< PreviousCOVER STORY this era, so we paid extra attention to that. We shot in several countries and we had to keep the same momentum of the fi lm which was really challenging. Starting a scene in one country and fi nishing it in another, plus making the audience believe that we’re in the same country and time was a huge task at hand. Another big challenge was coordinating the post production period; combining the CGI and technicalities in decorations, so the audience won’t tell that anything is unreal. THE DEGREES OF COLOUR IN THE FILM ARE UNFAMILIAR TO AUDIENCES. WAS THAT INITIALLY SOMETHING YOU WERE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT? Yes, it was. I wanted the fi lm to have an independent and unique visual character and not to be adapted from any other fi lm. I did a plethora of tests and tweaks until I chose a unique style, so if we showed the audience any frame from the fi le separately, they could easily distinguish it. THE FILM IS FULL OF CHASES, ASSASSINATIONS AND PROTESTS. HOW DID YOU COORDINATE LIGHT WITH ACTORS’ MOVEMENT AND CAMERA MOVEMENT ESPECIALLY THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH ACTION? That was a great challenge to us, especially that many of them were at night. The shoot can sometimes last for a long duration, for instance, a chase in a sprawling street. In such shoots, the camera moves a lot, and we even use more than one camera to shoot it from diff erent perspectives at the same time to save time and eff ort in recreating the scene. I also wanted to have good lighting from all the perspectives in order to shift between them while maintaining the style and that was a really hard thing to achieve. So I took many pictures from Google Earth and I distributed the lightning on those maps, then I visualised it, reviewed the plan once again and then went to the shoot location. I did this many times. To visualise how the shoot is going to look and how to implement it without interfering with the existence of several cameras and the shortage of time. There was a camera movement that chased the actors amidst the fi ght and gun fi re, then choosing the right angle to shoot horses running in the camp; in addition to the numerous side fi ghts happening in the same scene, eventually revealing their diff erent styles. WHAT ABOUT THE LIGHTING ASPECT? We had two types of challenges with regards to the lighting . The fi rst one was that the type of lightning we have nowadays especially at night was not available in the past, not all places were lit or had electricity, so I had to fi nd other sources of lighting, other than the ones were used to work with such as gas lamps, fi re or even moonlight. Most of the shoots were at night, so I had to make up the lighting and also make sure that the audience won’t notice that. The second one was that the fi lm is really long and that hence really expensive to bring together. So, we had to be prepared to cut some expenses which is why I always sought effi cient ways that would reduce the time and costs. EVEN BEFORE STARTING WORK ON KIRA & EL GIN WE WERE CERTAIN THAT THE FILM WOULD HAVE A VISUAL CHARACTER WE DIDN’T WITNESS BEFORE. In the frame: A still from Morsy’s work for the Luxor Sphinx Avenue. www.digitalstudiome.com20 / OCTOBER 2022COVER STORY HOW WAS THE ACTION CAPTURED ALONG WITH MANAGING TO MAINTAIN A FOGGY ATMOSPHERE IN CERTAIN SCENES? I was so determined to capture this shoot, planned and tried a lot but never succeeded due to external sources, maybe the lack of equipment or weather. However, we insisted on doing this and the director too wanted the scene to be foggy. Regarding the technical aspect, the location was partially a closed area except for the ceiling, but this eliminated the weather issue, so we were able to control the fog. The weather was a very important factor because if we are shooting and we have light wind, there will be fog at the beginning of the scene but not at the end. In the end, we pulled it off successfully. TELL US ABOUT BRINGING TO LIFE THE PHARAOHS’ GOLDEN PARADE? WHAT DO YOU PERCEIVE AS THE CHALLENGES WHEN CREATING TOURISM-RELATED PROJECTS LIKE GOLDEN PARADE AND SPHINX CEREMONIES? That was a great sense of responsibility because you’re not just telling a story, you are representing the history and ancient civilization that amazes the whole world. We were representing our country and knew that this event will be a milestone in Egypt’s future, so couldn’t leave any stone unturned while at it. What makes it a real challenge is that we never witnessed such an event before, so there was no reference. We brainstorm a lot in order to represent our country and civilization right, so that it was diff erent from drama, fi ction and commercials. Also, we were under immense pressure because the event was streamed live. MANY OF YOUR FILMS HAVE HAD A HISTORICAL APPROACH (PHARAONIC, ISLAMIC, 1920S, 1960S), WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR PREPARATIONS AND INSPIRATIONS HERE? I was always inspired by the historical epics and sagas. I watched many fi lms and visited many historical places. I always thought about how it looked like in the past and what happened there, even the music they used to listen to then. In addition to reading about these eras, I have used my imagination to perfect the tiniest of details. