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

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by sharkshark

... Let the witch hunt begin again!

Shark, before you are so quick to disregard his behavior, read his posts since the LOTR ‘debate’ began. It’s not a witch-hunt, the guy has been wearing his witchcraft on his chest visa-vie multiple examples for quite awhile and

-if he’s not happy here, there’s no since him being on a site that “is one of, if not the most political out there. They will certainly make mention of the PQ issues, but they will also down play the hell out of it either through the final score, the PQ review or both They wont score it perfect, but it will still score higher then it deserves.”

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Ken Brown

Don't get me wrong, I have no intention of putting any blame on someone else. At the end of the day, whatever goes in my review -- accurate or inaccurate -- is entirely, unequivocally my fault and responsibility. That being said, if I were a PR rep, I would make it my business to anticipate reviewer reaction to an potentially displeasing yet entirely faithful transfer, and would bombard anyone receiving screeners with information about what they were about to see, why it looks that way, and where they could find more information online.

I’m not sure if you’re implying that I’m a ‘PR rep’ but, if you are or anyone else is getting that impression…..well, the pay grade is just a tad higher.

I would say that “reviewer reaction” is not of paramount importance to initiate the type of supplemental information you would like to see from the majors. You guys (reviewers as a group) are pretty much on your own. I do this as a service (without compensation) to the Blu-ray community to enable folks to understand and appreciate motion pictures more.

Don’t feel too badly. If you ever decide to attend medical school and go thru a Surgical Internship one age old saying is….. “See one, Do one, Teach one”….and they’re not kidding.
Sink or swim baby. The crème de la crème always rises to the top.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Ken Brown

Ah well. At least we have people like Penton on our boards. His expertise and insight is invaluable.

Thank you.

[Oliver K]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Well, I could say that I was looking for a St. Pauli Girl beer….but that would be a fib.

But it speaks for your creativity that you found out about the St. Pauli Girl beer as a potential excuse. " Oh nos, I only went there for the girl beer"

[Oliver K]

Originally Posted by 4K2K

But why should a review of a Blu-ray that the review says "looks shockingly similar to its standard DVD counterpart" and, the review says "I wouldn't be surprised if a number of viewers eject the disc just to make sure they didn't purchase a DVD", get a 4 out of 5 for picture quality?

Shouldn't the PQ score of a Blu-ray be about it's picture quality on the Blu-ray?

In a perfect world there should be a score that reflects how good the Blu-Ray represents the DI or film it is derived from. Obviously if a film was shot on 8mm it would still look rather bad even if the Blu-Ray makes it look as good as possible, but you cannot expect for a movie to look better on Blu-Ray than what its intended technical limitations, whether they are in capture or post processing, allow.

Originally Posted by 4K2K

Isn't the picture (and sound) quality the reason to get a title on Blu-ray instead of DVD? Shouldn't the PQ score help in determining whether to upgrade a DVD or get a Blu-ray instead of the DVD? But if there is nearly no difference in the picture quality or resolution between it and the DVD isn't having a 4 out of 5 for PQ misleading readers who would think that there would be a big PQ difference from the DVD, when, according to the review, there isn't?

Due to practical considerations what people would see as a good picture quality or a worthwhile upgrade to DVD is figured into the ratings, too but as long as we keep in mind that not all movies can look like well lit demo quality IMAX shots the scores will also have to reflect if a movie does look as good as could be expected on Blu-Ray. So if a movie looks similar at first glance to its DVD counterpart but in the review it is explained that it could not have looked better due to the way it was shot and intended to look I am fine with a 4 out of 5 review - after all there is the text to go with the pq score.

Still I'd say that "shockingly similar" is not the best way to describe a transfer that does not have the amount of high frequency detail that is usually expected when coming from a 4k DI but that still looks considerably better than its DVD counterpart upon critical viewing.

[Jeff Kleist]

You know, despite Robert Z.’s past history, I personally have no problem with him being here as I doubt he has come to create trouble. If he has let go of the format war ill-feelings, I feel we should do the same.

From studying history, I've found that every time the losing orinally agressive side is allowed to go free, you're fighting them of their kids 20 years down the line. True healing and progress looks more like Nuremberg and the opposite of pardoning Nixon. I have no qualms with his participation as a coommon msn, but he most certaintly should not be peddling his goods or representing his shop in any form.

[HeavyHitter]

Everything I think of Robert Z I get a chuckle. I still remember when the PS3 had just gotten released and he was saying what a horrible Blu-ray player it was over at AVS. lol

[Ken Brown]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I’m not sure if you’re implying that I’m a ‘PR rep’ but, if you are or anyone else is getting that impression…..well, the pay grade is just a tad higher.

