THE ABYSS anamorphic release? (MERGED THREAD) (1 Viewer)

[Paul.S]

I read Bill's anamorphic guide when it was originally "published." Perhaps you would care to cut and paste the pertinent parts that you feel I need a refresher on (especially given that it's my recollection that that piece deals exclusively with anamorphic issues in connection with telecine for DVD, rather than what's at issue here, which is broadcasting-specific)?

And the "provincial" comment wasn't directed at you (but if the shoe fits, etc.)

 

[Geoff_D]

Paul, UK digital TV broadcasts are "anamorphic" in the way that Monsieur Hunt describes it as relating to DVD. There's no need to delve any further. That's what we've been repeatedly trying to get across, which leads to my next point...

We've gotten a little excited because The Abyss - which is only available on "non-anamorphic" DVD - has been broadcast in "anamorphic" on TV, and in the original theatrical ratio to boot.

That's pretty much it, dude. If you still find fault with that, keeping in mind the Bits' article and its usage of the term "anamorphic" (PURELY in the sense of video transfer and not the shooting format), then it's best I leave it there.

 

[Paul.S]

Wonderful. But what you seem to be missing is that, although I acknowledge Dave's having mentioned there being precedent for anamorphic DVD release on the tails of an anamorphic U.K. broadcast, ONE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHER. An engineer flipping a switch in some U.K. television broadcasting studio to squeeze their transmission has nothing to do with anamorphic DVD telecine done in a mastering house here in Hollywood (or wherever). I understand your point about the processes being analogous, but IMO the more important point is that those processes are completely discrete. It's almost as though you're intimating that your anamorphic broadcast is sourced from an anamorphic DVD when that is of course not the case and I think you know that.

And if you think that a U.K. anamorphic broadcast is somehow a stronger bellweather of when Abyss will hit anamorphic DVD (and BD) than when Jim makes the time to supervise the transfer (which he'll insist upon) while shooting Avatar, I'd disagree.

 

[TonyD]

i'm still not sure i understand whats going on
with the anamorphic tv broadcast thing.

 

[Mark Oates]

I think the inference is that Channel 4 TV is in possession of a 16:9 enhanced master tape of The Abyss, and all Fox UK needs to do is borrow it to author a DVD in the proper aspect ratio. It's happened before - I believe Universal's UK release of King Kong used a transfer made by BBCtv.

 

[Paul.S]

It's not my understanding that the master/source for a DVD transfer--say, a D4 digital tape--is 16x9 enhanced. The "squeeze" is applied in the process of creating the master used for DVD production.