P3W Picture Finishing

4K is the current mastering standard for the giant screen. Mastering in 2K or HD and upscaling to 4K in the media block of the projector is considered unacceptable for true GS content. When possible, wedge tests should be mastered at 4K and viewed on a 4K 3D digital system; if not, left and right eyes should be viewed separately in 2D at 4K. The level of detail seen in 4K is markedly different from 2K or HD. (4K has four times the resolution of 2K.) [...]

Digital images can be enhanced in postproduction with varying levels of digital remastering to improve sharpness, contrast, and overall image quality. The Mistika system (and other online systems) has its own proprietary processing for sharpening and de-graining. Alternatively, the images can undergo specialist treatment to further extract the maximum image quality out of the original images. Be aware, however, that plug-ins used to enhance sharpness and stability can introduce artifacts which may only appear when projected on the giant screen. Take care to note shots where [...]

        Color grading is also subjective and digital tools now allow the director and creative team to achieve any look they like. The color grade also includes setting light levels. Projection systems and screen light levels (measured in foot–Lamberts, fL) vary considerably. You will end up with multiple deliverables, depending on the film’s destination, and this is the time to get those versions right, while all the material is live in the online system.   When creating grades for both 4.5 fL (standard [...]

By the time the stereo depth grade starts, all VFX shots, shot extensions, etc., should be finished. Scheduling and pacing of the online will become very complicated and arduous if this is not the case! A few pointers for the depth grade. The volume of 3D is effectively baked in at time of shooting. Original volume can be changed, but making significant changes will essentially require a 2D-to-3D conversion. In effect, the depth grade is all about finessing what has already been created. The key decisions [...]

If the 4x3 image is being achieved by shot extensions (that is, the full width of the 1.89 image is retained and the rest of the 4x3 frame is built digitally by extending the shot upwards), these will added in here.   Forward to 26. Stereo Depth Grade Back to 24. Pan and Scan to Create 4x3 and DCI Versions    

  The normal aspect ratio for digital image capture is 1.89. DCI-compliant films will either be “flat” at 1.85, or “scope” at 2.39.    If an IMAX film-out is required for 3D, or a digital 4x3 version is required for 3D (see point 38 for dome conversion), the 1.89 master image will need to be cropped to 4x3 (For content taller than 1.9:1 up to 1.43:1 full screen material, pre-process the image in your DCP package by squeezing the vertical dimension by exactly 24.8%. The anamorphic [...]

VFX plates are exported for specialist visual effects work to be completed in another department or out of house. The VFX house will determine whether the 3D VFX plates are delivered corrected or uncorrected, with or without stereo transform maps. This is also the time to make the final decisions on the length of VFX shots (for instance, whether handles are required), because if more frames are needed on a VFX shot, the plates will need to be redone and exported again.   Forward to 24. [...]

During offline work, a certain amount of geometry correction will have been performed to make the images watchable. For instance, if the stereo supervisor/stereographer (the person responsible for all aspects of 3D on a 3D production) has converged on the background during shooting, the editor will need to add a little positive parallax (3D in the background) to make the images watchable on TV. If no such horizontal image translation is applied then all of the 3D will be off the screen and look odd. This [...]

The universal master is a conform of camera data, film scans, VFX, 2D-to-3D conversion shots, shot extensions, graphic elements, and camera original (or the highest quality files in the native camera aspect ratio). Once this sequence or timeline is created, it will be color timed, stereo corrections will be applied, and it will be mated with the audio mix. This universal master sequence will then be duplicated to create each new version/format of the film as needed. This master sequence is unique because it contains every [...]

A digital intermediate (DI) is a motion picture finishing process that typically involves digitizing and manipulating the color and other image characteristics of the motion picture. It often replaces or augments the photochemical timing process and is usually the final creative adjustment to a movie before distribution to theaters. Although originally used to describe a process that started with film scanning and ended with film recording, DI is also used to describe color grading and final mastering, even when captured digitally or when the final movie [...]