I'm a huge fan of the DivX video format which is one of the best compression algorithms you will find. DivX has a controversial history and is often the format of choice for transmitting pirated movies and television shows. Admitedly, I've downloaded DivX versions of Smallville episodes that I happened to miss (pre- my Windows MCE 2005 PC which has TiVo-like functionality). DivX users and indeed DivX encoders have an almost cult following, but alas it seems the cult has gone mainstream with a HD Film Festival using DivX.
Upcoming HDFEST New York Event to be First DivX HD Film Festival
HDFEST's New York City event will be taking place September 30th and October 1st at the Goldcrest Post Screening Room and will offer a historic first look into the incorporation of DivX HD technology in filmmaking and HD playback. HDFEST is considered the world's only high-definition film festival and screens films created exclusively with HD technology and plays all festival content exclusively in High-Definition. The HDFEST 2005 World Tour will also be taking place this year in South Florida, Helsinki, Los Angeles, and London. The HDFEST London event which will be held October 3rd and 4th in conjunction with the Raindance Film Festival will also be screening HD films using exclusively DivX HD technology. Since 2000, HDFEST has been presenting High-Definition screenings, panels, seminars, and HD equipment demonstrations in cities around the world. The upcoming NYC festival will be a historic first as HDFEST will be using the cutting edge high-definition DivX HD format for screening of all festival content.
The festival will be truly invaluable for the filmmaker or industry professionals interested in incorporating High-Definition cameras and/or HD editing systems into their work. Along with revolutionary screenings of High-Definition content taking advantage of DivX's technology for playback, HDFEST New York will include new panel discussions on HD filmmaking. New York panels include "HD Filmmaking at the Edge of the HD Transformation" "HDV: A Cinematographer's Point of View" and "HD for the New and Uninitiated." These discussions will also offer the opportunity for Q&A with industry experts who have been using HD technology since its inception. HDFEST panel discussions give an overview of HD camera choices, HD editing systems to choose from, along with other considerations many should take into account before making the switch to the High-Definition format.
HDFEST's New York line-up includes fourteen short films, the World Premiere of the HD feature film "Experiment" shot in the UK and Prague, and the documentary feature "Fantastic Festivals of the World 'Kyu-Bon and Eisa Festivals.'" The HDFEST HD shorts to be presented in New York include animation, science fiction, comedy, drama and experimental HD films which originated from countries including US, Canada, UK, Germany, Singapore, Ireland, Australia and Japan. HDFEST New York attendees will also have the ability to hear from participating HD filmmakers to be in attendance at the festival including Jason Jenson ("Wetwork"), John Bourbonais ("The Southern Colorado AIDS Project") Scottie Gissell ("June and Orlando") and Shelly Silver ("What I'm Looking For.")
Festival Director Issac Alexander states "HDFEST is excited to be partnering with DivX to showcase the impressive capabilities of DivX HD. We at HDFEST are very enthusiastic about the implications DivX offers for independent filmmaking. This is powerful technology with a myriad of applications." DivX HD compression delivers 720p HD video at 4Mb/s, allowing for an entire DivX HD movie to fit on a single standard DVD. DivX HD allows films to screen in High-Definition resolution using DivX Certified High Definition DVD players that are on the market today at very reasonable prices. Leveraging the advanced technology of the DivX codec, independent filmmakers can take advantage of flexible, high performance HD creation and playback options today. More information about how filmmakers can incorporate DivX HD technology can be found at http://www.divx.com/corporate/solutions/hd/index.php.
The HDFEST 2005 World Tour is sponsored by Dalsa Digital Cinema, DivX, Dolby, Midtown Video, RGB Communications, Goldcrest Post Production, Production Update Magazine, Film and Video Magazine, Guardian Entertainment, Production Hub, Royalty Free HD, Gorilla Software and Digital Media Arts College. For more information about HDFEST's New York event, please visit www.hdfest.com or email [email protected]. Tickets are $10 per screening session and $8 per panel discussion and can be purchased on the HDFEST website or at the festival the day of the events. The Goldcrest Post Screening Room is located at 799 Washington Street in New York. The schedule for HDFEST New York can be found at http://www.hdfest.com/nyc_05.htm. More information about other HDFEST 2005 events taking place this year in Los Angeles, Helsinki, London, and South Florida can be found on HDFEST's website www.hdfest.com.
