What's up with Spielberg and Kaminski?

Raiders112390 said:
What's something low compression, 4k, with a good quality sensor for under say 500?

I think lowest you can get for the quality your looking for is the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K for about 1200. Sony has a 4K line up but nothing under 500 yet. GoPro might be worth looking into: Hero 4, 5 and 6 are out. Then get a stabilizing handle or gimbal to get rid of the shakiness.
 

Udvarnoky

Well-known member
I thought the conversation about the movie's workflow was worth waking back up in light of CRYSTAL SKULL's UHD release. It seems that Spielberg's old-school insistence on a cut O-Neg permitted them to go back and conduct a 4K scan. Naturally, the effects shots - which make up a considerable amount of the movie - are upscales, but the benefits in resolution from being able to go back to the 35mm source are plain to see.

I will never be a fan of how CRYSTAL SKULL looks - the choices made in photography that condemn the movie to exist in a gauzy, self-consciously artifical, weightless world where stakes are not possible are baked in - but I appreciate what has been done to remaster it to its full potential. The new, de-chlorinated color grade is an improvement on such a substantial and objective level that you can't help but wonder whether the original timing was the result of an outright error in the DI suite in 2008 that nobody wanted to cop to.
 
I thought the conversation about the movie's workflow was worth waking back up in light of CRYSTAL SKULL's UHD release. It seems that Spielberg's old-school insistence on a cut O-Neg permitted them to go back and conduct a 4K scan. Naturally, the effects shots - which make up a considerable amount of the movie - are upscales, but the benefits in resolution from being able to go back to the 35mm source are plain to see.

I will never be a fan of how CRYSTAL SKULL looks - the choices made in photography that condemn the movie to exist in a gauzy, self-consciously artifical, weightless world where stakes are not possible are baked in - but I appreciate what has been done to remaster it to its full potential. The new, de-chlorinated color grade is an improvement on such a substantial and objective level that you can't help but wonder whether the original timing was the result of an outright error in the DI suite in 2008 that nobody wanted to cop to.
Hi there. I’ve always detested the look of CS thanks to Kaminski. The entire film looks like it was shot on a green screen at a karaoke bar. Can you clarify which physical media is the newest more palatable version before I purchase? Also, is it confirmed that said version was intentionally trying to mirror the majesty of Slocombe? Thanks
 

Udvarnoky

Well-known member
It's part of the UHD box set only. It's possible the new master is also used by some streaming sources, but I wouldn't bother buying it that way.

As far as whether the revised color grading was done from the standpoint of trying to mirror Slocombe, I couldn't say. It isn't possible for CRYSTAL SKULL, as shot, to ever be consistent with Slocombe's work. The more natural palette makes it look more like the other films, but still highly distinct. CRYSTAL SKULL's physical filtration and conscious lighting choices aren't something you can undo in post. Its overall look was captured directly onto the celluloid.

To me what the improvement really goes to show is that on top of everything else, CRYSTAL SKULL as originally released had a gratuitously ugly grade.
 

IndianaBones

Well-known member
And to think that Spielberg was gonna use Janusz again for Indiana Jones 5 before he left the project. I don’t understand what’s his obsession with that guy.
 

IndianaBones

Well-known member
I actually think it’s okay now from the new 4K scan. Not great mind you, but I went from hating it to thinking it’s okay.
I agree, I actually like how the color looks more…normal? Less orange tones and unnatural tones. And less of the bloom that Janusz gives. I just wished Steven would try other different cinematographers for his movies like he did before. I love the old Indy movies because of how natural they look. They really shine on 4k
 

Jonesy9906753

Well-known member
I agree, I actually like how the color looks more…normal? Less orange tones and unnatural tones. And less of the bloom that Janusz gives. I just wished Steven would try other different cinematographers for his movies like he did before. I love the old Indy movies because of how natural they look. They really shine on 4k
Spielberg boasts how Kaminski has a great talent to play with shadow and flare. While I like most the work he’s done with Steven, it’s really hard to top Dougie Slocombe!

I think Dean Cundey, a previous collaborator of Spielberg’s might’ve been a better fit for DP on KOTCS.
 

seasider

Active member
Speaking of Cundey, he did the cinematography on the most recent episode of The Book of Boba Fett. He's still got it.

Before 1993, Spielberg went through several DPs (Bill Butler, Vilmos Zsigmond, William A. Fraker, Douglas Slocombe, Allen Daviau, Mikael Salomon and Dean Cundey) but none of them stuck with him the way Kaminski has. He seems to understand how Spielberg works and produce the shots he likes in a short period of time. For the most part I think it's a partnership that has worked out well and he'll likely get another Oscar nomination for West Side Story.

Would I like to see Spielberg work with other DPs? Absolutely, I'd love to see him do a movie with Roger Deakins, John Toll and Emmanuel Lubezki to name a few but that's not how Spielberg works unfortunately. He has his inner circle or collaborators (John Williams, Michael Kahn, Janusz Kaminski among others) he prefers to work with on most of his movies and they all have developed their own shorthand on getting Spielberg the movie he wants. And that's actually true of a lot of directors, they have their group of collaborators that they're comfortable working with and they will stick with those people for a lot of their movies.
 
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