Danish drama records on HDCAM

Denmark’s Nordisk shot high definition soap opera 2900 Happiness with the world’s first mobile isocam unit. Euro Broadcast Hire (EBH), Nordisk’s rental arm, created the sync-locked recording system for the production. The isocam unit recorded 96 episodes straight to computer from two Sony HDW-750P HDCAM camcorders.

Bypassing tape meant the computer received an uncompressed HDSDI signal at full 1920 x 1080 HD resolution. It also saved valuable production time as script technicians could add comments to takes at the same time as film crew shot scenes on location.

EBH technical director Jens Ingevall, who developed the system, compared the mobile isocam to a small outdoor broadcast unit. “Isocam is the new buzzword for recording straight to computer. It’s an OB in a shopping trolley protected by flight cases. We took it everywhere. The principles used could apply to many other things. It will become a more and more popular method of making programmes.” The system locked the HDW-750Ps to shoot in tandem on a shared timeline. A separate eight-channel audio signal also recorded straight to computer in AES to the same timeline.

Blu-ray release

Danish cable channel TV3 showed the first series of 2900 Happiness Monday to Thursday from September to December 2007. Written by Thomas Glud and others, it rapidly became the channel’s most downloaded show. A second season finished production in July. A Swedish version is in the pipeline and the first series is due to be released on Blu-ray.

EBH’s Adam Hald says: “We went for Blu-ray because more can be stored on the disc and the coding is universal. We chose HD to futureproof the series. More HD channels are popping up all the time.”

A third series is slated for production and Sony’s PDW-700 XDCAM HD422 camcorder is being considered for the job.

2900 refers to a postcode in the Hellerup district north of Copenhagen where Denmark’s rich and powerful live. The drama follows the mixed fortunes of two rival families. Eleven main characters include Christiane Schaumburg-Müller, dubbed Denmark’s Paris Hilton, who plays Mercedes von Bech.

Henrik Jongdahl, a co-producer on 2900 Happiness, compared the production to US soap Dallas. “We wanted two rich families squabbling over money and power. Dallas was definitely an inspiration,” he says.

Jongdahl’s film background influenced the production methods. The crew worked to a strict schedule, producing 10 minutes a day, or two episodes a week. “I come from high end feature films and saw an opportunity to breathe new life into the soap genre. Everything was well planned beforehand. We didn’t deviate from the schedule on set. We allowed longer shooting times compared to other soaps to give us time to produce a more filmic look,” he says.

Jongdahl used the HDW-750P camcorders with Pro35 Adapters and Optimo Zoom lenses. “The cameras are a little tired after 25 weeks of shooting but they kept going. It’s a very stable camera,” he says.

13 October 2008