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE EMOTIONAL VS TECHNICAL APPROACH (CRAFT VS EMOTIONALLY CONNECTING WITH A STORY)? In my opinion, delivering specifi c emotions to the audience is the most important aspect of my job. If you only focus on the technical approach that will be fascinating in the fi rst attempt but won’t have the same eff ect every time after that. What matters to me is to aff ect the audience through emotions and intense moments within the story, and to be honest when dealing with them. TAKE US THROUGH THE CHANGE OF ARTISTIC APPROACH WHEN BEING A DIRECTOR FROM A DOP? I think now that I’ve indulged more in the stories, I’m telling these with greater responsibilities, as previously I was not involved in writing the scripts so I was not participating in creating the story. In the frame: Behind the scenes from the Kira & El Gin set. www.digitalstudiome.comOCTOBER 2022 / 21 COVER STORY But now I impose my vision and specifi c style in the storytelling. I was the DoP of most of my directed work so far, so it’s considered a double task for me because I usually resort to the DOP as a second eye. There is no room for disagreement over things as my responsibilities are far greater now. HOW DO YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN ARTISTIC APPROACHES BETWEEN WORKING ON MEGA FILMS AND LOW-BUDGET FILMS? The thought process and decisions I resort to are the same in both mega and low-budget fi lms. It diff ers when it comes to implementation, through using the available equipment to translate the imagination into reality. In both cases, you have a budget to stick to, so you always have to choose the easiest and quickest resolutions. People think that having a low budget for a movie is the hardest thing, but in fact the mega fi lms are harder for me because you have a bigger budget but also bigger responsibilities as there is a lot of work involved in perfecting each detail. Every kind of fi lm has its own challenges which you have to overcome in process of bringing it to life. WITH THE EFFECT OF THE VOD PLATFORMS ON THE CINEMATOGRAPHY IN MENA, DO YOU SEE A NEW WAVE EMERGING IN THE REGION? Some say this will aff ect the cinema industry but I don’t mind those platforms, as they increased the competition a lot more than before and that has been an interesting space to watch out for. This new era has a new style and challenges, but I think this generally serves in the favour of the industry. COULD YOU TOUCH ON HOW YOUR WORK WITH ANY FEATURE-LENGTH PIECE HAS BEEN INFLUENCED BY YOUR EXPERIENCE IN ADVERTISEMENT WHERE THE GOAL CENTERS MORE AROUND HIGHLIGHTING NOT JUST A PRODUCT BUT A VERY CONCENTRATED TEXTURAL- EMOTIONAL FEELING IN A SHORT WINDOW OF TIME? Working on various advertisements truly has really helped me widen my horizon and accentuated my craft, all the more. That’s because the experience allows you to convey a story in a short period in terms of creation as well as display. We focus mainly on the emotions because beauty standards are variable, but what lasts forever is actually the emotion people feel while watching that commercial. HOW WAS THE SWITCH FROM EMBRACING ANALOG CINEMATOGRAPHY TO EMBRACING DIGITAL CINEMATOGRAPHY? DO YOU PREFER ONE OVER THE OTHER? I think I was so lucky to work with the analog cinematography. In fact, they are so diff erent when it comes to dealing with them and each has its pros and cons. Despite that while I like how the imagery and fi nal result looks like in the analog but there are some factors such as the fi lm laboratory that aff ects the quality, not letting us deliver the best result if the In the frame: Morsy poses with his team at Kira & El Gin. WHAT MATTERS TO ME IS TO AFFECT THE AUDIENCE THROUGH EMOTIONS AND INTENSE MOMENTS WITHIN THE STORY, AND TO BE HONEST WHEN DEALING WITH THEM. www.digitalstudiome.com22 / OCTOBER 2022COVER STORY you’re doing, because you’re dealing with chemicals, laboratories and