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Neverar's A New Hope Technicolor Recreation (Final Version Released!) — Page 11

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Williarob said:

NeverarGreat said:

UnitéD2 said:

Thanks to you Neverar and another question : when you recruit color from another source, does it mean you combine luminance information from the BR and chrominance from the source ?

That’s it exactly. I usually replace 50-90% of the chroma with the improved source, sometimes just a few gradients or a small part of the frame, but sometimes the entire frame gets the chroma replaced. In the first 4 reels, I’ve probably replaced the entire color of just 5 or 6 shots, but reel 6 in particular has such horrible color problems that during the dogfight it’s used on probably 1/3 of the shots. It’s surprisingly effective, but it’s essential to make sure everything is registered throughout the shot or you get worse problems like color fringing.

What tools do you use for image registration? Or do you do it manually? I’ve tried Elastix, some ImageJ plugins, and Photoshop’s Auto align layers usually works pretty well.

I’ve done it manually so far, the same process that I used for registering the lightsabers in the Obi/Vader battle. I’ve tried Auto Align Layers on some warped sources and it didn’t improve things, so I didn’t even consider it for this purpose. I suppose that would work though. It would need to be individual images run through as a batch process, right?

You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)

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 (Edited)

NeverarGreat said:

Williarob said:

NeverarGreat said:

UnitéD2 said:

Thanks to you Neverar and another question : when you recruit color from another source, does it mean you combine luminance information from the BR and chrominance from the source ?

That’s it exactly. I usually replace 50-90% of the chroma with the improved source, sometimes just a few gradients or a small part of the frame, but sometimes the entire frame gets the chroma replaced. In the first 4 reels, I’ve probably replaced the entire color of just 5 or 6 shots, but reel 6 in particular has such horrible color problems that during the dogfight it’s used on probably 1/3 of the shots. It’s surprisingly effective, but it’s essential to make sure everything is registered throughout the shot or you get worse problems like color fringing.

What tools do you use for image registration? Or do you do it manually? I’ve tried Elastix, some ImageJ plugins, and Photoshop’s Auto align layers usually works pretty well.

I’ve done it manually so far, the same process that I used for registering the lightsabers in the Obi/Vader battle. I’ve tried Auto Align Layers on some warped sources and it didn’t improve things, so I didn’t even consider it for this purpose. I suppose that would work though. It would need to be individual images run through as a batch process, right?

That’s right. The weird thing is though, I can only seem to batch it in Photoshop CS3. All newer versions just skip right over the image alignment. I’ve tried it in every version! And it doesn’t matter if I use a recorded action, or pure Javascript, either way, it just doesn’t do the alignment unless I run it in CS3. But here is the script:

/// Begin Script

// options
var folder1 = “Z:/Reel1/Working/{ShotNumber}/Source1”;
var folder2 = “Z:/Reel1/Working/{ShotNumber}/Source2”;
var OutputFolder = “Z:/Reel1/Working/{ShotNumber}/Registered”;

var startFrame = 1;
var endFrame = 150;

cTID = function(s) { return app.charIDToTypeID(s); };
sTID = function(s) { return app.stringIDToTypeID(s); };

// Loop through the Print A frames
for(var x = startFrame; x <= endFrame; x++)
{
// convert number to 6 digit, 0 padded string Id
var frameId = x+"";
while (frameId.length < 6) frameId = “0” + frameId; // pad fileId with 0s

// open the print A file
var printADocRef = new File(folder1 + "/Print_A_" + frameId + ".tif");
var printADoc = open(printADocRef);

// open the matching print B file
var printBDocRef = new File(folder2 + "/Print_B_" + frameId + ".tif");
var printBDoc =  open(printBDocRef);

// activate the Print A
app.activeDocument = app.documents.getByName( "Print_A_" + frameId + ".tif" );
		
// select all & copy (SelectAllAndCopy)
app.doAction("SelectAllAndCopy","Default Actions.atn");

// activate the print B doc
app.activeDocument = app.documents.getByName( "Print_B_" + frameId + ".tif" );
	
// perform the alignment
Align();

    // Note: to run your own recorded action(s) use:
//app.doAction("MyActionName","Default Actions.atn");

// remove the print B layer to minimize file size.
app.activeDocument.layers["Layer 0"].remove();

/*
// optional: save the file as a psd
var psd_Opt = new PhotoshopSaveOptions();
psd_Opt.layers = true; // Preserve layers.
psd_Opt.embedColorProfile = true; // Preserve color profile.
psd_Opt.annotations = true; // Preserve annonations.
psd_Opt.alphaChannels = true; // Preserve alpha channels.
psd_Opt.spotColors = true; // Preserve spot colors.
// Save active document in the Auto Save folder
app.activeDocument.saveAs( File( OutputFolder + "/Debug_R1_" + frameId + ".psd" ), psd_Opt, true );
*/

