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

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Squid,
I'm ten minutes ahead of schedule and ISDT racers don't get any points deducted for coming into a checkpoint ahead of time.

Later

Slow down a little...

And the tragedy is unveiled....

Honda has been named the exclusive engine supplier for the new Moto2 World Championship.

"After considering offers from various manufacturers, it has been decided that Honda will be the initial single engine supplier for the new Moto2 class. Their high level performance engine will be over 150hp," said an FIM statement.
The FIM has also confirmed that 2010 will be a transition year, with Moto2 four-strokes and 250GP two-strokes racing together. “Next year only this [Moto2] category will also be open to the current 250cc motorcycles,” said the statement

The 250cc World Championship began in 1949.

[Penton-Man]

With regards to the recent large format vs 3D discussion that has been taking place, I think that everyone has made some very good points, in fact Bobby H’s exchanges with doctorossi were not only informative to all readers, but also somewhat entertaining because they reminded me of this videoclip…………
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Watf8_Rf58s

I would like to add that there is a considerable amount of interest among industry folk with regards to James Cameron’s upcoming Avatar with many people considering it to be a watershed event for 3D and even a potential large paradigm shift in the motion picture business. I’m not at all exaggerating the interest.

Even if Avatar is a 3D-only release, if it meets with considerable box office success and doesn’t crash and burn, don’t be surprised if you see many more live-action type 3D movies coming down the pipe….. and not just typical non-branded motion pictures but, I’m talking franchise stuff like Spider-Man, Star Trek and the Hobbit stuff because the 3D post production process is catching up quickly to the 3D acquisition (cameras) part of the equation. Plus, the 3D cameras with their workflows continue to improve such as Silicon Imaging’s “SI-3D” which was shown off at the recent NAB.

Looking even farther into the future, it is postulated that once 3D theatrical interest starts to find a steady state or even begin to subside, Blu-Ray 3D movies will bring in a new wave of money to the studios from the home theatre market, which is especially appealing since no matter what 3D scheme is accepted as the “standard”, it is believed by everyone that it will be even more difficult to pirate than anything else offered to audiences in the past.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Vincent Pereira

I spent a great afternoon hanging with Mr. Zsigmond and picking his brain during a location scout in NYC for JERSEY GIRL back in 2002. One of the greatest afternoons in my life

If they were screening HEAVEN'S GATE, I'd consider flying out to LA for that event. I love that film (and no, I'm not being sarcastic) and have never seem it projected in a cinema.

Vincent

Yes, Vilmos (on the left…….https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=8162)
is truly a wealth of knowledge and has a some great life experiences if people care to read the entire spiel that I linked above from the ASC site.

Another event that is a fabulous venue to rub shoulders with and meet and greet some cinematographer heavyweights is the annual ASC Open House……well worth a look-see if you’re ever in the Los Angeles area on that particular Saturday.

[Jeff Kleist]

My only hope for 3D is that they make sure that 2D versions are also included. 3D is cool and all, but there's not a lot of movies I want to goggle up for all the time

That and even with the new processes, 3D still does give a small percentage of people headaches

[sharkshark]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

They really need someone like Thierry Henry again.

days late (still recovering from my move)

Oh, how we miss TH.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

My only hope for 3D is that they make sure that 2D versions are also included. 3D is cool and all, but there's not a lot of movies I want to goggle up for all the time

That and even with the new processes, 3D still does give a small percentage of people headaches

That is true.
I know of some people in the industry that no matter what type of 3D presentation they have viewed (publicly or privately), headaches can be a real issue with prolonged (2 hr.) concentrated viewing.
Two hours certainly tests my eyes if I really concentrate on the picture.

Personally, I also think I will always prefer 2D motion pictures for the rest of my life but, I also think that the western is the greatest genre ever.

Plus, I don't think I could get on a 4-stroke racing dirt bike without growing nauseous and nearly vomiting because I grew up on and rode/raced 2-strokes for nearly 20 years.

[Oliver K]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Personally, I also think I will always prefer 2D motion pictures for the rest of my life but, I also think that the western is the greatest genre ever.

Now we know why The Professionals was one of the first catalog titles from Sony on Blu-Ray

[wallendo]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Being that one of the chief advantages of 70mm projection is increased light output, it certainly still has some benefit over 35mm, even on a smaller screen.

I think the real marketplace problem 70mm films would face in the 21st century is not competition from 3-D, but competition from IMAX. 70mm films could be rescaled to IMAX format with much higher quality than current 35mm films, and I assume that 70mm cameras are easier to work with than IMAX cameras; but, is there really room in the marketplace for two hi-res film formats? Even though 70 mm may have advantages over IMAX, it is always hard for new (resurrected?) formats to compete with an established format.

