The Seven Key Areas of Audience and Institution-Avengers Assemble Research

‘The technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange; (how has the introduction of digital film, 3D, DVD, Blu Ray, internet streaming, downloadable content, home cinema influenced the types of films made, the way we watch them and the way we 'buy' them?) Research the types of technology utilised during these stages of the film production process of Avengers Assemble’

Pre-production

It was reported that in August 2010, Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios were to plan shooting The Avengers (The Avengers Assemble) in February. Simultaneously, it was decided that the film was to be shot in 3D, although Mark Ruffalo later denied

this via Twitter. By October, Grumman Studios in Bethpage, New York and Steiner Studios from Brooklyn, New York were announced as filming locations for the up and coming film. Also in October, Walt Disney Studios agreed to pay $115 million to Paramount for the worldwide distribution rights to Iron Man 3 and The Avengers. However, Paramount still retained TV rights.

Production

Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey claimed that he composed the frame with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio to cope with the varying heights of the main characters. Shooting 1.85:1 is unusual for a film like this but is necessary to capture the height in the screen in order to frame characters such as the Hulk, Captain America and Black Widow; all three having huge differences in height. Furthermore, Joss Whedon – the Director of The Avengers Assemble – knew that the final battle sequence was going to be this extravaganza in Manhattan, so the height and vertical scale of the buildings will be very important. The film was shot with a variety of digital cameras: the Arri Alexa, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Canon EOS 7D digital SLR. However, high speed shots were captured on a 35 mm film with the Arriflex 435.

Post-Production

Joss Whedon directing Samuel L. Jackson

The film was finally announced to be converted to 3D by Disney in December 2011. When asked about the conversion, Wheldon said, "I'm not a big fan of extreme long lens, talky movies – I like to see the space I'm in and relate to it, so 3D kinda fits my aesthetic anyway. And the technology has advanced so far in the past couple years." Then in January 2012, it was reported that the film would be digitally remastered for IMAX 3D and open in IMAX theatres on May 4^th, 2012, the same day it opens in regular theatres. The film's IMAX release follows Marvel's IMAX releases of Iron Man 2 and Thor.

Finally, the film contains more than 2,000 visual effects. ILM was the lead vendor and shared responsibility for creating many of the film's key effects, including the Helicarrier, the New York cityscape, digital body doubles, Iron Man and the Hulk. In order to create the on-screen Hulk, Ruffalo was attached to a motion-capture suit on set with the other actors whilst four motion-capture HD cameras – two for his full body and two focused on his face) captured his face and body movements.