[Frameworks] Introducting a new ultra-wide film format called UltraPan8.

[Nicholas Kovats]

Hi Ben,

I appreciate your kind words of support. I have been busy fielding
global inquires and I am happy to report that a 2nd UltraPan camera
conversion has been ordered by a gentleman in the US.

Jean-louis and I are also awaiting delivery of a 1936 Bolex worm-gear
multiformat 8/16 projector which may or may not be suitable for film
based UltraPan8 projection. It has interchangable external 8mm and
16mm movements and a very interesting 8mm/16mm gate selector switch.
Specifically can the 8mm gate be utilized with the external 16mm
movements?

I am willing to invest in a sample of UK based Edward Nowill's
re-perforation services, i.e. 2R or double perf 16mm negative stock
re-perforated to standard double perf 8mm film stock. I am also going
to contact 3x local Kodak contacts and advise that we have once again
found a delightful and ultrawide utilization of their film stock. :)
Perhaps..just perhaps Kodak might be willing to produce a sample
1000/6000ft 2R  8mm roll of something like Vision3 50d or 200T
negative.

Regards,

Nicholas

On Sun, Jul 31, 2011 at 6:44 PM,  <director at lift.on.ca> wrote:
> Congratulations Nicholas,
>
> All of us at LIFT have been excited to see you get this project to the
> implementation stage. We should discuss how to ensure projectors
> supporting this new format can be available to exhibitors.
>
> If this takes off we will start stocking more emulsions in R8.
>
> Hope all is well.
>
> Ben
>
>> The emerging popularity of 1.33:1 televison in the late 1940s and
>> early 1950s spurred tremendous development in ultrawide motion picture
>> technology. Its zenith best represented by the stupendous Cinerama and
>> Cinemascope film based formats.
>>
>> I would like to expand upon these spectacular ultrawide antecedents
>> with the introduction of UltraPan8.
>>
>> It is a new ultrawide native spherical film format utlizing modified
>> 8/16mm cameras and the entire 16mm width of 2 perf regular 8mm motion
>> picture film.
>>
>> It's native gate dimensions are 10.52mm x 3.75mm with an aspect ratio
>> of 2.8:1. This is wider than Cinemascope at 2.39:1 and a bit smaller
>> than Cinerama's 2.87:1 aspect ratio. UltraPan8 represents a 41%
>> increase in imaging area over Super 8 film and a respective 62%
>> increase over regular 8mm film.
>>
>> Standard 16mm optics provide optically centered full frame coverage.
>> Key design principals were the interchangable film transports of the
>> Bolex H8/H16 cameras and the historical engineering of both 8mm and
>> 16mm film formats sharing identical perforation dimensions.
>>
>> One of the design intents was freedom from bulky 16mm Cinemascope
>> anamorphic projector lens setups. Here are some examples of previous
>> ideas and testing for comparison purposes, i.e.
>>
>> 1. My original design for a potential adapter setup which was never
>> implemented, i.e http://www.flickr.com/photos/90929958@N ... otostream/
>>
>> 2. Anamorphic test shot utilizing 16mm anamorphic projector lens +
>> stepdown ring + Beaulieu 4008. Cinematography by Justin Lovell,i.e.
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrvQCV2kfn4
>>
>> The camera was modified by Jean-Louis Seguin and includes a native
>> 2.8:1 UltraPan8 viewfinder with a Cinemascope 2.4:1 mask. We are also
>> working towards modification of a 1936 8/16mm multiformat worm gear
>> Bolex projector for film based projections.
>>
>> The 8 bit digital overscanned files of the inaugral test roll were
>> provided by John Gledhill of bitworks.org utilizing his sprocketless
>> 16mm transfer bay in conjunction with a linear 12 bit imaging camera
>> w/ 14 bit mask.
>>
>> The digital deliverables included
>>
>> 1. Sequential 8 bit JPEGS. Full and half resolution. No color
>> correction applied albeit some gamma.
>> 2. 1700x600 DIVX file.
>> 3. 700x250 DVCPRO file.
>>
>> Here are some sample frameshotsof the overscanned final output 8 bit
>> JPEGS, i.e.
>>
>> 1. http://db.tt/mOoaVKp
>> 2. http://db.tt/yQvrul9
>> 3. http://db.tt/JSbM3IC
>> 4. http://db.tt/qXFY2mJ
>> 5. http://db.tt/kAhNgUU
>>
>> Here are MPEG4 links to the 1700x600 DIVX file. I have added
>> music/credits to the unedited raw footage but I have decided to
>> display the test roll in its entirety, blemishes and all, i.e.
>>
>> YouTube = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJHso5-F6WM
>> Vimeo    = http://vimeo.com/27074208
>>
>> Here is the orginal 1700x600 DIVX file available for download and for
>> your examination. Keep in mind this is not the full resolution
>> sequential JPEGS, i.e. DropBox = http://db.tt/rnEYkBs
>>
>> There are visible issues in the footage and they are being addressed.
>>
>> Although this was my first time filming with a Bolex I could not wipe
>> the perpetual grin of my face as I shot this test roll, that being the
>> fact of native UltraPan8 in the palm of my hand...a tad lighter than
>> Kubrick's handheld 25 pound 65mm camera shots in 2001! In fact 2001 is
>> THE original inspiration with its gorgeous 65mm Cinemascope
>> cinematography.
>>
>> And why not re-introduce film based spectacle in these times of the
>> digital imaging onslaught?
>>
>> There will be forthcoming updates regarding additional footage and an
>> inspiring academic paper detailing the important historical
>> engineering modifications of the UK based WideScreen Association.
>>
>> "From the heavens sprung such images."
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>>
>
>
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