Alien: Covenant - IMAX edition [spoRv]

[spoRv]

OK, let me explain...

The Korean version is open matte 1.78:1, so it's "opened" more in comparison to the OAR 2.40:1.

Technically, they are all open matte, but I made a distinction between open matte shots (which have more details top and bottom, but are cropped left and right), and IMAX shots (which aren't cropped left and right, and have more details top and bottom) - or, better, the IMAX shots are complete, and OAR is simply the IMAX cropped (for shots filmed in IMAX, of course).

A picture is worth a thousand words, so...

open matte shot (top BD, bottom spoRv)


IMAX shot (top BD, bottom spoRv)


The OAR overlay was 99% centered. This IMAX version has about 12m IMAX shots (7m free of blurred subtitles and/or logo, and 5m with them, which could be covered selecting the YAO subtitles) and 3.5m open matte; the rest is just OAR 2.40:1.

Hope to have cleared every doubt; if not, feel free to ask, I'm here!

[jonno]

That's a little clearer

'IMAX shot' is a bit of a misnomer here, though. From what I have pieced together:

Covenant was shot almost entirely on Arri Alexa XT cameras in 3.4K - the 'open gate' mode on these cameras has a ratio of 1.55:1. Scott still likes the 'scope frame for these films, but there also needed to be a premium IMAX image available, so the composition was 'safed' for both 2.35:1 and 1.90:1 formats (just like those old demonstrations of the Super35 format showed).

For general release (and the DVD/BD issues) the 2.35:1 framing was used, seemingly even for the Xenon IMAX version (sorry, Beber!) Top-tier IMAX theatres showed the 1.90:1 version. This wasn't another Dark Knight - you got one version or the other, no shifting ratios (and happily it wasn't another Dunkirk either, otherwise this explanation would have to be a lot longer!)

I think this Korean transfer closer approximates the IMAX framing - the taller ratio doesn't necessarily mean more image on all sides, just a different composition for the different screen. But those 12 minutes of maximum image area are interesting indeed - presumably they were mostly VFX sequences? Perhaps those were handled differently in terms of framing.

So this is a worthwhile project indeed, but as a sidenote it's troubling that this whole other IMAX experience will go otherwise unremembered. Don't studios see the appeal of these alternative viewing options, particularly where most home screens are 16:9? I'm intrigued to see how Dunkirk's eventual release is handled...

[Beber]

"Dunkirk" will certainly be released on Blu-ray with a shifting aspect ratio (2.20:1/1.78:1) like the previous Nolan movies. And the DVD will most likely be 2.20:1 all the way through.

[jonno]

I'm sure you're right (of course in this case, the 2.20:1 material is the minority). It would be nice to see the full 1.43:1 IMAX image as an option, though.

[spoRv]

Here you are the IMAX shots (pretty much all) uncropped and cropped (as on OAR BD):

[zoidberg]

"Dunkirk" will certainly be released on Blu-ray with a shifting aspect ratio (2.20:1/1.78:1) like the previous Nolan movies. And the DVD will most likely be 2.20:1 all the way through.

And it will be greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen

[maksnew]

I'm away, but I would advise you not to hurry up with the release, but to wait for the movie to appear on the Amazon signatures or at least from the Russian WEB DL from the media resource, our group will be able to get high-quality source code and will not have to blur embedded subtitles.

[spoRv]

That's great! Eagerly waiting for that release!

[rcmachin]

Just watched this, you've done a great job, I do like movies with the expanded IMAX scenes as they enhance the spectacle of certain sequences.
The YAO is a great addition and I think all retail Blu-ray with shifting ratios should have this, although I probably wouldn't use it.
Excellent work Sporv.

[spoRv]

Thanks to maksnew now I got also the Russian open matte version; its quality is quite good, with more details than Korean in some parts, and less into others... they are different, but comparable; after a quick test, as I provisioned, the result is better than single source.

So, plan is to first align them perfectly, and manage to get rid of the Korean subs using Russian patches, and vice versa using Korean patches for the few parts with Russian writings; result would be superior than actual IMAX version, would include all the IMAX scenes (so, about 5m more!), and this time I'd like to add the usual foreign audio tracks, plus Russian and maybe another one.

Still undecided if release it before the Italian official release (expected in about two weeks), and then release a second one with improved Italian (and Russian) multichannel tracks instead of actual low quality stereo ones, or just wait few days and release the "definitive" IMAX edition - which is my preferred option, to avoid to work to it twice, and force someone to download it again as well.