Won the 2013 Academy Award for Best Cinematography
5 Responses
Thanks for uploading this. As I’ve said, 2012 was a very good year for cinematography. Beautifully shot film full of colour and vibrancy. After awarding ”Hugo” with the Academy Award for Cinematography, it looks like the Academy is really accepting the new age of digital cinematography.
I agree. 2012 had some good looking films! Two of the five films were shot digitally (Skyfall and Life of Pi) on the Arri Alexa. Last year 2 of 5 were shot digitally as well (Dragon Tattoo and Hugo). I wonder how long it will be before we have a year with all 5 films being shot digitally. Hmmmm.
Hey Frank, that is interesting. You’ll notice a little later (picture 351) the aspect ratio changes again to 4:3. According to Ang Lee: “I’ve always wanted to do that … since film school, and no one allowed me to. Why do we have to stick with one ratio? It was like that with Crouching Tiger. When we were in some scenes, I want it to be standard. When we’re in the desert, it should be wide screen. I felt that ‘Scope was the only way to see this [flying fish] scene, and with the black areas [at the bottom of the frame], I could pull fish out of there; I think that’s a great tool in 3D filmmaking. I think it’s very exciting.”
I remember the change when I watched this movie in the theater. Another interesting thing to note was that when I was in the theater the flying fish were actually coming outside that aspect ratio frame. It was very odd. You don’t see it in the screenshots here, but I vividly remember the flying fish crossing into the black bars at the top and bottom of the frame even though nothing else in the scene did.
5 Responses
Thanks for uploading this. As I’ve said, 2012 was a very good year for cinematography. Beautifully shot film full of colour and vibrancy. After awarding ”Hugo” with the Academy Award for Cinematography, it looks like the Academy is really accepting the new age of digital cinematography.
I agree. 2012 had some good looking films! Two of the five films were shot digitally (Skyfall and Life of Pi) on the Arri Alexa. Last year 2 of 5 were shot digitally as well (Dragon Tattoo and Hugo). I wonder how long it will be before we have a year with all 5 films being shot digitally. Hmmmm.
Thanks for posting this Evan!
But can anyone explain why the sudden and brief aspect ratio change in the flying fish sequence?
Hey Frank, that is interesting. You’ll notice a little later (picture 351) the aspect ratio changes again to 4:3. According to Ang Lee: “I’ve always wanted to do that … since film school, and no one allowed me to. Why do we have to stick with one ratio? It was like that with Crouching Tiger. When we were in some scenes, I want it to be standard. When we’re in the desert, it should be wide screen. I felt that ‘Scope was the only way to see this [flying fish] scene, and with the black areas [at the bottom of the frame], I could pull fish out of there; I think that’s a great tool in 3D filmmaking. I think it’s very exciting.”
I think it also has something to do with what is called a “stereo window violation”. I haven’t studied 3d filmmaking too closely, but if you google it you may be able to learn a little more. Check out this post: http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?58046-Floating-Windows_-please-help-me-understand
I remember the change when I watched this movie in the theater. Another interesting thing to note was that when I was in the theater the flying fish were actually coming outside that aspect ratio frame. It was very odd. You don’t see it in the screenshots here, but I vividly remember the flying fish crossing into the black bars at the top and bottom of the frame even though nothing else in the scene did.