Blending analog and digital for Wes Anderson’s Montblanc “Meisterstück”

Prior to the shoot, ARRI Solutions integrated the film camera into the otherwise entirely digitized workflow of a volume at its dedicated Munich-based virtual production lab. Color calibration was an important element, with the Solutions’ specialists extensively testing various film stocks and how they react to the LED wall, while calibrating the wall’s output to match the stocks’ sensitivities. For the final shoot, Kodak 35 mm Motion Picture Film was selected. 
 
“Although merging analog and digital workflows does require careful testing, one benefit is that genlock and scanlines can be less of a concern than with digital cameras, particularly when the camera remains static or has limited movement,” comments Richard Muller, Virtual Production Supervisor for the shoot. “Everything had been carefully prepared and prescribed in advance of the shoot by the Solutions team, so when combined with the testing and Linus’ prior experience working in other volumes on 35 mm, it meant that shooting was smooth.”

ARRI Solutions also developed an effective and flexible 2D playout operation based on DaVinci Resolve Studio, in collaboration with Holobay. “Using a grading program to take content onto the wall enabled the DP and director to have a large amount of creative control over the content and aesthetic with little complexity,” continued Muller. “The final tweaks could be made almost like painting on the backdrop.”