HD Short Films

wonderouzmj

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Well you all.... I tried. But at least I got the estates attention. Hopefully I got thru to Alicia to really push the issue!

Hi Robert:


Unfortunately, I do not have any information to share with you, but I have passed your feedback along to the rest of the Estate team.


Best,

Alicia


MJOnline
The Official Online Team of The*Michael Jackson*Estate™

This is what I sent

Can you please give information about restoring all the short films as you did with thriller (2018).*
I was thinking, Michael's Films arent going to last forever unless digitally perserved. Film degrades over time, and after awhile it requires restoration. I have been thinking lately. I think Michael's Short Films need a BETTER QUALITY release than what we have got in the past. From the quaility of VHS, to Ghost on VCD, and now Michael Jackson's Vision. (which isnt Michael\'s vision, because the man WE know is a PERFECTIONIST and he always had Quality Releases while alive).*

The year is 2019, and we are currently in the age of Bluray (4k). And as a Michael Jackson fan, i must say. Im not going to ask for any less.*
Thriller, Bad, Beat it, Billie Jean, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US, You Rock My World, Ghost, and many many more films should be restored, perserved, and protected in a high quality way so we can enjoy them forever. Nobody really wants to watch poor DVD/VHS quality in this age. {Though Wembley is an exception as The ESTATE is unable to locate the master film (which I'm hoping you have by now!

I propose, that we make a petion much like what was done for Wembley. However this is about finally getting/seeing Michael\'s Vision (The Short Films) in the Highest Quality (4k) we can today.*
Other Artist can get their Music Videos, Films etc in high quality. Why can't MJ? Do you want it all just to fade away....maybe so but I don't.*

So this is the topic for disscussion on this topic...and i hope something can come out of it in the coming years.*


d785be173e37d8ecae917ed2c9207a1b.jpg

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Cool, thanks for taking the time for doing this. I hope the Estate will take your mail seriously.
 
Its a shame we can still only watch them with low VHS quality. We need remastered videos in 4K ASAP.

Thank you wonderouzmj for writing to Estate Team. Maybe one day they will do something with this case...
 
Tbh, I think the original 1983 master looks better here. It fits the mood and atmosphere of the video better
d785be173e37d8ecae917ed2c9207a1b.jpg
 
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Tbh, I think the original 1983 master looks better here. It fits the mood and atmosphere of the video better
d785be173e37d8ecae917ed2c9207a1b.jpg

Yeah it does, would be nice if they could just give us that version but in hd. They had to change it because of the 3D I assume.
 
I'm sure this isn't the first request they've had of this nature. Always good to have more though.

The remastered videos is something I've wanted from the Estate more than anything else over the last 5 years or so.
 
Tbh, I think the original 1983 master looks better here. It fits the mood and atmosphere of the video better
d785be173e37d8ecae917ed2c9207a1b.jpg

I agree. The restored version could look like it but they have changed the colors for some reason. I hope they haven't removed all the film grain. It would remove detail.
 
The true "original" Thriller was the version that premiered in theaters. The broadcast VHS copy that we've all seen billions of times and the airbrushed-to-hell "Visions" DVD version never represented MJ's creative intentions. The Estate took a few "liberties" with the original film print/soundtrack for the "Thriller 3D" project, but it's the closest thing to MJ's vision that we may get for now. Hopefully plans for a wider release are still being worked out.
 
Wouldn't Thriller have originally been broadcast on film in theatres back in 1983? Surely we could just release that rip?
 
Good point !

Restoring Michael Jackson's videography is IMO the most important thing because as you pointed it, a camera negative doesn't live forever. Michael gave us a majestic videographic heritage.

List of music videos shot on tape:
- Blame It On The Boogie
- Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
- Rock With You
- She's Out Of My Life

List of short films shot in 16mm film:
- Billie Jean

List of short films shot in 35mm film
- Can You Feel It
- Beat It
- Thriller
- Bad
- The Way You Make Me Feel
- Dirty Diana
- Smooth Criminal
- Speed Demon
- Come Together
- Leave Me Alone
- Liberian Girl
- Black Or White
- Remember The Time
- In The Closet
- Jam
- Give In To Me
- Who Is It
- Scream
- They Don't Care About Us
- Childhood
- You Are Not Alone
- Earth Song
- Stranger In Moscow
- Blood On The Dance Floor
- Ghosts (long version)
- You Rock My World

List of short film shot in 70mm:
- Captain EO

I didn't mention some videos like Man In The Mirror because they contains different archives footages, the quality varies.

Everything shot in 35mm can be scanned and restored in 4K (with the original camera negative). Kodak states that a 35mm OCN can be up to 6K with a optimal condition.

