Will Smith's new movie, Gemini Man will pit the actor up against a younger version of himself in a fight for his life. While that's a pretty solid pitch for what could very well be an entertaining and exciting movie, it's also, as it turns out, a movie worthy of technical achievement. While most of us haven't even seen Gemini Man yet, the movie has already been announced as a winner of a Entertainment Technology Lumiere Award.
The Advanced Imaging Society has announced that 13 different technical achievements in film will be recognized at this year's awards, which will be handed out during a ceremony in Beverly Hills October 28. Among them, will be an award for Paramount Pictures and Skydance, producers of Gemini Man. Specifically, the studios are being recognized for the multi-format production of Gemini Man. When the movie hits screens on October 11, it will be available to view at 24, 60 and 120 frames per second formats, as well as being shown in 2K and 4K, and also 2D and 3D.
Needless to say, that's a lot of different formats. Gemini Man director Ang Lee has never made it secret that he's a fan of technology and frequently likes to push the envelope when it comes to how films can be shown. Lee's last film, Billy Lynn's Halftime Walk also shot at 120 frames per second in 4K 3D, even though most theaters didn't have the capability of actually showing the movie that way.
If nothing else, this gives viewers a lot of choice to see Gemini Man in the format they wish, which is never a bad thing. Although, high frame rate films are so rare, one wonders if a moviegoer will even know whether they prefer 24 frames, 60 frames, or 120 frames per second until after they see the movie.
A number of other technology companies that had products used on films will be recognized at this year's awards according to THR. Those include Magnopus, which created VR environments so that The Lion King filmmakers could better view the scenes being created, and DWA whose MoonRay/Arras lighting system was used on How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.
While Gemini Man's award is for its formats, there is a major piece of impressive technology on display in the film as well. A completely digital character. Rather than using de-aging technology, to make Will Smith appear as his younger self, the film goes a step further and actually creates the younger Will from scratch completely digitally. It's not brand new technology, we've seen it in movies like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story but it does look to be some of the most extensive use of the tech in a single film.
Will you be making a point to see Gemini Man in the "preferred" 120/4K/3D format? Let us know in the poll below.
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