Superman II: The Verisimilitude Cut HD

[verisimilitude]

For all my fellow fan-cut enthusiasts, welcome to the official thread for The Verisimilitude Cut.

In the way of quick introduction for any new members, 4 years ago, I put together a cut of Superman 2 that endeavored to continue the theme and spirit of STM: Verisimilitude. I strove to keep the sound and video editing professional, I cut out much of the campy humor from Lester, I incorporated more of John Williams cues, and I introduced brand new segments such as an all new opening credits sequence, a completely redone Paris sequence, a "Villains Rule the World" sequence, and a poignant, more elaborate "Memory Kiss" sequence.

The encouraging comments that I received here and from Superman fans on youtube, demonstrated that many folks were apparently touched by what I had done. The general sentiment was that Superman II felt special and like a true continuation of STM. That's EXACTLY the response I was hoping for, and it pleased me to no end.

However, that cut was done in 4:3 stereo, which is hardly epic. Further, I made a few choices back then, that I now regret, with regard to scenes that were left out. I also regret a few scenes that I chose to include. Finally, several of the above mentioned original sequences never actually made it into the movie, itself. They were simply put together as standalone scenes, after the cut was completed.

Now, 4 years later, I'm finally ready to put together the all new V-Cut in HD. For those who are not tired of S2 fan cuts, particularly those who have expressed interest and enthusiasm for this one, here is the thread where I will be keeping you updated on my progress.

I greatly look forward to your input, advice, and encouragment. I will try my very best to put together something worth watching, and hopefully something valuable, as well.

I will try to post updates regularly and include links to videos, every step of the way, so that we can all enjoy the journey together.

As a disclaimer, I need y'all to know that I am not working with amazing sophisticated equipment. There will be some light matting, modest visual effects, and perhaps even an attempt at rotoscoping, but I won't be attempting anything too involved. I simply want to make the very best use of what Donner and Lester have already done.

The cut will be in 720p, 5.1 (ac3), HD Mpg, as that is the format that allows me to smoothly combine all the Blu-Ray footage with additional SD footage, such as deleted scenes, using the limited resources at my disposal.

As it stands right now, I'm preparing all the footage, and have found the deleted scenes to be particularly difficult, as they are ripped from dvd at 29.97 frames per second, but must be converted to 23.976 fps, in order to be combined with all the HD footage. This conversion is very problematic, as it results in jerky playback.

For the past 3 days, since announcing my intention to create the new V-Cut, pretty much all my time has been spent with numerous trial-and-error attempts to successfully render the dvd footage at 23.976 fps. As of a few hours ago, I finally figured out a workaround that has allowed me to do this. So, until I hit a NEW snag, I'm finally ready to get started with the first scene. Nothing that y'all haven't seen before, aside from it being in HD, this time.

Thanks to CAM, Booshman, Tyler, Jimbo, and all the others who have already provided input and advice. I'm encouraged, scared, and excited all at the same time.

Please feel free to post questions, suggestions, critiques, etc, and I will be checking in regularly.

Time to get started...

[booshman]

Feb 29, 2012 23:20:26 GMT -5 verisimilitude said:

As it stands right now, I'm preparing all the footage, and have found the deleted scenes to be particularly difficult, as they are ripped from dvd at 29.97 frames per second, but must be converted to 23.976 fps, in order to be combined with all the HD footage. This conversion is very problematic, as it results in jerky playback.

For the past 3 days, since announcing my intention to create the new V-Cut, pretty much all my time has been spent with numerous trial-and-error attempts to successfully render the dvd footage at 23.976 fps. As of a few hours ago, I finally figured out a workaround that has allowed me to do this. So, until I hit a NEW snag, I'm finally ready to get started with the first scene. Nothing that y'all haven't seen before, aside from it being in HD, this time.

Good job on getting your new edit started, I wish you luck, hopefully you don't hit too many bumps in the road along the way. Working out a new workflow is a ticky business, lots of trial and error.

What method will you be using to get the deleted scenes to 720p? The interlacing on the deleted scenes is a major pain in the arse, glad you got it sorted.

[verisimilitude]

Yeah, the interlacing is annoying, no doubt. My process for dealing with that and upconverting the deleted scenes is simple. I'm using Xilisoft Video Converter Ultimate. This is truly an amazing converter. There's NOTHING it won't do. You import the mpeg file, then choose the new resolution, format, container, etc. In the "experts" setting, there's a "de-interlace" option. Once you plug in all your preferences, you just choose CONVERT, and it spits out a deinterlaced file in 720p, in about a minute or less.