many other responsibilities. Nowadays, it’s all digitised and automated. The camera shoots by itself so facing problems after shooting is actually off the table. This made the competition intensify all the more, because today anyone who has a good imagination can join the industry, even if they didn’t study cinematography. I actually like this development although I miss working with the analog cinematography. Having said that, in the end, this works in our favour. YOU’VE RECEIVED A FAIR SHARE OF CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR INTRODUCING UNPRECEDENTED FORMS OF ACTIONS TO THE EGYPTIAN FILM INDUSTRY. WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO DO SO? While I’m working my goal isn’t being a duration of the fi lm was too long. On the other hand, we don’t face that with digital cinematography because we save the fi lms on hard discs which is also cheaper, so we can shoot as many times as we want until we achieve what we we are looking for. Also, when using the analog you don’t get instant results and have to wait and go through many processes to see the fi nal result. So, when dealing with it you have to be fully aware of what pioneer but in impacting the audience by bringing to life a captivating story. I always prefer recreating something new over any sort of imitation or inspiration from my own previous work or that of others. And it is that aspect that has driven me to deliver something new and unique. Also to be honest, while conveying the script, it is my passion to redefi ne creativity at every turn rather than recreate what’s already been done. Furthermore, this attitude is channelled into my work and that spirit transcends in the overall outcome as well. WHAT’S THE NEXT BIG THING YOU’VE SET YOUR SIGHTS ON? I would say that the more your experience grows, your ambition and passion too deepen. You feel a sense of purpose to present something path-breaking, something that is even greater than what you worked one before. I hope to be always driven by my ambition and that any upcoming projects would be bigger and more successful than the ones before. I don’t have my sights on anything specifi c right now, I’m actually taking my time to soak it all in and ponder over the next project and over stories that will matter and be imprinted in the hearts of audiences for a lifetime ahead. In the frame: Morsy in action with actors on Kira & El Gin. WHILE CONVEYING THE SCRIPT, IT IS MY PASSION TO REDEFINE CREATIVITY AT EVERY TURN RATHER THAN RECREATE WHAT’S ALREADY BEEN DONE. THIS ATTITUDE IS CHANNELLED INTO MY WORK AND THAT SPIRIT TRANSCENDS IN THE OVERALL OUTCOME. www.digitalstudiome.comOCTOBER 2022 / 23 IBC 2022 REVIEW Was the International Broadcasting Convention worth attending? A defi nite yes. The web is a great tool for researching potential new equipment purchases but there are obvious advantages in actually trying new kit at a trade show and talking directly with potential suppliers. David Kirk, a veteran of every IBC from 1968 onwards, tells us how this edition of the confab compares to previous ones and several other industry events EVENT www.digitalstudiome.com24 /OCTOBER 2022component availability which forced many manufacturers to fi nd workarounds. An obvious customer option is to select software-based rather than hardware devices. One example, introduced at IBC, is Blackmagic Design’s Ultimatte Software Control compositing app for Mac and Windows which eliminates the need for a hardware control panel. Another is PlayBox Neo’s Media Gateway routing and decoding software which can be installed in an online Windows server or in the cloud. It allows the entire process of playout routing and decoding to be handled within a single workfl ow, removing the need for third- party signal processors which in turn saves on cost and frees up space in on-premises equipment bays. TRANSMISSION RESOLUTION A major challenge for broadcasters is whether to invest in 4K-UHD and HDR given that both are now default features of current-generation domestic TV ack on track after two pandemic gap years, IBC returned to its usual Amsterdam RAI location mid September, supported by a total registered attendance of 37,000 (66 per cent of the 2019 fi gure). The April NAB Show, in comparison, attracted 52,468 visitors (57 per cent of its 2019 registered attendance). Having said that, what matters is that some really interesting conversations and much- needed industry solutions emerged from the high-powered event. MAXIMISING EFFICIENCY The key requirement for practically everyone in the media business is the ongoing eff ort to maximise effi ciency at