PROMETHEUS Setting Box Office Records Already! *AND* Learn About The Awesome Tech Behind The Movie!!

Of course it is going to do well at the box office, you can take that for granted. But just how well will it do? From the first indicators - VERY well. PROMETHEUS has eclipsed AVATAR and HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 in pre-sales at the BFI IMAX theater in London. That means that over 30,000 people have bought advance tickets to the tune of $737,588 from ONE theater.

BFI had booked 18,287 tickets after just one week of sales ($474,687) which set a new high for them in pre-sales, and now the records just keep falling to PROMETHEUS as time rolls along toward its release date.

Here's the storyline for the movie:

Ridley Scott, director of “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” returns to the genre he helped define. With PROMETHEUS, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. 

Can this ONE theater hit $1 million in pre-sales before the release of the movie on June 8th? Sure is nice to think so.

*AND*

PROMETHEUS has over 1400 3D visual effects shots. They used software programs like Autodesk's Maya (3D animation), Pixar's Renderman (ray-traced scenes), Adobe AfterEffects (for well, after effects!) and The Foundry's NUKE (compositing) to name several.

Ten different VFX companies tackled the work, though Moving Picture Company garnered the most. To me, this is very exciting. I have often found various effects houses to have their "brand" all over their work - like in TRANSFORMERS I found ILM to have ample superiority over hard edged robots and buildings while a company like Weta Digital has the finest control over rounded creatures like humans and faces in particular. Combine them and you have one heckuva effects movie. It's exciting to me to see another visual effects house getting the bulk of the work because we may see things we've never seen before! Not that these guys haven't been around for awhile - they have. They've worked and are working on movies like CLASH OF THE TITANS, SKYFALL, SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL, WORLD WAR Z, 47 RONIN, LIFE OF PI, etc. But let's face it, they were chosen as the led effects shops over ILM and Weta and it should look slightly different and exciting. I saw things in TITANS for example that blew my mind! Can't wait!!

Ridley Scott used Red Epic cameras on 3ality Technica Atom rigs. He had four mounted rigs (with the same configurations) and one steadicam for the bulk of the shoot. The consistent configurations of the mounted rigs eased editing a great deal.

The cameras were all connected to 3ality's Stereo Image Processors (SIPs) for the recording of all the data bursting forth from those VERY high resolution cameras. The SIPs also helped maintain speedy transitions when lens needed to be changed or cameras realigned. The technology goes further by offering advice on the fly to the filmmakers on convergence (creating a single image from two different camera image angles converged on the same point in space), interaxial (the distance between the two camera's lenses - like our eyes) settings and any alerts.

These settings are EXTREMELY important for a comfortable viewing experience. The settings must be correct during transitions or it will be quite jarring to the audience. Those SIPs track these configurations and help eliminate any transition issues.

The PROMETHEUS team actually shot far more resolution than what was necessary for the final 2K product. In fact they shot at 5K and 120 frames per second! They used the extra space surrounding the final viewable product to assist in eliminating edge artifacts (as shown in the image).

The idea and thrust behind the PROMETHEUS technology was to get the 3D workflow as close to 2D and from the sound of this fine report that was accomplished. 3ality Technica's tech allows for the same number of 3D setups in a shooting day as 2D. There is no real excuse now in saying that 3D is slower because you are setting up 2 cameras, not 1. There is no longer an excuse that the 3D cameras and rigs are too big - they aren't now!

The new technology here eliminates these things from the equation and gives time back to the filmmaker to be as creative as they can be and not worry about the optics. PROMETHEUS is set to fully enjoy the reaction from audiences worldwide on what they have accomplished.

I fully endorse the write up that Electronic Design did on this. Check it out.

Sources: THR | ElectronicDesign

RED Day: February 13 In LA - EPIC and Scarlet Cameras To Be Unveiled!

Jim here. You wanted more RED cameras? You got 'em.

Jim Jannard's RED company will be launching Red Day to unveil the new EPIC and Scarlet cameras to the world! It is to take place on February 13 in Los Angeles. New accessories will also be on hand. I will have more details up asap.

They will also be showing off content shot from the new Mysterium-X sensor in the RED ONE 4K camera (already available) and screened with the new Sony 4K projector - all native resolution.

The EPIC (5K to 28K) and Scarlet (3K to 6K @ 120fps - 150fps burst) have been delayed somewhat (they were expected in 2009) but are HIGHLY anticipated. Why? Low resolution to dollar cost. They also use a modular system that is supposedly flexible enough to allow multiple configurations for different shooting environments - INCLUDING Stereoscopic 3D. :-) They inherit the affordability that is practically a mission statement for the RED company. Nothing like affordable, yet well made cameras to kick start the S3D revolution.

