The Immediate Future; Thoughts From NAB
By Paul Korver
I just returned from a whirlwind trip to NAB. Two things stood out as “technologies to watch” that the advertising industry should be considering now with an eye to the future.
With Sony’s game-changing price reduction in 4K/ULTRA HD Home Televisions to under $5,000 (from $30K List at CES), many consumers will soon have access to 4 times the resolution of HD piped right into their home. On the production side, Blackmagic announced a 4K camera to their lineup that is under $4,000. There were impressive 4K/Ultra HD displays everywhere from Samsung, Toshiba, LG, which are sure to release competitive prices shortly.
The question becomes: should commercials be finishing in 4K? Aesthetically, true 4K is a radically immersive and eye-popping experience. We’ve finally reached “retina display” and there is a visual difference between HD playing on an Ultra HD TV and true 4K content playing natively at 4K. But is it too early?
Clearly television is not going to be broadcast in UltraHD for a few years; however, having a 4K master would prepare Brands for that transition and provide unique advertising opportunities on 4K cinema and Ultra HD displays that are looking for 4K content. The wisest path would be to shoot for a negative format that allows for 4K future-proofing.
On the production side this requires either a digital camera with a high resolution digital negative (RED 4/5K, F55 RAW, F65 4K RAW, Alexa 3K RAW, Canon C500 4K RAW, Canon 1DC 4K AVHC, Blackmagic 4K) or 35mm film which has 4K resolution on the film negative and can be scanned to 4K for cheaper than generally perceived. On the postproduction side it is important to work with vendors that are setup for cost effective approach to 4K color grading and finishing: HD for today and a matching 4K master for tomorrow.
If you’re going to consider 4K, you’d be wise to have a plan for big data management from camera all the way through post and archive. Reviewing all of the systems and emerging technologies goes beyond the scope of this piece, but I say that there are some very smart solutions at an increasingly reasonable price point.
We are in the business of creating beautiful images and narratives that, when done well, engage audiences if only for seconds or minutes. In this rapidly changing landscape we have largely overlooked archiving and future proofing content. We need to ensure that the time, creativity and money spent today doesn’t disappear tomorrow.
Paul Korver is managing director of and the principal in Cinelicious.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More