Life update – November 7, 2009
Posted by booncunian in Film, Life, Mac, Movies, Movies, Projection, apple, blog, cinema, computers, videos, work.add a comment
Film did not got in the short film competition, im thinking there may have been a chance that is was removed due to breach of the rules or that its was just not very good, I would have liked to have gone down south for a day out but think I got a lot from doing all this work in the film so may be next year I’ll get other people who really want to enter something.
Im now one day away from starting my 2 weeks holidays and for the first 4 days it will be nothing but Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 but for the remaining 10 days I will be in Nepal, I have a friends wedding to go to but thought I would take a little longer over there and have a little break. I am really looking forward to the change in life for a week or so, I think it will be a unforgettable time.
The World of apple, Macbook pro to be more specific keeps getting better and better. The thing that had hit me in the past few days is the power of this thing, not just one thing but every component is very quick. I ran a screening for a friend last night from my mac and lets be honest running a video is not very demanding. To get the equipment set up I had to run a virtual windows 7, at the same time I my desktop running 1440×900 and my extended desktop running at 2048×1080, then I opened mail and it did not even slow down.
So I can see most people running macs through Tv’s or home projectors, I get to play with some more high end stuff, last night for this short film I had my mac plugged in to a £4000 scalier which was plugged in to a £35000 NEC2500 putting a 2048×1080 image on a screen 35 foot wide with 15 fLB on screen. We are the Avatar trailer of my mac as a test and it looked as good as what we get from our digital servers.
Im also now loving my new 3Gs, its just a nice quick update, I think the camera takes a much better image and even the video looks good.
As for word its been a few hard weeks, a nightmare of a film festival for 3 days did take a lot of attention but the rest of the building still needs running so I think they way im feeling now looks as if I ran at 150%. How ever much hard work it was it was still interesting and challenging and its nice to have a challenge every now and then. We ran Digi Beta, Beta Cam, Beta CamSR, 35mm, dvd, Blu-ray and some stuff in NTSC making things more complicated. The problems did not come from the different media but in the frame rates everything was set at, as the player was a loan and not through us we could not play 23.98 and 24 fps, so any tape in this frame rate would not play or go out of sync, its just hard when you care about what you put in screen.
So apart from feeling knackered from a very busy week, I have the flu and have only just started to feel better from the jabs for Nepal. I could do with starting to feel better before I do the midnight at Game for MW2,
Im back July 2, 2009
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As the title says im back, I have not been any where just been very busy.
So work, none stop. Just finished installing a new NEC 2500 with a Qube server on one of the biggest 3D digital screens in the uk, it just takes weeks to sort this stuff out and get it all in and then work out how to use it and then train one of the biggest team in the uk on how to use it. For the 3D side of things we are using a XL unit which recycles the light lost going through a polarizer so gaining 12% of light, it looks just fantastic and thats just not the 3D but the 2D. At the moment its running Ice Age 3 in 3D so not really the best test for it and a shame as Public enemy is out and was shot in digital as Michal Mann (one or two n’s?).
So the projector is fantastic, the server is another thing. Not the best but I dont think the worst, all we can do is try it.
So keeping on the movie topic we are now in the summer block buster time, we had Wolverine which didn’t do too well (I thought it was ok), Star Trek which did some really good business (I thought it was very good) this week we have Ice Age and public enemy (which I have yet too see) and in a few weeks we get Harry Potter which im going to go out on a limb here and say it may do ok. BUT why do the mass going public think thats the only film out that week? Well its not, Moon is out and after years working in cinemas I have a sneaky feeling that this film could be something really interesting, a film that no one knows where it came from then BAM it’s something everyone is talking about.
So lets catch up, I have the next 2 weeks off from work. Im not going anywhere, well may do some camping at some point. It more of a relaxing holiday with good food, Manchester festival, time on my bike and a good time to catch up on the movies I have missed for the past few months. I read there is some sort of festival on in Manchester for a few days, I know the main square and the gallery are involved and I also spotted there is an outdoor cinema in spinning fields that I just think I will potter down to, and as my girl friends knows I will be trying to pop my head in to the booth, thats if they even have a booth, im betting its going to be a digital projector but im happy with that.