I have been waiting for this for some time now! RED is really pushing the whole digital cinematography industry forward - look at that top end resolution of 28K! It will be a while until theater projectors can handle so much information, but we will see it someday. The more important thing to me is the 3D configuration that will now be available.

I am impressed with the list of movies that have been made with RED cameras since I started watching them! They now count: THE LOVELY BONES, DISTRICT 9, GAMER, THE INFORMANT!, THE BOOK OF ELI, KNOWING, MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D, JUMPER, CHE, BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT, ANTI-CHRIST, ANGELS & DEMONS and TV shows such as ER and SOUTHLAND.

Their tech is proven and affordable. Makes me want to jump in too. Hmmmm... Is it time to unleash my projects under development?

RED Digital Cameras Officially Enter The 3D Industry - And Announce a 28K Digital Camera. Yes 28K!

Jim here. I have been following the RED digital cameras and their outrageous development path VERY closely since I started MarketSaw. Not only are they delivering the goods, but they are keeping those prices crazy low. They have no business charging so little for their obviously superior R&D efforts - but they are. Hats off to them.

NOW THEY ARE GOING 3D. Yep. Now, I am not totally surprised by this move as I know there have been 3D projects already shot with the RED-ONE's (Thomas Jane's THE DARK COUNTRY for one), but to see plans for dedicated 3D setups this early is amazing!

I want you to drop whatever it is you are doing and go check out these cameras. Not only are they now going after markets from Digital 3K @ 120 frames per second (Scarlet) to the 4K RED-ONE (30 fps - available now) all the way to *GULP* the Epic Monstro 28K (261 megapixels) @ 25 fps. YES, I SAID 28K. Can you believe that?

If you are a film maker - heck even a family video aficionado, then look no farther than RED. I am totally on board with this innovative company and the rapid changes they are bringing about in the industry!

Red Unveils The Scarlet 3K Pocket Professional: $3000?

Wow. I mean WOW! Red has just let the world look under the hood of their brand spankin' new Scarlet 3K Pocket Professional camera and the specs look awesome:

• NEW 2/3" MYSTERIUM X SENSOR
• 1-120 FPS (180FPS BURST)
• UP TO 100 MB/SEC REDCODE RAW AND RGB RECORDING TO DUAL COMPACT FLASH
• 4.8" LCD
• 8X T2.8 RED ZOOM LENS
• FULL AUTO OR FULL MANUAL SHOOTING MODES
• HDMI and HD-SDI
• FIREWIRE 800 and USB2
• STILL MODE
• COMPATIBLE WITH MANY RED ONE ACCESSORIES
• WI-FI CONTROL

Here is the kicker folks: All of this for around $3000. It is slated for a 2009 release (maybe CES) and do you think thats all the fine folks that brought us the Red One 4K did at NAB? Nope, check this out:

The RED 5K Epic! Yes, you read right 5K resolution. You can even trade in your little ol' Red One 4K if you have a problem with not having the best resolution around - they will give you a full $17,500 credit toward the purchase of the Epic:

• FULL FRAME S35MM NEW MYSTERIUM X SENSOR
• 1-100 FPS
• UP TO 100 MB/SEC. REDCODE RAW AND RGB RECORDING TO REDFLASH
• FULL SIZE DUAL LINK HD-SDI, 2-XLR AUDIO INPUTS AND HDMI
• WI-FI CONTROL
• FIREWIRE 800 and USB2
• 6 POUND FULLY MACHINED ALUMINUM BODY WITH HYBRID STAINLESS PL MOUNT
• COMPATIBLE WITH MOST RED ONE ACCESSORIES
• FULLY UPGRADABLE SENSOR, BODY, BOARDS AND MOUNT.

They also brought in the Red Ray drive:

• PLAYS 4K, 2K, 1080P, 720P AND SD FROM RED DISC AND RED EXPRESS
• ALSO PLAYS NATIVE RAW R3D FILES FROM COMPACT FLASH

I am pretty much in awe in what this company is pulling off here. As you know from my earlier posts, the RED One has already been used in 3D configuration! If you would like to see how all of these cameras line up vs. your 1080p HDTV, check out this comparison chart:


Awesome isn't it? Can't believe the prices. More on NAB 2008 soon - stick with MarketSaw for all your NAB updates!!

Anything 3D Related Going On At NAB 2008? You Bet!

**SAME DAY UPDATE - There are also some pretty nifty 3D sessions before the conference starts up by way of the Digital Cinema Summit. Check out the battle royal between competing 3D projection companies! Interesting IMAX 3D is not there...

