American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 40

SPHERE AND THE BIG SKY CAMERA
The Exosphere's nearly 1.2 million LED " pucks " create a massive
LED screen on the Sphere's exterior for displaying video content.
Shulkind notes, laughing. " He was basically driving the cost up for
himself! "
A series of lens-mount adapters was crafted to mix existing glass
with the Big Sky lenses for Sphere's first narrative project, Postcard from
Earth, directed by Darren Aronofsky and photographed by Shulkind in
26 countries around the world. (Matthew Libatique, ASC also contributed
by photographing an eight-minute narrative that bookends the film.)
Immersive Operating
As with everything related to the Big Sky, even composing images and
operating the camera is a unique experience. There are no existing monitors
to approximate its huge image, or screens that can demonstrate
its wide field of view, so the in-house team created a series of playback
tools, including a custom VR headset application that " projects " the
camera's view onto a virtual Sphere dome screen; the operator can " sit "
anywhere in the theater and anticipate exactly how the shot will be experienced
by the audience.
Custom Sound
The Sphere Immersive Sound system, developed in partnership with the
German company Holoplot, involves 167,000 speakers that direct sound
to the audience like a laser beam - and with nearly the same precision.
The system not only delivers delay-free and echo-free sound to all seats,
but it can also create wholly immersive 3D audio by placing a sound in
any position in 3D space.
Further, the system can deliver an entirely different soundtrack, in
various languages, to different positions in the theater. So, within a
small group of seats, one viewer can listen to a French soundtrack while
the neighboring viewer hears English - both in perfect sync with the
picture.
Custom Workflow
The Sphere team is blurring boundaries between prep, production and
post to deliver a 16Kx16K image on the screen. That includes uncompressed
recording, off-board image processing, custom recording media
and some elegant solutions for how to manage media. The standard
frame rate for Big Sky is 60 fps, and new software had to be developed
just to move the footage, check the footage, create dailies and deliver
images to the venue.
" We started with getting 'dailies' about two weeks out, " DaSilva wryly
recalls. " Then we got that down to one week, and then to a day. By the
time Darren was shooting Postcard, we had the system refined so that
he could look at his footage, fully processed in our Big Dome test theater
in Burbank, Calif., in just one hour. " (See New Products and Services, AC
Aug. '23, for more on the test theater.)
The Big Sky 32-terabyte media magazines can record 17 minutes
40 / NOVEMBER 2023

American Cinematographer - November 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - November 2023

Contents
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - Cover1
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - Cover2
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 1
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - Contents
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 3
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 4
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 5
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 6
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 7
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 8
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 9
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 10
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 11
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 12
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 13
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 14
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 15
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 16
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 17
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 18
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 19
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 20
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 21
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 22
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 23
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 24
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 25
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 26
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 27
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 28
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 29
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 30
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 31
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 32
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 33
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 34
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 35
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 36
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 37
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 38
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 39
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 40
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 41
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 42
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 43
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 44
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 45
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 46
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 47
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 48
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 49
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 50
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 51
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 52
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 53
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 54
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 55
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 56
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 57
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 58
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 59
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 60
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 61
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 62
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 63
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 64
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 65
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 66
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 67
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 68
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 69
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 70
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 71
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - 72
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - Cover3
American Cinematographer - November 2023 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0724
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0624
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0524
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0424
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0324
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0224
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0124
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1223
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1123
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0923
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0823
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0723
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0623
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0523
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0423
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0323
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0223
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0123
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1222
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1122
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0922
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0822
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0722
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0622
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0522
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0422
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0322
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0222
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0122
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1221
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1121
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0921
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0821
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0721
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0621
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0521
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0421
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0321
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0221
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0121
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1220
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0920
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0820
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0720
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0620
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0520
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0420
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0320
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0220
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0120
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0919
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0819
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0719
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0619
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0519
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0419
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0319
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0219_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0119_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0119
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1118
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0918
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0818
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0718
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0618
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0518
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0418
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0318
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0118
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0917
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0817
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0717
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0617
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0517
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0417
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0317
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0916
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0816
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0716
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0616
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0516
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0416
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0316
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac1015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0915
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0815
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0715
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0615
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0515
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0415
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0315
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac0115
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com