So biking, its good, its killing me but im thinking in a good way. I seem to have a set route now, head out of Manchester on the cannel intill I get to the far side of Trafford park then back in on the roads. Got a app thing to track the time and distance. It works well, I’m seeing my distance increasing and the time decreasing, that’s got to be good, right??
Right I’m going to watch some tennis, not really my cup of tea, I would be much happier watching Life season 2 but we share the TV, think its a 30/70 split in her favour, but that’s love. x
Watchmen gets Foxed up January 8, 2009
Posted by booncunian in Film, Projection, cinema.2 comments
So 20th Century fox dont like us enjoying movies and have started once again to try and screw it all up, they have claimed that the rights to Watchmen are there’s and they want them back of Warner’s, now that’s ok but why would you do such a thing 3 months before it comes out?
Watchmen is due out in the UK in march, if the courts decided the Warner’s have the rights (decision on 20/01/2009) then it will come out but if Fox win report I get say its going to be 2011. I spoke to someone who has see it and he says its fantastic, its should be an 18 cert as there is loads of nudity and violence, its nice when you get a film like this and they don’t cut bits out just to make it a 12A, unlike Fox and the fact they are tiring to make the new Wolverine movie a 12A.
I have just seen Batman The Dark Knight July 12, 2008
Posted by booncunian in Film, Movies, Projection, cinema, manchester.1 comment so far
So here I sit, not 30 mins since I just watched Batman the Dark Knight nearly 2 weeks early. You may have noticed in my blog that the last week has not been a nice on at work, well without the down there would be no ups and 
tonight was a up, a big up.
Now before you turn away scared of me reviling plot twist and what happens don’t worry, there will be none of that. There will be a review but this is not going to be it as I’m not going to take anything away from a movie like this and what a movie, I sit in my flat with a beer still and it has still not quite sunk in that a film I have been waiting to see for a very long time has now come and gone.
I love movies, always have and always will, this movie is one of the movies you will never forget, a movie you will make you friends watch, you kids watch, the friends of your kids, the parents of the friends of your kids, just everyone. The first movie had to have character development, you can re create an icon and not develop the character the way you want it to be and the first movie did it very well, this movie we all know the character and away we go, action action action, guns, explosions, knives, more action, its never stops and it does it so well. There had been reports (by me) that this movies was going to be darker than Begins and it is, but with the subject of a man who dresses like a bat to fight very evil people the dark side just adds so much more to the feel of the film.
As you would expect Christen Bale is perfect for the role, and did a wonderful job in the last movie as he does with every project he lays his hands on. The persons I was looking forward to seeing was Heath Ledger, we all know his films and the type of actor he was, like Bale there was something very special about the way he worked and the relentless effort he put in, after his death in January Batman would be his last film, the one we would all remember be it good or be it bad, I cant think of him being in a role like the joker and I have to stay he was perfect, there are no words that can really emphasize what in trying to say, just flawless from start to finish.
As I end this blog (its now 2:20am) I want to cover how you see this film, we all know watching a film at the cinema is better, big screen, better sound, all that. Please please please if you have been looking forward to watching this film, in any way shape or form, please watch it in Manchester’s only Imax at the Printworks. From watching films for a passion and a job for the last 28 years please take it from me that the Imax in the only place you want to see this movie, the sound through this movie is so powerful it almost makes you inside sing with vibration and when the full frame imax shots kick in you just sit pinned back in you seats, its just hart stopping.
Batman Dark Knight Day July 11, 2008
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Well it had final come, tonight I got to watch Batman, nearly 2 weeks early. Its about time as I have been waiting to watch this for a very long time. I will have a little review after I have seen it but I wont go in to any detail as I would like everyone to enjoy it as much as I hope to enjoy it (and I hate people who spoil films)
Batman Dark Knight Day whatever! July 10, 2008
Posted by booncunian in Film, Life, Projection, cinema.2 comments
Ok its here, came this morning and it should all be ready for Friday (tomorrow) night, this works well as I was expecting to be a little drunk Saturday night. This for all the Batman Geeks out there, the code name for the film is ‘Oliver’s Army’ anyone know what this would be? I have no clue.
