RocShemp

I was watching the making of "The Long And Short Of It" and saw that Sean Astin was talking about how they got to use the same equipment used to shoot The Lord Of The Rings. As he is doing this he's showing off a brand new HD camera that he borrowed.

It's been stated that The Fellowship Of The Ring was shot entirely in Super 35 and then 70% of the film was scanned and digitally graded and transfered back to film. But that HD camera... Is it possible that Peter Jackson shot the first part of his trillogy on film and then switched to HD as the new cameras became available to him. Comparing the transfer of The Two Towers to that of The Fellowship Of The Ring there's something quite different about them. They both exibit a hazy look but the transfer of TTT doesn't quite say film to me. Of course this could simply be the result of differing telecine transfer processes being used on either film.

So, does anyone know for sure?

Groucho

All three films were shot at the same time, as one very long movie...in non-chronological order.

So, yes...Super-35 the whole way through.

RocShemp

I understand that's how they were produced, Groucho. I'm just suggesting that mid-production they may have switched to Hi-Def. Of course, I'm not stating that as a fact. I'm just making an assumption.

Otherwise, what would be the point of having HD cameras if they were not going to use them?

Groucho

Well, if they switched mid-filming, you'd see the quality go back and forth throughout all three films...it wouldn't suddenly switch in one film. As I said, it was shot non-chronologically.

RocShemp

I see your point. But if you look at the scene where Isengard is shown for the first time, there are shots that are recycled from the first film and edited together with new footage within Isengard. The new footage has a more glossy look whereas the recycled footage has a more hazy look (moreso than usual for TTT). Just compare the two films back-to-back and you'll see that the second film generally has a glossier look to it (when we first see the Uruk-Hai in the TTT is a clear example of how glossy the second film can look compared to the first).

Groucho

I think what you are seeing is a result of two things:

1. Better post-production due to improved technology

2. Better DVD transfeer (again, improved technology)

Jepthah

All Super-35. My guess is the HD cameras were used (if anything) for supplemental VFX shooting, perhaps for things like large-scale crowd scenes, etc where they would be digitally inserted into filmed shots in post. You can confirm the Super-35 thing if ( don't do this) you watch the foolscreen pan-and-scam versions. There is slightly more visual info at the top and bottom of the frame, though the tradeoff is not worth it.

RocShemp

That's what I figured but I keep thinking back to that High-Def camera. What was it for then? The bigatures?

RocShemp

That seems reasonable. Thanks Groucho and Jepthah.

On a slightly different subject, don't HD cameras shoot everything in anamorphic 1.78:1 and then you have to matte the footage to 2.35:1 or 1.85:1 depending on your intended aspect ratio?

Groucho

I wouldn't be surprised if a high-def camera wasn't used for pick-up shots and such done in the last year.

Hannibal

http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/8/1037567845

THE TWO TOWERS will look a lot better in theaters than FELLOWSHIP did. The entire Super-35 to digital grading to final print process entailed some generation loss with the final theatrical print of FELLOWSHIP, giving the film a slightly grainy look that many HTF folk would probably recognise from other Super-35 theatrical releases. Lesnie said they were now using a new procedure for the release of THE TWO TOWERS that enabled them to make a direct transfer to the final print (?) at a particular stage of post, rather than utilising an intermediate transfer as they did with FELLOWSHIP. Essentially, THE TWO TOWERS will appear a generation or more sharper than FELLOWSHIP did in theaters, giving it a cleaner look and one that more accurately represents what they originally shot. Lesnie seemed confident that they had the problem 'licked' and that you'll notice the difference when THE TWO TOWERS finally comes out

RocShemp

Interesting. Whatever was done it worked. Though I'm glad they were able to keep the hazy look where appropriate.

Thanks to Hannibal, Groucho, and Jepthah for taking the time to answer my questions.

DonnachaOne

Bah, I thought Fellowship looked better. Towers seemed too plastic for me in some scenes.

The Bus

So now we know why there will be a super-release... New super-duper transfers?