70mm is equivalent to ~ 8K

16mm is equivalent to ~ 2K/HD

Content shot on tape will be stuck in standard quality forever. Unlike film it's resolution has a fixed limit.

To this day, Thriller is the only preserved short film as it was scanned and restored in 4K, thanks to John Landis.
 
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List of music videos shot on tape:
- Blame It On The Boogie
- Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
- Rock With You
- She's Out Of My Life

List of short films shot in 16mm film:
- Billie Jean

List of short films shot in 35mm film
- Can You Feel It
- Beat It
- Thriller
- Bad
- The Way You Make Me Feel
- Dirty Diana
- Smooth Criminal
- Speed Demon
- Leave Me Alone
- Liberian Girl
- Black Or White
- Remember The Time
- In The Closet
- Jam
- Give In To Me
- Who Is It
- Scream
- They Don't Care About Us
- Childhood
- You Are Not Alone
- Earth Song
- Stranger In Moscow
- Blood On The Dance Floor
- Ghosts (long version)
- You Rock My World

List of short film shot in 70mm:
- Captain EO

I didn't mention some videos like Man In The Mirror because they contains different archives footages, the quality varies.

Everything shot in 35mm can be scanned and restored in 4K (with the original camera negative). Kodak states that a 35mm OCN can be up to 6K with a optimal condition.

70mm is equivalent to ~ 8K

16mm is equivalent to ~ 2K/HD

Content shot on tape will be stuck in standard quality forever. Unlike film it's resolution has a fixed limit.

To this day, Thriller is the only preserved short film as it was scanned and restored in 4K, thanks to John Landis.

No, I think from Dangerous onward no short film was shot on film. Ghosts being an exception. Is there any source for this?
 
No, I think from Dangerous onward no short film was shot on film. Ghosts being an exception. Is there any source for this?

I'm pretty sure they are on film. You can see film cameras in They Don't Care About Us making of documentary if I remember right.
 
List of music videos shot on tape:
- Blame It On The Boogie
- Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
- Rock With You
- She's Out Of My Life

List of short films shot in 16mm film:
- Billie Jean

List of short films shot in 35mm film
- Can You Feel It
- Beat It
- Thriller
- Bad
- The Way You Make Me Feel
- Dirty Diana
- Smooth Criminal
- Speed Demon
- Leave Me Alone
- Liberian Girl
- Black Or White
- Remember The Time
- In The Closet
- Jam
- Give In To Me
- Who Is It
- Scream
- They Don't Care About Us
- Childhood
- You Are Not Alone
- Earth Song
- Stranger In Moscow
- Blood On The Dance Floor
- Ghosts (long version)
- You Rock My World

List of short film shot in 70mm:
- Captain EO

I didn't mention some videos like Man In The Mirror because they contains different archives footages, the quality varies.

Everything shot in 35mm can be scanned and restored in 4K (with the original camera negative). Kodak states that a 35mm OCN can be up to 6K with a optimal condition.

70mm is equivalent to ~ 8K

16mm is equivalent to ~ 2K/HD

Content shot on tape will be stuck in standard quality forever. Unlike film it's resolution has a fixed limit.

To this day, Thriller is the only preserved short film as it was scanned and restored in 4K, thanks to John Landis.
For the ones shot on tape....after reading this...i feel like damn....biotb & the otw era are stuck like that. I wonder where is the blue screen footage of Michael filming dstyge is....i really do
 
Joce;4263859 said:
List of music videos shot on tape:
- Blame It On The Boogie
- Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
- Rock With You
- She's Out Of My Life

List of short films shot in 16mm film:
- Billie Jean

List of short films shot in 35mm film
- Can You Feel It
- Beat It
- Thriller
- Bad
- The Way You Make Me Feel
- Dirty Diana
- Smooth Criminal
- Speed Demon
- Leave Me Alone
- Liberian Girl
- Black Or White
- Remember The Time
- In The Closet
- Jam
- Give In To Me
- Who Is It
- Scream
- They Don't Care About Us
- Childhood
- You Are Not Alone
- Earth Song
- Stranger In Moscow
- Blood On The Dance Floor
- Ghosts (long version)
- You Rock My World

List of short film shot in 70mm:
- Captain EO

I didn't mention some videos like Man In The Mirror because they contains different archives footages, the quality varies.

Everything shot in 35mm can be scanned and restored in 4K (with the original camera negative). Kodak states that a 35mm OCN can be up to 6K with a optimal condition.

70mm is equivalent to ~ 8K

16mm is equivalent to ~ 2K/HD

*Content shot on tape will be stuck in standard quality forever. Unlike film it's resolution has a fixed limit.*

To this day, Thriller is the only preserved short film as it was scanned and restored in 4K, thanks to John Landis.

