Truelight The digital film post production process is coming of age. With the advent of high speed film scanners, digital cameras, and the increasing use of computer generated images, it is now viable to create a digital master of an entire film. Working effectively with digitised material on electronic displays, either for digital grading or special effects, requires an accurate method for previsualising the final projected image. Truelight is this method. It is an effective solution for the real time high resolution grading seat and for the 2D/3D workstation. Encompassing FilmLight’s unique colour modelling software and hardware, together with purpose built measurement instruments designed specifically for the high dynamic range of film images, Truelight is a complete, no-compromise colour management system for motion picture imaging professionals.
The colour gamut of a graphics monitor (grey spheres) and of Kodak Vision film (coloured spheres) plotted in CIE Lab space.
True Colour Management for Digital Post Production FilmLight recognises that for digital mastering to gain acceptance amongst traditional filmmakers, the accuracy of the rendition from digital image to print is critical. Many projects involve cutting digitally processed scenes next to those printed from camera negative, so it is not sufficient for an electronic display to emulate just the printed digital negative – it must also faithfully reflect how the untouched material will print. To do otherwise would give the final output an unnatural ‘electronic’ look that would not sit comfortably next to traditionally processed material. With this in mind, FilmLight has developed rigorous mathematical models for the interaction of projector light with film dyes, for processing in the film lab, for the output of monitors and digital projectors, and for the psychophysics of human vision in different viewing environments. All are underpinned by measurements from custom designed instruments which, unlike equipment designed for desktop publishing or video environments, can capture the full range and subtlety of the film image in both preview and print.
Truelight features: · Platform independent real time 2k nonlinear three-dimensional colour transform hardware with inputs/outputs for analogue RGB, DVI, and HD-SDI. · Transform characteristics configurable for any stock, printing process, electronic display, and simulated projection system. · Software implementations, available as plug-ins into compositing and rendering packages, to produce the same consistent result facility-wide. · Monitor calibration hardware/software system for 2D and 3D compositor seats for accurate black level measurement, and basic ‘by eye’ setup application for less critical seats. · Indication of out of gamut colours for any given transform.
A digital negative image as it would appear printed on Kodak Vision stock and projected.
The same image as it would appear on a CRT monitor using gamma correction only. Highlights are blown out, shadow detail is lost, and colours are over saturated.
The same image as it would appear on a CRT monitor using greyscale calibration with three one-dimensional lookup tables. Highlights and shadows are correct, but colours are still over saturated.
The same image as it would appear on a CRT monitor using the Truelight threedimensional nonlinear transform. The projected image from a Kodak Vision print is simulated optimally.
Digital Film Solutions In the mid eighties the research and development group at the Computer Film Company pioneered the field of digital film, and twice received Technical Achievement Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The same team, now operating independently as FilmLight, continues to develop high productivity tools for digital post production.
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Film Write: 38 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3EL, UK Phone: +44 (0)20 7631 4905 Fax: +44 (0)20 7631 4906 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.filmlight.ltd.uk
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