Multiple Codex recording and workflow technologies were used in the production to post pipeline on 20th Century Fox’s film X-Men: Days of Future Past. Codex Onboard Recorders, in-camera XR recording, and Vault systems, enabled the filmmakers to deploy a variety of ARRI Alexa cameras, shooting both native 3D and 2D using ARRIRAW, and to maximise image quality on-set and during post production.
X-Men: Days of Future Past, is directed by Bryan Singer, with cinematography by Newton Thomas Sigel. The pair, who also worked together on X-Men and X-Men 2, chose to shoot the newest release in native 3D using ARRI Alexa M and Alexa XT cameras supported by the Codex/ARRIRAW workflow.
“I like the look of Alexa,” said Sigel. “It’s a kind of softer look (to other digital cameras), with more half tones, more variations of colour, and it was a better look for this project. I was able to get wardrobe to give me a lot of saturated colours on background extras in oranges and yellows and reds – very intense colours that were easier to isolate, grab onto and actually desaturate later.”
Sigel added, “By the time we started X-Men: Days Of Future Past, ARRI had come out with Alexa M. I was able to use them with TS5 3D rigs from 3ality and Codex Onboard S Recorders. The 3D rigs are pretty solid, but what’s evolving are the cameras and lenses that are available for them. The options are expanding, and the Alexa M is certainly a step in that direction. We also had some 2D stuff, and for that we were able to use the Alexa XT and record the ARRIRAW right onto the in-camera Codex XR drives, and that was very liberating.”
Codex recording and workflow technology has been used on hundreds of motion picture productions worldwide. Forthcoming releases to rely on Codex products include: Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes, Jupiter Ascending, Hercules, Jersey Boys, Guardians Of The Galaxy, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For, The Fault In Our Stars and Sex Tape.
