Color and Mastering for Digital Cinema

Color and Mastering for Digital Cinema explores the implications for motion picture post production processes and changes required to the supporting equipment and software. While a new concept to the motion picture community, the selection of the wide gamut, output-referred XYZ color space for digital cinema distribution is based on decades of color science and experience in other industries. The rationale for choosing XYZ and the other color encoding parameters is explained and the book also provides a full case study of the development of DLP Cinema® projectors by Texas Instruments. Finally, this book explores how the XYZ color encoding concept can be extended to support enhanced display technologies in the future.

This book contains:

* Brilliant 4-color illustrations that compliment the color science explanations

* Never before published industry information from author Glenn Kennel, a world leader in digital cinema color technology

* Descriptions of key issues and background on decisions that were made in the standardization process

By Glenn Kennel, Glenn Kennel is VP/GM of Feature Film Services at Laser Pacific Media Corporation, a leading provider of a full range of post production services for television and feature film. Recently, he worked for the DLP Cinema group of Texas Instruments in a role that included technology and business development. Previously, in a twenty year career with Kodak, he led the development of the Cineon digital film scanners and laser recorders and the prototype HDTV telecine that became the Spirit Datacine. As a consultant, he helped DCI draft the technical specifications for digital cinema. Kennel also chairs the SMPTE DC28 Color ad hoc group and the DC28.20 Distribution working group. He is a SMPTE Fellow and has received the SMPTE Journal Award. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

* Brilliant 4-color illustrations compliment the color science explanations

* Never before published industry information from author Glenn Kennel, a world leader in digital cinema color technology

* This book describes the key issues and provides background on decisions that were made in the standardization process

Objectives
- Universal distribution master
- Based on open standards
- Device Independent
- Extensible as technology advances
- Compatible with today's film distribution
> Screen luminance 14 ft L
> White point 0.314 0.351 based on Xenon practice

Color Space
- Options considered
- Why XYZ was chosen
- Explanation of CIE color and x y diagrams
- Image state - output referred

Transfer Function
- Why gamma 2.6
- Why 12 bits
- Contrast Sensitivity test
- Full range
- Normalization to support other white points

Reference Projector and Environment
- Reference Projector
- Environment
- Calibration
- Projector Measurements

Digital Intermediate Process
- Film and digital raw inputs
- Film centric workflow- printing density
- Print Film Emulation in reference display
- Color Transforms to XYZ
- Impact on color correctors and other equipment or software
- Output referred encoding
- Metadata on reference projector


Color Transformations
- ICT in JPEG 2000
- Color transform to RGB in the projector
- Color calibration in-situ
- Gamut mapping in the projector
- Nature's tone mapping

DLP Cinema - a case study
- How DLP technology works
- Initial industry demonstrations
- Responding to creative requests
- Expansion of color gamut
- P7v2 to expedite film matching
- Color calibration in-situ
- 3D LUT for gamut mapping
- 3D LUT for film emulation
- Expansion of contrast ratio
- Cinelink® link encryption
- Cinecanvas® subtitles

Digital 3D Presentation
- Screen luminance requirement
- Impact on color appearance
- Dual link 4:2:2 interface
- Various presentation options:
> Dual projector; passive polarizers
> Single projector; active glasses
> Single projector with Z-screen; passive glasses
> Infitec color filters

The Future
- Impact of wider gamut light sources
- Gamut mapping requirements
- Impact of digital cameras
- 48 FPS for enhanced motion
- Will film distribution be phased out?
- Digital cinema centric workflow
- Color Appearance Modeling
- Auto color transforms for home video and other outputs