We were honored to head out to Warner Home Video in Burbank last week to experience an exclusive look and demo of the Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows Movie App and Maximum Movie Mode. The feature is part of the June 12 release of the Blu-Ray combo pack that takes audiences behind the scenes of the smash film as no bonus feature ever has in the past.
The App (available for free at iTunes) works brilliantly alongside your Blu-Ray viewing experience on the iPad and Kindle Fire and is able to control the Blu-Ray player! Movie Fanatic had the opportunity to “play” with the marvelous technological advancement to the home video viewing experience. It is especially fascinating with the Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows film because of the real history of the time period and the legendary background of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his sleuth sensation. Noted Sherlock Holmes expert Leslie Klinger even consulted on the Movie App contents to give the fullest of movie watching moments an informational background unlike ever seen prior.
All are priceless additions to home video. “This is meant to enhance the user experience,” said Jonathan Gaines, executive director of special features for Warner. He stated that previously when audiences had to watch the extras on the TV screen and return to the film, it was an inefficient process. Now, by utilizing the iPad and Kindle to its fullest as a second screen, the movie watching experience is maximized. “By flipping the paradigm from second screen to first screen really freed us up to harness what the potential and the power of this technology of these devices offer.”
Robert Downey Jr. hosts the Maximum Movie Mode features as he introduces each section of the features on the iPad or Kindle. For example, we marveled as we explored the European map (still below) where the viewer can follow Holmes (Downey Jr.) and Dr. Holmes (Jude Law) as they weave their way across the continent in pursuit of the evil Moriarity (Jared Harris). As the presentation starts, Downey stated, “Maximum Movie Mode, this better be good or I could have stayed at home.”
Gaines was thrilled with the star of the film serving as the feature’s narrator and guide. "When Robert agreed to do it, it was a great opportunity for us to get inside the mind of Sherlock Holmes,” Gaines said. “That’s how we approached the Maximum Movie Mode of this film.”
Normally the Blu-Ray bonus features experiences are a separate venture to be watched after the film is completed... or during. But, watching the film and the extras can take away from the fluidity of the movie watching experience. Not so with Maximum Movie Mode as we were able to interact with Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows on the iPad and Kindle while simultaneously watching the film on the big (home) screen.
“This is a multi-dimensional experience as to what went on in the moviemaking process,” executive director of creative services Donnie Roche said. “For example, now you get a more in-depth look at the set dressing and everything that went into the set. You can do this at your own pace. When you’re done… boom, you’re back to the movie.”
Roache added that with Maximum Movie Mode, film fanatics can delve deeper into stills and the artistic end of the creative process that makes movie magic. “They’re storyboard comparisons, photo galleries for each scene, picture-in-picture,” he said. “This is designed to be a complete, end to end experience.”