blood diamond

freddie bonfanti · December 13, 2006

hi all

i have just took a peek at the trailer, the very second shot its something just gorgeous. i have rarely seen such a striking sunset scene...i cant wait to see this beautiful anamorphic picture on the silver screen.

check it out

Freddie

Jonathan Bowerbank · December 16, 2006

Just saw it tonight, excellent film on all counts.

Cinematographically, it was great. Excellent work with shallow dof, using those anamorphic lenses. I didn't know it was anamorphic until I saw the curtains on the screen go out wider than I've seen them go in a while, ha ha.

There was only one fault that I saw, and the vfx team is probably mostly to blame. There's a night scene at an outdoor bar/dance club where DiCaprio and Connelly are having drinks. During their conversation, all the extras in the background are out of focus, and yet the ocean, horizon and even electrical storm in the distance is nearly in perfect focus. I doubt anyone else in the theatre noticed, but it was really strange.

And the sunset shot you mentioned, I agree, I marvelled at that shot when it finally showed up.

I highly recommend seeing this film. DiCaprio's accent takes some getting used to, but he does it well and you forget all about it eventually. It's a really heavy tearjerker, on the level of "Glory", one of Zwick's previous films.

Chayse Irvin ASC, CSC · December 26, 2006

There was only one fault that I saw, and the vfx team is probably mostly to blame. There's a night scene at an outdoor bar/dance club where DiCaprio and Connelly are having drinks. During their conversation, all the extras in the background are out of focus, and yet the ocean, horizon and even electrical storm in the distance is nearly in perfect focus. I doubt anyone else in the theatre noticed, but it was really strange.

I saw that little trick too. It didn't bother me so much besides the fact i knew it was faked. However I was really blown away on how Eduardo Serra lit Djimon Hounsou. I started out shooting rap videos with ugandans and it is so easy to lose any detail what so ever around there face because they are so dark. The way Eduardo would reflect light off his skin was amazingly skillful. The one scene where he is in the prison screaming at his former captor is amazingly well lit. Gave me chills down my spine.

Mike Panczenko · December 26, 2006

I thought it looked fantastic as well. I was annoyed with the film itself, though, because I felt what could and should have been an extremely powerful story was cheapened by the use of melodrama and Hollywood cliche- it was still okay, but it could have been amazing.

Did anyone notice in the first sequence in the hut with the family some horrible matching? It almost looked like they the closeups were shot normally and the wider shots were pushed, or cranked up in the DI.

Visually, though (except for the above-mentioned scene), what an incredible looking movie- had moments that reminded me of David Lean and Freddie Young!

Chayse Irvin ASC, CSC · December 27, 2006

Did anyone notice in the first sequence in the hut with the family some horrible matching? It almost looked like they the closeups were shot normally and the wider shots were pushed, or cranked up in the DI.

Ya I noticed that too. The key light in the close up looked really to bright for the indicated light source being a candle or something (Memory's a little shaky). Looked almost like warm daylight light coming threw a window. Kinda threw me off. Looked good as a whole tho... and thats what counts.

Edited December 27, 2006 by Chayse Irvin

Max Jacoby · February 3, 2007

I felt this film was a bit of a letdown visually. Although there were a couple of nice shots here and there, in general it didn't feel special unfortunately. The DI was very obvious and took away the resolution advantage of anamorphic. But what most annoyed me was the way the action is staged. The Hollywood way of just pointing several cameras at the action and hoping that one gets good bits here and there for the edit feels very stale. There is no purpose to the shots, because none of the cuts is thought out in advance. This random shot-gathering is anti-directing at its most boring. Most Hollywood directors (and that includes you in particular, Michael Bay) would do well to study Hong Kong films, to see how one stages action scenes that are both exciting, clearly legible and purposeful.

freddie bonfanti · February 4, 2007

The DI was very obvious and took away the resolution advantage of anamorphic.

Max,

a part from the resolution issue you mentioned, what other artifacts give away that the film went into a DI process?

thanks

Max Jacoby · February 4, 2007

The colors looked unnatural and very color-corrected in general. The poster has a similar look actually. I was a bit surprised to see that the DI was by EFilm, since they usually make very natural looking DIs. 'Blood Diamond' had that Technicolor DI look to it, where they use too much noise-reduction and in the process loose fine graduations in color.

A. Whitehouse · February 5, 2007

I thought it looked fantastic as well. I was annoyed with the film itself, though, because I felt what could and should have been an extremely powerful story was cheapened by the use of melodrama and Hollywood cliche- it was still okay, but it could have been amazing.

I agree with you Mike but I felt the style of the film and its story very conflicting. Something about the punchy colours and constant use of the sun as a back light plus a very modern contrasty look put me in a weird space that distanced me from the story; which I thought was struggling to be either a political intrigue film ie: constant gardener; or an adventure film ie: Indiana Jones. Both could have been good but I have trouble with trying to mix them together. Did anyone else feel this way? I think it was beautiful but out of place, It was the contrast and colour that bothered me. I don't think the story was up to much.

I agree with you max, the coverage of the action was fairly predictable. Like an episode of "A-team". Modern American films often seem to struggle with POV these days. Whether a scene is going to be covered from a subjective or objective perspective, constantly cutting between the two. I guess a lot of it is learning the fine art of the cinematic set piece but you would think that at that level of production it could be a bit more interesting.

I thought the performances were pretty good but way to much dialog and exposition. I find it hard to believe that Africans sit around constantly discussing the current state of Africa with one another but I think that these heart felt perspectives go down well with some people in the audience who might want be feel informed about African politics and society. Very heavy handed in my opinion. It was shot Anamorphic? I saw it in such a crap cinema I couldn't spot whether it was a S35 crop. Didnt look soft or grainy in that environment. You guys should see it in less exacting cinemas and a lot of the technical limitations become moot. Was it all shot in Africa?

I did have a good time but Im not going to think about or remember "Blood Diamond" for a very long time.

Sasha

Leo Anthony Vale · February 6, 2007

It was shot Anamorphic? I saw it in such a crap cinema I couldn't spot whether it was a S35 crop. Didnt look soft or grainy in that environment. You guys should see it in less exacting cinemas and a lot of the technical limitations become moot. Was it all shot in Africa?
I did have a good time but Im not going to think about or remember "Blood Diamond" for a very long time.

Hawk anamorphics.

My initial thoughts were that it looked okay for a S35 D.I., better than 'The Departed' but up to 'Casino Royale'.

But on a night interior I noticed anamorphic artifacts. I hadn't seen them on the previous day exteriors, but they did show up in interiors and night scenes. Concluded that most of the day exteriors were shot with zooms, rear anamorphs, and primes on the lower light stuff.

At that point I became disappointed with the D.I.

Max Jacoby · February 6, 2007

There are indeed very few oval highlights in the film as most are circular, I was disappointed by that as well. I'd guess that a lot was shot with the 46-230mm and the 300-900mm zooms as these have rear anamorphic elements.

Dan Goldberg · April 4, 2007

i must say i highly enjoyed this film. The story was incredible, not to mention the acting (PS. Honsou should've won best supporting actor...grrrr :angry: lol).

On a lighter note, I realized the colours were not the greatest, however scenes like the sunset and the final shot of the film were breathtaking. Overall, I definitely enjoyed it.