Image

The Laser transfer is at high (2K) resolution. 

Atlab prefers to receive the image (with visual count-down preceding the program) on PAL Digital Betacam or high resolution tiff files (1828 x 988) on CD or DVD-R.

Separate audio components must be supplied (see below). 

It is also desirable for images to be masked in a 1:1.85 format so that when the image is transferred to 35mm film, no picture information is cropped or reduced. Please allow a border of 12.5 % within the 1:1.85 mask for title safe area.

The Laser Transfer has advanced image enhancing capabilities such as resizing, pixel sharpening, dynamic grading, ‘intelligent’ resolution interpolation, contrast and gamma control, adding film resolution logos or supers and advanced noise or grain reduction using SGI based software. 

The video/ tiff files are transferred to hard-disk where they are rendered at 2K resolution and then recorded to 35mm ultra fine grain film via the ArriLaser film recorder.

Sound

Dolby Stereo or Dolby Digital Printmasters can be delivered on MOD or DA88, provided they have been produced in a Dolby Licenced studio (i.e. Soundfirm, Music & Effects). 

Atlab has a Dolby Licenced studio and can produce the cinema printmaster.  For Atlab to produce the analogue (2 track) Dolby Stereo printmaster, or Dolby Digital (6 track) printmaster, audio should be mixed in separate stereo tracks (eg - music, dialogue, effects and voice over), and can be delivered on time-coded DAT or DA88 or as a pro-tools session on CD. A guide track should also be supplied as a reference.  

All tracks must have a common time-code and ‘2 pip’ start point, and preferably have ‘tones’ at the head of each track.

Dolby Digital printmastering will incur additional mixing and Dolby charges - please allow an additional $700-$1,000 (+GST).

Under Dolby regulations, a fully mixed track cannot be used to produce the cinema audio printmaster.

Frames per Second

Due to the frame rate of video being 25 frames per second, and the film running speed being 24 frames per second, there is usually a 4% slow-down of image and audio on the cinema commercial. This results in increased running time and audio that requires pitch correction.

Atlab are able to offer a 25 fps to 24 fps conversion of the image to resolve this issue. Please specify if this service is required. It is available at no additional cost as one of the many features of the Laser Transfer service.