Huayu has been doing one good deed a day since 2001

Chapter 350 Are you really trying to hang a street lamp?
When Lao Li and Nazha returned to the media headquarters.

Many of the guests or CEOs invited to today's celebration banquet have already arrived.

When he returned to the president's office on the 15th floor and saw He Qing in the reception area wearing a new costume, his eyes lit up. "Is this Wu Zetian's makeup?"

Sister Qing still looks like she's in her mid-twenties, exuding both youthful charm and a mature, sophisticated aura.

But he wore a rather imposing imperial robe.

Even without wearing a crown.

Cultivating a dignified and domineering aura through acting skills elevates one's allure to an alluring level.

He Qing smiled and nodded, "Director Li, are you satisfied?"

"Since the banquet still has more than an hour before it starts, shall we go and discuss an import/export deal?"

Old Li is quick to follow advice.

Naza excitedly encouraged them, saying, "That's a good idea. I'll just observe and learn."

She's a good girl who strives for excellence every day.

He held Tianxian in his mouth for more than a month.

Naza no longer needs to avoid anything.

A small debate lasted for more than an hour.

When Lao Li finished washing up and was about to go down to the lobby, Tong Liya came over and said with emotion, "Xu Ke and Jiang Wen were discussing 3D IMAX filming earlier."

“The machines outside are only rented, not sold. Dual-lens cameras also need to be operated with their self-developed operating system, including hiring matching technicians.”

"The daily rental fee for the machine is $10,000, and the technician's salary is separate."

"That's really expensive!"

According to the information Xu Ke gathered, a director can only shoot two or three shots a day in this kind of 3D IMAX filming.

"But in established film crews, it's common for 2D cameras to shoot 20 or 30 shots a day."

"Senior, you've put the direction of Lucy 3 in my hands? I don't know how!!"

Xu Ke finished filming "A Chinese Ghost Story 5" last May and sent various shots to be made into special effects.

The (Detective Dee) universe project was finalized at that time.

On the contrary, the remake of "New Dragon Gate Inn," which was first proposed by Chow Yun-fat, has been postponed again.

This is Lao Xu refining and revising the script.

In the process of creating various costumes, props, and palace architectural models.

It wasn't until August 2009 that Lao Li suggested Xu Ke try 3D IMAX filming.

In August, Lao Xu went to study, hoping to at least use more money to smooth things over with the Avatar production team and learn from their experience.

It wasn't until the end of September last year that Xu Ke's team finally produced a script whose main storyline had been approved by Li Wenyu.

However, this does not hinder the progress of the construction, renovation, and other related matters that have been underway for more than half a year.

The colossal Buddha statue Tongtian Futu from Detective Dee 1, and a model of Luoyang city.

Everything's taken care of.

Of course, the Buddha statue and city model cannot actually be 200 meters tall like the prototype to build a new city!

This is a group of models used for CGI effects rendering.

Before powering on, all tasks were running smoothly.

At this stage, it's about time to start filming Detective Dee 1.

It's the 3D IMAX shooting mode, which is very different from the traditional one.

Tong Liya said the rental fee was $10,000 per day, so filming for 100 days would cost $1 million.

Two shots a day? That's more than ten times the production time of other 2D films?
This is also normal.

（阿凡达1）拍摄日期是从05年3月到07年4月杀青。

There were pauses in filming during this period.

For example, major holidays and the fact that money is running out and the initial investment plan is insufficient.

Should we continue to ask investors for more funding?
The talks went on, but the money didn't arrive, and then I had to leave work for a while.

All things considered, the filming and production time of Avatar was definitely not just over 700 days.

But it's not like typical special effects blockbusters such as Iron Man or Lucy 2.

Filming wrapped up in 100 days!
Overall, the production cost of a 3D IMAX movie.

The shooting time depends on the amount of special effects required.

The more special effects shots you need, the longer the shooting period will be.

If it can't be done in 100 days, then 200 days.

Nobody is short of time.

Avatar showcases countless alien races, and all alien creatures require extensive special effects.

From Lucy 3 to Detective Dee, they are all human.

The demand for large-scale special effects shots will be much lower.

The cost is 20 times, or even 30 times, that of similar 2D films.

The total investment cost of (Avatar) plus its marketing and promotion exceeded $500 million.

At the exchange rate of the early to mid-00s, that was an investment of 40 billion RMB.

The cost of the big-name stars in this production is actually very low.

Tong Liya consulted with others and then listened in on the proceedings, which confirmed her suspicions.

She couldn't possibly manage to make 3D IMAX out of Lucy 3 in the short term.

Old Li smiled and nodded, "At our stage, we don't need to worry about small amounts of money."

"When it's time to start the machine, you can do whatever you want. Don't worry about wasting money or taking up too much time."

It's not just the filming and production costs that are rising.
In addition to becoming more adapted to the performance mode of ordinary green screen and blue screen special effects studios, the actors also gained a deeper understanding of the process.

Other requirements also increased rapidly.

For example, when you're acting out looking at objects or people, or observing a target in front of the camera, you also need to act out expressions through your eyes.