I would say that “reviewer reaction” is not of paramount importance to initiate the type of supplemental information you would like to see from the majors. You guys (reviewers as a group) are pretty much on your own. I do this as a service (without compensation) to the Blu-ray community to enable folks to understand and appreciate motion pictures more.

Don’t feel too badly. If you ever decide to attend medical school and go thru a Surgical Internship one age old saying is….. “See one, Do one, Teach one”….and they’re not kidding.
Sink or swim baby. The crème de la crème always rises to the top.

No, I definitely know you're not a PR rep. Sorry if anyone read it that way

I only brought PR reps into the equation because it sometimes seems as if the firms do little of actual merit to help promote the true quality of a release. Rather than simply send screeners, barebones press releases, compile review scores, and report to the studios, it would be nice if all PR firms provided information about filmmaker intent and mastering work to make sure reviewers are informed. It seems it would eliminate the guess work, as well as change the tone and reception of more divisive AV presentations. More than reviewer reaction, it strikes me as something that would increase sales, assuage fears, bolster consumer perception of studios, and help quell message board uproars. Then again, maybe it would just be a drop in the bucket.

Ah well. Mainly, I wanted to reaffirm that we're listening and learning from people like yourself. Your time and contributions are appreciated and, slowly but surely, are having an effect on our reviews and our readers' awareness. Although I assume you already know that since you continue to put up with all of us

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by sharkshark

....yeah, that's entirely what the article's about...

I see what you mean now.
All is good with the article (http://3dcinecast.blogspot.com/2010/...ntelligence%29) , as I finally got the time to read the entire piece and yes, the very last paragraph with the question posed by the interviewer clearly makes the point that “Alice” is no “Clash” , I'll quote and bold the pertinent parts -

One last question about dimensionalization. Alice in Wonderland got mainly good reviews for its 3D visuals. But as soon as Clash of the Titans started screening for fans, there was a backlash. On the Internet and in some print reviews, a buzz started building that 2D to 3D conversions are no good. [Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Kenneth Turan said, "Consider the possibility that Clash of the Titans is the first film to actually be made worse by being in 3-D."] How do you feel about that?

MDJ:You bring up Alice as a contrast to that, which is good. I would go back even farther, to G-Force. I don’t think anybody knew that was converted. They all assumed it originated in 3D, because it was really clean. In terms of Clash of the Titans and all of the negative press, we look at that situation and see an eight-to-10-week schedule to do an entire movie, and it sounds completely unrealistic to get a high-quality product in that timeframe. If that’s how it turns out [and 3D conversions get a bad reputation], it will be disappointing for us. We’ve been there at the forefront, talking about our dimensionalization process specifically as an extremely viable and artistically competitive approach to generating 3D. If it doesn’t get there, hopefully that doesn’t paint all conversion houses with the same brush. That’s what we’re afraid of. The audience should be able to trust they’ll get a high-quality product, especially on a huge movie.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Hmm.

Here ya go Peter………..ask ‘em –
http://www.nabshow.com/2010/newsroom...se.asp?id=2223

[Penton-Man]

So, after I recently reminded Blu2U that I had posted this a few pages back….
https://forum.blu-ray.com/insider-di...ml#post3117147

I get a PM from someone at Panasonic ‘reminding’ me of their new 3D camera that will be shipping this fall ….and for which they’ve apparently been taking orders for since Feb. or March.

I thinks to myself, well I doubt there are many budding 3D filmmaking Blu-ray.com members with fat enough wallets to afford $21,000 3D cameras but, you never know, so here you go…..
http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp...odel=AJ-HDX900

In retrospect, I guess Stacey’s RedOne which he purchased awhile ago and the lens package which he has probably accumulated by now, exceeds in cost that of Panny’s 3D cam, so there may be one or two financially successful members reading this with a camera passion that could be interested.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

From studying history, I've found that every time the losing orinally agressive side is allowed to go free, you're fighting them of their kids 20 years down the line. True healing and progress looks more like Nuremberg and the opposite of pardoning Nixon. I have no qualms with his participation as a coommon msn, but he most certaintly should not be peddling his goods or representing his shop in any form.

Well, think of it this way, if it makes you feel any better, a certain studio in Burbank continued to sit on the fence (Blu and Red) and continued playing both sides in order to milk every cent out of the format war situation that they could.

