INDIE Movie Benefits from 8K Capture
November 2, 2021 – The movie, Two Yellow Lines is a movie the 8K Association is quite familiar with, having worked with its independent (INDIE) filmmakers to master an 8K movie trailer for the film.
“Supporting independent filmmakers who understand the value of capture and production in 8K is a strategic goal of the 8K Association,” commented Des Carey, Global Head of Cinematic Innovation at Samsung Research America. “The 8K trailer was straightforward to produce and was so visually impactful that Samsung Electronics chose to run the 8K movie trailer in retail stores across the globe.”
the benefit of the 8K capture will be evident in the picture quality of the final image. This road trip, shot in Montana and Wyoming, features stunning scenery. It is an independent film of a determined young girl rising up to face her estranged father. His tragic loss of 13 smokejumper crew members while fighting a blowup wildfire has left him scarred and detached from the world around him. Traveling on an aging Harley, the film follows these two strangers as they journey across the Western US.
“One of our goals was to treat the landscape as this additional force, or even character that would continually influence and support our characters along their journey, noted Two Yellow Lines (TYL) writer, director, and cinematographer Derek Bauer. “We purposely chose a small crew and nearly chronological shooting schedule to be adaptable to changing weather, to be open and flexible to new locations and even at times, new story ideas – all in the true spirit of an independent filmmaker.”
Principal photography was shot with a RED DSMC Epic W 8K camera with the Helium sensor (with 6:1 compression) and vintage Leica r prime lenses. “These lenses take a little of the edge off the 8K sensor and give a more organic or film-like look,” said Bauer. “Plus, they offer some blooms and flares when pointed at light sources to create this timeless and vintage look to the film.”
The budget did not allow for this camera to be used on some more challenging shots. As a result, a Panasonic Varicam 4K was used for the underwater shots and a DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone with 4K resolution for the aerial images.
Bauer visualized the movie being shot anamorphically, but again, anamorphic lenses were not an option because of budget constraints. The 8K sensor made sense as it would allow for a 2.39:1 crop in post-production without compromising image quality.
Low-light capture was another consideration that pushed Bauer to choose the RED DSMC camera. Bauer called the capture of low-light images a “healthy negative that protected the blacks and offered a lot of capabilities in terms of noise reduction.”
There were only a few VFX shots but having the higher resolution image helped with the clean addition of these elements to the film. Other benefits were the ability to reframe shots and to stabilize vibration from motion shots.
In terms of the practical considerations of shooting with 8K, a massive amount of data is captured, so only one backup was done instead of a more routine 2-3 backups. Plus, it can take more time to off-load the data to storage devices. The team was also unable to do dailies or proxies on set. “We treated the 8K capture the way one might treat shooting with film,” explained Bauer.
The production workflow was essentially the same as any other movie, as shown in the graphic below. “Besides the additional data requirements and enhanced processing power needed for 8K, post-production was quite routine,” said Bauer.
“By shooting in 8K, we future-proofed our move,” continued Bauer. “This is exactly why we’re able to create an 8K trailer with the assistance of the 8K Association.”
For a more in-depth discussion of the movie, check out the TYL presentation at the 2020 SEMPTE conference as part of a special 8K session sponsored by the 8K Association. A recording of the whole session titled The Creative Perspective on 8K is available on the 8KA’s YouTube channel. Bauer’s discussion begins at 24:30.
ABOUT THE 8K Association:
Established in January 2019, the 8K Association has grown to encompass a broad membership of leading companies that represent all parts of the 8K ecosystem. From 8K content creators and technology suppliers that enable 8K content creation to display semiconductor makers, panel manufacturers and the world’s biggest TV brands – 8KA member companies are at the forefront of delivering the most impressive images from lens to living room.
The organization’s mission is to grow appreciation and awareness of 8K products which will provide an even higher level of large screen entertainment. Our activities include development performance and interface specifications, compliance logo programs, education and coordination with 8K ecosystem developers to help build the 8K market. The 8K Association is composed of over 30 member companies who represent global leadership in consumer electronics, display manufacturing, ingredient technology providers as well as content and distribution.
The 8K Association site for industry professionals is available at: www.8KAssociation.com
Find 8K Association Certified products and learn about how 8K can be enjoyed at home at the 8K Association site for consumers: www.Discover8K.com
Companies interested in contacting the 8KA for additional information may reach us at: info@8KAssociation.com
