those dots I saw in 'Underworld'

[egypturnash]

Copy tracking, not copy protection.

So they know where the copy came from, not make it crunch badly, as some people were suggesting in comments on my LJ entry regarding them. It probably says something about the way my mind works that my first thought was hidden significance regarding the story of the film itself, or a contest that will come out synced with the DVD release, rather than something so stupidly prosaic.

Here's an example, from some other film. The dots I saw were a lot more intensely ORANGE, though this may have been simultaneous contrast due to the fact that 'Underworld' is very intensely blue. They were pretty screamingly orange even in the sepia flashback scenes, though. Some seemed to be two frames - orange, black, gone.

(thanks to xiaomimi for pointing me to the /. discussion of the article, and the example! <3 <3 )

Comments

[electricgecko.livejournal.com]

...you know, I saw those dots, too. I kept wondering what they were for, or if perhaps I was just seeing things. o_O

[protocat.livejournal.com]

I can at least take comfort in the fact that most films that will have this sort of damage aren't the sort I really care to see in the first place.

That being said, I did see and notice this in Freddy vs. Jason. I didn't bother complaining to the theater over the 'damage' the print had, though I'm now far more tempted to each time I do end up seeing something that has it. Just on principle.

[siddacious.livejournal.com]

very handy to know. not that i would intentionally bypass such anti-piracy devices. nope, not me...

[hydra-velsen.livejournal.com]

Not many people's brains process frames at that speed. BoingDragon also tends to see the individual frames in movies and gets those annoying details too.

[pyrobunny.livejournal.com]

I noticed those dots in Kill Bill, when (bleep) goes into the bathroom stall in the House of Blue Leaves. Crazy.