New Dimensions - New Challenges: Real World Experience with 3D
April 12 • 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S222

Just when you thought you mastered the art of digital video production, along comes stereoscopic production to make your life even more interesting. This session will address some of the interesting challenges and creative solutions that have recently emerged in release of 3D films.

Moderator
- Howard H. Lukk, VP, Production Technology, Walt Disney Studios
Presenters
- Wendy Aylsworth, Sr. Vice President, Technology, Warner Bros.
- John Nicolard, Head of Digital Production, FotoKem Digital Film Services

Stereoscopic Projection Systems
April 13 • 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S222

The exploding popularity of 3D motion pictures has fueled dramatic innovation in stereoscopic projection technology. It’s come a long way since the days of cardboard red/blue glasses - and even since last year’s Digital Cinema Summit! Hear first hand about what’s new from the leading innovators in 3D imaging.

Moderator
- David Monk, Professor, EDCF
Panelists
- Simon Cho, CTO, Master Image Co. Ltd
- Joshua Greer, President & Co-Founder, REAL D
- Boyd MacNaughton, President, NuVision/Xpand
- David Schnuelle, Sr. Director, Image Technology, Dolby Laboratories

Stereoscopic Movie Making
April 12 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S222

3D image capture ha introduced a enw set of creative tools for use by the Cinematographer - along with new challenges. Learn about the technical advancements and creative innovations from today’s pioneers in stereoscopic production.

Moderator
- Buzz Hays, Sr. VFX Producer, Sony Picture Imageworks
Panelists
- Jim Mainard, Head of Production Development, DreamWorks Animation
- Steve Schklair, CEO, 3ality Digital Systems
- David C. Seigle, President, In-Three, Inc.

...and this session which is important to 3D movies as the future lies with laser projection with polarization at the light source:

Spotlight on Projection Technology: Is Laser Light Source Practical?
April 12 • 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S222

The enjoyment of motion pictures is all about lighting up the theater screen with engaging images that tell a story. For over fifty years, short-arc Xenon lamps have provided the light to make movies possible. But is that about to change? Recent advancements in laser technology open the prospect of projection systems with longer life, extraordinary efficiency and a vastly expanded color gamut.

Moderator
- Casey Stack, President, Laser Compliance
Presenters
- Bill Beck, Founder and CEO, Laser Light Engines
- Greg Niven, Exec VP of Marketing, Novalux, Inc.

Thank you to Neil for the heads up - Don't know how I missed all this cool stuff!!

NAB 2008 features a full day of 3D related events! Director Eric Brevig ("Journey To The Center Of The Earth 3D") headlines the day - see his photo below as well as a frame from "U2 3D". The show runs from April 14th to the 17th at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Check out the schedule for the 3D related activities:

Monday April 14 – Stereoscopic 3-D Film

Powered by Real D 3D

9:45 am – 10:00 am

Welcome and Introduction

10:00 am – 10:30 am

3-D Primer

The ABC’s of Stereoscopic 3-D Image Capture, Content and Exhibition

Phil Streather, CEO, Principal Large Format and 3-D producer and consultant, “Bugs!” (3-D)

10:40 am – 11:40 am

Art of 3-D Filmmaking

Today’s top 3-D filmmakers discuss how to design and compose in 3-D, the creative and technical constraints and opportunities the medium presents, scripts best suited to 3-D realization and how to use 3-D to expand storytelling.

Moderator: Perry Hoberman, USC, Associate Research Professor, USC, School of Cinematic Arts, Interactive Division

Peter Anderson, ASC, 3-D director of photography and VFX supervisor, “U2 3D”; “T2 3-D”; and “MuppetVision 3-D”

Eric Brevig, director, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; visual effects supervisor, “Men in Black” and “Total Recall” (Academy Award for Special Achievement in Visual Effects)

Phil Captain 3D McNally, global stereoscopic supervisor, DreamWorks Animation; stereoscopic supervisor, “How to Train Your Dragon” (D.A.); “Monsters vs. Aliens” (D.A.); and “Meet the Robinsons” (Disney)

Vince Pace, CEO, Pace; executive producer, “Hannah Montana Concert Film”; 2nd unit director of photography, “Avatar”; and director of photography & producer, “NBA Finals Game #2”

Rick Rothschild, executive show director, SVP, Walt Disney Imagineering; “Mickey’s PhilharMagic” (Walt Disney World Resort); “It’s Tough to be a Bug!” (Disney’s Animal Kingdom); “Captain EO” (Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort)

Sean Phillips, director/cinematographer, MacLeod Productions and director, “Sea Monsters” (3-D); cinematographer/VFX Supervisor, “Magnificent Desolation” (3-D); and cinematographer “Bugs!”

