SmallHD

SmallHD is a manufacturer of on-camera and field monitors used in professional film, television, and broadcast production. The company developed compact, high-brightness displays and user interfaces aimed at cinematographers, camera operators, and video engineers. SmallHD products are integrated into workflows across studio, location, and live-event environments, and are noted for features supporting high dynamic range and camera metadata.

History

SmallHD was founded in 2010 in Burbank, California by Brandon Li during a period of rapid expansion in digital cinema driven by companies such as RED Digital Cinema, ARRI, Panavision, Sony, and Canon. Early growth coincided with the adoption of high-resolution sensors from Blackmagic Design and the rise of compact cinema cameras like the Alexa Mini and RED Epic. SmallHD's timeline includes product launches that responded to demands from productions associated with studios such as Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures, as well as broadcast facilities like NBCUniversal Studios and CBS Television Studios. The company later became part of Woodman Labs—a corporate alignment similar to acquisitions in the industry involving Apple Inc. and GoPro. SmallHD's expansion tracked trends seen in the workflows championed by cinematographers from organizations such as the American Society of Cinematographers and was influenced by standards promulgated by bodies like the SMPTE.

Products and Technology

SmallHD developed a range of products including portable on-camera monitors, daylight-viewable field monitors, and monitor accessories compatible with rigs from manufacturers like Tilta, Arri (through complementarity with ARRI ALEXA systems), and DJI platforms. Product features include high-brightness LCD panels, HDMI and SDI connectivity common in setups using hardware from Blackmagic Design and AJA Video Systems, waveform and vector scope tools aligned with standards from SMPTE, false-color exposure aids referenced by users of Canon EOS cinema cameras, and LUT management akin to processes used in color pipelines driven by DaVinci Resolve and grading workflows at facilities such as Technicolor. SmallHD incorporated firmware interfaces influenced by touchscreen implementations seen in devices from Apple Inc. and control protocols that interoperate with camera remote systems from Arri and Sony. Some models integrate HDR previewing consistent with formats promoted by Dolby Laboratories and metadata handling similar to Academy Color Encoding System workflows. The company also released monitor accessories including sunhoods, battery plates compatible with Anton/Bauer, and mounting solutions interoperable with support systems by Manfrotto and SmallRig.

Market and Applications

SmallHD products serve markets in narrative filmmaking for studios like Lionsgate Films and Universal Pictures, episodic television produced by entities such as HBO and Netflix, live sports broadcasts for networks including ESPN, and corporate video for multinational firms such as Nike and Apple Inc. Use cases include on-board monitoring for camera teams on sets like those of AMC Networks productions, remote monitoring for second-unit shoots in franchises like Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, and field acquisition workflows for documentary projects distributed by organizations such as National Geographic Society and BBC Studios. SmallHD monitors are also used in education and rental houses tied to institutions like New York University Tisch School of the Arts and University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts where students train on professional tools. The product positioning competes and coexists with offerings from Atomos, Teradek, Hollyland Technology, and legacy broadcast vendors such as Sony Corporation.

Partnerships and Collaborations

SmallHD engaged in collaborations with hardware and software providers, integrating compatible features with camera manufacturers like RED Digital Cinema, Sony, and Canon and with external recorder and transmitter companies such as Atomos and Teradek. Strategic relationships included interoperability testing with color-grading developers including Blackmagic Design for DaVinci Resolve LUT chains and with codec licensors like ARRIRAW partners. SmallHD participated in trade events and technical exchange with organizations such as NAB Show, IBC (conference), and AES (Audio Engineering Society), and collaborated with rental houses like Panavision Rental and Keslow Camera to place units on major productions. The company also worked alongside accessory makers including Tilta and SmallRig to deliver integrated mounting and power solutions frequently requested by cinematographers affiliated with the ASC (American Society of Cinematographers).

Company Structure and Operations

Headquartered in Burbank, California, SmallHD operated R&D, manufacturing oversight, and customer-support functions that interfaced with global distributors in markets across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The corporate structure aligned product management with supply-chain partners such as electronics suppliers in regions like Shenzhen and contract manufacturers with facilities similar to those used by Foxconn for electronics assembly. Sales channels included direct sales to studios and rental houses, authorized dealers overlapping with companies like B&H Photo Video and Adorama, and integrations through system integrators servicing broadcasters such as NBCUniversal. After integration into Woodman Labs, operational coordination also involved shared services and brand management to maintain compatibility with professional ecosystems supported by standards bodies such as SMPTE and industry groups like IATSE.

Category:Film and video technology companies