Content shot on tape doesn’t have to be stuck in standard quality if it’s upscaled. I know that it won’t be true HD but as long as it looks good, I think people should be happy. I have Blu-rays where the main content is all upscaled from video tapes and they look fine.
 
dam2040;4263865 said:
No, I think from Dangerous onward no short film was shot on film. Ghosts being an exception. Is there any source for this?

No. They were all shot on film since Beat It, including Dangerous, HIStory, BOTDF and Invincible eras (as I posted in the list).

The only problem is that some of them contain CGI (made in SD back in the times) that would need to be re-done to match in HD/4K. Unless they just do a simple upscaling.

Here are some photos/videos taken on the "making of" showing Panavision cameras for each video:

Billie Jean
https://images.app.goo.gl/1YeDusPSrToFctde9
No CGI used. Steve Barron, productor of Billie Jean stated:
"We used 16mm film. The reason we didn’t use 35mm – I’d just shot Don’t You Want Me on 35mm – is that there wasn’t enough in the budget."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture...e-video-for-Michael-Jacksons-Billie-Jean.html

Beat It
https://images.app.goo.gl/wQnjDBuCvED5FPoFA
No CGI used.

Thriller (at 9:30s)
[video]https://youtu.be/HFRMkCC8pCs[/video]
No CGI used. Already restored in 4K.

Bad
https://images.app.goo.gl/VgcLBgybWPtRrJZ59
https://images.app.goo.gl/kEqghmtNqLoccNWV9
No CGI used.

The Way You Make Me Feel
No CGI used. No pic/video of the camera found. Any info is welcome.

Smooth Criminal
https://images.app.goo.gl/qoW19LR5k4bTYqPP8
No CGI used.

Dirty Diana
No CGI used. No pic/video of the camera found. According to the superb PQ on Moonwalker (blu-ray), i have no doubt it was shot in 35m.

Speed Demon
https://images.app.goo.gl/NqXaAH23umqbTVip7
No CGI used.

Come Together
No CGI used. No pic/video of the camera found. According to the superb PQ on Moonwalker (blu-ray), i have no doubt it was shot in 35m.

Leave Me Alone
https://images.app.goo.gl/3m36sQ1FdUXecHcDA
No CGI used.

Liberian Girl
https://images.app.goo.gl/zMJB7AHS6LTXHd4s6
No CGI used. I guess it was the same camera/type of camera used for the short film.

Black or White
https://imgshare.io/image/ppsue4e.R2I0q
[video]https://youtu.be/1KtVaihOEug[/video] (at 2:44s)
Presence of CGI.

Remember the Time (at 0:33s)
[video]https://youtu.be/AO_-Eb2xWIo[/video]
Presence of CGI when Michael appears/disappears.

In the Closet
[video]https://youtu.be/blzGvykyOr4[/video]
We see the the 35mm camera from time to time.
No CGI used.

Jam (at 0:14s)
[video]https://youtu.be/8vJIs_lKqqM[/video]
No CGI used.

Give In To Me (at 0:45s)
[video]https://youtu.be/Q0ccRJtlePw[/video]
Presence of CGI.

Who Is It
No pic/video of the camera found but it was shot by David Fincher, almost sure it was shot on film.

Scream (at 2:14s)
[video]https://youtu.be/SPLy-E8ld0Q[/video]
Presence of CGI.

Childhood (at 1:35s)
[video]https://youtu.be/DchVf32b4pM[/video]
Presence of CGI.

You Are Not Alone
I didn't find any pic or video showing the camera. Any info is welcome.

Earth Song
https://images.app.goo.gl/ag4UBbm1iY34XooY6

They Don't Care About Us (at 11:14s)
[video]https://youtu.be/n4z0YSPhnUk[/video]
No CGI used.

Prison Version(at 3:44s)
[video]https://youtu.be/f7E2Nr50d0Y[/video]

Stranger In Moscow (at 7:00s)
[video]https://youtu.be/Pgqz_VdcJO8[/video]
Presence of CGI.

Blood On The Dance Floor
No pics or video of the camera found. Any info is welcome.

Ghosts (at 10:32s)
[video]https://youtu.be/3EFkqn2TwIw[/video]
Presence of CGI.

You Rock My World
https://twitter.com/Bobinti/status/1115672757872861186?s=19
No CGI used.

Cry
No pics or video of the camera found. Any info is welcome. CGI used.
 
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Hudson112;4263889 said:
Content shot on tape doesn’t have to be stuck in standard quality if it’s upscaled. I know that it won’t be true HD but as long as it looks good, I think people should be happy. I have Blu-rays where the main content is all upscaled from video tapes and they look fine.