every point in the production and delivery chain. This involves a lot more ingenuity than ferrying people through passport checks and baggage claims. A complicating issue has been the pandemic-related reduction in electronic THE KEY REQUIREMENT FOR PRACTICALLY EVERYONE IN THE MEDIA BUSINESS IS THE ONGOING EFFORT TO MAXIMISE EFFICIENCY AT EVERY POINT IN THE PRODUCTION AND DELIVERY CHAIN. B In the frame: The Playbox Neo Media Gateway graphic user interface which allows the entire process of playout routing and decoding to be handled within a single workflow. EVENT www.digitalstudiome.comOCTOBER 2022 / 25 attractions for telco companies seeking to maximise online data traffi c. It also has the potential even to augment or replace trade shows. But the complication that has thus far discouraged the popularisation of stereoscopic 3D needs to be kept in mind by metaverse advocates: the public has not yet shown much enthusiasm for head- worn immersive TV displays. Whether the future world economy will encourage a more intensive level of IP-connected online living remains unproven. PRODUCT INNOVATION What was actually new and good in terms of IBC 2022 exhibits? The following is a selection based on an exploration of the recently-concluded show. AETA Audio Systems’ Scoop6 is a dual mono audio-over-IP codec in a half- displays. The current consensus is that 4K-UHD HDR is the logical combination for programme production and archiving though not necessary for satellite or terrestrial transmission given the good HD to 4K-UHD conversion quality evident in modern consumer TVs and set-top- boxes. It is only a matter of time before 8K consumer displays become widely aff ordable at which point the transmission resolution issue would again need addressing, maybe followed a few years further on by 16K. “Terrestrial and satellite broadcasters face a diff erent challenge,” comments Kevin Salvidge, Sales Engineering Manager and a test and measurement equipment specialist at Leader Europe. “Upgrading their facilities either means quartering the capabilities of the facility by adopting quad 3G-SDI or migrating to either 6G/12G- SDI or IP. Most consumers struggle to see the diff erence between HD and UHD resolution, notably in homes where the averaging viewing distance is three metres and the most common display size is about 55 inches.” ‘METAVERSE’: FUTURE OR FANTASY? Several IBC exhibitors were evidently interested in the potential of IP-connected interactive surround vision as a potential application of television, more relevant perhaps to the ISE show. This and its various ‘metaverse’ options have obvious SEVERAL IBC EXHIBITORS WERE INTERESTED IN THE POTENTIAL OF IP-CONNECTED INTERACTIVE SURROUND VISION AS A POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF TELEVISION. width 1U. Analog, AES3, AES67 (Dante or Ravenna) ports are included. AJA describes its ColorBox as a portable, “high-performance device with unprecedented inline algorithmic colour transforms and LUT processing capabilities delivering precise and accurate colour space conversions for live broadcast, live events, on-set production, post production, and signal support.” BirdDog’s P240 remote pan/tilt/ zoom camera includes a Sony Exmor R broadcast sensor and off ers three output options including NDI, SDI, and HDMI plus balanced XLR audio. Meanwhile IP output options include Full NDI, NDI HX2, HX3, SRT, and H.264. Brainstorm’s EdisonGO app can capture a live scene and uses the LiDAR sensing feature of an Apple iPhone Pro or iPad Pro to add tracking to the video signal, capturing information of the camera movement. The video and tracking information can be used by the company’s Edison Pro. Cartoni announced that all its camera support heads over 30 kg capacity will have an ‘e’ version, incorporating position encoders with 4 million counts. Cartoni also off ers a ‘V’ box for gathering position data for applications such as visual eff ects and LED walls. Collabora demonstrated a face video broadcasting system claimed to achieve the same visual quality as the H.264 standard while only using one-tenth of the bandwidth. The face video compression algorithms rely on a source frame of the face, a pipeline to extract the important features from a face image and a generator to reconstruct the face using the extracted as well as the compressed features on the receiving side. Crystal Vision introduced video processing software apps for its Marble media processor hardware, all of which can work with IP, SDI or both IP and SDI at the same time. Functions includes chroma key, linear key, video delay, profanity delay, colour