Journey to the centre of the earth
Walden Media/New Line Cinema. Directed by Eric Brevig.
This 3D action adventure employed Codex as the central record, instant on-set playback and comparative review station for the entire 3D stereoscopic visual effects element photography. In this unique capacity, Codex provided a fast, convenient and time-saving gateway for footage moving back and forth between the set and the editorial and VFX departments. Ultimately Codex enabled the production team to make more, better-informed decisions during this complex part of the production.
Codex worked closely with Fred Meyers, chief engineer at Kerner Optical (who was also the 3D high-definition supervisor on the shoot), to optimise the deployment of the Codex recorder within this workflow. The visual effects shoots used a combination of 3D camera rigs supplied by PACE HD, including PACE’s Fusion rig. Each pair of cameras could output single link 4:2:2 or dual link 4:4:4, depending on what was being shot (high-speed footage, greenscreen, cutaways, close-ups, full-frame imaging and beauty shots), directly to the Codex or to a HDCAM SR tape deck. At the end of every day, any taped footage was offloaded into the Codex, so that all material was stored on one system.
The Codex recorder was linked to a digital projector and monitors, providing immediate and synchronised 3D playback/ review of L&R channels, including pause, jog, shuttle and fast-forward features. This gave the production team the ability to scrutinise the screen planes and stereo effects of what had just been shot. The Codex also captured multiple frame rates, including material shot at 60fps, such as explosions, and could play this back at 24fps.
Along with playback/review, Codex made the footage available in a range of formats for the editorial and VFX teams – including standard-definition Avid movie files, Avid MXF files and full resolution DPX files. On top of this, edited sequences, composites and pre-visualised shots coming from the Avid editors and VFX teams, were loaded on to the Codex.
So, along with dailies playback/ review, the Codex also acted as a reference library. Shots of the principal photography, and pre- viz shots, could be imported as required and used for matching and line-up purposes on set.
