RED Digital Cinema burglarized, $100k reward for leads

We first heard about RED Digital Cinema at the NAB conference last April, where the company was showing off a $17,500 behemoth of a camcorder that shoots 11.4 megapixels at up to 60 fps and comes packed in a futuristic magnesium-alloy case. Earlier today we received word that the southern California-based startup experienced a break-in on Saturday night local time, wherein documents relating to the upcoming Red Digital Camera and possibly even some hardware were stolen. Founder Jim Jannard has posted on DVXUser.com a reward of $100,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators, although if this is in fact a case of corporate espionage, the damage may have already been done.

[Thanks, Curt & Glenn]

[Eric M @ Sep 25th 2006 2:48AM]

Aw come on Sony, you're better than that...

[Brook @ Sep 25th 2006 2:54AM]

When I submitted that the first 4K image was made available, it wasn't deemed newsworthy. Twelve hours later there's a break-in and suddenly it's all over the place.

[Kernel_Sanders @ Sep 25th 2006 3:08AM]

Tell me about it. I've checked the story and digg.com and nobody is interested in the 4k sensor or the fact that red was burgled.

The most fundamentally changing technology and pricepoint in video for the past 5 years since the introduction of HD and nobody cares.

Just goes to show how mainstream news sites are becoming.

Personally, this is the most exciting technology development I've ever followed.

[Deluxe @ Sep 25th 2006 3:55AM]

Now that would have been a cool head for the "BFG" in the crappy DOOM movie!

[GhostDoggy @ Sep 25th 2006 5:50AM]

Maybe RED Didigtal Cinema needs BLUE Ballz Security to protect their property?

[sarchi @ Sep 25th 2006 6:11AM]

smells like a prank with no hope media hopes the tecnology gets some sails

[Timothy Hannon @ Sep 25th 2006 9:00AM]

100K for a 17.5K device, nice. I wish I new something.

[Biff_Meister @ Sep 25th 2006 9:38AM]

Our product is vaporware. How can we cover our tracks?

[Brad @ Sep 25th 2006 10:01AM]

ding ding ding!

[Dolomite @ Sep 25th 2006 10:07AM]

Jim Jannard treats his employees like shit. I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't a disgruntled employee looking to get even for some pompous remark he made to them.

[Andrew Winn @ Sep 25th 2006 10:09AM]

I'm willing to bet they broke into their own offices. Bet ya $20. . .

[jk @ Sep 25th 2006 10:39AM]

oh ... here it is! I left it in my briefcase guys. Sorry about jumping to conclusions so fast. My bad.

Sincerely,

Jim Jannard

[Brian Gyss @ Sep 25th 2006 10:47AM]

This camera is the biggest sham ever perpetrated on the film industry. News flash kiddies: there is no RED camera, there never was a RED camera, there never will be a RED camera. The beautiful injection-molded case is probably making someone an exquisite bong right about now.

[Randy Gentry @ Sep 25th 2006 10:56AM]

If you get the reward are you obligated to purchase a camera?

[Pete @ Sep 25th 2006 11:19AM]

what jackass leaves proprietary/confidential documents out in the open and not in a safe?

Serves the dumbass right.

[SideSwipe @ Sep 25th 2006 11:40AM]

Interesting that a company so involved in camera technology doesn't have security cameras protecting their own stuff... ;)

[tekdroid @ Sep 25th 2006 11:42AM]

There was a break-in at the RED offices last night. Everything they took was camera and camera file related. We will NOT be slowed up by this distraction, but we are offering a $50K reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those that did this.

Jim
==============
Well, according to that post it's 50K? I didn't read the whole thread. And they will not be slowed up (slowed down?) by this distraction. So, I guess it really happpened. Or I guess it's good, virtually free publicity?

Whatever. So, nobody's seen this thing in action? When is it expected to sell? Is it really vapourware? etc etc

[Clint Johnson @ Sep 25th 2006 12:22PM]

There is no rational way to come to the conclusion that Red is a scam or sham. Jim Jannard simply stated a target set of capabilities for a camera that he would love to own himself. To gauge how much interest there was in production of said camera he offered to accept fully refundable reservations for the cameras IF they are produced. The request for money was to weed out people who weren�t really serious so they could plan for production runs. He has said all along that it is a tough design and engineering task so there is the chance that they won�t be able to get the camera off the drawing board. If they don�t, he will simply issue a mea culpa and return the money. And yes, he will return the deposit if you simply ask for it. I find it hard to believe that Jim would skip town with a little less than a million dollars when he has a net worth in the billions.

