Digital cinematography is the process of capturing motion pictures as
digital imageA digital image is a representation of a two-dimensional image using ones and zeros . Depending on whether or not the image resolution is fixed, it may be of vector or raster type...
s, rather than on
filmPhotographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
. Digital capture may occur on tape, hard disks,
flash memoryFlash memory is a non-volatile computer storage that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. It is a technology that is primarily used in memory cards and USB flash drives for general storage and transfer of data between computers and other digital products...
, or other media which can record digital data. As digital technology has improved, this practice has become increasingly common. Many mainstream Hollywood movies now are shot partly or fully digitally.
Many vendors have brought products to market, including traditional film camera vendors like
ArriThe Arri Group has been the largest world wide supplier of high quality motion picture film equipment since 1917. Arri, named after founders August Arnold and Robert Richter, is the largest manufacturer of professional motion picture equipment, film cameras and cinematic lighting equipment in the...
and
PanavisionPanavision is a motion picture equipment company specializing in cameras and lenses, based in Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk as a small partnership to create anamorphic projection lenses during the widescreen boom in the 1950s, Panavision expanded its product lines to meet...
, as well as new vendors like RED and Silicon Imaging, and companies which have traditionally focused on consumer and broadcast video equipment, like
Sonyis a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
and
PanasonicPanasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation Under this brand the company sells plasma and LCD display panels, DVD recorders and players, Blu-ray Disc players, camcorders, telephones, vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, shavers,...
.
The benefits and drawbacks of digital vs. film acquisition are still debated, but digital cinematography cameras sales have surpassed mechanical cameras in the classic 35 mm format. Digital cinematography's acceptance was cemented when
Slumdog MillionaireSlumdog Millionaire is British film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
became the first movie shot mainly in digital to be awarded the
Academy Award for Best CinematographyThe Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work in one particular motion picture....
.
History
Beginning in the late 1980s,
Sonyis a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
began marketing the concept of "electronic cinematography", utilizing its analog HDTV cameras. The effort was met with very little success. In 1998, with the introduction of
HDCAMHDCAM, introduced in 1997, is an HD version of Digital Betacam, using an 8-bit DCT compressed 3:1:1 recording, in 1080i-compatible downsampled resolution of 1440×1080, and adding 24p and 23.976 PsF modes to later models. The HDCAM codec uses non-square pixels and as such the recorded...
recorders and 1920 × 1080 pixel digital
videoVideo is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.-History:...
cameras based on
CCDA charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
technology, the idea, now re-branded as "digital cinematography", finally began to gain traction in the market.
In May 2002
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the ClonesStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of internal chronology....
became the first high-profile, high-budget movie released that was shot on 24 frame-per-second high-definition digital video, using a Sony HDW-F900 camera. The lesser-known movies are
VidocqVidocq is a 2001 science fiction film, directed by Pitof, starring Gérard Depardieu, It takes place in the 19th century Paris, pitting the historical figure Eugène François Vidocq against a supernatural serial killer...
(2001) and
Russian ArkRussian Ark is a Russian film directed by Alexander Sokurov. It was filmed using a single 96-minute Steadicam sequence shot.-Plot:An unnamed narrator, unseen by the audience and voiced by the director, wanders through the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg...
(2002), shot with the same camera.
In parallel with these developments in the world of traditional high-budget cinematography, a
digital cinemaDigital cinema refers to the use of digital technology to distribute and project motion pictures. A movie can be distributed via hard drives, optical disks or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional film projector...
revolution was occurring from the bottom up, among low budget filmmakers outside of the Hollywood system. Beginning in the mid-1990s, with the introduction of Sony's DCR-VX1000, the digital MiniDV format began to emerge. MiniDV offered much greater quality than the analog formats that preceded it, at the same price point. While its quality was not considered as good as film, these MiniDV
camcorderA camcorder is an electronic device that combines a video camera and a video recorder into one unit.In order to differentiate it from other devices that are capable of recording video, like cell phones and compact digital cameras, a camcorder is generally identified as a portable device primarily...
s, in conjunction with non-linear editing software that could run on
personal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator...
s, allowed a large number of people to begin making movies who were previously prevented from doing so by the high costs involved with shooting on film.
Today, cameras from companies like Sony,
PanasonicPanasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation Under this brand the company sells plasma and LCD display panels, DVD recorders and players, Blu-ray Disc players, camcorders, telephones, vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, shavers,...
,
JVC, usually referred to as JVC, is a Japanese international consumer and professional electronics corporation based in Yokohama, Japan which was founded in 1927...
and
Canonis a multinational corporation that specialises in the manufacture of imaging and optical products, including cameras, photocopiers, steppers and computer printers. Its headquarters are located in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan.-Company milestones:...
offer a variety of choices for shooting high-definition video with less than $10,000 worth of camera equipment. At the high-end of the market, there has been an emergence of cameras aimed specifically at the digital cinema market. These cameras from
ArriThe Arri Group has been the largest world wide supplier of high quality motion picture film equipment since 1917. Arri, named after founders August Arnold and Robert Richter, is the largest manufacturer of professional motion picture equipment, film cameras and cinematic lighting equipment in the...