correction, legalising, picture-in- picture, and fail-safe switching. Dejero introduce its new EnGo 3 and EnGo 3x 5G mobile transmitters with In the frame: The DHD TX2 multitouch audio mixing console which has been designed for news desks, co-host panels, edit suites and SNG vehicles. EVENT www.digitalstudiome.com26 / OCTOBER 2022Vizrt Group has acquired Flowics which off ers a platform for remote and in- studio production of interactive content alongside live graphics. SUMMARY By any standards let alone those applying to a post-pandemic event, IBC fully justifi ed the outlay on travel, accommodation and time involved in attending it. Ananth Sam, visiting the show on behalf of Medialogy Broadcast, rightly summarised it as “an adrenaline injection for the whole industry.” However, one regrettable omission was the Future Technology zone which I hope will bounce back to its usual location next year. Broadcasting in all its glory, certainly has a future – and so do trade shows unless the metaverse concept persuades the current generations to succumb to a lifestyle of permanent lockdown. Long live reality! integrated internet gateway, plus the new WayPoint 3 receiver. EnGo 3x supports 4K UHD transmission alongside the multi-camera production mechanism. DHD’s TX2 is a multitouch audio mixing console with a customisable control interface which can be placed on a desktop or attached to a worksurface via a VESA based connector. It is designed for daily operation where space is at a premium, such as news desks, co-host panels, edit suites and SNG vehicles. Hiltron Communications announced the HMAM LEO motorised antenna mount, a complete system combining the strength, precision, smoothness of operation, and internal computing capabilities necessary to monitor low Earth orbit satellites. HuddleCam’s US$219 MiniTrack 4K Pro camera off ers auto-tracking and auto- framing at the touch of a button. Features include 8x digital zoom, 108 degrees fi eld of view, and electronic pan/tilt/zoom controls. Ikegami’s UHK-X750 studio camera has all the features of the company’s UHK-X700 except those that apply to portable shoulder operation. The UHK-X750 off ers a lower centre-of- gravity and easier staging compared to a portable camera with telephoto lens and supporter. Moreover, it also features a greater design emphasis on ease of service and cool-running operation. Leader’s LVB440 IP test instrument allows the analysis of SD, HD, HD HDR, 4K, and 4K HDR data fl ow over media networks of any size. The latest version of the LVB440 incorporates new signal generation tools plus a customisable quad-split test and measurement display, featuring, waveform, vectorscope, picture, and audio monitoring. Seagate’s HAMR (Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording) hard drive technique uses a new kind of media magnetic technology on each disk that allows data bits to become smaller and more densely packed while remaining magnetically and thermally stable. Sony describes its ILME-FR7 as the world’s fi rst pan/tilt/zoom camera to combine a full-frame image sensor, lens interchangeability, and remote shooting functionality. Features include a back- illuminated 35 mm CMOS Exmor R sensor with approximately 10.3 eff ective megapixels and 15+ stop latitude. Vitec’s MGW Diamond+ OG is a 4K/ Multichannel HEVC, H.264, and MPEG-2 encoder in an openGear card format, designed for contribution or point-to- point streaming applications over IP within production studios, broadcast facilities, and corporate server rooms. CORPORATE ACQUISITIONS Intercompany acquisitions announced during IBC included Ross Video’s purchase of Austria-based overhead camera support system manufacturer Spidercam. MRMC, acquired in October 2016 by Nikon, has acquired camera support system manufacturer Slidekamera. BROADCASTING IN ALL ITS GLORY CERTAINLY HAS A FUTURE – AND SO DO TRADE SHOWS UNLESS THE METAVERSE CONCEPT PERSUADES THE CURRENT GENERATIONS TO SUCCUMB TO A LIFESTYLE OF PERMANENT LOCKDOWN. In the frame: Hiltron HMAM LEO motorised antenna mount that is known for its internal computing capabilities necessary to monitor low Earth orbit satellites. EVENT www.digitalstudiome.comOCTOBER 2022 / 27 SPECIAL FEATURE region of Abu Dhabi. The Australian-based group has produced theatre productions and live entertainment for audiences around the world. “I’m excited the people of Abu Dhabi will be able to experience this truly authentic Broadway experience,” says Michael Cassel, CEO and producer at Michael Cassel Group (MCG). With previous editions taking place in Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines, Cassel and