by Lidia Paulinska | Nov 21, 2016
October, SMPTE – At the first day of Centennial SMPTE ATC conference three speakers: Paul Debevec, Co-Chairman of Science and Technology Council, George Joblove, Co-Chairman and Jack Holm, Co-Author of Science and Technology Council SSL Project Committee presented the challenges and issues in color rendering using the solid state lighting (SSL) along with a solution – a Cinematographic Spectral Similarity Index. The new color index is based upon the similarity of a luminaire’s spectrum to a reference spectrum that eliminates the need for any assumption of the specific observer or camera spectral sensitivity.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Science and Technology Council has investigated the issue the last few years. The AMPAS project was presented at SMPTE Tech Conference in 2009 (“State of Solid State Lighting”), at NAB conference in 2011 (“Chromatic Chaos: Implications of Newly Introduced Forms of Stagelight”) and again at SMPTE in 2013 (“Color Predictor Tool”). “The Experiment” conducted in 2010 showed that luminaire spectral power distribution affects skin tone, makeup, costumes, props, and sets. It showed differences in color for 4 different sources despite all of them being at the same color temperature.
The characteristics of Spectral Similarity Index (SSI) that is a solution for that issue are following:
- it defines how close a test spectrum is to a reference spectrum (e.g. tungsten),
- does not assume a spectral sensitivity for the camera/film/eye,
- single value representing quality of curve fit,
- index is easy to understand
- easy to include on luminaire/lamp packaging and literature.
The presenters explained the technical aspects of SSI but the final message is that the index yields a confidence factor, where a high score implies predictable color rendition for cinematography, and a moderate score implies possible color rendition challenges. The look of the image and the color of the things on the large screen for cinema, and now with the addition of HDR (high dynamic range) and WCG (wide color gamut) being available on home television screens, means color rendition for projects is once again at the forefront of the content creators vision.
by Lidia Paulinska | Oct 12, 2016
Fathom events, October – Offered for a single-evening engagement at select US theaters on Wednesday, October 5, 2016, Fathom Events presented Mel Brooks’ 1974 horror movie parody Young Frankenstein, starring Gene Wilder in the title role. The wonderful supporting cast included Teri Garr as the doctor’s fetching (very) personal Inga, Cloris Leachman as the evil Frau Blucher (at the very mention of her name, horses become hysterical), Marty Feldman as the devious bug-eyed hunchback, Peter Boyle as the Creature (IT’S ALIVE!!), Madeline Kahn as the horny up-tight socialite, and Kenneth Mars as the one-eyed, one-armed police inspector. Gene Hackman makes a brief cameo appearance as Harold, the blind old recluse.
This delightful film is a hilarious parody of the flood of classic horror film adaptations of Mary Shelly’s novel Frankenstein that were produced by Universal in the 1930’s. Shot in black and white to evoke the proper atmosphere, Brooks even employs the original lab equipment props used in the 1931 Frankenstein starring Boris Karloff and features 1930’s style opening credits and period scene transitions such as iris outs, wipes, and fades to black. Young Frankenstein was a box-office smash and critically considered be one of the greatest film comedies of all time, ranking number 13 on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 funniest American movies.
The story involves the respectable Dr. Frankenstein, a physician played by Wilder, who inherits his infamous mad-scientist great-grandfather’s castle in Transylvania and of course that’s where the fun begins. Dr. Frankenstein decides to follow in his mad great-grandfather’s footsteps and re-animate the dead. He ultimately succeeds. “IT’S ALIVE!!”
Arriving at the Transylvania train station, Dr. Frankenstein is met by a hunchbacked, bug-eyed servant named Igor (Marty Feldman). Frankenstein insists his name be pronounced “Fronken-steen,” so Igor insists his name be pronounced “Eye-gor.” A beautiful young assistant by the name of Inga (Teri Garr) is assigned to Frankenstein and when they arrive at the castle, the doctor comments favorably about the size of the door knockers and Inga thanks him, thinking he’s complimenting her anatomy. The movie is full of visual and word gags like this. When Igor asks the Doctor to follow him, he says “Walk this way,” and Frankenstein obediently limps along behind him. The doctor at one point suggests to Igor he can do something about his hump to which Igor replies “What hump.” And much to the doctor’s astonishment, Igor’s hump also seems to inexplicably switch from one side of back to the other. More hilarious moments include the top hat and tails song and dance routine performed to “Puttin on the Ritz” reminiscent of Fred Astaire with Dr. Frankenstein and the Creature singing and dancing in perfectly synchronized vaudeville style.
“Dressed up like a million dollar trouper
Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper
Super-duper.”
Mel Brooks addressed the Fathom Event audience at the conclusion of the screening and it was a delight to listen to him share aspects of his professional career with us. He considered Young Frankenstein to be his finest (though not his funniest) film as a writer-director. Interestingly, he felt his funniest film was Blazing Saddles (1974), followed by The Producers (1968) and then Young Frankenstein. However, as far as most audiences are concerned, they are all equally hilarious and our lives are richer because of them. We may have personal favorites, but thankfully we have a rich comic heritage from which to choose.
