azPTP prepares for 4K and beyond utilizing Bluefish444 I/O video cards

Phoenix-based azPTP has been providing fully equipped production crews to major studios, television shows, ad agencies and corporate clients since 1999. They offer complete post production editing, audio, color correction and cleanup services with the latest equipment, and they’ve got global experience in 6K, 5K, 4K and HD, with offerings from script to screen. azPTP’s work has appeared on the major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC), on sports outlets in the form of news magazines and features (Fox Sports, ESPN, HBO Real Sports, PGA Tour, The Golf Channel, NASCAR Images), in corporate presentations (Ford, GM, Walgreens), in documentaries (Last Picture Show, Chronic Insomniac), and in independent films (Home Front, Letters From Home, The Princess of Ahwatukee). In 2009, leveraging their extensive experience in broadcast television, azPTP expanded their focus to include more cinematic endeavors, specializing in high-resolution digital cinematography. Shooting primarily 5K on a Red Weapon, azPTP also accommodates budget-minded clients who want a high-end look but can’t afford 5K pricing by using specialty camera options. For editing, azPTP started out using Avid Media Composer but has transitioned to the Adobe Creative Cloud.

4K HDMI Preview

azPTP had also invested in Bluefish444’s Create | 3D Ultra, but recently upgraded to the Epoch | 4K Neutron. The upgrade was driven by azPTP’s desire to ensure that their video editing facilities stay up to date, even though the Create | 3D Ultra had served them well. Epoch | 4K Neutron provided 4K HDMI video preview, which was also a major factor in deciding to upgrade, considering many of the company’s projects are being shot at 4K and above. Curtis Pair, CEO of azPTP who also serves as director of photography and post supervisor, has a unique understanding of the entire process. As an editor himself, Pair knows what is needed in terms of footage being shot in the field. He provides research, storyboards, test shots, example edits and various lighting schemes for each project to ensure the perfect harmony of creative artistry, technical mastery and the communication of the intended information. “We have moved to shooting and delivering more 4K and HFR footage, and it was time to upgrade to a card that could handle the increased data rates more efficiently,” explains Pair. “The upgrade to the 4K Neutron was pretty seamless, and it worked perfectly in my existing system. It behaves exactly like the Create card, but with added resolutions available in the Adobe CC suite. “In particular, we’re quite pleased with the 4K UHD support and HDMI 1.4 monitoring, which was an added bonus,” he continues. “We don’t have a 4K production monitor at this time, so support for lower cost HDMI monitors was essential. Like the Create card, support for 10-bit color was not something we wanted to lose when upgrading to a 4K card.” With an all-new form factor, the Epoch | Neutron range of video cards opens up a new options for users. Bluefish444 has compressed functionality of much bigger cards into a low-profile, half-height PCIe video card, allowing integration with rackmount, small form factor, PCIe or Thunderbolt enclosures. Pair notes, “This is our fourth year using Bluefish444 cards, and we’ve been quite pleased. We recently used the Epoch | 4K Neutron on the Good Sam 500 at the Phoenix International Raceway (NASCAR) and at MLB spring training using the Red Weapon, and we’re planning on upgrading a second card to 4K Neutron Turbo, adding HFR 60p support.”