While Radiohead were in Florida earlier this week for their shows in West Palm Beach and Tampa, the band have recorded a video for House of Cards.
House of Cards is the US (promo) single from In Rainbows. While the band were in West Palm Beach, they recorded the video for the song at the local Production Studio ‘GStar’, which is also a school for aspiring production students.
On their website GStar state that the entire shoot was done without a camera, but with a high definition laser mechanism. The HDL64E developed by Velodyne in San Francisco, used here for the very first time. It is not a camera. Essentially, it is 64 lasers mounted on a revolving turret that spins at various speeds up to 900 revolutions per second. It gives a 360 degree 3-D view of the entire area out 150 meters. The data is fed into a computer where the “camera lens” or “view point” is flown around to any point of reference that the laser has marked, including direct overhead shots. A second laser scans for direct facial close-ups. The resulting visual product is unlike anything ever filmed before.
The “Director of Photography” was Velodyne Field Applications Engineer, Rick Yoder, who helped create the original technology that was invented by Velodyne founder, David Hall. “This technology is stunning. It doesn’t need any lighting!” says G-Star Studios head Greg Hauptner. “Whether it takes hold like the ‘talkies’ in the Jazz Singer or will go the way of 70 mm film, one thing is certain: this new laser system will revolutionize filmmaking in one form or another.”
At the moment, it’s unsure when the video is ready… but we will probably found out soon enough. [Thx Ben Saunders for the link]
