Sony Brings Digital Arsenal to Sundance Filmmakers.

PARK CITY, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 16, 1998--Sony will show a broad line of digital camcorders that address the diverse quality requirements and widely varying budgets of the independent film production community.

Sony's digital high definition technology will make its Sundance debut at the 1998 Film Festival with Sony's special showing of digital HD footage and a demonstration of the world's first one-piece digital widescreen HD camcorder, both at the Sundance New Media Center.

Sony's camera exhibition includes a hands-on workshop of digital acquisition formats for filmmakers ranging from the low-cost, hand-held DV, to widescreen DVCAM(TM), widescreen Digital Betacam(R) and high definition HDCAM(TM) formats.

Laurence Thorpe, vice president of acquisition systems for Sony Electronics' Business and Professional Group, will conduct a series of presentations of the digital cameras on Sunday, Jan. 18th and chair a panel on digital electronic cinematography on Saturday, Jan. 17th.

Sony's compilation of work originated in digital HD, as well as a DVD home theater exhibition, can be seen in its Screening Room in the New Media Center beginning Jan. 16th.

"The excitement this year surrounding the quality of digital high definition technology and the portability of smaller digital formats indicates how much the palette has changed for the independent filmmaker," said Ian Calderon, a Sundance Institute founder responsible for new technology. "For 17 years the Sundance Institute has nurtured relationships with supporters such as Sony with the chief benefit being increased access to innovative tools for filmmakers."

"The inroads made by digital technology now stretch from workshops to film sets," Calderon added. "The opportunity being given to filmmakers to demonstrate these advanced cameras first-hand will surely continue the practical application of technology in filmmaking."

Sony's high definition camcorder, the HDW-700, offers a dramatic and long-awaited breakthrough in HD mobile field acquisition. The HD recording format is a totally new design which embodies the latest bit rate reduction techniques for extraordinarily high image quality.

The 16-pound HDW-700 captures a resolution of 1920 x 1080 lines, providing a 35mm film-like quality to the image, and can simultaneously record up to four channels of 16-bit AES/EBU uncompressed audio (full sync-sound on location). The camcorder's 140 Mbps video data rate ensures its high degree of picture acquisition integrity, even in the most hostile outdoor environments.

Location shooting also benefits from the camcorder's ability to play back full baseband color HD video and the 40-minute running time of its half-inch tape cassette. Finally, the camcorder's memory chip set-up card can be programmed to enable filmmakers to establish and instantaneously recall a specific "look" to their imagery.

Award Winning Filmmakers to Discuss Digital Future

Attendees to the New Media Center's Formal Presentation Room will also have the opportunity to share the experience of filmmakers working in the digital domain. On Jan. 18th, Thorpe will chair "The Digital Eye: Views on Cinematography," featuring director Rob Nilsson whose films have won the Camera d'Or at Cannes and the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, and Tom Hurtwitz, director of photography on four Academy Award-winning documentaries as well as Wild Man Blues, showing at the 1998 Festival.

Panel topics include what practical and aesthetic decisions filmmakers face when working with the new digital production tools. Digitally originated footage shot for feature films and television will be shown.

On Jan. 18th, Thorpe will lead "Digital Video Camera Demonstration" workshops at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm and will discuss trends in digital electronic cinematography including advances made in the transfer of digitally originated video to 35mm film. -0-

Note to Editors: More information about Sony products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sony.com/professional, or readers may call 800/686-SONY. Additional press information is available at http://www.sony.com/news . -0-

The Business and Professional Group of Sony Electronics is a leading U.S. supplier of video and audio equipment for the broadcast, production, business, industrial, government, medical, and education markets. Sony offers a wide array of products and systems for image capture, production, and display.

Sony also provides specialized equipment and systems for data recording, duplication, electronic photography/publishing, video conferencing, high definition video, interactive and security applications. In fiscal 1996, Sony Electronics had record sales of more than $9.6 billion.

CONTACT: Sony Electronics Inc.

Lisa Young, 408/955-5683

[e-mail]

or

Technology Solutions Inc.

Jon Reiner, 212/320-2235

[e-mail]