborations.

By engaging with the open source community during 2015 we hope to :

• Clearly show people what Open Source can actually mean and achieve, and how it works, in relation to Film Production, workflows for Digital Camera Technology, network/server support and onto Delivery/Distribution.
• Establishing credibility and maturity of new products and solutions through proven use for those services and  recognition for the people and projects who have in fact open sourced their work, allowing access and inviting that collaboration.
• Giving people the freedom to study, understand, modify and sell their products/ideas or derivatives there of in a forum of consolidated ideas and principles for Open Source.
• Introduce new areas of operating and working that can allow for further savings and to take a new approach to development and financing a Film Project.

The ethos and ecology behind this is :

• To establish Open Source Digital Film Production and services including initial image capture, dailies deliverables, VFX and Post/DI through to Distribution and DCP Mastering, all under an Open Source and freedom of information ethos.
• To emphasise our inspiration is taken from Open Source and what that approach represents and entails.
• Our intention to develop a workflow of Open Source tools for Film Production.
• To include the elements which we wish to incorporate which can categorically be described as Open Source.

There are many ways we will establish the positive approaches we wish to be taking, which includes describing the collaborative elements of our service, the transparency, the customisation and so forth.

These elements are very familiar from the world of Open Source and we wish to introduce these elements to a new and growing audience for Film Production in all its various requirements.