"Club Penton" - Ask questions to Hollywood insider "Penton-Man"

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by RiseDarthVader

For movies made pretty recently for example Casino Royale and Transformers that had their DI's done in 2K do you think there would be a 4K release from them for home viewing? Are studios going to bother going back to re-scan the negatives at 4K if they haven't done so already and go through the whole process to create a 4K home video release?

If by “whole process” you mean true 4k rather than after-the-fact upconverted, unlikely….unless perhaps it was some kind of tent pole blockbuster.

Fairly recent feature films (especially those with VFX) that have gone through a 2K digital intermediate post production process which don’t have a conformed negative as an ‘original’ element (unless the post house conformed it after the D.I. was performed to match the digitally assembled negative scans), were essentially assembled digitally with a great deal of post work done to the 2K digital scans which would make it difficult and prohibitively expensive to redo the work at 4K.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Were a 4K home format to hit the market, I would hazard an educated guess that we'd be seeing a lot of upconverted releases of movies with 2K DIs for a good while.

b.t.w., heads-up for locals, The American Society of Cinematographers is having its annual Open House Saturday, Feb. 11 on North Orange Drive in Hollywood.

Expected to attend D.P.’s include Oscar contenders Jeff Cronenweth (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo), Robert Richardson (Hugo) and Emmanuel Lubezki (The Tree of Life).

I must say that I would have liked to have seen Newton Thomas Sigel to at least have been nominated with a Spirit Award (http://www.spiritawards.com/) for his work on Drive.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by micks_address

any comment on this Penton?...

Sorry, I can’t.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Dennis M

Think your right on this point. Most of the workflow today is 2K. 4K is just starting to be adopted. Doubt the studios will go back into their catalog and rework 2K elements, there will be exceptions of course for high grossing films.

We should except a "this day forward" approach.

and films prior to around the year 2000 before when 2K D.I.’s started appearing.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

and films prior to around the year 2000 before when 2K D.I.’s started appearing.

Which leads me to this observation….

I notice in their postings that serious collectors often times guess at what exact film source a particular Blu-ray originates from.

Often using phrases in their postings like - ‘it probably…most likely…presumably… appears to have been taken from” an OCN, IP, fine grain master, etc. – without knowing for sure, unless they’ve previously read that information via insert, for instance (https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Ameri...Blu-ray/14981/), or having the information divulged in one of the Blu-ray supplemental extras, or having been fed the inside info from a studio representative vis-à-vis personal communication e-mail…which in itself, many would feel has a potential downside, for then we get into those nasty ethical discussions relating to the notion that undue studio access will invariably color or bias a movie reviewer in being more favorable to a particular Blu-ray than he otherwise would have been, without having had the luxury of said access to begin with.

Well, with 4k Blu-ray, fear not!

Be confident in making correct Blu-ray source assessments….without equivocation!

Be confident in honestly and correctly pronouncing that “this 4k Blu-ray obviously is taken from the OCN”, or “this 4k Blu-ray obviously comes from an interpositive element, answer print, etc.”, for 4k Blu-ray should solve that dilemma, no problemo and at the same time, level the playing field so-to-speak for all Blu-ray movie reviewers.

[PeterTHX]

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news...t-soccer-match

[androvsky]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Be confident in honestly and correctly pronouncing that “this 4k Blu-ray obviously is taken from the OCN”, or “this 4k Blu-ray obviously comes from an interpositive element, answer print, etc.”, for 4k Blu-ray should solve that dilemma, no problemo and at the same time, level the playing field so-to-speak for all Blu-ray movie reviewers.

I have no idea where you're going with this, since there's Blu-ray reviewers that can give high marks (4/5) to a movie that was a poor upscale of a PAL DVD release, complete with framerate conversion problems. Maybe it'll be possible for good reviewers to tell the difference, even though we know they'll make mistakes at times too?

[sharkshark]

RIP John Lowry

[Dennis M]

Originally Posted by sharkshark

RIP John Lowry

Yes a sad day.

RIP Mr. Lowry. Your influence will be felt for a long time.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news...t-soccer-match

At first glance, I thought you were going to post a link claiming that Sony Pictures Entertainment was somehow responsible for some soccer riot in Europe and you wanted to see heads roll because of it.