his team have years of experience putting on a show of this scale. The cast and crew comprises of 99 people and 18 diff erent nationalities travelling from all over the world. Cassel adds, “These shows are a massive logistical eff ort, but a hugely rewarding one because we get to bring this electrifying production to a new BEHIND THE CURTAINS There’s undeniable excitement in the air amongst the creative fraternity as Disney’s The Lion King gears up for its Middle East debut in Abu Dhabi this November. The show in the capital represents a historic stop for the highest-grossing Broadway production of all-time. Digital Studio’s Zaynab Kamran speaks to producer Michael Cassel to fi nd out more about the ongoing arduous preps and behind the scenes action to pull off such a record-breaking theatre production the comical antics of Timon and Pumbaa. On the live stage, The Lion King is without a speck of doubt the most popular theatre musical there ever was. And for the fi rst time ever, the Michael Cassel Group is bringing this widely-loved musical to the he Lion King holds a special place in the hearts of children and even adults who grew up watching the father-son bonding of Mufasa and Simba, the maliciousness of his uncle Scar and T www.digitalstudiome.com28 / OCTOBER 2022SPECIAL FEATURE Before founding his own company, Cassel had quite a bit of experience working with Disney Theatrical Group in Australia and New York and overseeing their Broadway productions around the world. “These pivotal years informed my view of being a producer and leader. I was lucky enough to have a great education and good mentors”, he notes. As the Michael Cassel Group reaches 10 years of extravagant, colourful and captivating productions, Cassel believes that The Lion King show has been specifi cally unforgettable for obvious reasons, “It continues to be a great privilege to present this iconic piece of entertainment that has continued to tug over the heartstrings of people for decades now.” audience in an exciting new place.” For each show, the logistical team has to organise freight travel between cities and book over 120 fl ights for the touring company and transfer crew. With 50 performers and 49 people off stage in stage management, company management, wardrobe, hair & makeup, puppets, props, electrics, mechanists, sound, chaperones, resident creatives and orchestra, the team is travelling full-house. “In each city, we also hire local crew to assist our touring company, which makes each engagement even more special as our Lion King family continues to grow.” 25 years ago, director Julie Taymor and her creative team brought The Lion King to stage through innovative costuming, puppetry and masks. She drew from a diverse set of cultures and infl uences from Balinese puppetry to African music. “She created a majestic production that established a new kind of artistry for musical theatre and translated this beloved story to the stage,” appreciates Cassel. Years later, following in her footsteps, Cassel and his team hope to bring the same level of vivacity through their version of The Lion King. “This is a story audiences know and love, and faithfully presenting Julie Taymor’s vision to them is an absolutely great honour.” The Etihad Arena, UAE’s largest indoor multipurpose venue, will host the theatrical event from 16 November to 10 December. “The Etihad Arena will be reimagined to ensure an intimate, theatre-like experience. The Lion King International Tour has fi lled arenas across the globe for four years and this engagement will deliver the same lavish spectacle,” comments Cassels. This internationally acclaimed musical broke the box offi ce records as it became the fastest selling musical in the capital’s entertainment history. Apart from the massive hit that is The Lion King, the group is also planning to bring over ‘Almost Famous’ in November, their fi rst Broadway production with producer Lia Vollack, whose lead credits include MJ and Groundhog Day. Cassel says, “The Michael Cassel Group is continually focused on developing and investing in new content, and growing our slate of new and original shows.” MCG has fl owered the stage, time and time again, with their lively imitations of Mary Poppins, the tale of a musical genius in Phantom of the Opera and even the multi-award winning musical and familiar favourite Hamilton. In the frame: Michael Cassel Group’s previous adaptation of The Lion King, the highest-grossing Broadway production of all-time. THE ETIHAD ARENA WILL BE REIMAG- INED TO ENSURE AN INTIMATE, THEATRE- LIKE EXPERIENCE. www.digitalstudiome.comOCTOBER 2022 / 29 Next >