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

[Squozen]

Originally Posted by lgans316

I thought Superman Returns and Next were shot using Panavision Genesis cams ? Please correct me if I am wrong.

I thought only part of Superman Returns was shot on the Genesis, but I also recall reading that it was shot deliberately soft-focus, so I didn't want to judge image quality for the Genesis on that camera alone...

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by lgans316

I thought Superman Returns and Next were shot using Panavision Genesis cams ? Please correct me if I am wrong.

SR was... can't comment on the other one...

~Alan

[lgans316]

There you go.

Panavision Genesis HD Camera

http://www.imdb.com/SearchTechnical?...%20HD%20Camera

Panavision Genesis HD Camera, Primo Lenses

http://www.imdb.com/SearchTechnical?...Primo%20Lenses

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Squozen

Can you name a title that looks like film using this camera, Penton? The only one that I've seen that I know was on the Genesis was Apocalypto, and I picked that it was a digital camera about 10 minutes in when things started moving fast - there's something about the fast motion in that film that looks video-like to me, maybe the shutter design...??

Slow-moving or still shots looked very good to me.

The reason I made that earlier comment is that just several months ago a well respected and highly experienced cinematographer who was intimately involved in the mini-movie produced for Digital Cinema Testing and SMPTE image/video testing was shown short clips of 35mm footage and Genesis digital capture (after color correction and processing).

He felt that the *look* of each was nearly identical despite the differences in their cinematographic origin. That says quite a lot esp. if I were to tell you some of the other feathers in his cap.

Keep an eye out for the upcoming features on lgans links above and I’ll let you be the judge if there’s one title in there that matches the *film look* or perhaps more honestly just does not immediately bring your attention to that fact that it was captured digitally now that you’re already biased with that knowledge.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by lgans316

There you go.

Panavision Genesis HD Camera

http://www.imdb.com/SearchTechnical?...%20HD%20Camera

Panavision Genesis HD Camera, Primo Lenses

http://www.imdb.com/SearchTechnical?...Primo%20Lenses

I’m not sure how often that list is updated but, you should also add the following to the Panavision Genesis category which I don’t see listed at this time………..
1. Get Smart
2. The Other Boleyn Girl
3. Deception – roughly half film cam, half Panavision Genesis

[Penton-Man]

Excuse, after looking at the list it appears they're somewhat out of alphabetical order and two of the above titles are actually listed but, I still didn't see TOBG on there.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by lgans316

Originally Posted by sonyfangirl in AVS

We need more girls here!
Invite her on over, she’s got a good sense of humor.

[mhafner]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Excuse, after looking at the list it appears they're somewhat out of alphabetical order and two of the above titles are actually listed but, I still didn't see TOBG on there.

Soon...

[David Craig]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

Oh please. HD DVD failed because of the lack of studio support and the lower install base. If Blu-ray didn't have more of the major studios behind it, and the PS3 didn't get Blu-ray players into millions of homes, things might have been different. I don't say that in a "HD DVD almost won!" kind of way, because Blu-ray DID have those things, and those things were very important. But I do say that to discourage this mindset of "HD DVD was total crap and anyone who bought it didn't care about quality." Yes, Blu-ray technology offers opportunities for slight PQ/SQ increases. But HD DVD was hardly crap and there were a number of absolutely gorgeous discs, and anyone who can't admit that is simply delusional.

HD DVD is totally different than this new BS. This is the old "upscaling can be good enough!" argument which is total BS. But in a world where people hate grain and black bars, and think upscaling is "good enough," Toshiba could probably make money off this as it doesn't require people to buy new copies of all their movies. I'm not saying it's good tech, and I certainly would never buy it. But it's not aimed at people like us. I wish they'd just stop as it just clouds the HD issues we already face, but you can't blame a company for making products that millions of dumbasses want.

Sounds like a level-headed former HD DVD supporter. Myself, I didn't support HD DVD but I didn't hate the format. I only hated that there were two formats. Sorry to see some people attacking your post.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by mhafner

I'm aware of the 'problem'.

Then here’s a little help.
(but, not necessarily applicable to the current Blu-ray war classics that are streeting).

