Entertainment Technology News

(Los Angeles, CA)--Polecam reports its busiest-ever Las Vegas NAB Convention with consistently high levels of visitor attendance at its exhibit in the Central Hall. Total pre-show registration was lower than for NAB 2008, reflecting tighter budgetary constraints, but the commitment and evident purchasing power of visitors who attended was exceptionally strong.

"Although we were concerned by the lower number of visitors, our stand was constantly busy," comments Polecam founder and Managing Director Steffan Hewitt. "A number of customers and distributors said they returned two or three times before they could get to speak to a member of the Polecam team. The presence of Camera Corps also helped; thanks Laurie! The compactness and high mobility made possible by Polecam video production systems are now practically mainstream requirements. Broadcasters worldwide are looking for high operational efficiency and low overhead costs. This translated at NAB into very strong interest in our expanding range of highly affordable HD cameras, jibs, control and storage equipment. Polecam's is widely recognised as a sports and outside-production system and is increasingly being used in studios and live entertainment shows where a single operator can deliver a huge variety of different viewing angles with minimal disruption to overall visibility."

"We talked to many producers and executives from high-end network shows who were all interested in bringing the production value Polecam offers to places where you couldn't otherwise take a jib," adds Greg Salman, Polecam USA. "Several producers of popular live-audience shows were interested in the Polecam because of its safety and low profile. We also showed for the first time at NAB the Full Frontal Filter system for small-sized cameras. This makes filter adjustment fast and efficient by eliminating the need to place filters between the lens and the image-splitter. Interest in 3D continues to ramp up. We demonstrated a Wafian 3D recorder as part of our 3D exhibit. It is by far the easiest, simplest and most affordable way to record married 3D. International Datacasting Corporation, one of the leaders in broadband multimedia content distribution, showed a Polecam jib with our 3D head as part of their exhibit. IDC is working with SENSIO Technologies on the first operational roll-out of live 3D in HD for European digital cinema."

"Three additions to the Polecam product range were introduced at the show," adds Sales & Marketing Manager Mel Noonan:

"Polecam 7th Heaven is the world's longest-span ultra-mobile camera jib. With a span of up to 8 meters, it was simply too long to demonstrate without intruding into the airspace of neighbouring exhibitors - and their neighbours. We settled for displaying the 7th Heaven boom in flagpole mode, a tribute to the height of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Besides its obvious usefulness for high-angled and long-sweep shooting, 7th Heaven also makes underwater video production far safer than diving with a camera. It can be used without getting wet feet or having to come up for air.

"A powerful addition to the Polecam range of transportable video production equipment, the new Universal RCP MkIII system provides comprehensive control of up to five different camera types from the one panel via a single highly robust data channel.

"We also launched the Poledom range of camera-jib sleeves. Poledoms offer a quick chameleon-like change of jib color appropriate to the shoot, including a 'Snow White' version designed for the American church market. The sleeves are made from high-strength rip-stop nylon and can cover both the jib boom plus the all the cables which normally run inside the boom. The complete range comprises Arctic White, Desert Camouflage, Fluorescent Orange, Jungle Camouflage and Urban Camouflage."

Polecam was established in 1998 by extreme sports cameraman/director Steffan Hewitt. While directing a series of windsurfing kit commercials in Hawaii, he needed to obtain close wide-angle front sequences of a windsurfer in action, shot from a tracking boat or jet ski. Steffan improvised a rig comprising a miniature camera on a carbon-fibre windsurfing mast. Returning to Britain, he developed a lightweight go-anywhere rig with a remote joystick-controlling a high-precision pan and tilt head. Polecam is now supplied in HD and SD versions with a range of additional options including underwater and 3D pan/tilt heads. Polecam Ltd is active globally from its base near Bedford, England.

Accompanying 300 DPI JPEG image shows the Polecam booth at NAB, shared with Camera Corps who displayed their new Q-Ball compact robotic HD head.

Media contacts:

Greg Salman, Polecam USA
Tel: +1 323 633 7033
greg[at]polecamusa[dot]com

David Kirk, Stylus Media Consultants
Tel: +44 (0)1342 311 983
stylusmedia[at]gmail[dot]com

Polecam USA
7510 Sunset Blvd 1000
Los Angeles
CA 90046
USA
Tel : +1 323 633 7033
Fax : +1 877 633 7133
www.polecamusa.com