// set the new filename and path
var myFilePath = OutputFolder + "/Print_A_" + frameId + ".tif";

// tiff file options
var tiffFile = new File(myFilePath);
tiffSaveOptions = new TiffSaveOptions();
tiffSaveOptions.byteOrder = ByteOrder.IBM;
tiffSaveOptions.layers = false;
tiffSaveOptions.transparency = false;
tiffSaveOptions.alphaChannels = false;
tiffSaveOptions.interleaveChannels = false;
tiffSaveOptions.embedColorProfile = false;
tiffSaveOptions.imageCompression = TIFFEncoding.TIFFLZW;
tiffSaveOptions.saveImagePyramid = false;

// finally save out the document 
app.activeDocument.saveAs(tiffFile, tiffSaveOptions, true, Extension.LOWERCASE);

// close all open documents
while (documents.length > 0) {
	app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
}

} // loop to the next pair of files

// !!! No editing necessary below this line !!!

// Helper functions
function inArray(needle,haystack)
{
var count=haystack.length;
for(var i=0;i<count;i++)
{
if(haystack[i]===needle){return true;}
}
return false;
}

//
//==================== AlignAndFix ==============
//
function Align() {
// Set
function step1(enabled, withDialog) {
if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
return;
var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref1 = new ActionReference();
ref1.putProperty(cTID(‘Lyr ‘), cTID(‘Bckg’));
desc1.putReference(cTID(‘null’), ref1);
var desc2 = new ActionDescriptor();
desc2.putUnitDouble(cTID(‘Opct’), cTID(’#Prc’), 100);
desc2.putEnumerated(cTID('Md '), cTID(‘BlnM’), cTID(‘Nrml’));
desc1.putObject(cTID('T '), cTID('Lyr '), desc2);
executeAction(cTID(‘setd’), desc1, dialogMode);
};

// Set
function step2(enabled, withDialog) {
if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
return;
var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref1 = new ActionReference();
ref1.putProperty(cTID(‘Chnl’), sTID(“selection”));
desc1.putReference(cTID(‘null’), ref1);
desc1.putEnumerated(cTID('T '), cTID(‘Ordn’), cTID(‘None’));
executeAction(cTID(‘setd’), desc1, dialogMode);
};

// Paste
function step3(enabled, withDialog) {
if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
return;
var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
desc1.putEnumerated(cTID(‘AntA’), cTID(‘Annt’), cTID(‘Anno’));
executeAction(cTID(‘past’), desc1, dialogMode);
};

// Select
function step4(enabled, withDialog) {
if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
return;
var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref1 = new ActionReference();
ref1.putName(cTID('Lyr '), “Layer 0”);
desc1.putReference(cTID(‘null’), ref1);
desc1.putBoolean(cTID(‘MkVs’), false);
executeAction(cTID(‘slct’), desc1, dialogMode);
};

// Select
function step5(enabled, withDialog) {
if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
return;
var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref1 = new ActionReference();
ref1.putName(cTID('Lyr '), “Layer 1”);
desc1.putReference(cTID(‘null’), ref1);
desc1.putEnumerated(sTID(“selectionModifier”), sTID(“selectionModifierType”), sTID(“addToSelectionContinuous”));
desc1.putBoolean(cTID(‘MkVs’), false);
executeAction(cTID(‘slct’), desc1, dialogMode);
};

// Align
function step7(enabled, withDialog) {
if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
return;
var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref1 = new ActionReference();
ref1.putEnumerated(cTID('Lyr '), cTID(‘Ordn’), cTID(‘Trgt’));
desc1.putReference(cTID(‘null’), ref1);
desc1.putEnumerated(cTID(‘Usng’), cTID(‘ADSt’), sTID(“ADSContent”));
desc1.putEnumerated(cTID(‘Aply’), sTID(“projection”), cTID(‘Auto’));
executeAction(cTID(‘Algn’), desc1, dialogMode);
};

// Select
function step8(enabled, withDialog) {
if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
return;
var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref1 = new ActionReference();
ref1.putName(cTID('Lyr '), “Layer 0”);
desc1.putReference(cTID(‘null’), ref1);
desc1.putBoolean(cTID(‘MkVs’), false);
executeAction(cTID(‘slct’), desc1, dialogMode);
};