Hey Peter, come July, soccer is in the London Olympics. Keep us informed as to whether or not vuvuzelas will be banned as I remember you’re a big fan of those plastic horns.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by androvsky

I have no idea where you're going with this, since there's Blu-ray reviewers that can give high marks (4/5) to a movie that was a poor upscale of a PAL DVD release, complete with framerate conversion problems. Maybe it'll be possible for good reviewers to tell the difference, even though we know they'll make mistakes at times too?

Hey, long time no see/hear.

Well, I was applying the term ‘Blu-ray reviewers’ in a generic sense, i.e. both to serious collectors who just like to offer an opinion as to the PQ of their Blu-ray movie purchases in the common threads on any forum, as well as to any ‘official’ websites’ Blu-ray reviewer/critics who give formal reviews….and just that 4k Blu-ray would indeed be more transparent to the source….and thusly easier to evaluate from whence it came.

As to mistakes, believe me, everyone and I mean everyone makes mistakes in some of their assertions, no matter who be the Blu-ray reviewer…’official’ or not, having an old professional photochemical background in their glory days or not, but some give you the impression that they are flawless in all their assessments and that what they pronounce, automatically should determine whether you should like a particular 1080p Blu-ray movie or not like it , purchase it….or not purchase it – which I think is just a bit pompous and presumptuous as to how it relates to each individuals’ personal enjoyment factor with this form of entertainment and especially how and when to spend their own money.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by sharkshark

RIP John Lowry

Yes, his passing has been known about by folks in the industry for several days now. In addition, then I return home after work and see this on the news ….
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#46234784

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Dennis M

Yes a sad day.

RIP Mr. Lowry. Your influence will be felt for a long time.

On a technical aside, one thing I like about some digital restoration tools, is the fact that they have full metadata support…in other words, every ‘correction’ you make is recorded as metadata and the original images are not modified, which gives the operator the chance to review his/her work comparing ‘pre’ and ‘post’ images to make sure that what was done, did in fact achieve the desired effect.

[Penton-Man]

Answering questions and emails while out of the office is like work without meetings…. productive, but not vacation. I’m going on a morning bike ride now to enjoy my vacation day before I rejoin the rat race and hit the 405 again tomorrow.

Carry on.

P.S.
b.t.w., did anyone notice that in Drive , the Driver lives in Apartment #405? Quite ironic in the sense that the 405 is probably the worst freeway in and around L.A. and during rush hour, it’s almost like a slow moving parking lot.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Yes, his passing has been known about by folks in the industry for several days now.

I guess I'm "insider-ier" than I knew- I thought this was old news.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Hey Peter, come July, soccer is in the London Olympics. Keep us informed as to whether or not vuvuzelas will be banned as I remember you’re a big fan of those plastic horns.

Maybe it's those horns that drive soccer fans to murder...

[coolmilo]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

b.t.w., did anyone notice that in Drive , the Driver lives in Apartment #405? Quite ironic in the sense that the 405 is probably the worst freeway in and around L.A. and during rush hour, it’s almost like a slow moving parking lot.

I received my copy on Tuesday. What, no slip cover? I plan on removing the shrink wrap and giving Drive a spin this weekend. I have heard it described as Blade Runner meets Transporter. The sound track is supposed to be amazing.

Anyway, I am looking forward to watching Drive!!!

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by coolmilo

I received my copy on Tuesday. What, no slip cover? I plan on removing the shrink wrap and giving Drive a spin this weekend. I have heard it described as Blade Runner meets Transporter. The sound track is supposed to be amazing.

Anyway, I am looking forward to watching Drive!!!

While I enjoyed the film immensely, I certainly wouldn't describe it that way. Very methodical and slow burning.

On that note though, standing ovation to Sony for a sublime Blu-ray transfer. One of the best I've seen recently. I was REALLY impressed with how the Alexa looked in the darker scenes of this film. Razor sharp and gorgeous black levels. Some reference contrast eye candy in this one!

[sharkshark]

My take on DRIVE from TIFF11
http://filmfest.ca/2011/09/10/drive/

[RiseDarthVader]

Interesting podcast with Kimball Thurston from Reliance MediaWorks (previously Lowry Digital) about the Lowry Process and some interesting facts pop up like Avatar having some 3D shots restored because one of the eyes were out of focus without converting the in-focus eye to 3D. Penton-Man what do you think about Mr Thurston saying DNR usually isn't removing details in the image but rather losing sharpness in edges which tricks the brain into perceiving detail loss?

Also I scored some tickets to "The Amazing Spider-man" preview in Sydney at the cinema I used to work at. Woot!