F65: Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

Pretty sure it had to do with 4k 120fps since they are getting a lot of press for shooting in that format. Only other camera with really serious oversampled 4k with resolution to spare for stereo and VFX is RED in 6k and even on their flagship body you have to crop the sensor more than 2x down to 4k to get 120fps...
 
I hate to say this but in HFR mode the F65 is only using 4096x2160 pixels, not the oversampled 8kx2k arrangement in normal recording. It's a data rate issue, not a sensor one.
 
JMtheDP said:
I hate to say this but in HFR mode the F65 is only using 4096x2160 pixels, not the oversampled 8kx2k arrangement in normal recording. It's a data rate issue, not a sensor one.
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That's still on par with everything else out there though isn't it?
 
I'm not familiar enough with RED's line-up to know. It's certainly still higher res than ALEXA, and double the resolution of the F5/55 at equivalent frame rates I believe.
 
Red's "full-frame" 120fps is 4k at basically the same resolution, and with the new R7 the F55 will pull level with it too. The new Varicam 35 is also doing 120fps at 4k DCI.
 
One thing worth noting, what the F65 is doing is effectively line-skipping. So the picture is still derived from the full sensor area. The camera has a built-in filter that compensates for this to avoid moire/aliasing artifacts. That's why you can't use the ND filter wheel for HFR.
 
Unlike Allen/Storaro, Lee/Toll are using F65 precisely for its "video" look capability. They wanted to make the battle scenes as hyper realistic as possible. Thus the use of 120p.
 
If the whole project is being shot at 120fps, which it seems like it is, the F65 is definitely at an advantage because your lenses will all work like you expect them to. I'm surprised they didn't go ALEXA to be honest, but the F65 is definitely a better choice IMHO (I'm biased though)
 
JMtheDP said:
If the whole project is being shot at 120fps, which it seems like it is ...
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They only showed an 11-min clip at the NAB. The full length edit isn't in yet. Off various discussion about the film, that "long walk" is shot at 24p - the title character is celebrated during the half-time break of a Am. football game - while the flashbacks to action are in 120.
 
Then why not shoot Phantom? The key here is that Toll picked it for some reason. He is really at the extreme top in the DP world.

The odd thing is that you can't show that in a theater right now and it wont happen anytime soon.
 
VinceinLA said:
Then why not shoot Phantom? ...
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Because Phantom is largely deemed a specialty camera and no one shoots a full feature on it.

The odd thing is that you can't show that in a theater right now and it wont happen anytime soon.
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I am not sure it's odd in the sense that it is indeed the "cutting edge". Plus, a dual laser projector setup ain't cheap and unlikely to be a staple of your average local multiplex for a long time, if ever. As it is, there's one theater in LA (DGA, I believe) and there's one theater planned for Europe.

Of course, if a "high net worth" individual wants to install it into his private screening room, then there'll be a few of those around LA, Riyadh and Moscow too. Though, we'd probably not be invited.
 
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VinceinLA said:
Then why not shoot Phantom? The key here is that Toll picked it for some reason. He is really at the extreme top in the DP world.

The odd thing is that you can't show that in a theater right now and it wont happen anytime soon.
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He's been shooting Sense8 on the F55, perhaps he's just comfortable with what he can get out of the Sonys?
 
I haven't shot with a Phantom in a long time, but my previous experience of them would tell me if 120fps is what you're going for, there is no need for a Phantom and they really don't work well at all as "regular" cameras. Especially if you are mixing high-speed and non-high speed footage, they look wildly different
 
Maybe the selection of the F65 was a studio request? ...given Sony / TriStar funded a big chunk of the 48mil budget
 
vcreative said:
Maybe the selection of the F65 was a studio request? ...given Sony / TriStar funded a big chunk of the 48mil budget
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To an "ordinary" director, that type of a request can take place.

But Sony, undoubtedly, was wise enough to refrain from making such demands in this case. A director of Lee's caliber has complete control over his gear. Amongst other things.
 
The studio doesn't care one bit what camera is used on a movie. Sony has more movies under it's control that are shot on film and Alexa's than you can shake a stick at.
 
Hmm the trailer sure looks like a made for TV movie, it's pretty odd looking and I don't think it's even the framerate...

Maybe that's what happens when you have to light a whole film with night exteriors for 1/120th or 1/240th shutter? Having to use a lot of big lights with not enough diffusion to keep light levels high enough?
 
I'm not seeing it, I think it looks really great. I thought that shooting with an open 360 degree shutter angle (like they did) would make the 24 fps look weird, but I don't think it does. It looks really different from the usual F65 stuff (I saw Café Society by the way and it looks gorgeous, I'm a celluloid guy and I have to admit it looks great), for some reason I love the look.

Very excited to see the contrast btw the halftime show that should be in 24 fps with the Iraq sequences in 120 fps, I think it's going to be groundbreaking as everyone who saw the NAB presentation says it is.
 
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