Info: The Matrix - with original theatrical color timing? — Page 5

I like the results shown in the test clip. It seems to me that the green beard really stood out but that could just be because you mentioned it. Can't be sure I'd have noticed otherwise.

Spaced Ranger, could you elaborate an avisynth script for your method?

I'm testing further, and here you go the last results:

Tomorrow will be "The Matrix recoloration day...

Andrea: Which method is `ColourMatch'? It looks the best IMO.

Agree with ColourMatch looking the best. Just a little too much red though in every shot. Is there any way to globally bring the red down slightly?

Also, out of interest, all the shots you've posted are scenes set within 'the matrix' which are the ones affected by the BR's green tint. Do you have any examples of what this process would do to the 'real world' scenes since the BR timing for those is pretty much the same as the DVD to start with?

This is looking really good guys. I always kept my DVD and refused to buy into the screwy BD version. If we can manage to get the green out, then address the contrast, all that remains is the overall DVD color which is more of a dull red/yellow and may not be accurate. It's an older master for LD/early DVD and many of these had altered or differing color timings. (Blade Runner, The Wild Bunch etc.)

ColourMatch is simply a "codename" for my messing tests on ColourLike mixed with RGBMatch... tomorrow I'll do further tests, and, as it seems results are quite good, I think I could start a restoration program - what do you all think? I'll test it even on "The Thing" to see how it looks...

Here you are the "green bearded Neo" and two "out of the Matrix" live scenes - this time I added a ColourMatch version with 0.75 saturation, and it seems the best compromise:

(this is going to be the tallest forum thread ever made...)

Spaced Ranger said:

I never found an Avisynth plug-in that accepts a paint program's histogram functions numbers. However, in the Song Of The South thread, I noted that VirtualDub with a plug-in (Gradation Curves v.1.46b by BBugBunny, A.K.A. Alexander Nagiller) allows for a manual reconstruction of the histogram graph:

http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/Song-Of-The-South/post/641915/#TopicPost641915

I know it's cludgy but that's the best I could find.

IIRC, I found that script where I was following some of your posts (can't remember in which thread, maybe THX1138?), and I used it with my SW:ANH '97... it was really hard to achieve a good result, took a long time and a lot of tests, and I was not really satisfied with it... hope the new tests with this ColourMatch method will be even better than the current ones.

Nien Nunb said:

My dad even complained about Neo's green beard the last time I lent him the BD.

... at one moment, I thought to be crazy, but now that someone else noted it immediately, there are two options:

1. me and your dad are good observers
2. me and your dad are mad about wrong details

at least now I'm not alone anymore... (^^,)

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About a preservation project: it seems there is some interest showed in this thread, and I definitely like the idea to do it, along with theatrical DTS soundtrack. Leave me one day to test further, post new screenshots, and if they will be better than these ones, BAM! "The Matrix [spoRv]" could be reality! Should I dare to do it?

stretch009 said:

[spoRv]?

I like acronims... for the moment, it stands for Special Preservation Of Remixed Versions - as it will take BD for luma, DVD for chroma reference, and DTS theatrical soundtrack (Jetrell, you got a P.M.)

I'm waiting to receive the HD-DVD video for "The Thing [spoRv]" where it will be used for luma, LD for chroma (maybe merged with the PAL DVD), and different DVDs and LDs for soundtracks...

I know it's not the best one, and I'm open to new acronims; any idea? It must mean something about preservation and/or restoration, possibly from different sources... I've got an idea into my mind about SPORV, but I'll reveal more about it in the next days...

"The Matrix recolor day" is almost finished, and I've made a lot of tests... we all know that the BD colors are wrong, and DVD colors are better... but are they "right"? After I spent all the night trying to reach the closest colors to DVD, I realize that in many scenes they are wrong too (IMHO), in particular, the "off the matrix" scenes were way too dark and blue/violet, while often "in the matrix" faces were too "sunburnt", and sometimes still yet a bit greenish...

Then, I thought to give a chance to an old script I made during the color correction of my SW:ANH (SET ruLes); at that time, it worked not so well, but now I have fixed it; what this script make is trying to match two clips and extract the right colors. I think the results you can see below are difficult to replicate using another tecnique with only one color correction setting for the whole movie... obviously, this is far from perfection, but a good compromise, retaining the most "character" of the DVD colors, while correcting the worst scenes. It worked in 99% of the scenes, and failed only when a super bright scene is present (like in the scene where Morpheus explains to Neo what is the Matrix)... if this method - called ChromaRite, just to remeber it when I will use it again - is, well, "right" enough, I will start "The Matrix" preservation project, using it for the whole movie, apart the 1% when it doesn't work - there I'll use the DVD uspcaled or another color correction script.

At the contrary, if you don't like it, I could always use the ColourMatch method; I refined it in the morning, and now in more than 90% of the scenes, colors are almost exactly the same of the DVD, while the other 10% are close enough. I have not posted ColourMatch screenshots here, as I personally think ChromaRite method is better, but it's up to you. Choose your pill... (^^,)

I've made a sample clip - inside, there are some seconds from the DVD, upscaled, where ChromaRite failed - the eventual project video quality will be the same.

Sample Clip (40sec. 14Mbps, 69.4MB): http://www.sendspace.com/file/l8uvt5

Waiting for your comments as usual.

This is just my view and this is, of course, your project but I'd much prefer the  regrading be based on reference material than on an opinion of what looks right or wrong. Perhaps the DVD may not match the original theatrical colors exactly but without a reference it all becomes subjective and at worse risks becoming just another 'revisionist' version of the kind that put many of us off the BR in the first place.

In short, I'd take the ColourMatch pill without hesitation. :)

A question that doesn't seem to be answered: what is the sample size being used on colourlike?

The program works by taking a 'read' of a sample clip, averaging what the frames are like, arriving at a single answer and applying it to the full range of the replacement video.

Are the screenshots a sample of 1 frame applied to 1 frame?  The entire scene?  Large chunks?  The entire DVD (which shouldn't work because the color timing is so different between scenes)?

Just single shots like this don't really prove anything.