Sure you can upscale the content in HD, 4K, 8K... It doesn't mean it will get any better. Watching on a computer screen, 40 to 55 inch TV will be ok, but after that it's another story. Unless you sit far from the TV.
 
Good point !

Restoring Michael Jackson's videography is IMO the most important thing because as you pointed it, a camera negative doesn't live forever. Michael gave us a majestic videographic heritage.

List of music videos shot on tape:
- Blame It On The Boogie
- Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
- Rock With You
- She's Out Of My Life

List of short films shot in 16mm film:
- Billie Jean

List of short films shot in 35mm film
- Can You Feel It
- Beat It
- Thriller
- Bad
- The Way You Make Me Feel
- Dirty Diana
- Smooth Criminal
- Speed Demon
- Leave Me Alone
- Liberian Girl
- Black Or White
- Remember The Time
- In The Closet
- Jam
- Give In To Me
- Who Is It
- Scream
- They Don't Care About Us
- Childhood
- You Are Not Alone
- Earth Song
- Stranger In Moscow
- Blood On The Dance Floor
- Ghosts (long version)
- You Rock My World

List of short film shot in 70mm:
- Captain EO

I didn't mention some videos like Man In The Mirror because they contains different archives footages, the quality varies.

Everything shot in 35mm can be scanned and restored in 4K (with the original camera negative). Kodak states that a 35mm OCN can be up to 6K with a optimal condition.

70mm is equivalent to ~ 8K

16mm is equivalent to ~ 2K/HD

Content shot on tape will be stuck in standard quality forever. Unlike film it's resolution has a fixed limit.

To this day, Thriller is the only preserved short film as it was scanned and restored in 4K, thanks to John Landis.

I didnt know that Captain EO was shot on 70mm. This would be great to remaster in 4/8k. Long overdue.
 
What's the difference between those then?

The 35mm film itself was directly projected to a theater audience in 1983. The broadcast VHS copy (released to cable TV and home video) is nothing more than a dubbed version of the film on a lower quality medium.
 
I remember an article mentioning that the estate were remastering all the videos for Youtube/Vevo last year
 
I remember an article mentioning that the estate were remastering all the videos for Youtube/Vevo last year
Well that obviously wasn't true as i just wrote alicia & she said she'll make sure the estate receives my message. Im sure she wouldve hinted at something at the time
 
Well that obviously wasn't true as i just wrote alicia & she said she'll make sure the estate receives my message. Im sure she wouldve hinted at something at the time

I honestly think it's just a standard response, 'your comments will be passed on'. I wouldn't read too much into it.
 
I honestly think it's just a standard response, 'your comments will be passed on'. I wouldn't read too much into it.
??*??dont give my hopes up lol...i hope thats not the case & i wonder if they update all the YouTube videos will they lose view count? Maybe they should leave the old videos up just so ppl can compare the differences.
 
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I remember an article mentioning that the estate were remastering all the videos for Youtube/Vevo last year

By "remastering", i hope they scan the original camera negatives for ALL short films in 4K resolution, and then doing the restorations.

After the "Vision" boxset fiasco using the same old VHS masters, they better not ruin the project this time.
 
The 35mm film itself was directly projected to a theater audience in 1983. The broadcast VHS copy (released to cable TV and home video) is nothing more than a dubbed version of the film on a lower quality medium.

Not sure what you mean. Dubbed version?
Unless it was cropped or anymore edits were done before the TV & VHS release, it must have been the same thing at at the little cinema premiere.

Of course technically there is a difference between watching film in a cinema or VHS at home. But back then a newly released VHS looked great on the small tube TV screen that it was made for. I'm sure Michael wanted it to be on the medium that reached the most people and therefor made sure the TV / VHS version matched his vision.

Analogue film projection also isn't perfect btw. Unless you're watching a remastered film transfer on a modern huge TV, inside the cinema it's usually a little too dark and blurry.
 
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Not sure what you mean. Dubbed version?
Unless it was cropped or anymore edits were done before the TV & VHS release, it must have been the same thing at at the little cinema premiere.

Of course technically there is a difference between watching film in a cinema or VHS at home. But back then a newly released VHS looked great on the small tube TV screen that it was made for. I'm sure Michael wanted it to be on the medium that reached the most people and therefor made sure the TV / VHS version matched his vision.

Analogue film projection also isn't perfect btw. Unless you're watching a remastered film transfer on a modern huge TV, inside the cinema it's usually a little too dark and blurry.

Dubbed, meaning it was a step down in quality from its original source. Watching the short straight from a 35mm copy is really a stark difference from VHS, even without restoration. The cinematography and any other effects of film don't all translate smoothly to VHS.
 
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