HPA 2018: Mastering Features, Content in UHD, HDR & SDR
At the HPA Tech Retreat in Palm Desert, California (produced by the Hollywood Professional Association), a panel of industry professionals described the vicissitudes of mastering in an era of dozens of formats, standards and devices. The conversation quickly became interactive, with attendees asking questions that related to their work in the media & entertainment industry. One question, harkening back to the premium for producing and posting HD material when it first came on the scene, was about the additional costs of working with UHD and HDR.
Interestingly enough, every panelist had a different answer. HBO director of media and production operations Erik Hansen said it was 25 percent more expensive than producing HD/2K SDR material. “Every time we make a change, from SD to HD, SDR to HDR, it seems to cost 25 percent more,” he said.