FILM TO TAPE

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The Film to Tape process involves transferring a film via Telecine to Digital Video Tape.  A Telecine is a high quality projector and video camera in one.  The film is colour graded to adjust for natural fleshtones.  If the film is anamorphic then the producers have to decide on which format to transfer the film in, Pan & Scan or Letterbox.  

 
Mastering for DVD
 

With the advent of High-Definition Television (HDTV), film companies are starting to transfer movies to high-definition masters with 1080 horizontal lines.  Because high-definition masters are so clean and jitter free, many of the MPEG-2 encoder problems are eliminated. 

 
To fit the length of an entire movie on a DVD, the information has to be compressed, using MPEG-2 compression.  It works by recording only the changes from one frame to the next.  If the information of the previous frame stays the same, the DVD encoder can save space on the disc by not re-recording that information.  On playback the DVD just repeats the last frame.  Noise in the image can confuse the MPEG-2 encoder.  If the frame jitters, the DVD encoder might falsely interpret that jitter as a change in the image.  Noise in the image can also confuse the encoder.  With higher quality transfers, many such problems are eliminated. 

The big difference for the DVD version of a movie is that it virtually mirrors the high-definition master.  Film companies such as New Line, MGM, and Fox are utilising high-definition masters.

 

New Line Home Video was one of the first studios to bring high-definition transfers to DVD on titles such as
Lost In Space (1998)

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20th Century Fox used a high-definition transfer for the
DVD version of Alien Resurrection (1997)

 

MGM is another studio using high-definition
transfers for DVD on titles such as
Terminator  (1984)

 

SuperBit

In October of 2001, Columbia Tri-Star unveiled a new DVD, called the SUPERBIT DVD. These DVDs devote the entire data capacity to accommodate higher video bit rates and two surround sound options,  DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1.  By omitting bonus materials, running audio commentaries, other audio language soundtracks, extra data capacity is freed up for the higher video bit rate.  The standard video bit rates on typical DVD movies average about 4-5 Megabits per second (Mbps)  The Superbit DVD series' bit rates average about 6-9 Mbps, which means that the picture is less compressed.

 

Columbia/Tri-Star Super Bit transfer for the
DVD version of The Fifth Element (1997). Average Bit Rate 6Mbps

 

Columbia/Tri-Star Super Bit transfer for the
DVD version of Hollow Man (2000). Average Bit Rate 8Mbps

 

 

Letterbox
 

A process used for transferring CinemaScope, Todd-AO, Panavision, and other widescreen format films to tape is letterbox.  This is an alternative that has long been available on laserdiscs.  The film is transferred in such a way that the entire picture fills the width of the television screen, leaving black bars top and bottom.  This enables the consumer to view a film shown in its original aspect ratio, as intended by the director.  Some anamorphic films when transferred to video in letterbox, can be anywhere from 2.35:1 to 2.10:1.

 

On the left a scene from
Lord of the Rings (2001)
as it would be seen in the cinema, and on the right the letterbox transfer to Video.

 

On the left is a 35mm Panavision film frame from Goldeneye (1995), and on the right the letterbox transfer to Video.

 

On the left is a 35mm widescreen film frame from Spider Man (2002, and on the right the letterbox transfer to Video.

 

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On the left is a 70mm Todd-AO film frame from South Pacific (1958), and on the right the letterbox transfer to Video.

 

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On the left is a 70mm Ultra Panavision
film frame from Ben Hur (1959), and on the right the letterbox transfer to Video.

Pan & Scan

Ever since the introduction of Cinemascope in 1952, the anamorphic film has posed a problem - how to get a Widescreen film to video tape.  Pan & Scan is a method used by the film companies, when transferring film to video tape, to be screened on television and viewed on VHS tape.  The film is transferred in such a way that it fills the 1.33:1 frame vertically, but due to the original Panavision ratio of 2.35:1 there is no way the image will fit horizontally.  So the operator maintains that the "centre of interest" is kept in the television frame.

 

When two actors carry on a conversation from opposite
ends of the frame as in Tomorrow Never Dies the
Pan & Scan must omit one of the actors to make
the frame fit a television screen.

 

On the right you can see the Pan & Scan method in operation.  As the film is being
transferred, the operator focuses on the action where the dialogue is taking place.

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On the left a scene from
Goldeneye (1995)
as it would be seen
in the cinema, and on the right
the Pan&Scan
transfer to Video.

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On the left a scene from
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
as it would be seen
in the cinema, and on the right
the Pan&Scan
transfer to Video.

tnd_vhs.jpg (14381 bytes)

 

On the left is an example of a CinemaScope film transferred to Tape.  After the titles, the image is enlarged to fit the 4x3 screen.

 

DVD Production

DVD production has three basic stages:
  • Video Mastering.  The mastering may include an additional stage for CSS encryption, macrovision and regionalisation.
  • Authoring, which is MPEG-2 encoding & formatting and Dolby Digital audio encoding).
  • Replication, including DVD mastering, is usually a separate job done by large plants that also replicate CDs.  DVD replication equipment typically costs millions of dollars.

 
Remastering

There are many films that have been released on VHS and Laserdisc that their masters have been made from old film prints, scratches and all.  Remastering means a new film print is used to make the Digital Video Master.  To demonstrate this, the frame on the left below is a Pan & Scan version and the frame on the right is the Remastered DVD version.
Today Remastering for DVD refers to High-Definition Television (HDTV).  Film companies are now transferring movies to high-definition masters with 1080 horizontal lines.

 

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On the left is a frame from Dr No (1962).

On the right is a frame from the remastered THX DVD version.

 

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Restoration

The need to restore a film has come about due to the deterioration of negatives and prints.  The restoration of a film involves restoring the original copy of a film, by cleaning each  frame, eliminating scratches and restoring the original colour.  A number of films including Lawrence of Arabia, Spartacus, My Fair Lady and Vertigo, have undergone these labour intensive processes by restoration team James Katz and Robert Harris which involves endless patience and skill, not to mention money.

 

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On the left is an original frame from Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958).

On the right a frame from the newly restored version, which was filmed in VistaVision.

vertigo_after (259254 bytes)

 

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On the left is an frame from Spartacus (1960).

On the right a frame from the newly restored version,

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THX Mastered

THX was named after George Lucas's first feature film, THX 1138 (1970).  THX certifies home video software through the THX Digital Mastering Program, ensuring that DVD software, laserdiscs and VHS videotapes provide the best image and sound quality possible through the use of THX technology quality control expertise.  A DVD that has been THX mastered displays the symbol   "DIGITALLY THX MASTERED For Superior Sound and Picture Quality."

 

The split frame on the right from Planet of the Apes (1968) shows the comparison between the original on the right of the frame
and the THX quality control on the left.

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THX

Original

 

The Movie Frames on this page are for demonstration purposes only and are in no way intended to infringe copyright.
All trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

 

Spartacus © Universal Pictures

 

 

007, Ben Hur Terminator and Vertigo  © METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER/UNITED ARTIST

 

 The Mask of Zorro and  The Fifth Element
© TriStar

Planet of the Apes, South Pacific        
 © 2oth Century-Fox

Lost In Space, Lord of the Rings
© New Line Cinema