In IMAX shooting mode, as long as the line of sight deviates from the target by more than 2 centimeters.

During post-production, those two eyes were ruined; the image quality collapsed when watching in IMAX.

Actors can look at objects while performing, but can also quickly adapt when they are static.

Once they start moving dynamically and engaging in combat, what happens?

If you miss the line of sight even slightly, the camera will break down and you'll have to reshoot.

In camera operation, a time difference of up to microseconds between the two lenses is acceptable.

This is mainly because the movement during action scenes can cause vibrations and shocks.

Even a difference of a microsecond can cause screen tearing.

Filming some high-speed chase scenes requires a specially customized vehicle platform to control the vibration of the dual cameras.

And then there's the matter of some light and shadow photography? You might accidentally capture ghostly images.

Moreover, a roll of 3D IMAX film, weighing over 20 kilograms, can often only record for 3 minutes.

Is film this heavy?
Dual-lens cameras are heavier, and using a stabilizer is a basic requirement for still shots.

When filming actually begins, and an ordinary person is directing the scene, crane equipment is almost indispensable.

Old Li noticed that Xiao Tong still looked nervous and uneasy despite his words.

He laughed again and said, "It's okay. I'll cover for you if there's anything you can't handle when you turn it on."

Tong Liya immediately relaxed and gave him a charming sidelong glance, "That's good, otherwise I would have been quite frightened."

"I have a rough understanding, plus the fact that I've been listening to Xu Ke's studies over the past few months."

"I'm really worried that it will take me another year or two to get used to 3D production."

She finished filming (The Squid Game) in the fall of 2004.

He wanted to transition into directing and starring in "Me Before You," but filming didn't begin until 06.

This is after studying at the Beijing Film Academy for more than a year.

Moreover, the crew had help when they started filming, and Lao Li was also playing the male lead.

He wasn't afraid to waste money and do whatever he wanted, which is why his path as a director, though full of ups and downs, became smoother and smoother.

She never expected that after these past few years, 3D IMAX photography technology would have improved so much.

So many assignments have been added all of a sudden!

However, Avatar's 3D IMAX presentation was too beautiful and too gorgeous.

Even if the filming costs increase by 20 or 30 times, it's still worth the gamble.

After a while.

Old Li arrived at the banquet hall on the first floor.

Xu Ke, Jiang Wen, Zhou Xingchi, Feng Kuzi, and others quickly ran over.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xu Ke said with a wry smile, "Mr. Li, with the entire filming and production done in 3D IMAX, I think Detective Dee will be far from making the top 10 or 11 of the Lunar New Year releases."

"It might not be able to be released in time during the summer of 2011."

Old Li nodded, "No rush, you can't learn something overnight."

"You said it yourself, it might not make it into the 11 summer season, so there's still a chance it will be released." The original Detective Dee 1 starring Xu Jinglei was a pseudo-3D film.

However, the 2011 film (Flying Swords of Dragon Gate) was shot and produced using dual-lens 3D cameras.

They also invited the photographer from Avatar to serve as technical advisor.

This technically skilled director in the Chinese-language film industry achieved leading efficiency in Asia very quickly.

The original Detective Dee 1 was only passable in 3D non-IMAX theaters.

The visual effects are several levels below Avatar.

Entering an IMAX theater is the real nightmare.

In the pseudo-3D blockbuster genre, large deserts or oceans are often photographed in 3D environments and turned into wallpapers.

With the appearance of various kinds of smoke, the scene of swirling clouds and mist can be upgraded to a scene of tearing apart.

The brightness of the image on the big screen plummeted, making it feel like watching a completely dark scene the whole time.

Or there may be a large loss of color gamut, with emerald green turning into toilet blue.

Then there's the motion blur, so blurry that 20-30% of viewers get dizzy just looking at it.

Watching a movie made me feel as nauseous as motion sickness.

All of these are the biggest drawbacks of pseudo-3D.

The original Detective Dee 1 was watchable in a regular 3D theater.

Overall, it was still far superior to Avatar.

Old Li used superhuman technology to create (Superbody 2) and (A Chinese Ghost Story 5), which were later converted to 3D.

It would perform just as well in a regular 3D non-IMAX theater.

It far surpasses other pseudo-3D technology.

How big is the difference between regular 3D and IMAX?

In a regular theater, the screen occupies 30-40% of the field of view, while in IMAX it occupies 80% or more.

The former's sense of depth is seeing distinct layers within the screen.

In IMAX, bullets, flying objects, and other 3D objects appear to fly out of the screen.

Make it feel within reach for everyone, like a bullet grazing your head and shooting behind you.

A monster flies towards the screen, giving you the feeling that it's about to fly out and knock you over.

It's like walking down the street and accidentally being hit by a large vehicle.

The overall brightness of regular 3D is also far inferior to that of IMAX.

Many distant views are blurred.

The speaker experience also varies in quality. For example, when watching Avatar in an IMAX theater, the running of wild beasts in the movie can give you a feeling of vibration from the floor and your seat.

The two experiences are on completely different levels in terms of immersion.

But we want to shoot with a 3D IMAX camera like Avatar.

A motion capture system was also included.