I can't say enough good things about this software. Every possible file format, resolution, sound setting, etc is possible with this thing, without any loss of quality...that I can see.

[crazy_asian_man]

Just curious..... if there's news of new footage on the heels of MOS's eventual dvd coming out as a tie-in..... would you be willing to do a new cut to incorporate any good stuff that may be included, or is this coming cut tentatively 'it'?

(I know how much of a headache/time extensive a cut could be, so I was just wondering...)

[TylerDurden389]

Good luck with this Veris!!

[verisimilitude]

Mar 1, 2012 11:30:38 GMT -5 crazy_asian_man said:

Just curious..... if there's news of new footage on the heels of MOS's eventual dvd coming out as a tie-in..... would you be willing to do a new cut to incorporate any good stuff that may be included, or is this coming cut tentatively 'it'?

(I know how much of a headache/time extensive a cut could be, so I was just wondering...)

You bring up a good point, CAM. If more footage turns up after this cut is complete, then I will add it, if it's not too much trouble. This time, I'm simply going to create 20 or so files, and join them. I will save each individual file, so that, in the event I want to add something, I would simply plug it in, and rejoin all the files, along with the new one and have a new extended cut, without having to go through the hassle of redoing everything.

[Rod]

its great to have you back, Veris! Best of luck and power, man.

[verisimilitude]

Much obliged, my friend. Thanks for the warm welcome.

[verisimilitude]

I had to give a quick shoutout to Booshman for providing so much invaluable help in getting this project started off right, by pointing me to some incredible software that has solved all my technical problems, particularly TMPGenc which allows you to convert to 23.976 fps with FLAWLESS playback, and no loss in quality.

[verisimilitude]

After another day of trial and error, I have a few updates. First, it appears that the deleted scenes, when upconverted to 720p, are letterboxed, There doesn't seem to be a way to convert them to the actual aspect ratio of 2.40:1. Unless Booshman, CAM or somebody else knows a way to do it, those scenes will be letterboxed.

I will do my best to merge the rest of the cut with the deleted scenes, without sacrficing overall quality, but there may have to be a bit of give to make it happen.

On the bright side, I was visited by 3 ghosts last night who convinced me that DTS is the way to go, with the audio. I feel like an idiot for not realizing that I could simply convert the soundtrack to lossless PCM for the purpose of editing, and then convert it back to DTS, once the editing is done. So, the final cut will feature both a DTS AND AC3 soundtrack, rather than me deciding for folks what they will get. Thanks again to Booshman for reminding me that PCM is the way to go for editing, and then just reconvert back to DTS afterwards.

As you can tell, I'm leaving no stone unturned in preparation for this cut. I don't want any mistakes or unexpected surprises. Once you get started, it's a killer to hit a wall and be stuck, especially if it means having to back up and redo what you spent so much time working on.

If anyone knows a way to convert the deleted scenes to the actual aspect ratio of the films, themselves, let me know. Otherwise, I plan to get started very soon!

[Conor]

Make sure to do a HD 720/1080 rip and torrent it!!

[booshman]

Mar 3, 2012 14:06:50 GMT -5 verisimilitude said:

If anyone knows a way to convert the deleted scenes to the actual aspect ratio of the films, themselves, let me know. Otherwise, I plan to get started very soon!

You could try these settings in TMPGEnc:


The resulting clips should be the same dimensions and aspect ratio as the footage you are editing with. You might want to risize slightly higher to compensate for the extra black strips at the left and right of the frame, though you will be cropping off a few frames from the top and bottom by doing that.

[verisimilitude]

Good advice, there, Boosh. I will try that. I'm glad to know that even you agree that some cropping, ultimately is necessary in the process. Will report back on how that's going. Thanks for the screenshots, btw. Very helpful. Hopefully other aspiring editors are finding this thread to be helpful, as well. Your info really is invaluable, my friend.

[verisimilitude]

Just wanted to let y'all know that I'm still in the prep stages, working with Booshman, and trying to get all the technical issues worked out. There are many, and new challenges seem to keep popping up. But we're almost there. Pretty much all the issues are resolved, at this point, and I'll finally begin editing within the next day or two.

I just wanted to take a moment to give you guys the update. I'm working hard and anxious to get started.

Hope you're all having a great week!