11:50 am – 1:00 pm

Case Study: Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D

Production and postproduction of the first live action/visual effects film created exclusively in 3-D for digital 3-D release.

Moderator: Rob Hummel, president, DALSA Digital Cinema

Eric Brevig (Photo), director, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; visual effects supervisor “Men in Black” and “Total Recall” (Academy Award for Special Achievement in Visual Effects)

Charlotte Huggins, producer, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; “Fly Me to the Moon” (3-D); and “Encounter in the Third Dimension”

Ed Marsh, VFX Editor & 3-D Consultant, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; and editor/creative producer, “Ghosts of the Abyss” and “Aliens of the Deep”

Chuck Shuman, director of photography, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; director of photography for VFX, “Lord of the Rings I, II, & III” and “The Indian in the Cupboard”

Paul Martin Smith, editor, “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”; “Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace”; and “Behind Enemy Lines”

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Lunch

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Case Study: U2 3D

Expanding the language of 3-D through innovations in sound, image capture, graphics and post.

Moderator: Jim Mainard, head of production development, DreamWorks Animation

Peter Anderson, ASC, 3-D director of photography and VFX supervisor “U2 3D”; “T2 3-D”; and “MuppetVision 3-D”

John Modell, co-founder, 3alty Digital Entertainment; producer, “U2 3D”

Tim Sassoon, president, Sassoon Film Design; “Mummies 3D”; “Sea Monsters”; “Wild Child”

Steve Schklair, CEO, 3ality Digital Systems; 3-D/digital image producer, “U2 3D”

Olivier Wicki, editor, Blue Rock; editor, “U2 3D”; U2 “Original of the Species”; and MAC “Haute Voltage”

3:05 pm – 3:30 pm

Live 3-D Transmission from Los Angeles

Steve Schklair, CEO, 3ality Digital Systems;

Howard Postley, COO/CTO, 3ality Digital Systems

Also I have word that RED is supposed to officially introduce us to their Scarlet 2K Pocket Pro at NAB! That is one product I am really looking forward to seeing. If you are aware of Red you know they make very affordable cameras - their Red One system is ~$16,000 and it is a 4K camera! I believe the Scarlet is going to be a 2K camera and priced in the $3,000 to 5,000 range but hey I could be wrong. Not likely, but hey :-)

Don't forget that the Red Ones can be arranged in 3D configuration! Bob Johnston, Executive Producer at Paradise FX tipped me off on that one...

If you want the full NAB 2008 schedule, I have posted it here. Thanks Rochelle for the updates!

Scarlet 2K Pocket Pro Trademarked!

As I suspected in an earlier post, RED has trademarked the name "Scarlet 2K Pocket Pro" which obviously means that the new pocket sized digital high definition camera from RED will be capable of 2K resolution! In your POCKET!? Can you imagine that? Speculation is that you will be able to add a 16mm lens too.

And knowing RED the price will be so affordable (I am musing $3k to $4k) that many will be able to buy it for day to day use. We will all know soon enough, it is being formally announced at NAB 2008. The only reason why we know early is that Jim Jannard, RED's CEO let the cat out of the bag in their forums as there were some leaks taking place.

For those catching up, the Scarlet is coming from the creator of the RED One, an affordable ($18k) 4K professional digital camera used by such directors as Peter Jackson and Steven Soderbergh. The RED One has been tested and used in 3D configuration as well. For more info check out there website: www.red.com

Red To Release the Scarlet "Pocket Professional" Camera!

WHOA! I am still reeling from Red being able to use their Red One cameras in 3D configuration, but now comes word from their corporate forums that they are coming out with a "Pocket Professional" camera code named Scarlet!

Red's CEO, Jim Jannard posted on their forums this nugget:

The name is... - Reduser.net via kwout

What does this mean? Well if it is as industry redefining as their Red One Camera (4K resolution at 60 frames per second @ less than $18k), then perhaps more common folk can walk around with a Red camera on their person grabbing unheard of portable HD everywhere! I can't imagine right now what kind of resolution it will have, but I have got some feelings developing... Hope they are accurate! (Ok I can - 2K resolution, but its a guess!)

You have gotta love how Red has captured the imaginations of many people and it seems as though they are just beginning! It reminds me of the earlier iterations of Apple's iPod and how they eventually just took everything over. Red may very have the video capture equivalent of the iPod here in our midst.

Can't wait to see the final product of the various RED projects going on right now from Steven Soderburgh.

Link: www.red.com

Digg This!