When they started to get word that the retailers were lining up to make ‘the decision for them’ i.e. Blu-ray exclusivity, they then essentially ended the format war by going tru Blu…..at the same time arrogantly sticking it to the top dogs at Toshiba with jet fuel costs over the Pacific, not to mention the needless added carbon footprint to the environment.

So, although Robert Z. and Universal were misguided in choosing and backing an inferior format with inferior bitrate as well as capacity, at least they were true to their convictions.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Ken Brown

No, I definitely know you're not a PR rep.

That’s RIGHT!

With the tips I get in the fitness center, I make more than those ‘PR reps’ plus, I am not “a common man”…
http://www.ugo.com/movies/clash-of-the-titans-3d-stinks < I love this guy, he reminds me of Danny DeVito.

[Jeff Kleist]

So, although Robert Z. and Universal were misguided in choosing and backing an inferior format with inferior bitrate as well as capacity, at least they were true to their convictions.

Robert Zohn is not a movie studio, nor a nationwide retailer necessary to the continued health of the industry. He's an indy retailer that *****d himself out at every opportunity and milked a bunch of suckers for all they were worth, and stirred up trouble arm in arm with Amir.

I would be a lot more forgiving if he were to take the same steps that other former red agents have, coming forward with names, dates, places, and specifics for the backroom deals that were struck, and more importantly regret . In his case, since he was such a public tool, preferably in broad light of day.

Don't forget how many players at the studios who backed HD DVD have "left to spend more time with their family" or "pursue new challenges"

"They drove a dumptruck full of money up to my house, I'm not made of stone!" is understandable to everyone, but pretending like everything just goes back to the way it was afterwards, and not expressing public regret for one's actions is a big part of the problem. In the case of Uni, it was SEVERAL dumptrucks

In any case, this was not a debate I was looking to start. It was an offhand remark that I saw him in the first place. If he cares to spill his guts and reads this, my PM box is always open.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Well, think of it this way, if it makes you feel any better, a certain studio in Burbank continued to sit on the fence (Blu and Red) and continued playing both sides in order to milk every cent out of the format war situation that they could.

.

How did the continuation of the war benefit that certain studio?

[Jeff Kleist]

How did the continuation of the war benefit that certain studio?

By remaining on both sides, at least in the short term they could enjoy participation in advertising and other funds, while at the same time tapping the entire, at the time, small, HD customer base. As the speed and quantity of releases grew, it became unprofitable and unproductive to continue to support both. The same went for the retailers that chose for them which way things were going to go. Once you filled that one aisle at Best Buy, someone was getting pushed out of bed

[sharkshark]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Shark, before you are so quick to disregard his behavior, read his posts since the LOTR ‘debate’ began. It’s not a witch-hunt, the guy has been wearing his witchcraft on his chest visa-vie multiple examples for quite awhile and

-if he’s not happy here, there’s no since him being on a site that “is one of, if not the most political out there. They will certainly make mention of the PQ issues, but they will also down play the hell out of it either through the final score, the PQ review or both They wont score it perfect, but it will still score higher then it deserves.”

Fair enough, point taken.

However, humbly, it's "Vis-à-vis".


ps. Watching golf on TV is dumb, but this has been a pretty sick hour or so of Masters madness, and it does look purdy in HD...

[Oliver K]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Robert Zohn is not a movie studio, nor a nationwide retailer necessary to the continued health of the industry. He's an indy retailer that *****d himself out at every opportunity and milked a bunch of suckers for all they were worth, and stirred up trouble arm in arm with Amir.

I would be a lot more forgiving if he were to take the same steps that other former red agents have, coming forward with names, dates, places, and specifics for the backroom deals that were struck, and more importantly regret . In his case, since he was such a public tool, preferably in broad light of day.

Don't forget how many players at the studios who backed HD DVD have "left to spend more time with their family" or "pursue new challenges"

"They drove a dumptruck full of money up to my house, I'm not made of stone!" is understandable to everyone, but pretending like everything just goes back to the way it was afterwards, and not expressing public regret for one's actions is a big part of the problem. In the case of Uni, it was SEVERAL dumptrucks

In any case, this was not a debate I was looking to start. It was an offhand remark that I saw him in the first place. If he cares to spill his guts and reads this, my PM box is always open.

Lighten up Jeff, I am really worried sometimes when I read something like that from you

BTW: Your war analogy is in bad taste imo, this was about competing technologies finding a place in the consumer electronics market and not about thousands or even millions of people dying.

[mrpink134]

??? who is Robert Zohn?

[Vincent Pereira]

Originally Posted by mrpink134

??? who is Robert Zohn?

Apparently the AntiChrist.

Vincent