Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1505029
30 PRODUCTION SOUND & VIDEO – Fall 2023 working with you is crucial; they can help move the carts and set up while you are working on other tasks with above- the-line staff. Utilities are integral to the ability to run, patch cable, and troubleshoot technical issues while the operator is otherwise occupied. For example, I once was crawling underneath the stage because I had lost my internet connection and had to re-run the cable right quick. It was early in the morning before anything had really started. I was solo on this show and didn't have a Y-7 with me, but I thought I had a brief second to investigate it. So I'm under the stage when suddenly, I heard, "Where is the Video Assist? Where is Amber?" over the walkies. I popped up out of the middle of a starship stage like a hamster out of a hidey-hole, shouting, "I'm here!" I was covered in dust while the whole cast and crew were staring at me. The Executive Producer needed me to return immediately to do a comp, so I ran right up to do it, but I knew I still had to fix the cable, too. Working our jobs is to constantly be on call while on set. It's very difficult to leave your cart, even to do another part of your job. Time management is key, managing expectations is key, and under-promising and over-delivering helps. Video assist responsibilities on set have grown beyond what is reasonable to ask of a single person and the amount of work is only increasing as technology develops and is incorporated into our workflows. We need a bigger team. Time is of the essence and a precious commodity on any large production. There's too much at stake and this department is one of the worst places to cut corners. You are, in essence, cutting your directors and producers off from quality checking your film. Mistakes that are missed on set can cost a fortune to fix in post or reshoot later. On Star Trek: Picard, there was a previous shot that we had recorded that was "obviously" not working with our new crane footage. If not fixed, talent would have to be flown back into the country and crew would have to go into a sixth day. Due to my previous VFX know-how, I was asked to perform a miracle and composite the two shots. I was able to mask, animate, render, and comp the previous shot together with the new one to work seamlessly. The whole crew held their breath while I worked. And when our showrunner gave it his nod of approval, everyone cheered. Our VFX Director patted me on the back then told me, "Do you know you just saved them about one year of your salary in what it would have taken to fix that shot?" This was only possible because I had the necessary support to do my job well on that show, but if I hadn't been a part of the conversation because I'd been off fixing a broken cable or rebooting a router because there was no one to help me, the show would have paid through the nose for it. And this isn't an isolated incident. When I recently worked on Beverly Hills Cop 4, I was the Video Assist Utility and was able to make quick-reference video edits on the fly on my laptop, which were used by the Director to save time and to move on to the next shot quickly. It was very helpful to all involved. On Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, the advanced video engineering technology at our fingertips was mind-blowing. Video assist worked together with the video wall engineers and camera technicians to "scan" actors in these LED video wall stages in order to "paste" them into the films. This is done live, as we're shooting, while we comp or overlay it all together. Then I had to use a secure double-encrypted link from QTAKE to stream it all to the above-the-line team in Japan and across the world. Video assist has revolutionized the entire creative process! When I worked on Space Jam: New Legacy, we were getting the motion capture composites and Amber Maher and her Video Assist Trainee Vadym Medvediuk on the USS Titan's bridge, Star Trek: Picard Season 2 and 3