Looks like the Supercomputer propellerheads in San Diego had fun last month reviewing compressed 4k footage delivered from Japan IN REAL TIME over an ultrahigh speed fiber network (250-400 Mbps). 4k footage, btw, is 3840 x 2160 pixel resolution. So far, only 1 movie, Spiderman 2 has been worked on in 4k resolution (by our friends at EFILM), so this stuff is very new. Apparently, Digital Cinema Initiatives, LLC, a consortium of the seven major Hollywood studios is pushing the 4k standard, although it’s a ways off.

My favorite quote - “This experiment emulated a multi-site production digital dailies session scenario, where the cinematographer is on one continent, the colorist on another and the director on his laptop in a screening room in his East Hampton summer house, or in a DI suite in Hollywood.” Yeah - my “state-of-the-art” PowerBook can barely play back 720p without choking and I’m eagerly awaiting a 400 Mbps connection So, think that director is going to sip back a few more Long Island Ice-T’s before THAT scenario pans out…