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[ChrisSmith]

Hi,

Just shot a Texas-aired Superbowl spot with my new Alexa, the anamorphic de-squeeze option, and 3 Cooke anamorphic primes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gSoRtXyxGTw

Sorry they didn't post in HD (which blows my mind).

[robstiff]

Looks great!

Was it recorded by SxS or ARRI RAW?

[Michael Borenstein]

Chris,

Congrats on the spot and the new camera.  It looks fantastic.    Thanks for sharing.

Regards
Mike

[Jumperjack]

Nice job!

[ChrisSmith]

Thanks, guys.

It was to SxS cards at 4444.  I did tests before the shoot with the unsqueeze and even blowing up some to hit 2.39:1 Still looked great so we didn't bother with RAW.

[robstiff]

It's really nice to see the results using anamorphics with the Alexa.
I forgot to ask, which Cooke anamorphic primes (the focal lengths) were used?

[ChrisSmith]

30-something, 50, and 100 if I'm remembering correctly.  I would have to look back at the cam order to hit the exact mils.  I remember the 100 for sure.

The grocery store scene with the alien was zeiss super speeds though.  The anamorphics had bad wash-out from all the ceiling flos.  So I went spherical for that scene. Most of the downtown shots at night were also super speeds since I picked those shots up on my own time and just carried around a 25mm prime Panavision let me borrow for a couple of weeks and would shoot wide open on T1.3 at 800EI.

I had two monitoring frame lines depending which lens set was used.  I made a custom 2.39 with a 4:3 over it (with a full blackout for a letterbox) for spherical lenses.  And with the anamorphic de-sqeeze I used the preset 2x with zoom option.  And that gives you it's own framelines for 2.39.  Then I wax-penciled a 4:3 protect on my onboard monitor.

[Rodrigo Lizana]

Great Add !.   Congratulations, it looks fantastic !.

[robstiff]

You have shown a great example of combining both anamorphic and spherical lenses for a spot.
Thank you for the details on that.

[ChrisSmith]

I finally posted an HD version (also linked is a behind-the-scenes video which shows the alexa quite a bit)

http://vimeo.com/39434890

[robstiff]

Chris,
Since is was for broadcast in the USA did you have the Alexa set to record
at 23.976 ? Project Frame Rate & Sensor Frame Rate?
Thanks, rob

[ChrisSmith]

I set my project frame rate always to 23.98.  All post is done in 23.98 and there is a 23.98 master done of the spot.  Then there are cross-converts at the very last stage to 59.94 for broadcast.  Also usually downconverts to SD at the same time.

But I think of everything always at 23.98 and just do the conversion to the horrible US broadcast standards at the very last step

[robstiff]

Have you even encountered any issues shooting in 24 frames per second vs. 23.976 and then having to
do a pull down for broadcast?

With your Alexa project frame rate set at 23.976, same for the Alexa's sensor rate setting also?

[ChrisSmith]

Don't think I've ever set the Alexa to straight 24.  Project at 23.98 and when shooting sync, it's the same rate, or off speed of course for over or undercrank.

besides for commercials where they total edit is 30 seconds and each shot is most 2-3 seconds, even if the audio was set to 23.98 and the cam to 24, it would take a while to drift out of sync.  So even if you set the cam to 24 and edited in 23.98, The footage will still be fine just may drift over time from any audio if you have a hella long shot in an edit.  Like when I shot film for years we just set the cam at 24 fps and the transferred it at 23.98.  It's technically not accurate but never had problems.  Just like when we render 3D elements from software it's usually set at straight 24 fps in the 3D app, but edited at 23.98.

[Erick Aguilar]

Great choice of format. The anamorphic really adds to the futuristic eerie tone. Did you use any filters, e.g. Blue Steak filters to add to the effect.