|
|
This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
|
|
Author
|
Topic: the film-less "film" festival
|
Scott Norwood
Film God
Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99
|
posted 02-29-2012 09:27 AM
I recently worked for a "film" festival that had no actual film in it. This was a first for me, and I will post my thoughts here. Quick summary: not ready for prime time.
The film-less aspect was a result of the primary festival venue (a 6-screen cinema) replacing its 35mm equipment with D-cinema equipment last year. Since no one thought to keep 35mm around (because film is dead now, right? ![[Mad]](mad.gif) ), everything played on HDCAM, Blu-Ray, DCP, and a few DVDs.
For this festival, we had Christie series II D-cinema projectors and GDC servers. The theatre provided scalers (Gefen AV Cinema Scaler Pro Model 1s), which turned out to be useless for film festival purposes, as they lacked HD-SDI inputs and had HDMI issues (we ended up using them as audio switchers). I ended up running HD-SDI from the HDCAM decks directly to the HD-SDI inputs on the projectors, and HDMI from the BR players directly to the DVI inputs on the projectors. I set up separate channels, ILS files, and screen files for each input and aspect ratio (HD-SDI 1.78, HD-SDI 2.35, BR 1.78, and BR 2.35).
Being able to switch almost instantly between different formats and aspect ratios was a definite win, as was having a high-quality video projector with adequate screen brightness. As much "film" festival material now arrives on video, the "average" image quality of all titles was far improved over what festival-goers are accustomed to seeing when "normal" video projectors are used.
Another win is the screen file setup, which allows very precise "aperture plates" to be set up for each separate format. This is surprisingly quick and easy, especially with radios and someone in the auditorium to look closely at the masking. The screen file and ILS settings (after ILS calibration) were more accurate than the masking motors.
One issue that became immediately obvious was that there were some "issues" with the original installation (including an ILS that had not been calibrated and a projector that was not square with the screen). There were also some color issues (everything looked slightly too red) which may or may not have related to the initial installation.
Another issue was that the scope formats resulted in extra "grey" being projected on the masking above and below the screen (no anamorphic lenses were in use). Is there a fix for this, or do all D-cinema installations without anamorphics have this issue?
Although this is not really an "issue," it is annoying: the GDC servers needed to be rebooted when the projectors are power-cycled; otherwise, they lose marriage (why?). I don't know if this is installation-specific or if it is true of all such installations.
Christie dousers take a second or so to open and are controlled by the touch panel interface. I would have preferred actual buttons (which could be done through the RS232 control) and faster dousers, but this is a relatively minor issues.
After the ILS issues with the projectors (involving non-repeatable presets) and HDMI issues with the scalers were sorted out, the only major equipment issue that I ran into was a projector that gave a random "ICP failure" error on the touch panel. This did not kill the show, but it did prevent the operator from changing channels mid-show. It caused a bit of a disruption in the middle of a shorts program while the projector was power-cycled (which solved the issue for the remainder of the festival).
Sadly, the 2.35:1 format is still not standardized for video, so the 2.35 channel presets did require some adjustment from show to show. Still, having the preset was handy, especially in shorts programs.
One surprise was that DCP image sizes are not standardzed. We had some that were 1.78 (instead of 1.85) and one that was 2.35 scope, but where the image was reduced, with black borders around all sides. Evidently, poorly made DCPs will replace poorly made video masters in the future. Argh.
As a side note, the Datasat AP20 is an interesting box. It is sort of an updated version of the CP500, with all of the flexibility of custom formats as well as modern digital inputs. It also has some automation functionality. This theatre did not have the optional film cards (as they had no film), and I would be interested in any comments as to the sound quality of the film input card. It would probably be nontrivial to use this box with a DA20, but DTS would (I assume) be fairly straightforward).
In summary: this was an educational experience, but the equipment still has issues that need to be worked out. The load time of the DCPs was a nonissue here, as there were very few of them, but it would be an issue in an all-DCP festival (as would the storage requirements). Most of the DCPs that we showed did not require keys, but key management could also be an issue, especially given that festivals often move screenings due to higher or lower than expected ticket sales. Also, "film" makers with DCPs seem to know little about how to deliver them. Someone brought a DCP on a firewire drive. I have not seen a DCI server with a firewire input. Oops. Another person sent a hard disk with the DCP in its own subdirectory; the GDC servers could accommodate this, but Dolby's cannot. In any case, it is obvious that this equipment and the associated procedures were designed for multiplexes and professional DCP mastering facilities, not film festivals and DIY productions.
I am interested to hear of others' experiences under similar circumstances.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"
Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002
|
posted 02-29-2012 12:10 PM
I only have limited experience with the Christie but, yeah, I didn't like the delayed-reaction of the douser.
I like the douser control on the Barco a lot better.
(But I still wish that the Barco touch panel would not "beep" if you touch an "invalid" area of the screen -- hearing that beep can trick you into having a false sense of having touched a button when, in fact, all you've done is touch the screen.)