Aristotle wrote much in an attempt to define tragedy, but claimed he didn’t write about comedy because no one took it seriously. (Drum roll please: da da bum). Without realizing it, he was our first stand-up comic!
If someone tells us they don’t take us seriously, we should consider it a compliment. Mel Brooks would.
by Lidia Paulinska and Hugh McMahon
by Lidia Paulinska | Oct 4, 2016
September, CTIA – The last day of CTIA 2016 conference brought a very special guest as keynote speaker – Academy Award winner, Golden Globe winner and 10-time Grammy Award winner, singer and songwriter – John Legend. His fireside chat discussion with Chris Hercik, senior vice president of Creative + Content, The Foundry@ Time Inc. the musician talked about how he and his wife Chrissy Teigen are for the technology and how they fully embrace it. He loves to be connected. He gave insightful overview on a topic how mobile technology continues to impact music industry.
Hercik also brought the information that not many know about the musician. John Legend is also a philanthropist. He volunteered to help the survivors after the Hurricane Katrina and Haiti. Recently he was ranked number 6 on the “World’s Greatest Leaders” list for the most influential figures from around the world in business, philanthropy and arts. On that list are people like Bono and Pope Francis. Legend was awarded for his effort to reform United States school and prison systems. Musician established the Show Me Campaign, a non-profit organization, to break the poverty trough education. He is also involved in some other charity organizations such millennium Promise Alliance to help African villages.
He spoke about his personal life with wife Chrissy and shared what makes him up. My daughter Luna –answered Legend with laugh. Luna is just few month old. I love music, I love doing what I am doing, and hopefully it makes the world more interesting and more beautiful place – stated Legend – I am lucky that I can do it every day.
by Lidia Paulinska | Oct 3, 2016
September, CTIA – Chris Pearson, President of 5G Americas, told us in 1:1 interview during the CTIA conference that the focus on 5G is good because we need to be looking at the future and the things we need to do to stay connected. This includes providing more mobile broadband, more massive LTE, less latency and finally reliable communication. For the foundation of mobile broadband, 4G and 5G will be integrated together as well the incorporation, with a big role, of LTE Advance and LTE Advanced Pro. But there is some economic reality behind the adoption of the technology in that, if you are an operator, and you want to deploy 5G, you have to have a business case to spend hundreds of millions or billions to pay it back.
5G Americas advocate for more innovations and investments from the private sector to look at the best interests of the end customers. The customer can be consumer, enterprise or verticals inside IOT.
5G Americas is the voice of 5G and LTE for all the Americas. They work by supporting the ecosystem of mobile operators and vendors, working with government agencies, regulatory and standards bodies, as well as other global wireless organizations to promote the 5G & LTE technologies. They work in three (3) different areas:
First – Technical recommendations and facilitations. They don’t typically create standards but they are part of the process of education on the direction of the technology that they want. They also contribute their white papers with the associations around the world and governments around the world with focus on Americas region.
Second – They work on regulatory policy, that as Pearson admitted – become more and more important because of what 5G is going to be doing. 5G is getting to the other verticals and other areas such as: education, transportation and health care. He believes that 5G ecosystem should include and will include a regulatory aspect as it enters market already subject to regulatory control.
Third – Education. They provide outreach with all wireless headquarters including industry media, industry analysts and a lot of influencers and government processes.
by Lidia Paulinska | Sep 25, 2016
September, Fathom events – On Wednesday, September 14, Fathom Events presented “Snowden,” an expertly directed docu-drama by the incomparable Oliver Stone followed by a Live conversation with Edward Snowden (via the internet) and Oliver Stone and the two main actors: Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley (live from NYC).
“Snowden” is the story of an idealistic young man by the name of Edward J. Snowden, probably the world’s most famous, or infamous, depending on your point of view, whistle-blower, who worked for National Security Agency and the C.I.A. as a data analyst, and whose experiences with those organizations lead him to question some accepted truths about patriotism, one’s responsibility to one’s country, and to ultimately challenge the very essence of authority.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Snowden does a remarkably empathetic representation of a shy, intelligent idealist, drawn to government intelligence work out of a sincere desire to serve his country and the gradual and cinemagraphically nuanced transition he experiences at those agencies from an unquestioning data analyst to either a patriotic whistle-blower or traitor depending on one’s point of view. Stone’s interpretation of the events clearly supports the former.
In contrast to many of Stone’s earlier efforts, “Snowden” is a remarkably restrained and intelligent film in both cinematic and political terms…no rage against the system or beating the drum of justified revolution. Snowden is represented as a sincere and thoroughly rational idealist whom Stone frames within a world of divided loyalties, secrecy, and indications of astonishing world-altering power. We witness his ethical angst within a very effective restrained cinematic context. It’s a world of data, codes, and algorithms, a context within which Stone may in fact not be able to choose a course of unrestrained anger and leftist polemic as is typical in many of his earlier works.
Stone makes his case uncharacteristically a-political case with enormous skill, discretion, and restraint without the need to dazzle or enrage his audience. “Snowden” is a clear and honest dramatization of one of the more outstanding news events of the past several years and worthy of our attention.
