is an almost what-you-see-is-what-you-get quality. Because the video cameras are often less tolerant of images with high contrast and quick light changes, and their behavior is harder to foresee than a film camera, DPs shooting HD cameras are often found in darkened tents, watching expensive HD monitors to make sure the image is captured correctly. This situation is getting better as newer cameras tend to simulate film gamma curves better. Other uses While very simple video assist equipment is only capable of showing a live image, the modern VA equipment does much more than that. In the past, image feed from cameras were recorded onto an inexpensive medium (usually MiniDV or Hi8). Today hard disks are used. The VA software used by the operator keeps a precise log about which take was recorded where, noting the time code or file name. The operator then enters scene and take data, and then able to play back any shot in a short time, even right after the shot. This is essential for a director to show actors where to change their moves, or to recheck dialogue lines, check shooting angles, correct overlaps, and time camera or stunt actions. The VA recorder can usually simulate the under-cranking or over-cranking of the camera, and speed up or slow down the action. Ramps (speed changes in the shot) can be shown also. Continuity Video Assist also helps the script supervisor and other departments with continuity requirements. By having all the recorded takes in the system, and often being supplied by cuts from the editors and previz videos from VFX dept, the VA operator can call up a continuity shot that was maybe shot weeks ago, but happens right before the current take in the movie. This helps costume to check how a garment was buttoned, make-up to check a fake scar's position, and helps the actors to exactly continue their previous actions. Using Video Assist can save expensive hours of post-production cleanups. Nowadays movies often use more than one shooting units - parallel shooting crews working on separate parts of the same scenes. VA operators of the two units are in charge of moving video files between them, to reference the shoot units to each other. It is also often used so that the main unit director can check of the work done by the second unit. In modern systems, this sync can be done