HiMY SYeD -- Rob Willox, Cinequest A&I Forum: 4K - Filmmaking Opportunities, San Jose March 8 2013
Channel: HiMYSYeD
Date: 2013-03-15

HiMY SYeD -- Rob Willox, Cinequest A&I Forum: 4K - Filmmaking Opportunities, San Jose March 8 2013

"Now, a film can be created and shot in 4K--opening an entirely new world of possibilities for filmmakers to truly bring their visions to life. 4K offers filmmakers of all budgets to realize enhanced visual and emotional impact. See and learn how to work in 4K, and see astounding examples.

As part of the excitement, witness a dynamic screening of Mahout, Mahout a short film shot in Sri Lanka using Sony's 4K cameras, followed by an incredible presentation by Sony's 4K experts and the Director of Photography for Mahout.

    Artists & Innovators:
    Rob Willox, Director of Marketing, Sony 4K
    Dana Christiaansen, Director of Photography (Mahout, a Sony 4K film)

    Moderator:
    Barnaby Dallas, Director of Film Production for Spartan Film Studios, San José State University

Biographies:

Rob Willox, Director of Marketing, Sony 4K
Rob Willox has in-depth knowledge of Sony's 4K, 3D and HD production strategies and offers a unique perspective based on his extensive production experience.

A long-time Sony employee, Rob has held various positions including camera support engineer, director of 3D business development and director of marketing for CineAlta digital cinematography products. Rob has led the introduction of several key production systems such as the Sony HDCAM and HDCAM SR formats to the US marketplace.

As director of marketing for Sony CineAlta 4K, Rob's responsibility includes gathering constructive feedback from the production community to enhance and evolve the CineAlta toolkit.  Rob is a strong believer in the power of on-going education on the use of Sony's production tools.

Dana Christiaansen, Director of Photography 
Dana grew up in Los Angeles. Fascinated by all things mechanical and automotive, he was repairing the neighborhood cars long before he could legally drive. Building and racing cars as a teenager led to his being hired as head mechanic at a local shop at the young age of 17. When he was subsequently hired to repair a producer's Bentley, he was asked to stay on as a production assistant.

On the first day of the shoot, he stood on the stage with an armful of dailies and donuts; the camera rolled onto the set and the hook was sunk. Dana never looked back. Thus began a career that has taken him around the globe. He has always felt very fortunate to work with and learn from the most talented artists, producers, and friends in this business, and as a result, he is driven to be the best he can be in a field that he has always considered a gift reserved for only a very few lucky people in the world.

A fortunate opportunity arose to work as stage manager in a commercial production company. This introduced him to motion picture cameras and again he drove himself to learn everything involved with this area of the profession leading to a ten-year career as an assistant cameraman for the top DP's of the day. Dana worked for and learned from Joe Pytka, John Alcott, Don McAlpine, and many others.

A phone call from Bill Werts, an elite still photographer at the time, began a long relationship as his director of photography. Bill's excellent eye and long client list was once again the basis of a first class education and a strong commercial reel including automotive, tabletop, and storytelling spots.

Dana's experience, not only as a specialist in automobiles, but for all types of projects is evident in his working style. To maximize creative potential, he looks forward to collaborating on ideas above and beyond the project's original objectives.Along with continually improving his hands-on approach to all aspects of his work, Dana still enjoys learning from others and refining his eye for composition and light design, whether a landscape, a face, or as it reflects off sheet metal.

Barnaby Dallas, Director of Film Production for Spartan Film Studios, San José State University
Barnaby Dallas is the Director of Film Production for Spartan Film Studios and Coordinator of Production for the Film and Theatre Programs at SJSU. He has produced 12 feature films that received theatrical, DVD and online distribution, and multiple film festival awards. He also teaches screenwriting and story development at DreamWorks Animation."