The update isn’t ready yet, I guess I didn’t specify that so my bad. I had implied I was still finishing it up when asking for any final suggestions (which offer is still open!), but I should have it ready within the next month or two
The only suggestion to improve it now would be to use the 4K source, but I imagine that would be a real long trudge across ground you’ve already covered once.
It’s a brilliant edit, and it can stand proudly alongside the three LOTR movies.
The 4K source is truly horrid, apart from having to recolor the whole image to bring it up to his standards.
I noticed that the treatment that was done to the digital 3D footage of The Hobbit, was also the same as the 35mm film of TLOTR.
To explain in detail and with captures and examples I will post this video essay which links these comparisons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3Z58uiwcME&t=441s
But to sum it up the AI eraser tool DNR, and the level of compression artifacts added to the picture is monumentally abhorrent. I was very surprised by it, due to the fact that The Hobbit was shot digitally.