Editor Tom Pastorelle of The Colonie recently cut a new campaign promoting the Chicago Bears and their ties to the Windy City. Conceived by Chicago agency TwoxFour the three 30-second spots – Maul Game Records and Feelings – are packed with intense game footage celebrating the stars and glories of the team past and present. The spots end with the tagline One City. One Team. Maul Game unleashes footage of major hits tackles and quarterback sacks compliments of Bears players Brian Urlacher Lance Briggs and others and provides a live-on-the-sidelines feel through grunts and helmet-to-shoulder pad collisions. Records evokes the history of greatness in the Bears family with dazzling footage of past legend Walter Payton and current star Devin Hester. Feelings centers on male Bears fans unafraid to show their emotions—which they express through high-fives chest-bumps and other macho celebratory acts in support of the team. “It was a challenge to take random game footage and put it together in a way that is interesting and tells the story ” says Pastorelle. “We did that. Many thanks to the guys at TwoxFour for giving me three great ideas to work with. The spots will air throughout the 2011-2012 NFL season. Credits Titles: Maul Game Records Feelings Client: Chicago Bears Agency: TwoxFour Executive Creative Director: David Stevenson Creative Director: Adam VonOhlen Editorial: The Colonie Editor: Tom Pastorelle Assistant Editor: James Helm Design: Lyndsay McCully VFX/Finish: Tom Dernulc Audio Mix: Mix Kitchen Sam Fishkin Music: Sean Bublitz The Colonie www.thecolonie.com ,2803
Sound to Match the 3D Image,2011-10-15, Barco and digital cinema partner Nevafilm have announced that they have installed Auro-3D an immersive audio technology to reproduce sound in 3D at Jam Hall cinema in St Petersburg Russia. In combination with 3D images Auro-3D encapsulates movie fans even more within the action. With this installation Jam Hall is one of the first cinemas worldwide and the first in Europe to be able to offer this new experience to its movie fans. Auro-3D powered by Barco and Auro Technologies is an audio technology that the companies say allows for true three-dimensional sound production distribution and reproduction that turns conventional cinema audio into a fully immersive experience.
“One of the main benefits of Auro-3D for us is that it can be used in combination with our existing infrastructure ” says Vadim Kondratenko owner of Jam Hall cinemas. “We do not need to re-design our auditoriums but can upgrade to Auro-3D sound simply by adding height speakers. Auro-3D sound processing is also compatible with our existing setups.”
“Auro-3D gives cinemas the chance to offer their audience something completely new ” says Brian Claypool senior director strategic business development at Barco. “Cinema sound has not significantly changed over the past twenty years since the introduction of 5.1. Following the path of the digital cinema revolution in projection 3D sound will add to an even more immersive cinema experience. The effect of Auro-3D is more powerful and much more natural than traditional surround sound and gives a whole new dimension to the cinema experience.”
Auro-3D is compatible with today's main standards: Stereo and 5.1 Surround. The full Auro-3D speaker layout is defined for up to 13.1 with 11.1 being the ideal solution for environments such as a commercial movie theater. Next to this the Auro-3D codec enables single inventory distribution which means that it allows for the content to be transported using the market's current standards while maintaining future compatibility. Auro-3D technology allows for a simple installation to any existing sound system and effortless operation thanks to its compatibility with existing digital cinema standard. ,2805
World War II: Last War Heroes,2011-10-15, World War II: The Last War Heroes a new documentary series produced by Impossible Pictures and EOne is set to illustrate the testimony from the last surviving veterans of the Allied troops by recreating battlefield scenes and filming real bombs and bullets with high speed cameras in intricate detail. The reconstructions were shot with Cooke 5/i and Panchro/i lenses which brought a naturalness and elegance to the reconstruction scenes as well as a visual link to on-camera interviews and previously unseen archive footage.
The premise of the series was to capture what it was really like to be on the field of battle based on highly detailed descriptions from the veterans; some of them sharing their stories for the first time. Rather than rely on visual effects the production team travelled to a Canadian military base in New Brunswick and used the same types of explosives that these men described blowing apart incredibly realistic sets including foxholes church steeples and village streets. Unlike a typical movie explosion the audience can clearly see the real-life intensity of bricks windows and other debris shattering and flying around and understand how terrifying it was for these men in the midst of battle. Jeremy Benning CSC lead Director of Photography says “It was a challenging physically demanding and collaborative project to work on. We had to figure out how to shoot these explosions while ensuring the crew’s safety and protecting the cameras and lenses. We prepped for weeks experimenting with custom-built fibre optic cables coffin-like camera housing and a bullet-proof yet clear Perspex cover for the lenses that would withstand being 50-100ft away from several 100lbs of explosive.”
