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

[Penton-Man]

Let’s see, that’s 5 posts in a row for me with one containing a bold Insider’s heads-up to the PQ of an upcoming Blu-ray movie.

Iceman can now send me a bottle of Abt 12 or Westvleteren 8 ale for Christmas.

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

P.S.
Dan, you own 250 Blu-rays!!!!

Rookies!

~Alan

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Brain Sturgeon

Just reading up on the differences in film, and the resolution difference between 15/65 and 4/35 just boggles the mind...

The comparison is somewhat misleading there: while the film frame sizes would be accurate, the pictures are not.

The 35MM portions were shot in anamorphic 'scope, taking the entire 35MM frame, and would not be matted off (letterboxed) in that fashion.

The IMAX shots would be reduced, cropped, and squeezed onto the 35MM frame the same as any native anamorphic photography.

[iceman]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Let’s see, that’s 5 posts in a row for me with one containing a bold Insider’s heads-up to the PQ of an upcoming Blu-ray movie.

Iceman can now send me a bottle of Abt 12 or Westvleteren 8 ale for Christmas.

A beer gourmand are we? Unfortunately those aren't even for sale in my part of the world... but if you happen to pass, I'll be more than happy to treat you with Krug 1988 instead!

Edit: congrats on +0.5M views on the thread btw

[Michael.Schinke]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I can say that the master for Seven Pounds
http://www.sevenpounds.com/

is outstanding and that the Blu-ray edition should get great picture quality reviews!
Feel free to quote me anytime, anywhere on that.

Speaking of unreleased films and their masters, Penton, how far ahead of the game to the studios begin planning their home video releases? Do they wait for the returns to start rolling in or do they start laying out the plan and working the master as soon as they get a finished print?

[Jeff Kleist]

The extras are typically turned in within 2 weeks of a movie's premiere, and the master tape is laid down within the same period though compression happens a bit later

To give a good timeline

Live Free or Die Hard premiered on 6/27/2008

It had to be in compression for Blu-ray release by the end of July to make street, so the unrated cut, which was not finished until August was unable to be included (DVD turnaround can be incredibly short, 2-3 weeks from tape to products on the shelves if you really push it). End of year movies like Seven Pounds are often finished quite early compared to their release dates because they like to have the option of floating them around various film festivals, so it only makes sense that they've already mastered it.

Sometimes features are cut. For example when Chronicles of Riddick or Tenacious D underperformed (undeservedly) a lot of the bonus material was repurposed into Best Buy bonus discs. Most of the time those discs are fluff, but those are 2 gems.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Sometimes features are cut. For example when Chronicles of Riddick or Tenacious D underperformed (undeservedly) a lot of the bonus material was repurposed into Best Buy bonus discs. Most of the time those discs are fluff, but those are 2 gems.

Why is that? If they completed them, why not release them?

[Jeff Kleist]

Take the set down to a single disc, and get extra cash from BB or Target for an exclusive on titles where the presense of disc2 has little affect on the sales.

[micks_address]

Hi folks,

whats the thoughts on the hybrid blu-dvd disc being produced in japan...?

http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/19/f...nced-in-japan/

Is there any need for this?

Also - penton or anyone else... any news on Doctor Zhivago being release on blu? is it on the horizon?

Cheers,
Mick

[eChopper]

Originally Posted by micks_address

Hi folks,

whats the thoughts on the hybrid blu-dvd disc being produced in japan...?

http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/19/f...nced-in-japan/

Is there any need for this?

Also - penton or anyone else... any news on Doctor Zhivago being release on blu? is it on the horizon?

Cheers,
Mick

nope

[Jeff Kleist]

Originally Posted by micks_address

Hi folks,

whats the thoughts on the hybrid blu-dvd disc being produced in japan...?

http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/19/f...nced-in-japan/

Is there any need for this?

Cheers,
Mick

In Japan there is. The rest of the world not so much except maybe on Kid titles. The rental market is a gigantic slice of home video income there, and getting video stores to double up is hard in any country

Studies constantly show that people want backwards compatibility on everything (like game consoles) and then don't actually use it. It's like a security blanket. The only way to make that effective is to ship one disc at one price (which is what HD DVD wanted to do). The studios would be reluctant to lose the premium price Blu carries.

[micks_address]

i guess it would get around dvds being bundled with blu-rays like the sleeping beauty 3 disc set.. i dont think i'll ever play the dvd.. so could always just pass it on as a gift to someone..

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

In Japan there is. The rest of the world not so much except maybe on Kid titles. The rental market is a gigantic slice of home video income there, and getting video stores to double up is hard in any country

Studies constantly show that people want backwards compatibility on everything (like game consoles) and then don't actually use it. It's like a security blanket. The only way to make that effective is to ship one disc at one price (which is what HD DVD wanted to do). The studios would be reluctant to lose the premium price Blu carries.

[Jeff Kleist]

Personally, I see digital copy taking the place of the need for a DVD. dock the iPod, send it over the home network to junior's room. The farther away you keep little fingers from optical media the better

We're seeing a move to a universal DRM system that everyone but Apple embraces at the moment for the most part. The goal is to be able to suck that digital copy right off your Blu-ray onto your PMP or an SDcard and do what you want with it on your authorized devices. This is definately the future. You can dump the movie to the bedroom TV or whatever via SD card/USB/WiFi/etc

Can't wait to see that happen myself.