[Bullseye]

The day studios release movies exclusively as 3D is the day I no longer go to the cinema. I hope Avatar is released in 2D.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

The day studios release movies exclusively as 3D is the day I no longer go to the cinema. I hope Avatar is released in 2D.

Well, that may be a good idea if you don’t desire more of your brain systems stimulated that are normally undisturbed by conventional 2D movies….. because it may be “like doing some kind of drug” and could even lead to an addiction -

http://sffmedia.com/films/science-fi...drug-trip.html

Bull – Just say NO!

[Penton-Man]

Seriously Bullseye, don’t worry about it.

I’m betting that if there are enough 3D theaters up and running at the time of Avatar’s release (need about 1,500 available screens, most people reckon), then at the very worst (from your viewpoint), initially it would be disturbed only in 3D and then I think later in the time cycle a conventional 2D version will probably be offered for all those theater operators still without 3D set-ups.

[Eastkhan]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Personally, I also think I will always prefer 2D motion pictures for the rest of my life but, I also think that the western is the greatest genre ever.

Classical or Spaghetti?

Penton, btw I saw my friends A Fistful of Dollars BD, which was released by Sony. Said he had it from Italy. It looks marvelous, do you know about the disc/new transfer?

Is Italy the only place we're gonna see Sony's BD, and the rest (US/UK/other EU etc.) will get other transfers by other labels?

I'm asking this because I honestly rate SPHE's BD transfers/encodes higher than most of other studios.

Thank you.

[Bobby Henderson]

Originally Posted by wallendo

I think the real marketplace problem 70mm films would face in the 21st century is not competition from 3-D, but competition from IMAX. 70mm films could be rescaled to IMAX format with much higher quality than current 35mm films, and I assume that 70mm cameras are easier to work with than IMAX cameras; but, is there really room in the marketplace for two hi-res film formats?

Sorry if I'm repeating myself on any of this. There's not anymore of the 3D versus 70mm baloney. And sorry for the length of this post; I've been away for a few days.

The biggest problem facing 70mm is the lack of native 65mm/70mm photography in feature films. That's kind of sad considering Panavision and Arri both have had excellent 5/65mm camera and lens systems available for use for many years.

One positive aspect I see where 70mm may be of more use is with the impending leaps in technology advancement within the computer industry. Digital intermediate use is here to stay as a method of movie post production. We're finally seeing a lot of mainstream image and video editing applications being recompiled for native 64-bit operation. Mainstream computing will finally go 64-bit over the next couple years. That means the high end of computing will be able to scale to use far more powerful video acceleration hardware and insane amounts of RAM more affordably. 4K and 8K digital intermediate work will become far more feasible. Even 16K work will become a possibility. That sort of thing can be recorded to 70mm film.

Kodak is still introducing even sharper film emulsions, film stocks that can be produced in 65mm/70mm gauges. Meanwhile d-cinema is largely stuck at 2K. Sony has the only 4K alternative, but its light output currently doesn't match that of 3-chip 2K DLP-based projectors. 2K digital projection doesn't work all that well on giant sized movie theater screens because the pixel grid "screen door" effect becomes visible across too much of the auditorium. That leaves 70mm projection as the only high quality solution for doing the job right.

The biggest problem with advancing d-cinema technology to 4K and beyond is too much of the hardware is dependent on sales within the consumer electronics and computing industries. New chips based on LCOS, DLP, etc. cannot developed without massive long term sales potential in the consumer electronics area. I don't see the consumer electronics area moving beyond 1080p for the foreseeable future.

DLP itself is arguably a dying technology since it cannot be incorporated into flat panel TV designs. Very few people are going to install cumbersome front video projection systems. Rear projection TV sets will disappear. Hopefully d-cinema projector makers like Chrisite, Barco, NEC and others have stocked up well on DLP chip parts. I wouldn't be surprised to see Texas Instruments shut down DLP chip production. Movie theaters don't provide enough business to keep DLP profitable. The biggest market remaining for DLP is computer-based projectors, but that's only a niche market.

On to IMAX, I've always looked at the use of IMAX to show Hollywood feature films as a pretty strange thing. The only logic I see behind its use is the attachment of the IMAX brand name and the likelihood workers in an IMAX-based projection booth are more likely to be competent at handling a 70mm print with proper care.

I think IMAX is setting itself up for ruin with its introduction of "IMAX Digital." The system merely features two 2K DLP projectors stacked one on top of the other to yield a square-ish 2K by 2K image. That's hardly a replacement for 15-perf 70mm projection, especially if the material was originated on 15/65 film. I don't think it is worthy of the IMAX brand name. But then I don't think most of these Hollywood blow-ups on IMAX are worthy of the brand either.

