Arri Relativity Demo

John Sprung · June 3, 2009

Saw an interesting demo this evening, Arri's new Relativity software. It does two things, grain control, and spatio-temporal resampling.

The grain control is quite powerful. They were able to really eliminate coarse 16mm grain, leaving behind only a smoothish artifact that looks kinda like a very mild shower door glass effect. Then they were able to put grain back looking more like 35, if that's what you want. It does sharpening, too. Like color correction, it requires a lot of expertise and taste to use it well. You can get in trouble and do strange things like making the mids and highlights grainless while leaving substantial grain in the low end. This is definitely a high end professional DI tool.

The re-sizing is pretty straightforward, but the frame rate conversion is substantially better than any I've seen before. It lets you hand-tweak some variables and make true in-between frames for pretty much any rate. Of course it can't do the impossible. Going 4 fps to 160 fps ain't gonna look purty. But, ironically, it may make the Canon 5D2 a tad more viable. Again, very much a professional tool, it takes expertise to use it well -- and safely. It also does conventional format conversions, say, 60i NTSC to 24p, etc.

-- J.S.

A. Whitehouse · June 4, 2009

Is it just software or does it have a hardware component? I wasn't aware Arri had a software arm.

John Sprung · June 8, 2009

It looks to be all software, running on maxed out Wintel boxes.

-- J.S.

Paul Bruening · June 10, 2009

Sounds interesting. Software makers make claims that, sometimes, don't pan out as well as they pitch. If you like it and endorse it, John, then I'm interested. What's the ballpark on the price? Can it run on PCs? Will they make it as a plug-in for FCP or AE?

John Sprung · June 12, 2009

What's the ballpark on the price? Can it run on PCs? Will they make it as a plug-in for FCP or AE?

The number mentioned was $50K per seat, but that's not firm at all. It is on Intel/Windows PC's, but loaded ones, not your office machine. It's a stand alone program. Likely not to be an end user product, the learning curve makes it something you go to a facility and pay an expert to use.

-- J.S.

David Auner aac · June 12, 2009

The number mentioned was $50K per seat, but that's not firm at all. It is on Intel/Windows PC's, but loaded ones, not your office machine. It's a stand alone program. Likely not to be an end user product, the learning curve makes it something you go to a facility and pay an expert to use.

I talked to a local telecine guy a couple days ago. He said he could give me a per minute price pretty soon. IIRC he said is was in the 70 Euro per min ballpark (for 16mm if format is an issue).

I'll post what I learn next week.

Cheers, Dave

Adrian Sierkowski · June 12, 2009

Please keep up updated, I'm pretty interested in this and will have to bring it up next time i see my colorist.

Paul Bruening · June 12, 2009

The number mentioned was $50K per seat, but that's not firm at all. It is on Intel/Windows PC's, but loaded ones, not your office machine. It's a stand alone program. Likely not to be an end user product, the learning curve makes it something you go to a facility and pay an expert to use.

Only 50K? I'll run right down to the corner convenience store with my pistol and pick up some cash.