[TylerDurden389]

Mar 8, 2012 2:29:39 GMT -5 verisimilitude said:

Just wanted to let y'all know that I'm still in the prep stages, working with Booshman, and trying to get all the technical issues worked out. There are many, and new challenges seem to keep popping up. But we're almost there. Pretty much all the issues are resolved, at this point, and I'll finally begin editing within the next day or two. I just wanted to take a moment to give you guys the update. I'm working hard and anxious to get started. Hope you're all having a great week!

Thanks for the update Veris. Maybe some day you can give me advice on editing HD footage when I tackle S2 again. Though I'm hoping that you, Boosh, and evntually Jimbo give me edits that I love just the same, and won't even need to worry about S2 anymore.

Though I do plan on re-doing "Superman Redeemed" in HD someday, with a few changes of my own.

[verisimilitude]

I know I will be glad to help in any way I can, Tyler. I suspect Booshman will be pleased to help, too. He has been super generous with his time, and has helped me to really understand what I'm doing, as I prepare to get started.

[verisimilitude]

Okay, prep work is DONE. All footage is prepared. Sound issues are resolved. Red Warner Logo in HD is acquired (Thank you Booshman!). All deleted scenes are in 5.1 720p. Test edits are a success!

After several weeks of headaches and little sleep, it's time to BEGIN. Thanks to everybody for your interest and input. I hope to start having clips uploaded over the next few weeks.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

[crazy_asian_man]

Awesome! Good luck, sir!

[verisimilitude]

I appreciate that very much, CAM.

[Jimbo]

Did you deinterlace the deleted scenes yourself? How did it go?

I notice that the deleted scene with Jimmy's "new camera" is cropped on the sides, making it 2.00:1 or so. It needs to be cropped on the top and bottom to regain the 2.35:1 frame.

[verisimilitude]

Hey Jimbo!

Thanks to the program TMPGenc, I was able to successfully deinterlace all the deleted scenes, and make sure they were rendered properly at 1280x720p, including the bully elevator scene. I will crop a bit off top and bottom when I edit it.

Thanks for asking. What an educational whirlwind this prep process turned out to be. Poor Bushman got dragged into it way more than he bargained for, I'm sure. God bless him for putting up with message after message from me, complaining and asking for help on a daily basis. He went above and beyond, to say the least.

Can't wait to redo my opening sequence in HD DTS. Getting excited!

[TylerDurden389]

Man, this is gonna be good!!!

[verisimilitude]

LOL. Good one, Tyler. I can't believe, after how many times I've seen these movies, and all the heck I went through with my first edit, that I'm excited about seeing the S2 opening sequence, AGAIN.

Can't explain it, but these two films stir my soul, if I can put it that way. It sounds way melodramatic and sappy, but I don't know how else to explain that I still get goosebumps at Williams' opening strings, as Alexander Salkind comes flying toward me.

And the thought of seeing the opening sequence I created a few years ago, kicking off S2, but in glorious HD, makes me giddy. This project is something very personal for me, and there's almost a sense of mission about it. How crazy is that?

Let the teasing begin, everybody. I probably deserve it for talking this way, but if I can't tell you guys, who in the world can I tell? Where else do I stand even a remote chance of reaching an empathetic ear? It's good to be back, it really is.

[hursty]

Does your cut retain Paris?

Mine does, because I think it was some of the better Lester footage.

I've got the missile escape opening, with the paris explosion, and then later when Supes hurls the elevator into space - it doesn't free the villains obviously.

[crazy_asian_man]

Can't explain it, but these two films stir my soul, if I can put it that way. It sounds way melodramatic and sappy, but I don't know how else to explain that I still get goosebumps at Williams' opening strings, as Alexander Salkind comes flying toward me.

And the thought of seeing the opening sequence I created a few years ago, kicking off S2, but in glorious HD, makes me giddy. This project is something very personal for me, and there's almost a sense of mission about it. How crazy is that?

I totally feel your pain/joy Veris.... btw it was neat hearing about the showing at the theatre, too- VERY cool of the theatre to remain open for you two! It's a movie that NEEDS to be seen in a theatre, at least once!

The experience of the STM/SII movies for me will always be attached to the audience experience I was really fortunate to have, too.... everyone thrilled each time (I think it was 6 or 9 times in the theatre) and nobody texting or whatnot- whereas with SR, during the first show of the opening credits- some moron right in front of me decided to open his cellphone and shoot the light into my eyes.... not a good omen- but it definitely reminded how different movie audiences are in 2006 vs. 1979......