// Hide
function step9(enabled, withDialog) {
if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
return;
var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var list1 = new ActionList();
var ref1 = new ActionReference();
ref1.putName(cTID('Lyr '), “Layer 1”);
list1.putReference(ref1);
desc1.putList(cTID(‘null’), list1);
executeAction(cTID('Hd '), desc1, dialogMode);
};

// Set
function step10(enabled, withDialog) {
if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
return;
var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var ref1 = new ActionReference();
ref1.putProperty(cTID(‘Chnl’), sTID(“selection”));
desc1.putReference(cTID(‘null’), ref1);
var ref2 = new ActionReference();
ref2.putEnumerated(cTID(‘Chnl’), cTID(‘Chnl’), cTID(‘Trsp’));
desc1.putReference(cTID('T '), ref2);
executeAction(cTID(‘setd’), desc1, dialogMode);
};

// Crop
function step11(enabled, withDialog) {
if (enabled != undefined && !enabled)
return;
var dialogMode = (withDialog ? DialogModes.ALL : DialogModes.NO);
var desc1 = new ActionDescriptor();
executeAction(cTID(‘Crop’), desc1, dialogMode);
};

step1(); // Set
step2(); // Set
step3(); // Paste
step4(); // Select
step5(); // Select
step7(); // Align
step8(); // Select
//step9(); // Hide
step10(); // Set
step11(); // Crop

};

/// End Script

Most of the bottom part is just the recorded actions converted to Javascript. Just copy it and paste it into a text editor, edit the file paths and the filenames and your start and end numbers and then save it with a .jsx extension. It assumes the images are numbered as a tiff image sequence, e.g. “Print_A_000001.tif”.

To run it, just go to “File -> Scripts -> Browse…” But like I say, I can only get it to work in CS3. If you can make it work in other versions, do let me know!

It works well on most scenes in the film, though not on star fields, smoke filled corridors or especially high motion sequences where frames are just a blur and there are no edges to be found and lined up.

TheStarWarsTrilogy.com.
The007Dossier.com.
Donations always welcome: Paypal | Bitcoin: bc1qzr9ejyfpzm9ea2dglfegxzt59tys3uwmj26ytj

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 (Edited)

I only have Photoshop CS6, so I don’t know if that script will work.

I just imported a shot (the second medium shot of Luke vs the tracker) as animation layers, then used auto align layers (reposition only) command. It took about 7-8 minutes to process all 100 frames, and the result was that the first few frames were stabilized and then one frame was stabilized about halfway through the sequence, but other than that, there was no stabilization. Perhaps the program deemed the shot steady enough, but my manual stabilization corrects all of the gate weave, which is what I’m after.

You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)

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I use After Effects for stabilization. I find the image registration is more useful to me for overlaying one source on top of another, for example when erasing CGI dinosaurs…

I was just reading above a little about the troubles adjusting 3P0 and wondered if you had tried out 3D LUT Creator? http://3dlutcreator.com/ It makes adjusting individual colors real simple.

Color Cone is another great tool for this: (http://www.picture-instruments.com/home/index.php)

TheStarWarsTrilogy.com.
The007Dossier.com.
Donations always welcome: Paypal | Bitcoin: bc1qzr9ejyfpzm9ea2dglfegxzt59tys3uwmj26ytj

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Against earlier judgment, I decided to finally start posting in originaltrilogy.com again…if only to ask this question.

I imagine that for Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi it’s going to be almost entirely (if not entirely) the 2011 sound mixes you’re using, but considering how many view the 2004/2011 sound mixes of A New Hope to be inferior to the 1997 DTS mix for various reasons, do you plan on using a mixture of the 1997 and 2011 mixes for the audio (mainly using the audio from the 1997 sound mix except for instances where the 2011 mix has additions/changes like “We stopped.” “Tell (your) uncle” “(Yes,) I bet you have” (and subsequently how the 2011 version handles the Han vs Greedo shootout) and “There’s no one here”, and perhaps if the 2004/2011 mixes have sound effects the 1997 mix doesn’t (I think the sounds for when the Millennium Falcon leaves hyperspace in what once was the Alderann system are different there, and I’m sure the echo effects in the grappling hook swinging scene are different))?

Nobody sang The Bunny Song in years…

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Williarob said:

I use After Effects for stabilization. I find the image registration is more useful to me for overlaying one source on top of another, for example when erasing CGI dinosaurs…

I was just reading above a little about the troubles adjusting 3P0 and wondered if you had tried out 3D LUT Creator? http://3dlutcreator.com/ It makes adjusting individual colors real simple.

