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

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by merrick97

tell them that monoprice or even amazon is the best place to buy them. I often get thanked for my help and it makes me happy that I (in some cases) saved the person $100+

That's if monoprice doesn't lose their personal information...

[DenonCI]

Penton,

My Sharks are heading to the Western Conference finals for the second time. I hope they finally hoist the cup this year!

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by DenonCI

Penton,

My Sharks are heading to the Western Conference finals for the second time. I hope they finally hoist the cup this year!

Great to hear.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by merrick97

Im a biochemist and a nutritionist which means I NEVER understand what the heck you are talking about!

I'll try to work on that.

[Penton-Man]

As today is Mother’s Day, I realize that some of our members out there may have lost their Moms….*before their time* or at least somewhat unexpectedly due to an early passing.

Guys…your Moms are looking down from those clouds and speaking to you (even if you can’t always hear them) and they will re-visit you, if only in your dreams.

Here’s to you…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPmrIpX30BA

And to those Blu-ray.com members who are lucky enough to still have Moms that are alive and well….never, EVER, take them for granted….esp. TODAY.

[FilmMixer]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

by that time nearly everything was digital. Minidisc for example never caught on with the mainstream, but sound guys loved it because it's pocket size and high quality. If it'd been made 5 years earlier then thru mightve still been running tape

Regarding SPR..

It was mixed on 6trk SR mag...

[FilmMixer]

PM.. Is the PS3 going to offer checkerboard output for BD 3D and 3D gaming?

[Jeff Kleist]

Regarding SPR..

It was mixed on 6trk SR mag...

Well, Spielberg is captain old school after all, I stand corrected

[Bobby Henderson]

So that would leave open any possibilities, however slight, that factors like tape stretch and slip could be a source of lip sync errors.

It needs to be stressed that certain analog audio recording methods yield high quality results, results that can (and often have) been used as source material for 24-bit 96kHz recordings. Some music performers still insist on recording much of their stuff in analog and only going to digital in the final mix. Some of it sounds a little like the vinyl versus CD thing, but there are practical reasons for originating certain things in the analog realm and then digitizing the results.

This is one of the reasons why I think movies should still be shot on film when possible. Not only that, but I very strongly believe Hollywood studios need to be shooting movies on larger film formats -be it VistaVision (8-perf 35mm) or 5-perf 65mm (classic Todd-AO format).

A great quality film negative used in conjunction with a high quality film scanning system is going to give viewers of Blu-ray discs and d-cinema files significantly superior image quality to anything shot with electronic cameras. I don't think any digital system available right now compares favorably against 4-perf 35mm much less far more robust film formats like VistaVision and 70mm.

[Jeff Kleist]

I don't have anything against high quality analog tape systems. Ryan was madE at the tail end of that transition period, so assuming digital was not unreasonable

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

I don't think any digital system available right now compares favorably against 4-perf 35mm much less far more robust film formats like VistaVision and 70mm.

I think the new 4k digital capture systems compare quite favorably. When they get to 8k and beyond (for IMAX type features) I think it will be the same thing for 65MM and other large formats.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by FilmMixer

Regarding SPR..

It was mixed on 6trk SR mag...

Are you talking about the final output or the actual multitrack mixing sessions?

[Bobby Henderson]

I think the new 4k digital capture systems compare quite favorably.

I don't agree.

Electronic cameras struggle in low light settings introducing lots of noise and latency into the image. It's like human eye-sight after a few beers. It reminds me a little of tube camera burns. The problem is subtle but it definitely is there and easy to spot if you know what to look for. Additionally, every video camera is stuck with its native behaviors of RGB. No movie production uses the native imagery from video cameras. They always have to filter it so it looks more like film and not so much like a daytime soap or the 6 o'clock news. I can shoot 1080p/24 with my Canon DSLR and it still has that video look despite being 24fps. The color model and separate image/frame handling is a big part of what gives film its aesthetic.

Arri advocates 6K scanning and 4K DI for 4-perf 35mm film. The limits of the Bayer-pattern grid in a 4K video camera would still have it struggling to equal the amount of detail 4-perf 35mm film can capture, not to mention film shoots natively in the CMY color model.

8K is not regarded as being an equal for 70mm resolution. 16K would actually be a closer figure for really doing the job, but a 16K DI would be really costly to attempt at this time.

[FilmMixer]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Are you talking about the final output or the actual multitrack mixing sessions?

I don't know what you are referring to as "actual multitrack mixing sessions..."

Do you mean the source units? Or the pre-mixes? Or......

At the time the film was mixed, our company had not yet changed that facility over to digital recorders.

[DenonCI]

Congrats Penton: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...s100907D74.DTL

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by FilmMixer

I don't know what you are referring to as "actual multitrack mixing sessions..."

Do you mean the source units? Or the pre-mixes? Or......

At the time the film was mixed, our company had not yet changed that facility over to digital recorders.

Source and pre-mixes, before you get to the final 6-track output.

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

I don't agree.

Arri advocates 6K scanning and 4K DI for 4-perf 35mm film. The limits of the Bayer-pattern grid in a 4K video camera would still have it struggling to equal the amount of detail 4-perf 35mm film can capture, not to mention film shoots natively in the CMY color model.

8K is not regarded as being an equal for 70mm resolution. 16K would actually be a closer figure for really doing the job, but a 16K DI would be really costly to attempt at this time.

Different entities can advocate what they will. However, the reality of the situation is that 4k records are a rarity, and confusion still reigns even within the industry. There are major productions that bought into the 4k concept, with OCN being scanned at that resolution, only to have the final records produced at 2k. And generally, especially within the technical state of our average cinemas, 2k looks just fine, especially for productions dependent upon effects.

In the direction that we're currently heading, 65mm or 8p origination makes little sense. Current Kodak stocks are superb, and especially below the ASA 200 range are virtually grainless. Prints are being plattered and run automated, while more digital installs occur daily.

The age of quality projection is a thing of the past in most situations. There are still some wonderfully talented projectionists, but if what they are given to project is a 2k DCP or a high speed 35mm print there is only so much that can be accomplished -- with the 2k data file generally coming out on top for quality.

Currently in NYC, I'm unaware of a single theatrical venue that can still run a 70mm mag print. IMAX theaters are in most cases no longer real IMAX theaters. Film, especially in large taking formats, no longer has a reason to exist. So while VistaVision, Technirama, Todd-AO, Super and Ultra Panavision 70 may produce startlingly beautiful results, I'm not certain what one may do with them.

In the end, be it 2, 4, 6 or 8k... it all comes down to a numbers game.

From a strictly archival perspective, and dealing with 4k projection, I'm not sure that we're yet at a place where 70mm roadshows can be projected digitally with all of the inherent visceral impact that they demand, but lest anyone care, we should be there shortly. I would presume that the answer will come from Sony.

RAH

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Robert Harris

Technirama

*











* Sorry Robert- I just gotta do that, any time it's mentioned

[wakeboredb]

How about that Biaggi double win yesteday at Monza!!!! He also set a track speed record in qualifying of 205mph without drafting off anyone.

And BMW finally got their first podium finish with their new superbike.

Lots of great WSBK excitement yesterday.

I'm starting to get itchy for the Isle of Man Race now. Those guys are freaks!
Here's a great youtube video for anyone familiar or unfamiliar with that race:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE7H6f9PVwk

[Doctorossi]

Yeah, it's nice to have old Max making little Leon work for it.