[Dan S.]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Zee best cross country racin bike I’ve ever had the pleasure to throw a leg over.
I build my own bikes (with the exception of the wheels), it’s the engine--near in me.

Of what is imaged in the pic (magnifying it may help and that is a legitimate endeavor in this case, as it is a still format)……..the frame was given to me by this seasoned hippy dude by the name of Gary Fisher , who also was a TransAlp participant.

It’s a Ziggurat (hardtail) with Genesis geometry (rides like a motor-sickle) having carbon fiber seat stays and chainstays, The drivetrain remains (as far as I’m concerned) the best all-around shifting x-country component system in existence ( I stock-piled them when Shimano stopped manufacturing them)…….namely, an eight speed XTR drivetrain (crankset, chain, cassette, front and rear derailleurs) .
XTR bottom bracket.
Avid SD Ti brakes. (non-disc)
Custom Speed Dream wheels built by Dave Thomas (arguably one of the best wheel builders in the U.S.)
Gore RideOn cables (yes, I stock-piled them also).
Manitou R7 fork (my SID World Cup fork was sent out to be overhauled)
King headset
Ritchey WCS stem
Paul’s brake levers
Speedplay Ti frog pedals
.
.
Incentive to ride – Wiley Coyote by Maya who occasionally pretends to nip at my ankles if I pedal too slowly……..just kidding, as she runs along with me at my side, surely laughing at my slow uphill pace, though.

P.S.
Dan, you own 250 Blu-rays!!!!
Dude, you need one of these babies………….
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...52921665231960

No need for the 200 disc guy there, my BDP-S1 is still most excellent .

Good choice on the old-school XTR, still some impressive hardware and far prettier than any MTB components produced since. I've still got my '91 Slingshot with pretty much all mid-nineties XTR and aftermarket goodies. But, my daily ride is my Scott Spark Limited with all new XTR, Avid Juicy Ultimate brakes, Fox F100 RLC Fork, King hubs laced to DT Swiss XRC330 Carbon Rims, and misc. other tidbits.

I've met Gary F. before, bit of a wacky guy, but someone we can be grateful to for getting people excited about mountain bikes. His Genesis geometry has been, in some ways, been copied by most of the industry. Truly an innovator.

If you ever stop over in STL, let me know. We've got some truly gnarly singletrack around here. None of that sissy CA fireroad stuff .

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by iceman

A beer gourmand are we? Unfortunately those aren't even for sale in my part of the world... but if you happen to pass, I'll be more than happy to treat you with Krug 1988 instead!

Edit: congrats on +0.5M views on the thread btw

Well, thank you but, a lot of the credit for that should also go to the other Insiders, Moderators and citizen membership for their contributions.

As far as “those aren't even for sale in my part of the world”, if those Trappist monks in Belgium still brew the stuff, I’ve heard they devote themselves to a life of prayer, seclusion, manual labor, beer-brewing and hoping to receive a Blu-ray player for Christmas.

So Ice, send them a Blu-ray player and maybe they’ll find a way to get a few bottles up to you and thence to me.
If they don’t brew the stuff anymore, I’ll bet anyway that they have their own personal stash of which you could entice them to relinquish a bottle of.

[Penton-Man]

Speaking of surpassing the ½ million viewings mark with this thread, it seems like this past weekend we picked up some new membership who haven’t been able to understand or follow some of the recent conversation and asked me in PM’s for some background.

I’ll post two queries from PM’s……….
“Penton, member merrick97 asked you ‘Any Christmas presents this year? Like last year?’, so what was your last year’s Christmas present to everyone as I just joined the Blu-ray.com forum on Saturday”

My answer – last year’s Christmas cheer can be found here………….
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=541

[Penton-Man]

Next query came from “T.E.” –
“Penton, how did you ever befriend a wild coyote?”

My answer – I posted the background to the situation on one our old archived Insider’s threads (840,278 total views) awhile ago……………
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...bed#post320969
^
The above post refers to “The pic I just posted” which can be found here……….
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=5313 (Deci hosted and blew-up the pic for me)

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Dan S.

If you ever stop over in STL, let me know. We've got some truly gnarly singletrack around here. None of that sissy CA fireroad stuff .

We send out minions before each ride/race to sweep and rake the fire roads of all obstacles making it nice and buffed.

When we have to ride a National Championship at places like Mt. Snow there is mass panic.

Dude, keep in mind you’re talking to someone who rode enduros and ISDT’s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVGmC...eature=related)

for 25 years since I was 10 years old and had to mount a motor-sickle standing on a milk crate at the starting line.
Kris Deering will set you straight on enduros .
I must say though that I never broke my clavicle(s) until I started riding bicycles due to their inherent top heavy nature with a rider onboard.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Here’s another film to add to your short but distinguished list, in case you were unaware. Stanely Kubrick bought one or two? Mitchell FC/BFC’s and shot the first week or so of Full Metal Jacket in 65mm B&W before he trashed the idea and went with 35mm color negative. In fact, if memory serves the Mitchell FC/BFC made its debut on the feature film and upcoming Blu-ray, South Pacific.

Interesting stuff - I never knew that. Coincidently, I recently watched the remastered version of Full Metal Jacket on BD and was impressed. It seems Warner handled this title well.

[Jeff Kleist]

It'd be interesting to see how that 65mm compares if it still exists

My holy grain of trashed first (2) weeks is Kurosawa's Tora Tora Tora footage