Chapter 800： Eight hundred and eighty plan

(Technical dry goods seem to be unpopular, subscriptions are crazy, and the work of eating, drinking and playing will resume next year...)

Theoretically, the resolution of a film print... has no upper limit. However, the high resolution of the film is useless, because the image needs to be output by the projection equipment.

Projection equipment cannot produce super high-resolution images.

In the current Hollywood, the mainstream film version of the film, the resolution is usually 4K, because of the limitations of the projection equipment.

Of course, this is already good.

The current digital version, the mainstream resolution is only 1.3K, and better projection equipment, such as boutique theaters and imax theaters, can reach 2K resolution.

Compared with film, there is a big gap!

On a normal screen, 2K and 4K, it's hard to tell the difference with the naked eye. However, there is a big gap between 1.3K and 4K, and the weakness of the digital version can be seen at a glance.

If it is an imax giant screen, you can also see the gap between 2K and 4K with the naked eye.

This is why the promotion of digital technology is difficult today.

The viewing experience is not good, far less than the film format!

In fact, the "Avatar" of the previous life, even though it swept the world with invincibility, there are still many technical problems that have not been solved.

For example... the resolution of the 3D format.

There are many versions of "Avatar" released, including digital version, film version, 3D digital version, 3D film version, imax digital version, imax film version, imax3D digital version... There are also white screen and metal screen, single machine and double machine. distinguish and so on.

Cameron's main push, of course, is the 3D format.

But in fact, the final viewing effect... 3D versions of various formats, in terms of viewing experience, the best can only be ranked fifth!

The best top four are imax film metal screen, imax digital metal screen, then imax film white screen, imax digital white screen.

Next is the 3D format that Cameron is pushing hard!

Why?

Because the projection technology of 3D format has not yet broken through, only 2K resolution.

The copy resolution of the imax format, the digital version is 4K, and the film version can even reach 6K!

With the addition of giant screen and high resolution, the viewing experience in imax format is even more amazing than the 3D version!

As for the combination, it is another bitter history...

"Avatar" was shot with an ordinary digital 3D video camera, rather than imax's shooting technology, so in the post-production, we encountered a lot of trouble.

The normal version and the imax version must be converted.

This technology has matured, and it can be done through the DMR conversion technology developed by imax.

However, the 3D format cannot be converted!

In other words, did not directly convert the ordinary version of 3D into!

The ordinary 2D format must first be converted into imax2D format through DMR technology, and then the 2D imax version must be converted into 3D format through 3D transformation technology.

There are two more processes in the middle, and there is a big problem!

The biggest selling point of "Avatar" is 3D direct shooting!

This will be more realistic and more able to show three-dimensional dynamic effects.

The imax3D format has been converted by two hands in the later stage, and the effect of 3D direct shooting has disappeared...

Therefore, although the imax3D format is 4K resolution, although it has a giant screen blessing, the real viewing effect... is not as good as the ordinary 3D version and the imax2D version.

Therefore, in the release process of "Avatar", the imax3D format was very rare. Except for very few "bragging" and "gimmick" theaters, theaters that are really responsible for movie fans will not introduce this format at all.

This makes Cameron somewhat sad.

The 3D version cannot be directly converted to the imax3D version, which is also a major technical problem that "Avatar" did not break through.

Otherwise, "Sony 4K + dual camera + film + metal screen", such a set of ultimate movie viewing packages will be launched, and "Avatar" will definitely give birth to more shocking visual effects!

Well now, Dunn is here!

In the previous life, Cameron was alone, and even with 20th Century Fox on his back, it would be difficult for him to do much better.

In terms of hard power, how can 20th Century Fox compare to New Universal?

Dolby Laboratories and imax are the trump cards in Dunn's hands!

The unresolved technical problems of "Avatar" in the previous life, as well as the many screening regrets left after the release, must be solved together in Tang En's hands!

The first is to solve the resolution problem.

Further promote digitalization, greatly increase the resolution of digital projection, and completely abandon the 1.3K resolution version! The digital version of "4K+2K" high-low matching mode was launched to meet more diversified market demands.

This technology is not difficult, the previous life "Avatar" did it.

The biggest problem is the 3D format.

Compared with the 4K resolution of traditional film movies, the 2K digital version is already a half-fold.

If you combine 2K and 3D, you will have further troubles, such as reduced brightness, ghosting, visual distortion, reduced contrast, reduced saturation, and so on.

Although the 3D version is still 2K resolution, due to the existence of many factors, the resolution actually cannot reach the 2K level, which is about 1.6K.