Barco's ACS2048 has HD/SDI inputs as well as 2x DVI and others. At first, our 2048 didn't like our Denon Bluray player (HDCP issues) but upgrading from v1.03 to v1.04 resolved that. (There was also some question as to whether we could actually use both DVI inputs at the same time - it seemed to cause problems under 1.03.)
Screen files - if you have a long cable or a wireless router, you could take a laptop down to the auditorium and create the screen (and lens) files without needing to rely on a second person.
Scope images with grey borders - huh? - first of all, I have yet to see this so I'm not sure I understand what you're describing - but do you mean you were unable to "trim it off" via a screen file? I guess I'm just not sure what this is.
DCP aspect ratios - On actual "major" releases, I've seen 1.78 (Cave of Forgotten Dreams) and I've also gotten some 1.66 content. Mostly on re-releases (A Clockwork Orange) but also on a few contemporary art films (The Turin Horse). The DCI spec provides 1.85 and 2.39 as "example image aspect ratios" (3.2.1.8) but I don't see any wording that limits films to either one or the other.
And then there are the independent productions (and student films) that come in all different non-standard AR's - I keep a special ruler that I use to mark all the different AR's -- so that I can reuse those macro's instead of reinventing the wheel -- and it just seems that independent filmmakers are randomly letterboxing these days.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Martin McCaffery
Film God
Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99
|
posted 03-02-2012 10:20 AM
In related news from Berlin:
http://www.berlinale.de/en/presse/pressemitteilungen/alle/Alle-Detail_14356.html
MAR 01, 2012:
DIGITAL CINEMA @ BERLINALE 2012
The number of films screened in DCP (Digital Cinema Package) formats has risen significantly since last year’s Festival - especially at the European Film Market. The Berlinale 2012 presented a total of 659 screenings in DCP formats, as well as 627 in 35mm film and some 1,100 in diverse video formats.
For festivals worldwide – and the Berlinale in particular with its enormous programme - this development poses substantial technical, logistical and financial challenges. The Berlinale shows films on more than 50 screens all over the city, and even though most of these cinemas have already been equipped with the latest digital technology in compliance with the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) and have a uniform standard of performance, they are still not able to meet the demands of such a large film festival.
The Berlinale’s office for the technical coordination of film screenings faces a variety of challenges each year, including insufficient compatibility between different server and projector types in the Festival’s cinemas, and their various software and firmware versions, as well as difficulties resulting from the heterogeneous IT infrastructures at these locations.
In contrast to how cinemas are usually scheduled, at least five different films are shown per screen each day of the Festival, which means new films have to be uploaded onto the servers daily to accommodate the Berlinale’s programme. Prior to the screenings, the films have to be technically tested and then loaded (“ingested”) onto digital cinema servers. This process must be completed in time to be able to address any issues that may arise. Due to the amount of data, these various procedures are very time consuming.
To complicate matters, the process of creating DCP files that work flawlessly and providing them each with a valid key (KDM) so they can be played back at the right time and place is in itself a common source of errors – a problem that is often underestimated by producers and/or post-production companies. In combination with the infrastructure available at a specific location, this can, in the worst case, make it impossible to play back a specific film or to show it without errors. Due to the complexity of this situation, workshops have often been offered at the Berlinale Talent Campus to educate emerging filmmakers on the topic.
To ensure the smooth operation of this year’s digital screenings, an elaborate procedure to test the technical quality and structural integrity of the submitted DCP formats was set up in close cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits.
To eliminate compatibility problems at this year’s Berlinale, Dolby, our internationally renowned partner, established a network of 37 digital cinema servers at the festival venues - each with a capacity of 2.75 terabytes. To enable DCP films to be transferred to the Festival’s projection booths around the clock, Dolby also supplied 5 SAS data libraries, each with a capacity of 24 terabytes. In addition to Dolby’s support, Belgian digital cinema specialist Barco provided the Berlinale with their know-how as well as 11 high-performance digital cinema projectors. They thus ensured perfect digital projections at the Berlinale Palast, the Friedrichstadt-Palast, the Haus der Berliner Festspiele and many other venues. The Festival was also equipped for 3D screenings, thanks to the loyal support of Dolby and Barco. In addition, Kinoton, a Munich-based company, supplied the Festival with additional projectors and assistance.
Colt Technology Services, the Berlinale’s official connectivity supplier, linked various Festival venues via a large number of high-performance video and data networks (12 Gbit/s). Thanks to this powerful broadband infrastructure, the Berlinale’s office for the technical coordination of film screenings could feed a number of servers at approximately 20 selected venues directly with films via fibre optic cables. To make this possible, Media Logic, a Berlin-based company, provided the Berlinale with DDP storage solutions.
Alongside a team of experts provided by our partners and suppliers, 45 employees worked for the Berlinale’s office for the technical coordination of film screenings during this year’s Festival. Without their tireless efforts, a number of screens would have remained dark. Prior to the Berlinale, an additional 80 projectionists were trained in-depth so they would be able to cope with the technical challenges.
For further details please check the video case study at www.berlinale.de.
Press Office
March 1, 2012
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion
and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.
|
Home
Printer-friendly view of this topic