This is why it takes time and a patient mindset to learn.

Learn as you go, work slowly and steadily, and one 2D film can be as good as four or five 2D films.

Countless viewers are looking forward to the immersive experience and unparalleled audio-visual feast of 3D cinemas.

With such high expectations from the audience, producers in the industry need to put their heart into creating quality products.

We will not disappoint our fans.

Old Li said again, "We don't need as many special effects shots as Avatar. If we can't finish shooting in 100 days, we'll use 200 days."

"The most important thing now is to keep up with the new technology manufacturing standards."

"I'm not afraid to spend more money or time."

Xu Ke breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, and then asked curiously, "Mr. Li, I heard that the post-production 3D conversion you personally made is almost as good as Avatar in a regular 3D theater?"

Does Time have a 3D theater open to the public?

"It's not just me, many people want to do what they did when they watched the deepfake version of Fight Back to School."

“Go and feel it.”

Even in regular 3D non-IMAX theaters, the screen used is 10 meters wide and 6 meters high.

You upgrade your 2D screen equipment to 3D.

There's no need to go through a frenzy of tearing down walls to increase space.

Two of the former 2D screening rooms on the 13th floor of Time Media's headquarters have been upgraded to 3D.

One is a luxurious screening room for 10 people, and the other has 200 seats.

Old Li took the upgraded versions of (A Chinese Ghost Story 5) and (Lucy 2) to the IMAX theater in the villa area for the first time this morning to see the effects.

You must have seen regular 3D movies before.

He shook his head and said, "2D digital camera production is still two or three levels behind in terms of audiovisual effects."

"In order not to be labeled as a fraud, I didn't even plan to enter the 3D cinema market."

Avatar, such a terrifying 3D phenomenon, has been in theaters for a year.

The number of 3D screens in China has increased by one or two thousand yuan.

But IMAX went from costing a dozen or so dollars to costing forty or fifty dollars.

This is enough to illustrate how big the gap is between 3D blockbusters.

Even those ambitious people in the industry who want to learn the technology but don't want to go to the best IMAX theaters are trying to get access to those resources.

He didn't refuse, saying, "After the celebration banquet or tomorrow or the day after, if you want to see the regular 3D version, go to the 13th floor."

Among the many new plans formulated by Time Media.

Only Lucy 3 and Detective Dee were produced in IMAX; others, such as The Hunger Games, were not.

Then there's (The Martian), which was still a traditional 2D production and 2D release.

Otherwise, there really wouldn't be that many directors who could pull it off.

Just like Tong Liya, he has no confidence in producing anything without his own hands.

Even someone like Xu Ke needs to study for several more months and persevere.

Xu Ke and the others were overjoyed, and some even felt they no longer wanted to participate in the networking and socializing at the victory celebration banquet.

They just wanted to be among the first to see the blockbuster movie that was later converted from 2D to 3D.

After all, both (Lucy 2) and (A Chinese Ghost Story 5) are super special effects movies.

Even if a 3D movie is only two or three levels below (Avatar), it's still a superb experience.

The investment amounts for the two are not based on the same standard.

Wait for these people to run away.

Little Ma brought Jack over to offer a toast.

We talked for a while again about 2D, 3D, and then IMAX.

Pony exclaimed in surprise, "Mr. Li, with your technology, converting a large number of 2D films to 3D and showing them in regular theaters, the difference of two screen times doesn't seem to be a big deal?"

"The brightness and color are slightly inferior by one or two levels, and the details in the distance are not as distinct."

"But if you flood the market in bulk, you can make a fortune."

"If we put the upgraded blockbuster in 3D theaters now, the box office will explode."

Old Li was speechless. "You've made it into the top ten of the rich list now. Don't be too greedy for small amounts of money."

There was no 3Q war, nor were we taught a lesson by the three giants.

Ma Huateng (Little Ma) still has too much of a business-oriented style.

You've been wanting to hang streetlights for ages, haven't you?!

You've already expressed your feelings about being two or three levels below, and you still want to scam people in bulk?
He clinked glasses with the two men again and said with a smile, "It's 2010, and our main focus this year is still online payment and mobile payment."

"Strive to expand nationwide."

"Once realized, it will be applicable to various train stations, airports, and other complex situations."

"The number of people committing petty theft will be halved."

"Even counterfeit money rings will lose their jobs."

He had been developing QR code payment technology for several months.

Then there's WeChat Pay, and the red envelope group tactic.

Now, with Time, Tencent, and Alibaba competing as the top three players, they can expand smoothly within a year.

A few months later, the renowned Aipao 4 will be fully launched and sold.

Samsung Galaxy has also been updated several times.

WeChat, a mobile social networking app for acquaintances, still holds a dominant market share of over 85%.

Jack hurriedly drank the wine and nodded humbly, "When Mr. Li went to Japan to make a movie, he was able to get the full support of SoftBank, including the Judas behind them."

"Our Chinese internet companies will definitely follow in Mr. Li's footsteps."

Jack can't be arrogant anymore.

Even the biggest financial backer behind him couldn't act arrogantly in front of Lao Li.

(End of this chapter)