I’d say that it is not uncommon for some feature films that are considered ‘period’ productions, for the cinematographers to have diffused their lenses during the entire shoot.
The difference in any noticeable softness between scenes may be attributable to varying its strength, esp. regarding close-ups as compared to wide shots.
Or else, they use diffusion filtering during the post production phase to achieve that same soft look for the entire film, if they decide not to use lens filters or nets during the primary photography.
The idea is give a less harsh or softer appearance so to speak, to the images in keeping with days of old.

b.t.w., this practice (diffusion) is not limited to so called ‘period’ movies. For instance, the D.P. for Marty Scorsese’s Bringing Out the Dead, used diffusion throughout the entire shoot (if memory serves, a 1/8 to 1/4 black ProMist).

^
Good to know.

P.S.
If inquiring minds into movie vaults and such (given the fire at Uni on Sunday) would like to know where Marty keeps his personal stash, it be at George Eastman House in Rochester, New York.

[bferr1]

Hey Penton,

I haven't been keeping up with this thread lately, so I don't know if this topic has already been coverd. Apologies in advance if it has. On AVS, joeblow has posted that 3D movies playback is coming to the PS3, apparently by firmware update. (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1035589) Is there any validity to this story?

Thanks,
Bryan
bferr1

[Penton-Man]

I received, several PM’s inquiring about Sweeney Todd.

Yes, the digital colorist (one of the best in the business, personally with an award for 300 to prove it) did some defocus work on Johnny D’s face (close-ups) throughout the feature. In fact, it may surprise some folks that some actors are so particular about this sort of thing that they have such digital processing written into their contracts.

P.S.
Esp. those that venture on impossible missions.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by bferr1

Hey Penton,

I haven't been keeping up with this thread lately, so I don't know if this topic has already been coverd. Apologies in advance if it has. On AVS, joeblow has posted that 3D movies playback is coming to the PS3, apparently by firmware update. (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1035589) Is there any validity to this story?

Thanks,
Bryan
bferr1

kjack is a our resident insider with the most to offer regarding Blu-ray and 3D.
See if you can charm out of him the latest stuff.

You’ve gotta love AVS though, as they don’t miss anything that's posted on the internet………………….

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showp...postcount=1107

[Penton-Man]

Hey, I see talkstr8t is back!
Maybe I can take a little break.

[WickyWoo]

In cases like this and Nicole Kidman in Golden Compass, I believe the shiny smooth veneer adds to their characters.

Smoothing when applied artistically to enhance a performance=good

Random acts of noise reduction=bad

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

In cases like this and Nicole Kidman in Golden Compass, I believe the shiny smooth veneer adds to their characters.

Smoothing when applied artistically to enhance a performance=good

Random acts of noise reduction=bad

What if you had a feature that contained many scenes with unintended *focus issues*….. and I know of one off the top of my head.

Would you leave the material untouched?
Would you try to sharpen them a tiny bit in post ?
Do you think with the latest and greatest digital processing now available to digital colorists, that they could apply sharpening without anyone noticing any *annoying* edge enhancement, except perhaps on the largest consumer home theater screens?

[Penton-Man]

I haven’t been keeping up with the latest reporting on the damage caused by the fire at Uni but, some film did burn.
Deci should be able to elaborate.

Later

[WickyWoo]

What if you had a feature that contained many scenes with unintended *focus issues*….. and I know of one off the top of my head.

These were purely accidental and not pre-planned?

Would you leave the material untouched?
Would you try to sharpen them a tiny bit in post ?

Is the director/DP still alive to approve it?

Do you think with the latest and greatest digital processing now available to digital colorists, that they could apply sharpening without anyone noticing any *annoying* edge enhancement, except perhaps on the largest consumer home theater screens?

How drastic is the improvement?

Like Gattaca, for some reason that movie had EE on Blu, quite a bit of it in fact. Is this what you're referring to?

I'm only watching at 56" and it was pretty obvious

[cjamescook]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Do you think with the latest and greatest digital processing now available to digital colorists, that they could apply sharpening without anyone noticing any *annoying* edge enhancement, except perhaps on the largest consumer home theater screens?

While I do note that you said "perhaps," it depends on what you mean by "largest". The local BJ's Warehouse store carries a 65" Olevia LCD for $3,000 now. Prices will continue to fall. I don't know if "consumer" screens will get bigger.

I try to think long term.

Cheers!
-Jim
part-owner of a 63" Plasma

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

These were purely accidental and not pre-planned?

Yes.
In fact, the DP has received Academy Award nominations for best cinematography which goes to show that things can go wrong even at the highest levels of skill.