They�ve show it to a few people from inside the film industry and some of the online experts like Mike Curtis over at hdforindies.com. They showed footage from the test mule at IBC 2006 and the first fully functional prototype is expected for December with the hope that they can go into production in the early part of next year. These are all targets and Jim has been honest in saying that it may well slip. Everyone is getting confused because the level of openness Red is showing is unprecedented and people aren�t used to seeing this much information on a work in progress.

The robbery was probably committed by amateurs thinking that they would commit the crime on spec so they could turn around and sell the information to Sony, Dalsa, Grass Valley or Panavision. Jim subsequently upped the reward to $100,000 for information leading to the conviction of the perpetrators.

[James @ Sep 25th 2006 12:29PM]

Just like Watergate eh?

[T.H. @ Sep 25th 2006 12:53PM]

I think this is real. Jim Jannard is a billionaire. He hardly needs to hype this camera just to ruin his own name. I'm with others in thinking he's being very open about how far along he is (without revealing any trade secrets). Jannard seems to be a camera enthusiast and such a project is right up his alley. He'd be able to contribute to other photographers with a relatively cheap and super high resolution camera while at the same time making a few more bucks.

[none @ Sep 25th 2006 1:04PM]

You guys are so stupid. Cyncical, pessimists.

Get over it and yourself.

Jesus. There will be a red camera. And when it comes out, all of you who are saying it is a sham or hoax or vaporware, what will you do then. Focus all of your energy on saying how it sucks?
Your stupid. Grow up a little. Jesus Christ

[juan @ Sep 25th 2006 3:51PM]

It really did happen - I checked in with someone who I know who works with the red crew.

[John @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:58PM]

These comments all come from Sept of 06. where is the camera?
I am very skeptical, no new news?
Lets see more about it we are all stumbling in the dark.
INFO INFO INFO
from third party sources and all

[Darria Film @ May 5th 2008 2:49AM]

A preview performance refers to a showing of a movie to a select audience, usually for the purposes of corporate promotions, before the public film premiere itself. Previews are sometimes used to judge audience reaction, which if unexpectedly negative, may result in recutting or even refilming certain sections

Digital media playback of hi-resolution 2K files has at least a twenty year history with early RAIDs feeding custom frame buffer systems with large memories. Content was usually restricted to several minutes of material.

Transfer of content between remote locations was slow and had limited capacity. It wasn't until the late 1990s that feature length projects could be sent over the 'wire' (Internet or dedicated fiber links).

There were many prototype systems developed that claim a first in some form of digital presentation. However, few of these had a significant impact on the advance of the industry. Key highlights in the development of digital cinema would likely include: demonstrations by TI of their DMD technology, real-time playback of compressed hi-resolution files by various vendors, and early HD presentations from D5 tape to digital projectors.

[Darria Film @ May 5th 2008 2:57AM]

A preview performance refers to a showing of a movie to a select
audience, usually for the purposes of corporate promotions, before
the public film premiere itself. Previews are sometimes used to judge
audience reaction, which if unexpectedly negative, may result in
recutting or even refilming certain sections

Digital media playback of hi-resolution 2K files has at least a
twenty year history with early RAIDs feeding custom frame buffer
systems with large memories. Content was usually restricted to
several minutes of material.

Transfer of content between remote locations was slow and had limited
capacity. It wasn't until the late 1990s that feature length projects
could be sent over the wire (Internet or dedicated fiber links).

There were many prototype systems developed that claim a first in
some form of digital presentation. However, few of these had a
significant impact on the advance of the industry. Key highlights in
the development of digital cinema would likely include:
demonstrations by TI of their DMD technology, real-time playback of
compressed hi-resolution files by various vendors, and early HD
presentations from D5 tape to digital projectors.

[Ed C. @ Oct 16th 2008 5:14PM]

More than 4-6 months have passed since the last post and more than two years since the burglary and, yes, the Red is for real. The people who stole their prototype are going to pay for it in the courtroom. I have a good feeling that Red is going to survive this perfect crime. Hate it or love it, Red is changing the motion picture industry.