Benning used four Phantom cameras throughout the 17-day shoot at the military base as well as some mini Go Pro cameras closer to the action. He used the full range of Cooke Optics’ 5/i prime lenses with some Panchro/i lenses for specific scenes; Benning had previously used Panchro/i lenses on the feature film Afghan Luke and is a long-time fan of the famed warm organic ‘Cooke Look. Benning says “The Cooke Look brought a naturalness to each scene - you see it as a witness not as if you are watching a scientific explosives test. It helped us to retain the look of the world of this story linking from the archive footage to interviews and then to our reconstruction so it’s velvety and desaturated with a shallow depth of field that leads your eye to the subject matter - something that Cooke lenses do beautifully.”
The scenes were shot largely with available light mainly during the day but some footage showing incendiary bombs was shot at dusk with the set lit by the resulting fire.
“We shot most of the explosions at 1000-2000fps and seeing that amount of power at that frame rate was incredible. You see the shock wave dust coming off the ground…things you’d never see with the naked eye ” Benning says. “We also had to deal with the extreme contrasts from flashes of bright light directly to heavy black smoke which the Cookes captured without any double imaging or ghosting. The high performance levels of the lenses also meant we didn’t lose any sharpness due to shooting through the Perspex cover.” The six-part series will be shown by Channel 4 in the UK from October 16th and on the History Channel in Canada from November 9th. ,2808
West Side Story Turns Fifty,2011-10-31, Bringing one of the most acclaimed works of musical drama ever captured back to movie theatres nationwide this fall NCM Fathom and Turner Classic Movies are presenting The West Side Story 50th Anniversary Event on November 9th. This unprecedented opportunity allows audiences to enjoy every sensational song and dazzling dance number in this cinematic masterpiece which originally won ten Academy Awards including Best Picture in 1961. The West Side Story 50th Anniversary Event will open with an exciting new TCM original production featuring a discussion with Walter Mirisch of The Mirisch Company which produced the classic; Oscar-winning actor George Chakiris; and vocalist Marni Nixon who served as Natalie Woods' voice double. TCM host Robert Osborne will moderate the discussion which was taped at the 2011 TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. The West Side Story 50th Anniversary Event will appear in nearly 400 select movie theatres across the country via the new digital cinema projection systems. The West Side Story 50th Anniversary Event will give movie lovers around the country the opportunity to experience one of the greatest movie musicals of all time on the big screen through state-of-the-art digital projection says Dennis Adamovich senior vice president of brand and digital activation/general manager of festivals for TCM TBS and TNT. As an added bonus moviegoers will also get to enjoy one of the many terrific panel discussions from the TCM Classic Film Festival. We're very excited to be partnering with NCM Fathom on this extraordinary event. West Side Story is a modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet retold as a story of New York City gang violence with a sophisticated scoring and exuberant choreography. The tale of young star-crossed lovers became a parable of the modern world where Maria (Natalie Wood) and Tony (Richard Beymer) were doomed not only by their passion but also by larger social forces. It transcended these apparent contradictions and made a classic tale timely by overlaying the love story with an exploration of mid-century racial tensions transforming the Montagues and Capulets into the all-white Jets gang and the Puerto Rican Sharks. Music and story blended powerfully as the sounds of the streets became the percussive muscle of a heavy-hitting score that blended jazz pop and Latin rhythms. The production conceived and choreographed by Jerome Robbins features the timeless lyrics of master American songwriter Stephen Sondheim a magnificent score by Leonard Bernstein and a heartfelt book by playwright Arthur Laurents. Over the last 50 years West Side Story has maintained its place among the greatest films ever made with a stunning soundtrack and timeless storyline that continue to have a massive impact on audiences everywhere says Dan Diamond senior vice president of NCM Fathom. For one more night fans can experience the magic of this cinematic treasure fully restored and on the big screen. A limited edition four-disc numbered boxed set featuring Blu-ray DVD Tribute CD and collectible memorabilia as well as a two-disc collector's edition Blu-ray from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will be released on November 15. National CineMedia www.nationalcinemedia.com Turner Classic Movies http://www.tcm.com ,2830
Uncharted Territory,2011-10-31, Last month AMC Theatres in partnership with Sony hosted an Uncharted 3: Play it First in 3D event that showcased the as of then yet-to-be-released multiplayer PlayStation videogame Uncharted 3 at five participating theatres across the United States. Participating theatres offered an inside look from the development team at Naughty Dog a multiplayer tournament shown on the big screen in 3D and raffles prizes and giveaways. I was fortunate enough to have been invited to attend the event that was held at the AMC Theatre in New York City’s Lincoln Center district. What I saw that night was a firsthand look at what was a proof of concept for another kind of alternative content event and although this does represent uncharted territory it is an event that could easily be duplicated in select theatres around the world. The New York event took place on a Tuesday night and even on Manhattan’s Upper West Side the multi-screen multi-level theatre was not busy. But the auditorium where I saw Uncharted 3 was crowded and there was a noticeable level of excitement in the room. General admission tickets to the event cost $25 and Insider Access was $60 which allowed attendees not only get entry into the event but also to get a copy of Uncharted 3 before it released. All Insiders had a copy of the game shipped to their homes on October 25 via FedEx giving the attendees a full one-week head start over everyone else. What even those Insiders could not get at home that they got at the theatre that night however was the chance