This is simply ruining the masterpiece of "Avatar".

In order not to leave regrets, we must introduce the "4K+3D" projection technology!

This is the technical problem that Dolby Laboratories really wants to promote and improve!

The same goes for imax. The imax giant screen is too shocking, so make good use of it.

A "DMR3D" conversion technology must be developed!

Let the 3D format be directly converted into the imax3D format, instead of converting the 3D version to the 2D version, and the 2D version to the imax3D version.

So many intermediate processes will seriously deplete the viewing effect of "Avatar".

All in all, in Cameron's mouth, the most difficult one of the six major technical problems, "the new digital photography system and digital technology", Dunn made a further bold upgrade!

First, the "4K+2K" high-low matching combination!

Second, "4K+3D" high-definition projection technology!

Third, "DMR3D" transformation technology!

After a long talk with Cameron, Dunn immediately summoned many executives from the film and television entertainment department to start the "Avatar" project with the highest specifications.

Project code: "880 Plan"!

Of course, it is impossible to start shooting in the short term.

After consultation with Cameron and many senior executives, a decision was made: In the next year, we will focus on breaking through various technical bottlenecks!

A year later, the movie started.

However, this does not mean that actors are required to join the group.

Cameron will take the team to learn and apply the latest high-tech technologies, and conduct simple short film shooting to test the effect. Use it if it's good, change it if it's bad.

It will take more than a year.

By the end of 2006, everything was ready, and we began to formally recruit suitable actors.

The real actors entered the group and started filming, and it was already in early 2007.

The "Avatar" crew will go to China, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and other countries to shoot scenes, and 60% of the green screen shooting will take 4 months, and the film will be completed.

In the summer of 2008, the last link of checking and filling the gaps was carried out, that is, a series of supplementary shootings or reshoots were carried out.

The film has been tentatively set...it's the summer of 2009! (later postponed to Christmas)

In order to overcome the technical difficulties, Dunn also let Ron Mayer, the vice president of New Universal Group, personally lead the team and set up a "880 Plan" technical problem-solving team.

This group will mobilize all available network resources to integrate the technical achievements of Industrial Light and Magic, Digital Domain, Weta Digital, Huaya Studio, and the MIT Optical Laboratory. And promote Dolby Laboratories and imax company, further digital technology research and development.

All for "Avatar"!

This important meeting lasted for more than two hours. Cameron participated in the whole process and was moved.

On the one hand, it is to feel the power of New Universal, and on the other hand, it is touched by Dunn's unreserved support for him.

He knew that Tang En would spare no effort and even spend a lot of money to support himself, more or less the meaning of repaying his debts. After all, Dunn robbed him of "Titanic".

Cameron does not think so, the opportunity is coming, no one wants to miss it!

Besides, the "Never Sinking" of that year has already paid off the favor.

Dunn showed full sincerity, and Cameron naturally had to express it. After the meeting, he followed Dunn to the office and said earnestly: "Don, I know that this project has a lot of investment, you It's a huge investment risk. I'm willing to reduce the director's salary by $5 million on top of the "Unsinkable" salary !"

"what?"

Tang En was stunned for a moment and smiled: "James, how long have we known each other? It's really unnecessary! I'm not 20th Century Fox, I can't do this kind of thing, it should be your money, not a penny. less!"

At that time, Cameron's salary in "Titanic" was $10 million + 10% of the box office. Among them, the producer contract is $2 million, the director contract is "$8 million + 10% box office dividends", and the screenwriter contract is $150,000.

Because of insufficient budget, Cameron voluntarily gave up the $10 million producer contract and the base salary in the director contract, totaling $10 million. (Note)

"Really, this is my sincerity and my self-confidence!" Cameron said firmly.

Tang En said with a smile: "You show your confidence by giving up your $5 million salary. If I agree, wouldn't I lose my confidence? Don't worry, my confidence in "Avatar" is no less than yours!"

Continuing the contract of "Unsinkable", it is still 10% of the box office share, how much does it cost?

The global box office is $2.8 billion, that's $280 million in dividends!

A mere $5 million, of course.

That's not bad.

In the previous life, Cameron had a share agreement with 20th Century Fox, in addition to box office dividends, there was also a share of DVD sales in North America!

"Avatar" has a global box office of 2.8 billion US dollars, and North American DVD sales of 400 million US dollars, plus production fees, director fees, screenwriter fees, and the industry's usual dividends after a big box office...

Cameron's 'Avatar' made $350 million!

Dividends are the big part that must be paid, and Tang En naturally won't care too much about the small part of the basic salary.

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