EBU Technology & Innovation has published a set of educational video presentations covering challenges and solutions in common, and not-so-common, High Dynamic Range (HDR) production workflows. The video presentations and supporting PDF documentation are now available for EBU Members online

The videos capture a series of presentations organized by the EBU Video Systems group, at a workshop kindly hosted by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation NRK at its Oslo facilities in November 2019. 25 participants participated in the workshop, which was largely based on the experiences gathered by BBC R&D's Andrew Cotton and Simon Thompson. It also included presentations from Dagmar Driesnack (IRT), Birgit Schmidt (IRT), and Lucien Lenzen (Rheinmain University).

The sessions

As part of the hands-on workshop, the participants tried out 5 separate different camera models, and put them through their paces in a series of simulated production scenarios, revealing the challenges of parallel production of HDR and SDR content – an approach that promises cost-efficiency, but also has proved to be technically complex. 

The workshop explored topics including the use of CG graphics in HDR content, and the integration of legacy SDR sources, such as specialized sports action cameras, for which HDR alternatives are often not available yet. 

What viewers can learn

The recorded workshop sessions systematically cover:

  • What HDR is, and how SDR works (a refresher)
  • The various HDR systems that exist
  • What can go wrong in HDR/SDR workflows
  • Principles that help to maintain high quality
  • What type of conversions there are
  • Where dynamic HDR conversion may help

... and more.

Take-aways

The industry has gathered a significant amount of practical experience in HDR production, but where the worlds of HDR and SDR overlap, standard or best practice is only just emerging. And while High Dynamic Range adds complexity to workflows, it's actually the typically associated colour aspects that require the greatest amount of care. Overall, the workshop proved to be an invaluable opportunity for all participants to learn first-hand from some of the most recognized experts in the field, exchange knowledge and collectively identify best practices that help to take the edge off HDR production.

Latest news