There is a phrase in filmmaking called “preserving the creative intent”. This is one of the biggest concerns when it comes ensuring that the director’s creative vision is carefully preserved, right from the moment the first images and sound are captured on a production set, to how it is monitored, edited, colour graded, and eventually in the cinemas and onto the TV screen at home. How can I ensure that what I worked so hard to create in the entire process from script to screen, is going to be experienced by the viewers at home as closely as I had spent years and months crafting?
“Preserving the creative intent”
While there is a workflow in place, the technology built into each pieces of the equipment matters immensely. In the making of “Wonderland”, Sony professional equipment were used in many aspect of the production. In fact, all of the scenes in New York were captured with a Sony FX6 and the entire music video of the film was shot with the same camera. Even the behind the scenes were shot with Sony cameras.
The colour grading process of the film was done with one of the most revered reference monitors in the world – the Sony BVM-X300. This is to ensure we are able to achieve a grade that allows us to hit the brightest highlights and also the blackest blacks. To assess how well it can replicate the reference grade, we would normally need a consumer grade TV in the grading suite, similar to how you as a consumer will view our work at home. However, when we tested the BRAVIA 9, it displayed a level of brightness and detail that even our reference monitor couldn’t match. Thus, BRAVIA 9 is the TV of choice in representing the image that we have crafted.
I came to find out that this level of accuracy was only possible because BRAVIA 9 is using similar backlight control core technology found in their master professional monitors, aptly named the XR Backlight Master Drive, and hence the BRAVIA 9 is able to precisely control thousands of Mini LEDs for truly authentic contrast. Truly amazing stuff.
Similar to the backlight control core technology in our master monitors (professional monitors), XR Backlight Master Drive with a unique local dimming algorithm controls thousands of LEDs precisely for truly authentic contrast.
''To hit the brightest highlights and the blackest of blacks … BRAVIA 9 is the TV of choice in representing the image that we have crafted.''
Similarly, the sound mix of the film has to be done at the highest standards. In this case, it was the theatrical mix delivered in Dolby Atmos. Sony’s BRAVIA Theatre Bar 9, thanks to 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology, was able to deliver in style, creating spectacular surround sound by creating phantom speakers and reflecting sound off the ceiling and walls. When we paired BRAVIA Theatre Bar 9 with the BRAVIA 9, with Acoustic Center Sync feature, the TV was even able to become a center speaker, to effortless recreate that immersive experience you get from the cinema, in a home setting.
360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology creates 5 phantom speakers in front of you and reflects sound off the ceiling and walls, enabling cinema-style surround sound from a single soundbar.
Acoustic Center Sync enables the BRAVA Theatre Bar 9 to use your compatible BRAVIA as a centre speaker. So sound comes from the screen, adjusted as part of one integrated speaker system.
I am so grateful that these technologies in the BRAVIA 9 and BRAVIA Theatre Bar 9 exists, so when the film is released to the consumer platforms, people will get to enjoy my film at its highest standards, in the comforts of their home. With the new BRAVIA 2024 TV and Soundbar line up, I am excited to say Cinema truly comes home. - Chai Yee Wei, Director of Wonderland (2024)
Explore Sony 2024 Home Entertainment Collection here.
