Large Format/"Premium" Theaters (IMAX 15/70, Digital IMAX, XD, ETX, RPX, etc.)

[Poya]

Originally Posted by UFAlien

A lot of it is down to color grading. So much of the "look" of a movie now is created in post-production digitally. You can have something very monotone and flat and something exploding with color and contrast shot on the same camera. Even the vast majority of movies still shot on film go through a digital intermediate where the "look" is finalized on computers.

Except certain films, and I think they look far better than anything done in a DI. I made a thread about modern celluloid-shot films that were photochemically timed:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=283975

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by singhcr

He does raise some good points. To me the primary issue is the current state of digital projection in theaters. I saw BvS in Dolby Vision when visiting the LA area and I was genuinely impressed. Even my two friends who aren't very picky when it comes to A/V quality noticed this. The next day we watched Zootopia on a standard 2K Christie projector at a different theater. You could immediately see how superior the DV presentation was. It would be even worse if the projector was a Sony as it would most likely have the 3D polarizer in place. I've specifically avoided AMC, Regal, etc theaters because the management can't be bothered to remove it for 2D movies.

I am a big film advocate and prefer it for recording and projection, but I can see the advantages of high quality digital projection. It's just like analog versus digital audio. SACD sounds lovely but it's dead as a release format and MP3 is king.

However, unlike the music industry, the movie industry is advancing camera technology. I am genuinely excited to see what Rogue One looks like with that sweet Alexa 65 goodness applied. I just wish that there were digital projectors out there that could show the full quality of the recorded image.

thankfully it's a niche market and isn't completely dead.

[ITDEFX101]

Do these theater managers know the in's and out's of their own equipment? Seems most of these days management is usually some kid in their 20's... I mean how the hell do they promote these people to management... it's not like any of them *want* to have a career in the movie projection business.

[FAShaffi]

looks like "Rogue One" will be getting a 4K DCP, hopefully this is true, I have my opening day tickets booked for it in Dolby Cinema
http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/article/di...ars-story-2016

(credit for the find goes to Edward on the Film-Tech forum)
http://www.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/f1/t012072/p3.html

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by FAShaffi

looks like "Rogue One" will be getting a 4K DCP, hopefully this is true, I have my opening day tickets booked for it in Dolby Cinema
http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/article/di...ars-story-2016

(credit for the find goes to Edward on the Film-Tech forum)
http://www.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/f1/t012072/p3.html

Excellent. I was worried that Disney would go with a 2K DCP and waste a lot of the quality image created by the Alexa 65. Thankfully that isn't the case. The 15/70 IMAX print of RO I am seeing should look really good

Thanks for the info, FAShaffi and Edward!

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by singhcr

Excellent. I was worried that Disney would go with a 2K DCP and waste a lot of the quality image created by the Alexa 65. Thankfully that isn't the case.

But that was only set capture. There are over a thousand shots with CG in them.


What resolution the CG was rendered at is still a question. For Tomorrowland a lot was rendered at 4K, but a lot of background stuff was at 2K and uprezzed.

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

But that was only set capture. There are over a thousand shots with CG in them.


What resolution the CG was rendered at is still a question. For Tomorrowland a lot was rendered at 4K, but a lot of background stuff was at 2K and uprezzed.

Good point. However even if the CG is all 2K I think the 4K DCP will be a nice upgrade over your bog standard 2K experience.

[Geoff D]

I agree, as the better the source the better the upscale, so if they're working from A65 plates then even a 2K or perhaps 2.5K render upscaled to 4K will still look the bollocks.

[xbs2034]

http://www.slashfilm.com/dunkirk-imax-preview/

Similar to the Dark Knight films, there will be a 7 minute IMAX prologue for Dunkirk before Rogue One. Though also sounds like it will be limited to 15/70 showings (not surprising considering Nolan) which is just 15 locations worldwide.

[Geoff D]

I've already sent an email to the BFI asking if they're going to get the prologue. If they are then I'm gonna go and see Rogue One in 15/70.

[Spike M.]

So lame.

[Amar1]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I've already sent an email to the BFI asking if they're going to get the prologue. If they are then I'm gonna go and see Rogue One in 15/70.

Already booked my ticket for the 29th Dec at BFI imax last week. Hopefully they are showing the trailer. I have a feeling that the science Museum will be showing the trailer (https://www.avforums.com/index.php?posts/24326878)

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Amar1

Already booked my ticket for the 29th Dec at BFI imax last week. Hopefully they are showing the trailer. I have a feeling that the science Museum will be showing the trailer (https://www.avforums.com/index.php?posts/24326878)

Yes, RayRay seems to clearly hint at it there (and over a month ago too!) but I think I'm right in saying that the BFI hadn't secured their own 15/70 print at that point which is why he says the Science Museum will be the only place with it.

[Riddhi2011]

It's great 'Rogue One will be shown in 15/70. Sad that there isn't a single IMAX theatre in my state (except that Science City Omnimax dome). However, I was doing some digging on the Alexa 65's specs. It's open gate has a resolution of about 6560 x 3100, which gives an aspect ratio close to 2.00:1. The shape would be exactly this -

Alexa65 Open gate aspect ratio low res.jpg

Which means, digitally, there is still no equivalent of IMAX 15/70 1.44:1. This competes with 5 perf 70mm but at 6K. Whereas a proper scan of 70mm film is at 8K. So, Digital is still nowhere near the potential of 70mm film.

[Geoff D]

That's the point, it was intended to ape 5-perf 65mm. Though I did joke before that perhaps they could stitch three of those sensors together, turn them thru 90 degrees and BLAMMO: there's your 15-perf 65mm digital sensor.

But although 65mm films are indeed scanned at 8K they're usually finished at 6K or 4K, so the native 6K res of the A65 is right on the money IMO.

[Geoff D]

The BFI said that at the moment they can neither confirm nor deny that they'll be getting the Dunkirk prologue in front of Rogue One, but that "if I were you I'd book my ticket...". Point taken, looks like Geoffy Claus is coming to town!!

[Brightstar]

sorry if this has been asked before but which is better old school 70mm film or IMAX am a little confused thanks .

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by Brightstar

sorry if this has been asked before but which is better old school 70mm film or IMAX am a little confused thanks .

In terms of picture quality, IMAX film is better as it is 3 times larger than standard 70mm film.

However, 70mm film looks wonderful in its own right quality wise and many movies have been shot in that format whereas only portions of feature films have been shot in IMAX. Standard 70mm film also has a wider aspect ratio (2.20:1 or 2.76:1 depending on the lenses used) which can be more cinematic. IMAX has an aspect ratio of 1.44:1.

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

The BFI said that at the moment they can neither confirm nor deny that they'll be getting the Dunkirk prologue in front of Rogue One, but that "if I were you I'd book my ticket...". Point taken, looks like Geoffy Claus is coming to town!!

Smart man.

I will very much enjoy this Dunkirk preview as well.

[Riddhi2011]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

...But although 65mm films are indeed scanned at 8K they're usually finished at 6K or 4K, so the native 6K res of the A65 is right on the money IMO.

Correct me if I am wrong but a 4K down-sampled from an 8K source is going to have more perceivable detail and richness than a 4K scan from a 6K source, isn't that right? Anyway, what am I talking about, I'll have to make do with regular 2K and no IMAX.