Ask questions to The Digital Bits team (Bill Hunt, Jeff Kleist et.al.)

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by cjamescook

So, to ask a naive question, what does watching Star Trek at an iMax theatre get you?

It gets you light output/dynamic-range and a guarantee of at least a somewhat larger-than-the-modern-average screen, with at least 5.1 sound (which is not saying a whole lot, these days). And I think that's about it.

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by tvine2000

1.well how are we supposed to know who are the ''credible people''with a track record?people like me trust the sites we go to and hope the reviewers know what the hell there doing.

You kind of proved my point. You "hope" they know what they are doing. But how do you know? There are some good sites/people who have credibility.

Originally Posted by tvine2000

2.''no wonder some studio's don't bother interacting with people on the internet'' what the hell does that mean!they better interact with us were the ones keeping them going,seeing there films,buying there dvds or bds,is that a joke or a cop out?

Dead serious. Look at what Penton-Man said about the guy at WB? Keep in mind also I said "interacting". That is different than lurking, etc.

If you were studio personnel, would you want to sift through the garbage and listen to people whining incessantly like children?

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

Good luck on getting an unbiased opinion from such a source.

You mean kind of like Michael Bay's comments about Transformers where he said something to the effect, "Don't tell me, I know how that shot is supposed to look!"

The point is: The people who created it are in the best position to know if it is accurate and/or how they intended. Period. End of Story.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

Good luck on getting an unbiased opinion from such a source.

If I was a director reviewing my own movie I'd have nothing but high praise for my movie. I would go on about how perfect it is and how perfect a job all the actors did -just like the glowing comments you see in any nausea inducing promotional puff piece featurette.

A director will pour at least a year or more of his life into a feature film project and want to get paid very well for that work. Saying anything the slightest bit negative about the project will get in the way of those economic interests. He'll anger the people who funded the project and audiences might not be so inclined to see the movie or buy the Blu-ray if they hear a more sober opinion on it.

Bobby, I think that’s an inaccurate and very broad generalization and I believe that only to be generally true where the filmmakers are giving these public relations type of appraisals to mainstream websites/TV audiences, etc. to promote a certain movie prior to its exhibition.

If you read other more esoteric sources like the ASC magazine or attend industry events like NAB, Cine Gear, etc., most filmmakers are actually very forthcoming regarding the deficiencies of their movies, the challenges, etc.
James Cameron has already publicly gone on record during a 3D expo a few months back stating that he thinks Avatar will never meet the online hype that has been created around the motion picture.

That reminds me, we have an ‘I love grain’ techno thread somewhere on this forum where I mentioned that at one professional event/workshop the filmmaker directly responsible for the grain in the motion picture “300” had spoken honestly and without reservation about the grainy appearance in that movie. I just haven’t had the time to search if that conversation ever made it online because I don’t even recall the particular venue. I’ll call Chris now to see if I can get a link for everyone.

P.S.
Filmmakers really are honest and forthcoming as to revealing the challenges and deficiencies of their work - you just have to know where they talk about such things and it’s not on programs like EXTRA or Entertainment Tonight, etc. It’s at the industry events……..for example, I suspect that the upcoming Cine-Gear session on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 will be enlightening and informative (scroll to middle of page)…………..

http://www.cinegearexpo.com/seminars2.html

[Penton-Man]

Apparently, everything Chris said concerning the grain in the motion picture 300 is not included on this particular videoclip (they also apparently had some audio volume problems) but, you should get the jist of the idea.
I’m told the pertinent conversation is near the end of the clip so, be patient.

http://www.hdexpo.net/virtual/panels...nel03_300.html

If the link doesn't work, then PM me as I'm just passing it on and haven't had the time to listen to it.

[Bullseye]

Guys any possibility that we would get the Wonder Woman TV series in HD? Also any updates on a live action film of Wonder Woman in the near future?

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Bobby, I think that’s an inaccurate and very broad generalization and I believe that only to be generally true where the filmmakers are giving these public relations type of appraisals to mainstream websites/TV audiences, etc. to promote a certain movie prior to its exhibition.

I felt it was inaccurate as well, as while I don't know any filmmakers, I do know a lot of creative types.... who are generally their worst critic... and outside of the public relation "fluff" (like mentioned above), I always felt filmmakers were the same way.

Heck, look at how many actors say they can't/won't watch their own work!

~Alan

[Eastkhan]

Originally Posted by Esox50

The point is: The people who created it are in the best position to know if it is accurate and/or how they intended. Period. End of Story.

I'd have to disagree. Motion picture archivists (like Robert A. Harris) and good restorers (like Torsten Kaiser) know their stuff just as well, sometimes better.

I bought French Connection nearly the first day, after seeing Friedkin's video of how accurate best presentation of the movie the BD was, like he always intended. I spent 30$ on a digital abomination that Roizman later disapproved.