to be in the same room and compete against other teams of players in a game that took place on a forty-foot 3D screen in 4K Sony projection and Real D 3D. Executives from Naughty Dog introduced the game showed a variety of trailers from the game some behind-the-scens making of the game movies and then organized the audience into 24 teams of five players each. Sony PlayStation units were set up at the front of the auditorium and the results of the contest were projected on the big screen. Asked for a show of hands it was clear that the majority of the audience had already played the beat version of the game and it was just as clear that they all loved it. The Naughty Dog representatives told the competitors that they were limiting the contest to which team scored the most kills in five minutes or to the first team to reach thirty kills. “We have to wrap this up at eleven tonight ” he said “so we can’t play the whole game. Otherwise we’d be here till three in the morning which would be fine with me.” The crowd roared its approval and the competition continued into the night. In Uncharted 3 fortune hunter Nathan Drake is catapulted headlong into an adventure that takes him on a daring trek into the heart of the Arabian Desert in a search for the fabled Atlantis of the Sands. This journey pits him and his mentor Victor Sullivan against the occult treachery of a shadowy clandestine organization and its ruthless leader. When the terrible secrets of this lost city are unearthed Drake's quest descends into a desperate bid for survival that strains the limits of his endurance and forces him to confront his deepest fears. Uncharted 3 includes a separate multiplayer component with network play featuring competitive and cooperative modes of play. The beta featured several customization options such as different character skins ability boosters skill medals to attain and a progressive ranking system. Uncharted 3 introduces free-for-all modes such as standard death match character model and weapon modification and dynamic environmental 'events' within multiplayer maps similar to the set pieces from the game's campaign such as a hostile plane flying above shooting all players it catches in its crossfire. Collectible treasures are also said to be available within the multiplayer maps which can be used as in-game currency for unlocking new characters customization equipment and boosters. Unlocked customizations can either allow for changes to be made in character appearance such as clothing and skin tone or upgrading weapon attributes. A buddy system has also been implemented into multiplayer. At the beginning of each match the player may be joined with a random partner or a friend if they are joining their game. The buddy's emblem remains displayed as part of the player's HUD to indicate their location relative to the player's own on the map. With your Buddy you can do a cooperative taunt over dead enemies you defeated together and can also collect each other’s earned treasures for them. The player is able to spawn next to his buddy so long as the buddy remains alive and out of combat. Developer Naughty Dog game director Justin Richmond says This is where the Drake’s Deception title really starts to come in. Uncharted 3 finds Nathan Drake searching for an ancient 16th century treasure but he ends up being pulled in to an even bigger mystery filled with deceit pitting him against a shadowy clandestine organization and the occult treachery of its cunning and ruthless leader. Marlowe is always trying to undermine Drake and getting him to do things he doesn’t want to do it adds a brand new dynamic to the franchise. “The key ones are the new melee options and an expanded repertoire of stealth movement one of which sees Drake jump from above for a silent kill. I’m personally excited about the new brawling moves which let you take on many enemies at once and use the environment whether that’s grabbing a chair slamming an enemy into a wall or removing their gun and dispatching them that way. Creative director Amy Hennig says the desire for a desert themed Uncharted stemmed from wanting to push the team creatively and technologically as organic elements such as sand water and fire are technically difficult to credibly render with animation. Richmond explained that the game will feel more open than other Uncharted games mainly due to the great new character creation feature. We're not an open-world game we're never going to be an open-world game but; we can try. It's still up in the air how much game play we're going to let you wander around. But we aim to let you just ride a thousand miles off into the middle of nowhere and still find action and adventure as you go. Ultimately the feel we want to get is yeah your character is lost in the desert. So it needs to feel like that. We aim to make it feel open-world. Naughty Dog community strategist Arne Meyer says that Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is created like a Hollywood film. The Uncharted series has received praise for its movie-like sections which Naughty Dog keen to take to the next level in Uncharted 3. Naughty Dog has likened the motion capture and voice acting procedure of Uncharted 3 to that of a Hollywood film. We have two motion capture spaces – smaller one in the studio that lets us pick up smaller pieces like idols and then we have a dedicated stage at Sony Studios and that's where we get both the motion capture and the audio because we do all of the dialogue at the same time for both game play and cinematics Meyer told the PlayStation blog. It's big enough for us to set up and perform everything from rehearsals to the final performances and that approach which is basically the same as producing a major motion picture is what makes the performances so fluid and realistic in our games. When we're in full swing we're doing new motion capture every week. AMC citing company policy would not comment on how many people attended or confirm other reports that all five theatres sold out but Ryan Noonan AMC’s director of public relations did say “We’re very pleased with the results.” Noonan could not say whether AMC would do a similar event again. “This was the first time we’ve done something like this ” he said adding “It was such a novel concept.” Noonan said Hollywood movies remain the centerpiece of AMC offerings but he said the exhibitor always responds to positive feedback from its guests. Based on what I experienced at the Uncharted 3 event the audience will ask for more.
Pastorelle Tackles a Chicago Bears Campaign
