HBO Max Botches Mad Men's 4K Debut After Streaming Wrong File Showing Visible Crewmembers (arstechnica.com) 39
HBO Max's 4K debut of Mad Men was botched after Lionsgate reportedly supplied the wrong file, leading to visible crew members where someone is seen pumping a vomit hose. Ars Technica reports: Mad Men ran on the AMC channel for seven seasons from 2007 to 2015. The show had a vintage aesthetic, depicting the 1960s advertising industry in New York City. Last month, HBO Max announced it would modernize the show by debuting a 4K version. The show originally aired in SD and HD resolutions and had not been previously made available in 4K through other means, such as Blu-ray.
However, viewers were quick to spot problems with HBO Max's 4K Mad Men stream, the most egregious being visible crew members in the background of a scene. The episode was "Red in the Face" (Season 1, Episode 7), which was reportedly mislabeled. In it, Roger Sterling (John Slattery) throws up oysters. In the 4K version that was streaming on HBO Max, viewers could see someone pumping a vomit hose to make the fake puke flow.
The Hollywood Reporter, citing an anonymous source, said that the error happened because Mad Men production company Lionsgate gave HBO Max the wrong file. The publication reported that Lionsgate "was working on getting HBO Max the correct file(s)" and was readying to provide them at approximately 10 a.m. PT today. The blunder is likely to be fixed for all viewers soon. There were no problems with the HD versions of HBO Max's Mad Men stream.
However, viewers were quick to spot problems with HBO Max's 4K Mad Men stream, the most egregious being visible crew members in the background of a scene. The episode was "Red in the Face" (Season 1, Episode 7), which was reportedly mislabeled. In it, Roger Sterling (John Slattery) throws up oysters. In the 4K version that was streaming on HBO Max, viewers could see someone pumping a vomit hose to make the fake puke flow.
The Hollywood Reporter, citing an anonymous source, said that the error happened because Mad Men production company Lionsgate gave HBO Max the wrong file. The publication reported that Lionsgate "was working on getting HBO Max the correct file(s)" and was readying to provide them at approximately 10 a.m. PT today. The blunder is likely to be fixed for all viewers soon. There were no problems with the HD versions of HBO Max's Mad Men stream.
Product placement. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Product placement. (Score:5, Funny)
How can we blame this on AI? (Score:1)
Or maybe climate change?
Re: (Score:2)
You got it backwards. If AI were involved, it would have chosen the correct file, and this wouldn't have happened. AI is infallible, neigh unto God, and humans are silly and stupid. That's the lesson to be taken from this. Remove humans from decision making, for their own good.
Re: How can we blame this on AI? (Score:3)
"neigh unto God"
Like a horse?
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"neigh unto God"
Like a horse?
Precisely. Someone told me that's all he hears when humans talk anyway.
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You got it backwards. If AI were involved, it would have chosen the correct file, and this wouldn't have happened. AI is infallible, neigh unto God, and humans are silly and stupid. That's the lesson to be taken from this. Remove humans from decision making, for their own good.
I envision many future catch-22s where companies both want to admit and blame AI for shit-gone-wrong, while also not wanting to admit or blame AI because they're so heavily invested in it.
Re: How can we blame this on AI? (Score:2)
There is undeniable logic in that removing all humans solves all human problems.
When machines can sustain a machine economy and population, human mortality and existence will have an interesting mirror. At that point, the machine intelligence will likely already exist in its own unfathomable reality.
It is more than likely that many humans will also want to become machines. Some may even want to become vomit machines. The cycle is complete.
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There is undeniable logic in that removing all humans solves all human problems.
When machines can sustain a machine economy and population, human mortality and existence will have an interesting mirror. At that point, the machine intelligence will likely already exist in its own unfathomable reality.
It is more than likely that many humans will also want to become machines. Some may even want to become vomit machines. The cycle is complete.
I knew somebody called "vomit machine" back in high school, but I'm pretty sure the cause was he couldn't hold his liquor, yet insisted on continually drinking it anyway.
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It's was caused by Somalian transgender DEI AI! Hannity has proof!
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Shuddup or I'll eat your cat!
I am shocked (Score:2)
This means they didn't just take the old files and upscaled them.
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They may have even went back and retouched special effects. That would be why they went back to the raw footage in the first place.
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You know that Competency Crisis we talk about? (Score:3)
Well, this is it.
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perspective - he's uploading .mkvs to a film distributor. Competency wasn't there, but if there's a "Crisis" in effect, you haven't found the seat of it.
Best Chunder Thunderer (tm) in a Drama Series (Score:3)
"HBO Max's 4K debut of Mad Men was botched after Lionsgate reportedly supplied the wrong file, leading to visible crew members where someone is seen pumping a vomit hose. "
Ladies and gentlemen, may I present: prestige television!
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Pumped (Score:3)
Well I, for one, and absolutely pumped to see this.
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but reviewers say it blows chunks.
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I don't get the gag in this scene?
boogerAIDS.exe (Score:3)
S01E07_RedintheFace-edit1-final(draft)02 - Copy.mp4
Intentional? (Score:2)
Max? (Score:2)
HBO Max botched this? It sounds like Lionsgate botched this...
Re: Max? (Score:3)
It's on both of them. If no one watches the footage before broadcasting, who knows what might air on HBO next ? Porn ?
Re: Max? (Score:2)
I mean, it's HBO. If some random porn appears, it's not the end of the world. It's not like it's Disney+.
How is that botched? (Score:2)
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Yeah, they should totally release special prestige versions of shows that reveal all the people working on the scene. It might actually be fun to watch, at least a different way of seeing the show, rather than watching it over again exactly how it was the first time. Kinda like director's cuts.
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More like a "The Making Of" kind of deal, I think, but yeah - it could be interesting to see all the special effects happening and how it's done.
I bet a third party screwed it up. (Score:2)
Re: HBO botches? (Score:2)
The buck has to stop somewhere.
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> They're supposed to watch every video before airing it?
Uhm, yes. Why are you implying otherwise? I'm not aware of the TV industry ever having a time where it was considered normal to just take footage and broadcast it without some sort of review. At best, live performances are often actually live, though sometimes on a 10 second delay. But prerecorded content is ALWAYS reviewed first.
This is 100% HBO Max's fault. It's not even 1% Liongate's fault - they may have passed on the video, but they had no rea