Look at the various incarnations of Halloween; thx dvd approved by Cundy, divmax dvd no this one is approved by Carpenter, the BD is digitally re-worked to look like Cundy's version etc..

[SpHeRe31459]

Originally Posted by Eastkhan

I'd have to disagree. Motion picture archivists (like Robert A. Harris) and good restorers (like Torsten Kaiser) know their stuff just as well, sometimes better.

I bought French Connection nearly the first day, after seeing Friedkin's video of how accurate best presentation of the movie the BD was, like he always intended. I spent 30$ on a digital abomination that Roizman later disapproved.

Look at the various incarnations of Halloween; thx dvd approved by Cundy, divmax dvd no this one is approved by Carpenter, the BD is digitally re-worked to look like Cundy's version etc..

+1

[NL197]

Originally Posted by Alan Gordon

I felt it was inaccurate as well, as while I don't know any filmmakers, I do know a lot of creative types.... who are generally their worst critic... and outside of the public relation "fluff" (like mentioned above), I always felt filmmakers were the same way.

Heck, look at how many actors say they can't/won't watch their own work!

~Alan

I find a lot of self-deprecating comments can be found depending on the personality of the speaker in a commentary track. That's probably as close as the average viewer can get to a filmmaker reviewing their own work.

[SpHeRe31459]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Apparently, everything Chris said concerning the grain in the motion picture 300 is not included on this particular videoclip (they also apparently had some audio volume problems) but, you should get the jist of the idea.
I’m told the pertinent conversation is near the end of the clip so, be patient.

http://www.hdexpo.net/virtual/panels...nel03_300.html

If the link doesn't work, then PM me as I'm just passing it on and haven't had the time to listen to it.

Interesting about the grain, and grain issues they had. He didn't go into in much detail, other than to say they had to work on it a lot to make it look consistent and that of course the different film stocks for exhibition have different grain looks.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Indyjones

The difference is, Lucasfilm is in more control of Indy than Paramount and handles the technical side of the films. Lucas and Spielberg will make sure that their films are top notch when they get released, whether they were made jointly, ala Indy, or their own individual films. If I remember right, Indy 1-3 was actually going to come out on BD with KOTCS last year but was pulled at the last second by Lucas and Spielberg because they weren't happy with the transfer. Lowry did do the work on Indy and I believe they are doing additional work on the films for the upcoming blu's.

Lucas and Lowry dropped quite a few balls while juggling the Star Wars films onto DVD. From flopped surround tracks to pink lightsabres, to overmixed sound f/x and drowned out orchestral tracks, there is much room to improve on when the series comes to Blu-Ray.

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Eastkhan

I'd have to disagree. Motion picture archivists (like Robert A. Harris) and good restorers (like Torsten Kaiser) know their stuff just as well, sometimes better.

In honor of Sony's great DaVinci Code blu release ( @ Penton), let me ask you a question: Does the curator at the Louvre know more about the Mona Lisa than Leonardo DaVinci himself (if he were still alive )?

This is not to diminish or disrespect the EXPERT and valuable opinions/work of people like Torsten Kaiser or Robert Harris; they aren't "good" restorers, they're great restorers. However, if you're going to try to sell me that they know "better" about the works than the actual person who thought it up, created it, and was there and knows all of the circumstances when it was created...then there is no point in discussing further. Sorry.

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

pink lightsabres

I had forgotten the "bubblegum" lightsabers conversations/arguments of years past. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[SBrooks1]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Lucas and Lowry dropped quite a few balls while juggling the Star Wars films onto DVD. From flopped surround tracks to pink lightsabres, to overmixed sound f/x and drowned out orchestral tracks, there is much room to improve on when the series comes to Blu-Ray.

You should see what fans are doing over at http://www.originaltrilogy.com - Lots of great things happening over there. Especially in regards to color correcting and fan edits.

[Indyjones]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Lucas and Lowry dropped quite a few balls while juggling the Star Wars films onto DVD. From flopped surround tracks to pink lightsabres, to overmixed sound f/x and drowned out orchestral tracks, there is much room to improve on when the series comes to Blu-Ray.

I completely forgot about those!

[HeavyHitter]

Also, not sure who was responsible, but The Phantom Menace DVD had a ridiculous amount of EE.

[DenonCI]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

Also, not sure who was responsible, but The Phantom Menace DVD had a ridiculous amount of EE.

The "Phantom Menace" is a crappy looking DVD, period. In fact, in my experience, most "THX approved" DVDs have looked like crap.

[tvine2000]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Jack Ryans were done before Paramount switched to HD DVD and were not subject to their current mastering policies, same one with Untouchables, but I've never seen that disc

i'm interested in these policies you mentioned.in laymans terms what are they?

[Jeff Kleist]

Just standards and practices to make sure their discs look their best. You've seen them on their catalog output over the last year