Filmmaking masters Martin Scorsese and Ang Lee on stage together for a candid hour-long lunchtime chat sounds fascinating and more than a little exciting on paper, and while I have no doubt there a discussion to take place between the pair could live up to any film geek's anticipation and excitement, but the one that took place this afternoon at the Caesars Palace Octavius Ballroom was most decidedly not it. The fact that RealD was the sponsor for both the presentation and accompanying meal should have been a tip off, but it was still no less disappointing that moderator Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter kept Scorsese and Lee narrowly focused on the designated topic, "The Ever-Changing World of Filmmaking Today, Tomorrow and Beyond"--namely, shooting with digital cameras and even more specifically, 3D digital cameras. The two both having recently had experience working with digital 3D technology, Scorsese with Paramount's Oscar-winning Hugo and Lee with Fox's upcoming Oscar hopeful Life of Pi, they did have some interesting insights and observations to offer on that and other emerging cinema technologies (Scorsese, instance, expressed an interest in trying high frame rate out, my gut reaction to which was a Darth Vader-in- Episode III-esque cry of "NO!"--at least not yet, while it clearly still has a long way to go before being refined and perfected), but the strictly tech-based focused made for a somewhat dry discussion that made a substantial portion of the crowd leave once they finished dessert. But given that I had decided this day to be my decidedly tech-centered one for the convention week, it was all too fitting that this program turned out the way it did.
(very special thanks to Heather Lewandoski, Jessica Erskine, and the entire crew at Rogers & Cowan for all their helpful and generous assistance at the convention this week.)
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