Atlab Takes Plunge With Swimming Upstream

SYDNEY
Scheduled for release in early 2003, 'Swimming upstream's' Director, Russell Mulcahy's most challenging task was to tell a period story with a craft style that would appeal to a modern audience. Atlab Australia was chosen to make this vision a reality.
Atlab's Digital Supervisor, Robert Sandeman and his team, created over 50 digital optical effects, as well as the feature's complex swimming race sequences whilst colourist Tony Manning graded all elements. This ensured the successful integration of both the digital and photochemical processes, all under the one roof, creating seamless results.
Based on the novel by author Tony Fingleton and starring Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis, Jesse Spencer and Tim Draxl, we follow the life of Tony Fingleton (Jesse Spencer) who longs for his father Harold's (Geoffrey Rush) affection. Overshadowed by his footballer brother's talent Tony has always felt neglected. It is only when Tony's father witnesses his extraordinary swimming talent that Tony feels that he has a shot at his father's heart. This hope however is short-lived.
The race scenes were the most challenging elements of the film and involved multiple layers of images (at times up to ten) composited into one final finished sequence.
Sandeman explains, "We wrote computer nodes for the software to enhance or sharpen key scenes without affecting the grain of the film. Several tests were created before the right amount was required."
Working in the digital realm allowed the production to preview all elements prior to committing to film. This creative preview was critical to ensure the correct look was achieved for each optical effect and the film as a whole. Equally important to this process was having an Atlab film colourist on hand to oversee the digital and photochemical grade for each shot. Manning joined Sandeman to assist in the transparent and time efficient integration of digital and photographic elements. Having a fully integrated digital/photochemical laboratory enabled Atlab to provide substantial time and cost benefits to the production.
Swimming Upstream's Producer Andrew Mason says, "I believe the major challenge was maintaining the colour balance, specifically in respect to the digital opticals and split screens. This is where having Atlab produce the digital opticals and split screens was a huge advantage as there was constant input from Tony Manning who would eventually be tasked with grading the whole film. With Tony having early input from our cinematographer, Martin McGrath, he was able to then provide the macro view bringing an understanding of the colour palette of the entire film to the digital realm."
"We were thrilled by the final print quality," Mason continues. "The Premiere stock had provided the slight edge of colour contrast that Martin McGrath and Russell Mulcahy had been seeking. With a very high number of cuts in the film and given the hand-held gritty realism style that Russell and Martin had adopted we were stunned by how beautifully the final print integrated all the material from a multitude of sources."

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