Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1500728
50 PRODUCTION SOUND & VIDEO – Summer 2023 every day had different challenges. Some operators expressed that the pressure of working with the director would be too tense. In this case, the Director was James Cameron. For Mr. Cameron, you need to be always 'on,' anticipate what he might need, and be able to technically answer his questions. Like Mr. Spielberg, he demands an A team of professionals. Surprisingly, Video Operators that came from live TV were able to handle the most stress in terms of personalities and technical issues. In the end, our Local was able to provide the most experienced and proficient technicians. All the Video Assist Operators were able to bring their talents to this otherworldly film. I would like to congratulate the following operators, and their contributions to the success of Avatar: The Way of Water. Shahrouz (Shawn) Nooshinfar: From Tehran, Iran, Shawn had been employed by several Persian and Armenian broadcast channels serving as an Uplink Engineer and Technical Director. He is also fluent in Farsi, German, and English, making him in demand at other international broadcast stations. He was brought on Anchorman 2 as a Technical Advisor and Engineer in 2011 and joined the union in 2012. He has worked as the lead media server and LED Engineer on Dr. Phil and other live TV events. On Avatar, he handled the biggest technical challenges with ease and confidence. He is one of the principal owners of Lightning LED, which specializes in video walls, media servers, and video assist. His company is a QTAKE distributor and technical support center. Jeb Johenning: From Lexington, VA, was employed by Strata Flotation in 1988 and was responsible for the in-house video productions of their product, which was being distributed nationally. He also served as an Industrial Designer and had twelve US patents on different products he designed. Jeb has been a Local 695 member since 1994 and established his company Ocean Video in 1993. His company is one of the few companies that is a worldwide premier agent/dealer for the QTAKE system, which builds carts and provides technical support. His role on Avatar was more behind the scenes, providing support and perfecting the build-out of QTAKE streaming. This allowed all five stages to be interconnected and view takes filmed on different stages. This was a secure and quick way for the director to comment on the work of others. Roly Arenas and Eduardo Eguia on the carts for New Zealand Dan Moore – Video Assist Operator & Ryan Champney – Virtual Production Supervisor at Lightstorm Entertainment Shahrouz (Shawn) Nooshinfar and Storm Flejter troubleshoot issues on Avatar: The Way of Water Dan Moore works on the QTAKE system on the water tank stage