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

[Rob Tomlin]

..

[WickyWoo]

I have the New Line discs, but not the UK version

Check out the trailers (specifically the final trailer, because the proper color grades have been done on that) to see what the movie should look like

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by mhafner

I'm betting on an artifact from an outdated telecine too............

I find your use of the word “outdated” to be unintentionally ironic, at least in the following case.
Namely, in regards to Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Thirteen as he has specifically demanded that nobody should ever endeavor to conform and re-scan the film negative and re-color time the film to potentially take advantage of any improvements
in scanning or digital intermediate technology in the future.

So, there are 3 data versions for……….I guess, eternity-
1. 4k formatted for 2.40 film out
2. 4k full aperture (for theatrical digital cinema)
3. 2k full aperture (for Rec 709)

For home theater enthusiasts, in regards to #3, The 2k data was
then transferred to HDCAM SR 4:4:4 tapes for distribution. Two versions
were made: 2.4 letterbox within 16x9, and 1.33. Per the specific
request of Mr. Soderbergh, there is no 1.78 version.

Anyway, michel, bottom line, he don’t want nobody messin with his stuff despite how out of date the current scanners and film recorders become with advances in technology!

P.S.
Should I “boulder” the above statement just so that I am crystal clear.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Penton, in the case of Pan's Labyrinth, the same DI was used (confirmed) for the UK disc as the US disc, and the faces show remarkable increases in detail (I can link you to a side by side). When we have a DNR'd and non-DNR'd source such as this, that's when we've been using face detail for comparison..............

That sounds perfectfully acceptable as it seems you essentially have a built-in “control” (the U.K.? version).

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Rob Tomlin

The recent *apparent* big offender in terms of DNR in my opinion was The Golden Compass. Sure enough, it is a New Line release. There is a serious lack of detail in the skin, no texture at all.

Like I told mhafner, I know nothing of that movie as I haven’t seen any version in any form or fashion whatsover to give a qualified opinion……..all I do know is that something like 7-10 post houses were involved due to the extensive *effects* work.

And polar bars rule, at least if we can save them from ultimate extinction.

[kapitalisten]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I find your use of the word “outdated” to be unintentionally ironic, at least in the following case.
Namely, in regards to Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Thirteen as he has specifically demanded that nobody should ever endeavor to conform and re-scan the film negative and re-color time the film to potentially take advantage of any improvements
in scanning or digital intermediate technology in the future.

So, there are 3 data versions for……….I guess, eternity-
1. 4k formatted for 2.40 film out
2. 4k full aperture (for theatrical digital cinema)
3. 2k full aperture (for Rec 709)

For home theater enthusiasts, in regards to #3, The 2k data was
then transferred to HDCAM SR 4:4:4 tapes for distribution. Two versions
were made: 2.4 letterbox within 16x9, and 1.33. Per the specific
request of Mr. Soderbergh, there is no 1.78 version.

Anyway, michel, bottom line, he don’t want nobody messin with his stuff despite how out of date the current scanners and film recorders become with advances in technology!

P.S.
Should I “boulder” the above statement just so that I am crystal clear.

Call me silly, but I actually liked Soderbergh back when he was more an upcoming director, and even though I frankly laugh the best of myself off every time I watch the Ocean series, I still cringe when I think back to the moment that I saw Oceans 13 on a Sony 40" W3000 from a Blu-ray. I thought it looked like a very, very bad DVD with massive pixelation and color-banding all over the place. (I still have a 28" CRT myself (waiting for the new Sony 52" W4000 LCD to come out), but have started buying my films on Blu-ray, simply because it makes no sense anymore to buy a DVD when a exceptionally better version is available at a slight more cost.)

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

:
Namely, in regards to Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Thirteen as he has specifically demanded that nobody should ever endeavor to conform and re-scan the film negative and re-color time the film to potentially take advantage of any improvements
in scanning or digital intermediate technology in the future.

Except, presumably, Steven Soderbergh. He didn't destroy the negatives, did he?

In the meantime, it seems he's left everyone with pretty darn good data to base a master upon, no?

Gary

[Rob Tomlin]

..

[Jack Torrance]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

And polar bars rule, at least if we can save them from ultimate extinction.

I prefer these types of bars as at least the beer and vodka is always cold. It's a shame to hear they are endangered! I guess it is bad business as not many customers can get to the Polar regions?

[WickyWoo]

You'd enjoy The Golden Compass much more Penton if you read the book first, so you can fill in all the parts that were chopped out by the studio, including the ending

[Rob Tomlin]

..

[WickyWoo]

You can see snippets of the ending in the trailers, pretty much anything you don't recognize with Daniel Craig

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

For home theater enthusiasts, in regards to #3, The 2k data was
then transferred to HDCAM SR 4:4:4 tapes for distribution. Two versions
were made: 2.4 letterbox within 16x9, and 1.33. Per the specific
request of Mr. Soderbergh, there is no 1.78 version.

What about when it reaches HD cable?

Ocean's 12 was reformatted to 1.78 on HBO-HD.

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Colorists are routinely asked by the filmmaker to “soften” actors’ faces to mask imperfections. Basically, a Gaussian blur is applied to soften the face and often times a luminance key is used in tandem to put a glow on the highlights. An example that you can see on a weekly basis is “Desperate Housewives.”

A comical example I found was with Heroes (yes, I admit I had it on HD DVD!), in all conversation scenes between the cheerleader and his father in 2-shot. Hayden Panettiere closeups: soft as cotton. Dad closeups: sharp as a tack. Consistent, back and forth.

[mhafner]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I find your use of the word “outdated” to be unintentionally ironic, at least in the following case...

If some director wants to preserve a look, warts and all, fine with me. But I don't think the screen door effect is an intended look for Forrest Gump.
On the other hand technical progress can affect looks in not intended ways. That's true. Lack of grain and HF loss can reveal sfx, make up, costume and set design weaknesses never intended to be seen, for example.

[mhafner]

Originally Posted by Grubert

A comical example I found was with Heroes (yes, I admit I had it on HD DVD!), in all conversation scenes between the cheerleader and his father in 2-shot. Hayden Panettiere closeups: soft as cotton. Dad closeups: sharp as a tack. Consistent, back and forth.

And edge enhanced as well. I hate the digitally sharpened look of this (shot on film!) show. Love the show, though.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

In the meantime, it seems he's left everyone with pretty darn good data..... no?
Gary

Certainly, as scanning for the Dl was accomplished on a Spirit 4k to .dpx,
10-bit log files. (for that film, I personally would have chosen a Northlight2 which actually scans at 6K in one scanning pass, then outputs the resolution you need……if we’re talking for “eternity” here.),

But, I’ll bet that back in the day, somebody made the exact same statement you did when the C-Reality flying spot telecine was considered to be top drawer.
Point is, newer sensor technology, better optics, improved color handling, increased bit processing, will occur in the future as technology advances – for sure.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

He didn't destroy the negatives, did he?
Gary

No.
In addition, black and white YCM separation protection masters were made to
Kodak 2238 full-aperture.

[Bullseye]

Penton I don't know if this is your field but why are CE companies releasing new Profile 1.1 players which do not appear to be upgradeable to Profile 2.0 at this stage? Surely the BDA should insist on all new players to be final profile 2.0.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by jkwest

no way!!!

Well, my fave has always been Eva Longoria.