Originally posted by: zombie84
You can see this in the composite shots--as soon as Luke turns on his lightsaber in Ben's hut the grain level doubles. Thats because there is an optical composite for the saber glow, so the film was exposed twice, once on set and then once in the optical printer. It's worth noting that this multiplication of grain is why ILM developed special effects and optical printers based on VistaVision - the 35mm format "on its side", which gave a larger exposure area. Standard 35mm would have ended up just too grainy with the multitude of elements required for some of the shots.
Still, even using this process, if you have 10 or more separate optical elements you're going to get significant grain. Perhaps the standard 35mm shots were "pushed" to enhance the grain and make them match the optical effects shots?
Or, as Laserman suggested, the LD pressing master was sharpened because LD video is notoriously soft, and it was this pressing master that was used as the source for the GOUT. You can see this in the composite shots--as soon as Luke turns on his lightsaber in Ben's hut the grain level doubles. Thats because there is an optical composite for the saber glow, so the film was exposed twice, once on set and then once in the optical printer. It's worth noting that this multiplication of grain is why ILM developed special effects and optical printers based on VistaVision - the 35mm format "on its side", which gave a larger exposure area. Standard 35mm would have ended up just too grainy with the multitude of elements required for some of the shots.
Still, even using this process, if you have 10 or more separate optical elements you're going to get significant grain. Perhaps the standard 35mm shots were "pushed" to enhance the grain and make them match the optical effects shots?
The GOUT looks like it has an extra layer of grain on top of the actual image--this is how the ridiculous "digi-grain conspiracy theory" started. That theory is of course bullshit, not the least because it makes absolutely no sense. I was unfair to mverta to refer to his comment as a conspiracy theory, and it shouldn't be dismissed as bullshit. What he actually said was:
"I'm willing to put some serious money on the fact that grain has been added to ANH, at least."
This is from someone with industry credentials and years of experience in visual effects. I'm not saying I think he's right, I'm more inclined to believe the excessive sharpening theory...Thats why it looks so grainy--it looks more like what one might have seen in a theater screen.
Are you saying therefore that the GOUT video is representative of a theatrical presentation? And if so, are you happy watching the GOUT without any grain filtering? ... in an effort to make the GOUT look better they sharpened the image "I'm willing to put some serious money on the fact that grain has been added to ANH, at least."
This is from someone with industry credentials and years of experience in visual effects. I'm not saying I think he's right, I'm more inclined to believe the excessive sharpening theory...Thats why it looks so grainy--it looks more like what one might have seen in a theater screen.