Article｜Zhi Feina

Edit｜Ji Zhengpeng

Source | China Film News

On November 9, 2021, the National Film Administration promulgated the "Fourteenth Five-Year Plan for the Development of Chinese Films", which specifically put forward the goal of "significantly enhanced film technology capabilities". Under the framework of this macro development plan, it is necessary to inventory, in-depth R&D and promotion of the key film scientific research achievements of China’s existing independent intellectual property rights. The discourse power and influence of Chinese films in the world film pattern continue to increase.

Under this vision, perhaps looking back at the National Day files that have passed more than a month, we can see the films "Changjin Lake" and "My Fathers" after the dust has basically settled, in the application of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Since then, major achievements in film technology innovation have been actively explored, and good market response has also been achieved. These explorations are not only the achievements of the Chinese film technology revolution reaching a certain stage in the past ten years but also an empowerment of high-tech images for the 2035 film power covenant.

On September 29, 2021, the film "Changjin Lake" and "My Fathers and Me" premiered in the CINITY Hall, China Film International Studios, the Chinese Communist Party History Exhibition Hall. Different from the regular version or other versions, the two films shown in more than 50 CINITY theatres across the country are the 120-frame version of CINITY AMR, which is the application of China's independent technological innovation.

The so-called 120-frame movie is the main category of high-tech format movies, that is, 120 frames per second flash when the movie is shown, which is equivalent to 5 times the 24 frames per second picture standard of ordinary movies, and it can capture the details of the picture close to the limit of human vision. , This makes the scenes in the film smooth and wonderful, without the slightest stutter.

The high-tech format is the direction for the world's top visual effects blockbusters to explore and develop advanced video films in recent years. It can be deeply applied in major types of films such as science fiction, action films, cartoons, and epics, and become a powerful means of cultural dissemination. .

Compared with various existing image production and presentation technologies since the birth of film 126 years, high-tech formats include 4K, 3D, 120 frames, high brightness, high dynamic range, wide color gamut, immersive sound and other technologies, which can solve the problem of film Problems such as dim pictures, ghost images, and dizziness can provide a visual experience with clearer pictures, smoother movements, richer details, and brighter colors.

And high frame rate is the core technology of high-tech format movies. High frame rate refers to filming movies in the format of 48 frames/60 frames/120 frames per second, which can provide screen content several times that of the traditional 24-frame format, making the screen more coherent, smooth and clear, and even allowing the audience to distinguish The illusion that the rate has increased. As director Li Ang said, "Once you encounter technologies such as 120 frames, you can't stop using them. Although it is a risk for the work, it is an inevitable innovation and evolution for the industry."

Translation results

With the rapid increase of screens in China, the brand and number of next-generation cinemas that can show high-tech format movies have achieved a leading position in the world, and a larger industrial scale is expected to be formed during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period. In 2016, there were only 2 screens in the country and it was still a non-film standard screen. It could barely show the 4K/3D/120-frame version of "Billy Lynn's Midfield Battle". In 2021, China has become the world's largest 120-frame movie theatre. In the country, there are about 57 CINITY theatres that support 4K/3D/120 frame screening and have their own brands; about 70 theatres that support 2K/2D/120 frames of other brands. In addition, 15,000 mid-to-high-end screens across the country, represented by Dolby Cinema Hall and Wanda Studios High Format Hall, can show 48-frame and 60-frame high-tech format movies, accounting for approximately 19.5% of the total number of screens in the country.

However, currently, there is a serious shortage of high-tech format film sources. The production of movies that meet the requirements of high-tech formats is extremely low even if viewed globally. As a result, a large number of newly-built mid-to-high-end screens can only be "downwardly compatible", and the general version of movies in non-high-tech formats can basically survive and be input and output. The large deviation is not conducive to the Chinese film industry leading the global development direction from the production side to the projection side.

The reasons for the lack of high-tech format movies are that the shooting equipment is not yet mature and expensive, and the production cycle is long. Especially high frame rate, among the global video quality improvement technologies, the high frame rate is the technology with the highest threshold and the most difficult to achieve. It is also a technology that people in the industry worldwide are eager to make breakthroughs. At present, it is mainly done through high-frame shooting with combined machines.

Taking "Gemini Killer" as an example, the industry estimates that in order to achieve the desired artistic effect, the cost of producing a 120-frame movie will increase by RMB 100 million compared with the production of a 24-frame movie, and the production cycle will be extended by 6 months.

The second is the complex production process. The main creative staff’s uncertainty about the presentation effect, the unfamiliarity with the high frame rate shooting process, the scarcity of professional and technical personnel, and the difficulty of cooperation with production-related departments, all make high-tech formats especially high. The realization of the frame rate effect has brought great difficulties. Therefore, although the high frame rate of movies has been said for so many years, as of now, there are still only a handful of really high frame rate movies.

Judging from industry evaluation, CINITY AMR has broken the closed and incompatible situation of the world's representative next-generation film technology and ultra-high-definition video technical index system. In addition to the smooth release of CINITY AMR versions of many domestic excellent works, it has also been recognized by Disney and Marvel Pictures. The 4K/48 frame classic repair film "The Horse Thief" supported by artificial intelligence mastering technology was selected as the classic unit of the 72nd French Cannes Film Festival. This is the first time that a classic movie with independent 4K high frame restoration has been launched in China. This also represents The highest level of domestic film restoration.

The "Fourteenth Five-Year Plan for the Development of Chinese Films" has pointed out the direction, planned the process, and selected the path for the next five years to promote the high-quality development of Chinese films and build a film power. The "Planning" pointed out that "key film scientific research with independent intellectual property rights will be more abundant, the foundation of film industrialization will be firmer, and the level of special effects production will be further improved", and the quality of film production will be improved, the development of film special effects technology will be accelerated, and the independence of digital cinema technology will be promoted. Four aspects, including innovation and perfecting the film technology standard system, put forward specific requirements. In addition to independent innovation of next-generation imaging technologies such as artificial intelligence mastering, it is necessary to increase efforts to support more related research and development applications and promote more cost-effective, short production cycles, and large-scale mass production technologies to become the world's leading and outstanding advantages.

Independent innovation and technological empowerment will help promote the production of domestic premium movies. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Chinese films have achieved unprecedented high-quality development and have a world-leading and vibrant film industry foundation.

Use the United States as the medium to improve the quality and help the film show the image of China. The film has been a combination of technology, art and commerce since its inception, all three are indispensable. The relevant experience of the United States, Japan, South Korea and other film powers has proved that the excellence of the content and quality of the film is the best means to spread the country’s culture and ideology and shape the country’s external image. N. Mingente said, "The creation of desire is the central mechanism of the cultural strategy of Hollywood giants." The main component of this cultural strategy is to make movies "good pictures with international appeal." High-quality high-tech format movies help promote the international dissemination of Chinese movies through the combination of "technology + culture".

(The author is the senior editor of the China Academy of Art)