| Behind
The Curtain: An Exclusive Look at How U2 3D Comes To
Life
by Tassoula
E. Kokkoris
It may be simple to imagine the work that goes into directing,
performing and editing a movie, but what's not so easy to picture
is what happens once the completed film arrives at the theater.
Thanks to the kind members of the projection staff at the Pacific
Science Center in Seattle, we now have a better idea. What
follows is documentation of their two-day journey building U2
3D.
Photo
by Phil Roewe, courtesy of Pacific Science Center
(above) The film arrives in two separate parts: a traditional
CD, which holds the sound, and multiple film reels, which contain
the visual footage. At showtime, if these two components aren't
synchronized perfectly, the screening will be ruined. The film
arrives in pieces because it is less expensive to construct
the movie on-site at the theaters than it is risking damage
in transport and mailing an object of its completed size.
Photo by Phil Roewe, courtesy of Pacific Science Center
(above) Each film reel is labeled with information that corresponds
to an assembly packet provided to the team. On those sheets
are scene headings, thumbnail photos and brief descriptions
of transitions for the builders to follow -- similar to storyboards,
but not nearly as detailed. One that I saw when I was there
simply said "Bono right stage" -- as if that narrows
it down!
Photo by Phil Roewe, courtesy of Pacific Science Center
(above) Once the reels are opened and put into chronological
order, the builders begin laying the film out to identify where
it needs to be cut. This particular part of the movie features
the back of Larry Mullen Jr., sitting at his drum kit.
Photo by Phil Roewe, courtesy of Pacific Science Center
(above) When the reels are ready to be built, they are placed
on the Make-up Table. Depending on the length of the film, they
can build it using the table alone or build it right onto the
reel units. There's a motor under one plate to help assist in
the transfer of film.
Photo by Tassoula E. Kokkoris
(above) Next, the film is threaded through a splicer to be
cut at exact predetermined points so that no frames overlap
or get lost. Each film comes with scrap film that has labels
on each end, indicating what specific reel it is. Again, precision
is crucial to the end result: if any clips are missing, the
synchronicity of the three-dimensional components will be thrown
out of alignment and the overall effect will be lost.
Photo by Phil Roewe, courtesy of Pacific Science Center
(above) Projectionist Jenn Bentz uses the splicer to cut the
film for construction.
(continues on Page
2)
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