4K Cinematic Studio Participation

[Sasquatch]

Has anyone been paying attention to which studios have and have not been having 4K cinematic title updates?

Personally, I haven’t been paying too close attention, but it would be interesting to see if any key studios seem to not be participating.

I’ve obviously noticed a lot of Disney conversions but those are also the titles most watched in my household, so easy for us to take note.

 

[LoveCinema]

Has anyone been paying attention to which studios have and have not been having 4K cinematic title updates?

Personally, I haven’t been paying too close attention, but it would be interesting to see if any key studios seem to not be participating.

I’ve obviously noticed a lot of Disney conversions but those are also the titles most watched in my household, so easy for us to take note.

Huh, I wouldn’t think the studio has anything to do with any of this. I mean, K’s not getting new/special assets, they’re just applying new encoding rules to get the most out of the mezzanine files. Apple, K, Netflix, and everyone else gets the same files and encode however they need for their platform. Technically, the studios would have no involvement, no?

Maybe since it’s being marketed as a new “format” there could be a head’s up at best?

Having said that, AMC/RLJE titles have always been (largely) limited to 4K SDR so I wonder if we’ll see anything from them.

 

[Sasquatch]

Didn’t know if there would be contract barriers or quality constraints within the mezzanine files from certain studios.

Definitely not saying there is, but I was just curious as to if anyone had been paying attention to trends in 4K cinematic releases by studio.

 

[cyberkryten]

It's an interesting question, but something I doubt anyone outside of K will know the answer to, and it may even differ per studio.

With no restrictions they could, in theory, release a Strato that was capable of decoding and playing back a full-rate Mezzanine file and just ship those out - I suspect that isn't allowed and it would almost certainly not work on most people's home networks (but would mean they sold a lot more of the bigger Terras!).

 

[Imakeller]

I don’t know exactly how it works, but I guess I assumed that K was creating 4K-C versions from the very same mezzanine files used to create the vanilla 4K versions with no need for K to get anything more from the studios. If that’s the way it works, K could eventually put out 4K-C versions for anything they currently sell in 4K. I could be under a mistaken assumption though.

 

[KDeering]

Huh, I wouldn’t think the studio has anything to do with any of this. I mean, K’s not getting new/special assets, they’re just applying new encoding rules to get the most out of the mezzanine files. Apple, K, Netflix, and everyone else gets the same files and encode however they need for their platform. Technically, the studios would have no involvement, no?

Maybe since it’s being marketed as a new “format” there could be a head’s up at best?

Having said that, AMC/RLJE titles have always been (largely) limited to 4K SDR so I wonder if we’ll see anything from them.

They are getting new assets if they are getting 444 mezzanine files. Before they were getting 422 files, so getting higher quality mezzanine files from the studio is an ask.

 

[KDeering]

I don’t know exactly how it works, but I guess I assumed that K was creating 4K-C versions from the very same mezzanine files used to create the vanilla 4K versions with no need for K to get anything more from the studios. If that’s the way it works, K could eventually put out 4K-C versions for anything they currently sell in 4K. I could be under a mistaken assumption though.

This should be the case with both DV and 4K SDR versions (unless the SDR is 444).

 

[MikeKobb]

Our 4K Cinematic updates are being made based on popularity of the titles, independent of studio of origin. 4K Cinematic is a method of maximizing the quality that we're able to deliver from assets that we already have.

 

[Balthazar2k4]

Find it interesting that I am seeing a number of older Sony titles only getting 4KC SDR treatment even if there was an HDR10 regular 4K version before.

 

[MikeKobb]

Find it interesting that I am seeing a number of older Sony titles only getting 4KC SDR treatment even if there was an HDR10 regular 4K version before.

I inquired about this. There are some titles where we are waiting on Dolby Vision assets, and once those arrive, we will produce both Dolby Vision and HDR10 versions.

Our plan going forward would be to hold release of 4K Cinematic updates when we know that there are additional versions upcoming, so that they debut with a complete picture of the options available.

 

[KDeering]

Like that! While you are waiting for those assets please update the titles that are only DV/SDR to HDR10! So many titles I am chomping at the bit on but only out there in DV!!! Thanks so much!!!

 

[steelman1991]

Like that! While you are waiting for those assets please update the titles that are only DV/SDR to HDR10! So many titles I am chomping at the bit on but only out there in DV!!! Thanks so much!!!

Kris have you had an opportunity to watch any of the C_SDR content. If so, what’s your take on them. See plenty of comment on DV/HDR titles but little on SDR, which I use almost exclusively as a preference as my set up is slightly light starved.

 

[leo9000]

Our 4K Cinematic updates are being made based on popularity of the titles, independent of studio of origin. 4K Cinematic is a method of maximizing the quality that we're able to deliver from assets that we already have.

I’m still waiting on my K to ship, but I hope they upgrade all the Kubrick titles to 4K Cinematic.

 

[KDeering]

Kris have you had an opportunity to watch any of the C_SDR content. If so, what’s your take on them. See plenty of comment on DV/HDR titles but little on SDR, which I use almost exclusively as a preference as my set up is slightly light starved.

I've looked at a few of them and they've been fine. I didn't care for the overall look of Superman in SDR, I like the HDR better. I like Inception in 4K SDR better than the HDR one (looks WAY more natural). Felt the same for The Dark Knight as well. I didn't like the SDR versions of the Avatar films compared to the HDR, same goes for Blade Runner 2049 (Actually surprised on that one given its lower peak).

For non-cinematic, from some cursory testing I like the 4K SDR of A Hidden Life more than the HDR.

 

[Ephiz]

Mike’s clarification makes a lot of sense. Prioritizing updates based on title popularity rather than studio seems like the right approach. As the library grows, it will be interesting to see whether catalog titles eventually receive the same treatment. Looking forward to seeing the 4K Cinematic catalog continue to expand.

 

[steelman1991]

I've looked at a few of them and they've been fine. I didn't care for the overall look of Superman in SDR, I like the HDR better. I like Inception in 4K SDR better than the HDR one (looks WAY more natural). Felt the same for The Dark Knight as well. I didn't like the SDR versions of the Avatar films compared to the HDR, same goes for Blade Runner 2049 (Actually surprised on that one given its lower peak).

For non-cinematic, from some cursory testing I like the 4K SDR of A Hidden Life more than the HDR.

Thanks Kris. For some reason I was hoping for a little more enthusiasm than "fine" . Appreciate you taking the time to respond. I felt the same about the Avatar films in non-cinematic SDR, colour palette seemed "washed out", lacking in saturation and depth.