News Stories

Christmas Carol Arriving On DVD In Time To Humbug The Holidays

10.31.2010

Charles Dickens’ belovedChristmas Carol has been filmed more times than I can count — straightforward adaptations, musical adaptations, Muppet adaptations — but Hollywood never seems to tire of bringing out a new version. And that’s understandable, I suppose. It’s got a little of everything: holiday cheer, spooky goings-on, easily digestible morality, and a crotchety antihero protagonist who was humbugging all over everybody’s fun long before Dr. Gregory House came along. Last year Hollywood yet again dragged Ebenezer Scrooge away from his quaint Jamaican retirement home, this time in the form of an animated mo-cap outing directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Jim Carrey as multiple characters, including old Scrooge himself.

Just in time to cash in on the Christmas spirit, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will be releasing A Christmas Carol on Blu-ray and DVD November 16th. What’s more, A Christmas Carol will be Disney’s first Blu-ray 3D release, exciting news for those of you who have somehow managed to stay excited about that technology this long. The release will span the Disney-standard array of formats: a four-disc Blu-ray combo pack ($49.99), a one-disc Blu-ray ($39.99), and a one-disc DVD ($29.99). The combo pack will include the 3D Blu-ray, a regular Blu-ray, a DVD version, and a digital copy.

BLU-RAY 3D Disc includes an exclusive 3D bonus feature, plus all the Blu-ray and DVD features:

  • Mr. Scrooge’s Wild Ride — In this 3D bonus feature, director Zemeckis and the cast explain how 3D made the Dickens novella come to life. The feature explores how 3D technology brought a whole new dimension to the story, from the Ghost of Christmas Past whisking Scrooge through time, to the look and feel of the characters in 19th Century London.

BLU-RAY features include all of the DVD features plus:

  • Behind the Carol: The Full Motion-Capture Experience — A feature-length picture-in-picture viewing mode takes the audience behind the scenes of motion capture filmmaking.
  • Countdown to Christmas Interactive Calendar — 25 days of holiday surprises extend the holiday cheer, as viewers come back to discover what each door holds.
  • Six deleted scenes

DVD features include:

  • Capturing A Christmas Carol — Actress Jacquie Barnbrook hosts a journey through the creative process of Disney’s A Christmas Carol.
  • On Set With Sammi — Follow Sammi Hanratty, one of the film’s young stars, as she shares a kid’s-eye view of an “anything but average” day on the set.
  • Three deleted scenes

By David Wharton

original post: http://www.cinemablend.com/dvdnews/Disney-s-A-Christmas-Carol-Arriving-On-DVD-In-Time-To-Humbug-The-Holidays-27889.html

Enslaved Will Be Getting 3D DLC

10.31.2010

Namco Bandai has announced that Enslaved will be obtaining its first piece of the DLC pie, which above all things will be adding support for both full stereoscopic 3D and a imitation 3D for people who purchase a set of TiOviz Inicolor Glasses (The same device that powered the 3D version of Batman: Arkham Asylum).

Along with the 3D addition, players will also be able to partake in a new campaign of sorts titled; “Pigsy’s Perfect 10″. This unique side story offers a different perspective on the game world, with a focus more placed on stealth, sniping and grenade kills.

This DLC is scheduled to launch before the end of 2010 and will cost 800 MSP ($9.95).

by BRYCE WILSON

original post: http://www.ripten.com/2010/10/30/enslaved-getting-3d-dlc-brycew/

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Specification for Naming VFX Image Sequences Released

ETC’s VFX Working Group has published a specification for best practices naming image sequences such as plates and comps. File naming is an essential tool for organizing the multitude of frames that are inputs and outputs from the VFX process. Prior to the publication of this specification, each organization had its own naming scheme, requiring custom processes for each partner, which often resulted in confusion and miscommunication.

The new ETC@USC specification focuses primarily on sequences of individual images. The initial use case was VFX plates, typically delivered as OpenEXR or DPX files. However, the team soon realized that the same naming conventions can apply to virtually any image sequence. Consequently, the specification was written to handle a wide array of assets and use cases.

To ensure all requirements are represented, the working group included over 2 dozen participants representing studios, VFX houses, tool creators, creatives and others.  The ETC@USC also worked closely with MovieLabs to ensure that the specification could be integrated as part of their 2030 Vision.

A key design criteria for this specification is compatibility with existing practices.  Chair of the VFX working group, Horst Sarubin of Universal Pictures, said: “Our studio is committed to being at the forefront of designing best industry practices to modernize and simplify workflows, and we believe this white paper succeeded in building a new foundation for tools to transfer files in the most efficient manner.”

This specification is compatible with other initiatives such as the Visual Effects Society (VES) Transfer Specifications. “We wanted to make it as seamless as possible for everyone to adopt this specification,” said working group co-chair and ETC@USC’s Erik Weaver. “To ensure all perspectives were represented we created a team of industry experts familiar with the handling of these materials and collaborated with a number of industry groups.”

“Collaboration between MovieLabs and important industry groups like the ETC is critical to implementing the 2030 Vision,” said Craig Seidel, SVP of MovieLabs. “This specification is a key step in defining the foundations for better software-defined workflows. We look forward to continued partnership with the ETC on implementing other critical elements of the 2030 Vision.”

The specification is available online for anyone to use.

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