Independent Filmmakers are Calling Laser Pacific Home

Laser Pacific, with its full range of services and new inDI™ process, is quickly becoming home to many independent filmmakers. A deep understanding of budgets, timeframe and that extra dose of knowledge and hand-holding care, especially in today’s digital workflows, make Laser Pacific a natural choice for indies.

Laser Pacific provided end-to-end services on the upcoming Miramax film Clerks 2. The new inDI™ process allowed the filmmakers to see high resolution dailies and previews as well as allowing them the power of DI tools and uncompromised images on an affordable, indie film budget. 

The original Clerks was a sleeper hit photographed on a shoestring in standard gauge 16 mm black and white. It was the first professional film for both writer/director Kevin Smith and cinematographer David Klein. Since then Klein has photographed about 20 narrative projects, including three more collaborations with Smith: Chasing Amy, Mallrats, and most recently,Clerks 2.

In Clerks 2, the characters are now in their 30s and working at a fast food restaurant. The filmmakers wanted a slightly stylized look, with black and white “bookends” at the beginning and end to connect the new film with the original. 

Klein had recently shot an independent feature called Good Time Max in Super 16 format that utilized Laser Pacific for lab and dailies transfer. His familiarity with Laser Pacific and his interest in the new inDI™ process led him to choose Laser Pacific for Clerks 2. He shot the film in three-perf 35 mm format and posted using Laser Pacific’s new inDI™ process.

“Laser Pacific is the ideal home for independent filmmakers,” says Andre Trejo, VP, Account Services. “Because of the challenges of the independent film budget, it is important for them to know that we can help them put as much as possible on the screen. That’s where our range of services and the  inDI™ process really helps.” 

“The fact that we could provide complete end-to-end services in one facility made the process convenient, efficient and smooth,” says Trejo. “Dealing with one support team, and one account rep, from film lab, dailies, DI, and even to the Digital Cinema release, simplifies the workflow and reduces the chances for miscommunication. You don’t have to pass the baton on to a whole new team and explain your project to them all over again.”

On Clerks 2, that support team included Karin Graziani, Travis Avitabile, and Craig Bilsky. “Our job is to communicate with the clients, find out what they’re going to need, and devise the best strategy for delivering what they’re looking for,” says Graziani, who heads Laser Pacific feature film account services. “We help the filmmakers make the best use of the talent and technology that’s available here at Laser. We consult with the people who do the work, and once we map out the job based on the requirements, we help come up with the budget. Factors include the number of visual effects shots and the amount of grading time that will be necessary. We also do tests to help the filmmakers understand what’s possible.”

Shooting three-perf saved money upfront and added efficiency by reducing the frequency of mag changes. The DI also saved time on the set. “Knowing up-front that we would be doing a DI gave us flexibility during production,” Klein says. “I knew I could let a window blow a little bit more than I normally would, and that we didn’t need to take 45 minutes to flag a light off of a wall, because we could isolate and tone it down in just a few moments in DI.”

During post, Klein worked closely with Laser Pacific DI colorist David Cole, whose credits include Peter Jackson’s King Kong and the The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.

“As far as grading is concerned, there’s no appreciable difference between the inDI™ process and a traditional DI,” says Cole. “The style for Clerks 2 is relatively naturalistic. Because much of the film takes place in fast food restaurants, there are vibrant purples and yellows, but we wanted to keep those colors slightly muted in order to keep the audience’s attention on the actors’ faces. We also made extensive use of Power Windows to knock down the amount of light coming in through the actual windows in the restaurant.”

“David is a very experienced DI colorist, and the software is extremely fast,” Klein says. “He had color-corrected the trailer based on the dailies, which were very close to where we wanted to be for the final look. The DI took seven or eight days. We could have used a little more time, but about mid-way through we learned there was going to be a screening at Cannes and that pushed our deadline.”

Klein describes the DI sessions as an interactive experience. The digital images were projected on a 30-foot screen in a theatrical environment. “We worked together toward finding the right look,” says Klein. “I’d tell David that I wanted to desaturate something a little, and after a while, he would instinctively know what ‘a little’ meant. After we synced up, it was as if he were reading my mind. If someone walked in front of a window, we could isolate them and make a correction on a single frame. David would then instruct the computer to track the movements and apply that same correction to the rest of the shot.”

Klein and Cole used the DI to amp up a musical sequence by increasing color saturation. “It’s a key moment in the film,” says Cole. “It’s a fantasy sequence within this otherwise normal world, and we really pushed the in terms of color. It’s very saturated in relation to the rest of the movie.”

Throughout, they referred to Smith’s written notes describing his feelings about various shots and scenes. The director visited the DI suite after Klein and Cole completed the first pass. He made some suggestions and gave their work his blessing.

“David knew the looks that Kevin wanted,” Cole says. “It’s my job to support their vision. It’s done verbally and by showing them shots. You talk to people and get to know what they mean when they ask to make something a little brighter or darker. You have to get into their minds. It’s a collaborative relationship.”

The timed DI was recorded out to color intermediate film used as a master for generating prints for the festival at Cannes and for subsequent theatrical release. In addition to the DI, Laser Pacific prepared the film for its Digital Cinema release. Utilizing technology that Laser Pacific is co-developing with Kodak, a digital cinema “package” which was fully compliant with the new Digital Cinema Initiatives specification was prepared for digital release.

“The inDI™ process results in a beautiful piece of film,” says Trejo. “ For film makers who need the power of the digital color process and are mindful of their budget, inDI™ represents a powerful option. For independent filmmakers who need choices and assurances that their lab and post house care – and can deliver – Laser Pacific is THE choice. Just ask the filmmakers from Clerks 2.”