Well, dear readers, I had a rather amazing experience at a film lab yesterday, when we transferred reel one of The First Nudie Musical. I’d brought along the DVD because we’d spent some time and effort on color correction and framing and I thought it would be handy to have as a guide. I’d forgotten just how scratchy some of that transfer was (made from three different prints) and, of course, DVD resolution didn’t really help matters. I was also surprised that I wasn’t all that thrilled with the color. In any case, Jon, the transfer and colorist guy, put up reel one, and I could instantly see the difference in clarity, not only from the fact that we were viewing in hi-def, but because we were only a generation away from the camera negative. Now, you must understand, that even under the best of circumstances, Nudie Musical never looked that good – it was a VERY inexpensive film and it shows.
Jon futzed with the color and suddenly things began to look really good and really sharp. Best of all, aside from occasional white specks and a few light lines here and there (not many at all) the negative we’re using is in great shape and is a gazillion times better than the sources used for the DVD. The comparison to the DVD was quite astonishing – color was suddenly more real and more vibrant, the detail was wonderful (you can actually see the fabric in Stephen Nathan’s sport coat in the first scene – it virtually doesn’t exist on the DVD). The one thing that was confusing me endlessly was the framing differences between the DVD and our new transfer. I reframed a handful of shots as we went, but then I finally realized we were watching in 16×9 (1.78 ratio) rather than 1.85. The result is that there is more headroom in most shots and a little more at the bottom. And as I watched, I began to like the slightly looser framing, with the exception of the few shots where I made the framing tighter. So, now I have to really make a tough choice – do I do it in 1.78 or the original ratio it was shot for, 1.85. Purists will, of course, want the latter, but as we compared to the DVD it was very tight framing at the top in almost every shot. There are quite a few of the wider shots where it’s framed down past the tops of the movie posters on the walls – in 1.78 it’s beautifully framed right above them so you can see them all. Now, that’s not how we framed it when we shot it, but for some of it, it just looks more aesthetically pleasing for some reason. But I’m not sure yet, so we’ll see how I feel when we go back to doing the other reels late next week. We went shot by shot, he color correcting each shot or using a previous setting for a previous shot, and I just really enjoyed seeing it looking so good. It took about two-and-a-half hours to get through the twenty-minute reel, which is pretty much in line for the number of hours budgeted. Interestingly, if you watch the DVD, the cue marks for the reel changes are burned into the print and in 2002 you really couldn’t get them out of there easily. Today, I’m happy to say they will be GONE.
Then we heard a little of the sound, which was really not good, but then I found out later he was playing me the raw transfer, rather than the filtered version, which apparently sounds a bit better. I’ll hear that soon, but if I’m not happy with it (I’m assuming I won’t be) then we may have to do some serious audio restoration work. They do that and are getting me prices to run it through some sonic restoration thing. My other option is to send it to my mastering guy to see what he can do. And, there’s one OTHER option, which is to not use the optical soundtrack negative – according to their sound guy, it’s sometimes better to actually go from a print. Since I have about eight prints now, I may bring three of them down there to be analyzed, so we know which is the most cost-effective and best way to go.
Because the expense of this is really not going to be cheap, I probably am going to do the kickstarter.com fundraiser thing. I submitted the project yesterday, and already have heard back that they think it’s just the kind of thing that works well – they did ask me to rethink my “rewards” for each tier of donation, but since I just put my initial thoughts in the proposal I’d sent, I wasn’t really sure about them anyway. They gave me some tips and some other projects to look at, and then I sent them a new rewards thing and hopefully they’ll like it and approve it asap. The nice thing about it is people can donate anywhere from one dollar to one thousand dollars. Our goal would be to raise five thousand dollars – that would cover about half of the restoration, but if we end up raising more than the five that’s apparently fine with them. So, the “rewards,” I think, are fun and I’m hoping it works. If people like the movie perhaps this is a fun way of saying so. Plus, if people are planning to buy it anyway, if you donate between ten and nineteen dollars you get a signed copy of the blu-ray. Above that amount, there are other rewards that kick in. Donors under nine bucks would get a Nudie Musical t-shirt. Over twenty gets other stuff, and with certain tiers you get a thank you on the blu-ray credits, and even more for more dough. I think it will be FUN!
Prior to that, we had a lovelier than lovely rehearsal with the thirteen-year-old. We’re not quite at the stage to run non-stop, but she really takes her direction well and every time we run it she gets better and better and she was excellent to begin with. Late next week, we’ll be in a rehearsal hall, where I’ll stage a few things that we can’t do here at the home environement.
Later, I supped with our very own Miss Alet Taylor. We’re doing a lot of stuff together through the rest of the year – of course, she’ll be doing Gardenia shows including one where she’ll be the only performer – A Broadway Love Story. And she’ll be doing our Lost In Boston show at LACC, so it will be a reunion for her and dear reader Jose. After that, I wrote the blurb for our new release, after which I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Those Lips, Those Eyes. I thought I’d seen it before, but, in fact, I hadn’t. It’s a charming film about actors and summer stock and a young fellow’s initiation into the show business working as a prop boy. Glynnis O’Connor is lovely and very good in her role (whatever happened to her), Tom Hulce is sweet and innocent, and Frank Langella does a wonderful turn as a leading summer stock player who’s just waiting for a call to be on Broadway. Kevin McCarthy has a short scene as Langella’s sort of agent. And one of the supporting cast is a very famous acting teacher, Herbert Berghoff, so it’s fun to see him actually act and he’s wonderful. Also wonderful is Jerry Stiller as Hulce’s dad. Only in some of the supporting roles does the film not catch fire, especially the fellow who plays the director – all one note and not so interesting. Some of that’s the writing, of course, but with a better actor it would have worked better. Best of all, the film has a gorgeous score by Michael Small. Plus you get lots of operetta excerpts from The Vagabond King, The Red Mill, etc. This is one of those MGM movie on demand DVD-R things – the transfer is decent and nothing more.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get my beauty sleep as I must be up early to ship out Marco Polo CDs.
Today, I must be up early to ship a LOT of CDs. Once that’s done, then the day is pretty light, which I need. I’ll prepare the new release eBlast (and announce here at midnight), do errands and whatnot, hopefully pick up a package or three and an important envelope, eat something light but amusing, jog (weather-permitting), and maybe do a spot of writing.
Tomorrow is, of course, the book signing, and I’m hoping for a really nice turnout. If you’re in LA, come on down – I’ll read, take questions, and serve CAKE. Sunday, we have a rehearsal with the thirteen-year-old, and then something else is going on but I can’t remember what. Hopefully someone will remind me.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, ship CDs, prep a release, do errands and whatnot, hopefully pick up packages and an important envelope, eat, jog, and write. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, The Scottsboro Boys, which I’m enjoying very much, although I’m not quite the fan of Mr. Hochman’s orchestrations as others here – were they expanded for the Broadway production? Blu and Ray, way too many movies to catch up on, including The Cincinnati Kid. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland happy about our initial session with Nudie Musical refreshed and refurbished.