Putting on a ballet performance takes a lot of rehearsals. Filming a ballet perfectly also takes careful preparation. For the high definition recording of the San Francisco Ballet’s “Nutcracker” the producers and directors hired an experienced camera crew, broke down each shot carefully to corresponding beats of the music, and taped a matinee performance for their own rehearsal. The veteran cameramen find the work pleasantly challenging, as they are guided through a large number of speedy shots, following the rhythm and motion of the dancers through their viewfinders. The results are currently being shown in select movie theaters and will be broadcast by PBS’ “Great Performances” next holiday season.