So a few days have passed since I was last in work and I think I have had chance to calm down a little, how do I feel? The same, just not as intense. I have noticed it is making my mind wonder off what’s happening right now which I need to change and change right now. I still don’t think I have come to a complete conclusion of what exactly is making me feel this pissed off and unhappy. I’m sure I will work it out once I have a more clear perception of the events of the last few days. One thing I did notice today is if you get the combined anger of my team about this matter it does not even come close the my anger levels, this seems to make the people who are not happy a little more happy as they know I’m fighting for them on matters like this, this in turn makes me feel happier, its a strange world.
Batman Dark Knight day 6 July 7, 2008
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So 6 days till I got to see one of my most anticipated films of this year (well its 5 as I didn’t blog yesterday).
I’m trying to keep away for all the clips you can view on the internet at the moment for Dark Knight, I decided to have the week before staying away from all the new stuff as I think it makes me want to watch it more and I’m not seeing any little extra stuff I don’t want to see, I’m a slight geek when it comes to stuff like that, I can sit with a new clip or a different version of a trailer and spot the 3 seconds of different footage compared to the last trailer, this is what happens when it becomes your work. So as I have no more new information (apart from today is when the films gets send from the US of A) thought I would bring you some other interesting information.
Batman Returns hit our screens in 1992, it was Tim Burtons second outing as director with our winged friend and I liked him as I director, he has this dark side to him which I think was exactly what batman needed and I think this can be seen when Joe Schumacher gets his hands on the next in the batman saga Batman Forever (TO MUCH NEON JOE). Anyway there are many facts you can read up on Batman Returns but one fact that seems to get missed is that is was the first film to have a Dolby Digital sound track, now hang on for all the people who would just switch off now, all the film lover and people who just dont like technology, if you enjoy films in any way shape or form this affected you in a big way. All the way up to Batman Returns sound was played in a 2 channel optical (analogue) track, this was left and right, there are slight alterations in the way the sound was mixed to give a slight surround sound channel but nothing that would add any serous definition to the surround sound track. Then we got Dolby Digital (think of Tape Vs CD) this is a 6 channel (left, right, centre, rear left, rear right and sub) and for the first time ever the sound could be mixed in a way when you could have whatever sound coming out of any 6 speakers. Ok that’s where I stop with geek talk and bring it in the ‘normal talk’. Lets say you are watching a clip from a war movie, Saving Private Ryan is a good example, the beach storming opening, in Analogue there would be explosions in the rear speakers as from all the speaker, the bass would be going with the big booms. In Digital there would be bullets from the left speaker with people screaming from the right, you could hear the engines from the boats in the left rear as that is where the camera has just left, as the camera turns the engines noise goes from left rear to right rear, the people screaming moves to the left rear and the bullets move to the left speaker, the sounds move around to fit the direction the camera is looking. With is new sound it added a new dimension to the viewing experience, its found on DVD and is now being introduced to HD TV.
There have been different version of ‘Digital’ sound from different people, from DTS to SDDS but 90% of the time at the cinema or at home you would be listening to Dolby Digital.
Batman Dark Knight day 9 July 3, 2008
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I get to watch Batman Dark knight 2 weeks early, on a screen 85 feet high and wide and just to add a little icing to this already good looking cake ……. wait for it ……… I get paid to watch it!
If you are now reading his blog with white knuckles I am sorry, its not that I want you to get angry but if you had news like that would you want to keep it to yourself? I have decided to try and stay away from the new clips and TV spots coming out as there seems to be more and more footage appearing in theses clips and it don’t want to see much more.
So the countdown starts today and it starts at 9 days until in sat in the screen all excited.
Batman Dark Knight Imax Info June 25, 2008
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Ok I know I go on about how bigger and better Imax is but I did find this photo of what the reall diffrence would look like to you being sat in that screen.
You can read up on why Christopher Nolan wanted to use this format here.
The image on the left is a normal 35mm screen, and one on the right is a Imax screen
Batman Dark Knight poster update June 25, 2008
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After asking around I found someone who is even more excited about batman than myself and it would appear when you tilt you head to one side the words ‘a taste for the theatrical’ can now be seen.