Color Cone is another great tool for this: (http://www.picture-instruments.com/home/index.php)

AE sounds like the best thing to use for the footage except that I don’t have that either. I have only been able to afford Premiere CC and Photoshop CS6 for this project, so I was hoping that someone would be kind enough to help out on that front. In the meantime, I’ll keep looking for solutions.

About individual colors, If I would have known about 3D LUT Creator when beginning this project I definitely would have put it to good use, and I made a LUT in Speedgrade (using the free trial) for eliminating the magenta in the film, and that seems to have some of the specific functionality of 3D LUT Creator. However at this late time I can’t justify the expense, and Premiere has managed to produce decent results with a bit more thought and effort.

You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)

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Strange question: is A NEW HOPE the only film that is far too dark on the Blu-ray, or does that affect the entire OT?

Your levels correction add so much life to the transfer – would you use the shadow / highlight settings for EMPIRE and JEDI?

“That said, there is nothing wrong with mocking prequel lovers and belittling their bad taste.” - Alderaan, 2017

MGGA (Make GOUT Great Again):
http://originaltrilogy.com/topic/Return-of-the-GOUT-Preservation-and-Restoration/id/55707

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I would guess that the other films have the same issues, though I haven’t taken the time to investigate it. There are certainly plenty of color errors and missing gradients from just a cursory watching of Empire.

That said, it’s still an open question whether I’ll do the other films at all. Since Star Wars was the only one to be done in the Technicolor process, there’s the argument to be made that it should be the only one that looks like this, and I wouldn’t have any certainty about the colors of Empire or Jedi. In any case, it will be a long time before you hear about them from me, and by that time there will hopefully be an official or fanmade restoration that renders such work irrelevant.

You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)

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 (Edited)

Another milestone, reel 1 complete!

Reel 1: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 100%
Reel 2: Preliminary Grade 90% - Finalized 20%
Reel 3: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 90%
Reel 4: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 100%
Reel 5: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 93%
Reel 6: Preliminary Grade 85% - Finalized 85%
Total Preliminary: 95.8% - Finalized 81.3%

You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)

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I wish I could “like” this post. 😉

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Incredible work, Neverar!

Keep Circulating the Tapes.

END OF LINE

(It hasn’t happened yet)

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NeverarGreat said:

Another milestone, reel 1 complete!

Reel 1: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 100%
Reel 2: Preliminary Grade 90% - Finalized 20%
Reel 3: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 90%
Reel 4: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 100%
Reel 5: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 93%
Reel 6: Preliminary Grade 85% - Finalized 85%
Total Preliminary: 95.8% - Finalized 81.3%

Excellent work! Congrats!

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NeverarGreat said:

Another milestone, reel 1 complete!

Reel 1: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 100%
Reel 2: Preliminary Grade 90% - Finalized 20%
Reel 3: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 90%
Reel 4: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 100%
Reel 5: Preliminary Grade 100% - Finalized 93%
Reel 6: Preliminary Grade 85% - Finalized 85%
Total Preliminary: 95.8% - Finalized 81.3%

I am so hyped. Keep up the great work.

“Always in motion is the future” 🌌

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 (Edited)

NeverarGreat said:

Dre
Here’s probably my final grade of that shot, from the Blu-ray:
Neverar
And one showing R5:
R5
Comparison with the Blu-ray:
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/195809/picture:1
So it’s quite a bit warmer than Dre’s version, with the sky staying almost gray.

JEDIT: I’ve reduced the reds in the sky, and the imbedded images have been updated. New comparison:
http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/195878/picture:1

My current grading for this shot would be:

Edit:

Here’s a screenshot comparison between NeverarGreat’s color grading and mine:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/196653/

…and a comparison with the bluray:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/196655/

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That looks VERY nice Dre! I like the skin tones a lot!

I thought I recognized your foul stench when I entered this forum!

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NeverarGreat said:

Oh no you don’t! I just finished this reel to my liking, so you guys will just have to live with my less than perfect work.

😉

Hahaha, there’s nothing less than perfect about your work. It looks absolutely marvelous. I was just adding a different interpretation. 😃

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Totally off topic (I like both of your color corrections), but is that a boom mic (and presumably camera equipment) in the reflection on 3PO’s head? Never noticed before.

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towne32 said:

Totally off topic (I like both of your color corrections), but is that a boom mic (and presumably camera equipment) in the reflection on 3PO’s head? Never noticed before.

Looks like it. Nice catch!

“Always in motion is the future” 🌌

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Indeed it is. It can be seen through the whole trilogy in many different shots