Most IMAX DMR movies are blown up from 35mm sources or HD quality digital sources. An IMAX-based presentation of that content, even with the "DMR" manipulation to hide that 2K pixel grid, is costly overkill.

A standard theatrical 70mm print carries only 1/3 the cost of a print in IMAX. With so many movies composed in the 2.40:1 ratio a giant amount of the 15-perf 70mm frame is wasted as black space on the print. Movie studios would get the same visual benefit at 1/3 the cost by releasing the movie on a standard 5-perf 70mm print. For the cost of 1 IMAX print the studio could book 5/70 prints in three giant screened theaters. If the movie was originated on 65mm film the benefit would be even greater.

Originally Posted by Bullseye

The day studios release movies exclusively as 3D is the day I no longer go to the cinema. I hope Avatar is released in 2D.

Digital cinema projection systems can show 3D virtual prints in 2D when the movie is moved to a house without 3D equipment. However, it's becoming pretty common for a lot of 3D movies to be shown in 3D throughout their run at certain theater locations. I know in the case of Carmike Cinemas they staggered many of their RealD installations between big, medium and small auditoriums. Since Carmike operates in many smaller cities and towns they don't have many theaters with screens too big for 3D use.

The best bet for someone wanting to see a 2D version of a 3D movie is to see it early while it is playing on multiple screens. During that time you're more likely to be offered a 2D option.

I'm certain Avatar will be booked on a LOT of screens. I'm very skeptical that it will be released as a 3D only movie. That sounds just as impractical as George Lucas wanting his Star Wars Special Edition prints in the 1990s booked only on THX-certified screens or him wanting Revenge of the Sith booked only on digital cinema equipped screens. Neither came to pass. I think the same will hold true for Avatar.

[SquidPuppet]

Why all the hush hush? I was surprised to discover this upcoming movie quite by accident. What's the scoop? And dont say that you cant talk about it.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Eastkhan

Classical or Spaghetti?

Penton, btw I saw my friends A Fistful of Dollars BD, which was released by Sony. Said he had it from Italy. It looks marvelous, do you know about the disc/new transfer?

Is Italy the only place we're gonna see Sony's BD, and the rest (US/UK/other EU etc.) will get other transfers by other labels?

I'm asking this because I honestly rate SPHE's BD transfers/encodes higher than most of other studios.

Thank you.

I don’t know anything about the restoration done on that fabulous western as I believe all the work was done in Italy.
Fox has the domestic Blu-ray format distribution rights.
I think that Torsten even did a fabulous restoration of this title back in ’05? or ’06? for some market in Europe.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Why all the hush hush? I was surprised to discover this upcoming movie quite by accident. What's the scoop? And dont say that you cant talk about it.

I am unable to talk about it.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I am unable to talk about it.

Excellent evasive tactic. I had to try.

[Eastkhan]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I don’t know anything about the restoration done on that fabulous western as I believe all the work was done in Italy.
Fox has the domestic Blu-ray format distribution rights.
I think that Torsten even did a fabulous restoration of this title back in ’05? or ’06? for some market in Europe.

Thank you, I hope they include this master in US/other EU releases. it really looks good.

Torsten's restoration work can be seen on German Paramount release of the film, the best restoration of the film (on DVD) if I may say so

[Penton-Man]

Well, if Torsten and his colleagues worked on it then I’m sure it is.
All I know of the specifics of Torsten’s project is that Ascent (in Burbank) did the scan on a Spirit (if memory serves).

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

Digital cinema projection systems can show 3D virtual prints in 2D when the movie is moved to a house without 3D equipment. However, it's becoming pretty common for a lot of 3D movies to be shown in 3D throughout their run at certain theater locations. I know in the case of Carmike Cinemas they staggered many of their RealD installations between big, medium and small auditoriums. Since Carmike operates in many smaller cities and towns they don't have many theaters with screens too big for 3D use.

The best bet for someone wanting to see a 2D version of a 3D movie is to see it early while it is playing on multiple screens. During that time you're more likely to be offered a 2D option.

I’m not so sure that will be applicable to Avatar and even if a 2D exhibition were technically possible at the same time as a 3D release of Avatar, James C. wants to limit its exhibition by theater operators to only a 3D presentation…….at least initially.

James is trying to ‘encourage’ theater owners/operators to ramp up the installation of 3D technology dramatically with this single motion picture event. I must say, it’s quite a gutsy move and he is one of the few Directors in Hollywood that has the clout to pull it off as everyone in the world is going to want to show Avatar.

Fox may have backed down after they announced at ShoWest that they would no longer subsidize the cost of disposable 3D glasses for their motion pictures (which costs them about $1 million per movie) but, I personally doubt that James is going to back down, meaning that this film will debut as a 3D-only release, one way or another.