, Silicon Imaging,
PanavisionPanavision is a motion picture equipment company specializing in cameras and lenses, based in Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk as a small partnership to create anamorphic projection lenses during the widescreen boom in the 1950s, Panavision expanded its product lines to meet...
,
Grass Valley-Places:United States* Grass Valley, California, a city in Nevada County** Roman Catholic Diocese of Grass Valley, a former diocese based in the California city* Little Grass Valley, California, a former town in Plumas County...
and Red offer resolution and dynamic range that exceeds that of traditional video cameras, which are designed for the limited resolution and dynamic range of broadcast television.
Technology
Digital cinematography captures motion pictures digitally, in a process analogous to
digital photographyDigital photography is a form of photography that uses digital technology to make images of subjects. Until the advent of such technology, photography used photographic film to create images which could be made visible by photographic processing...
. While there is no clear technical distinction that separates the images captured in digital cinematography from
videoVideo is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.-History:...
, the term "digital cinematography" is usually applied only in cases where digital acquisition is substituted for film acquisition, such as when shooting a feature film. The term is not generally applied when digital acquisition is substituted for analog video acquisition, as with live broadcast television programs.
Sensors
Digital cinematography cameras capture images using
CMOSComplementary metal–oxide–semiconductor is a technology for making integrated circuits. CMOS technology is used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM, and other digital logic circuits. CMOS technology is also used for a wide variety of analog circuits such as image sensors, data...
or
CCDA charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
sensors, usually in one of two arrangements.
High-end cameras designed specifically for the digital cinematography market often use a single sensor (much like
digital photo camerasA digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor....
), with dimensions similar in size to a 35 mm film frame or even (as with the Vision 65) a 65 mm film frame. An image can be projected onto a single large sensor exactly the same way it can be projected onto a film frame, so cameras with this design can be made with
PLArri PL is a lens mount developed by Arri for use with both 16 mm and 35 mm movie cameras. The PL stands for "positive lock". It is the successor mount to the Arri bayonet; however, unlike the bayonet mount, it is incompatible with older Arri-mount lenses, due to the larger diameter...
,
PVA PV mount is a lens mount developed by Panavision for use with both 16 mm and 35 mm movie cameras. It is the only mount offered with Panavision cameras and Panavision-designed lenses, and since the company only rents its equipment, this is likely to remain an exclusive arrangement for the time being...
and similar mounts, in order to use the wide range of existing high-end cinematography lenses available. Their large sensors also let these cameras achieve the same shallow
depth of fieldIn optics, particularly as relates to film and photography, the depth of field is the portion of a scene that appears acceptably sharp in the image...
as 35 or 65 mm motion picture film cameras, which is important because many cinematographers consider selective focus an essential visual tool.
Television cameras typically use three 1/3" or 2/3" sensors in conjunction with a
prismIn optics, a prism is a transparent optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light. The exact angles between the surfaces depend on the application. The traditional geometrical shape is that of a triangular prism with a triangular base and rectangular sides, and in colloquial use...
, with each sensor capturing a different color. Camera vendors like Sony and Panasonic, which have their roots in the broadcast and consumer camera markets, have leveraged their experience with these designs into three-chip products targeted specifically at the digital cinematography market. The Thomson Viper also uses a three-chip design. These designs offer benefits in terms of color reproduction, but are incompatible with traditional cinematography lenses (though new lines of high-end lenses have been developed with these cameras in mind), and incapable of achieving 35 mm depth of field unless used with
depth-of-field adaptorsA depth-of-field adapter is used to achieve shallow depth of field on a video camera whose sensor size is not adequate to achieve it natively...
, which result in a little loss of light.
Acquisition Formats
As far as digital cinematography is concerned, video resolution standards depend first on the frames' aspect ratio in the
film stockFilm stock is photographic film on which motion pictures are shot and reproduced.-1889–1899:Modern motion picture film stock was first created thanks to the introduction of a transparent flexible film base material, celluloid, which was discovered and refined for photographic use thanks to the work...
(which is usually
scannedA motion picture film scanner is a device used in digital filmmaking to scan original film for storage as high-resolution digital intermediate files.A film scanner scans original film stock: negative or positive print or reversal/IP...
for
digital intermediateDigital intermediate describes the process of digitizing a motion picture and manipulating color and other image characteristics to change the look, and is usually the final creative adjustment to a movie before distribution in theaters...
post-production) and then on the actual points' count. Although there is not a unique set of standardized sizes, it is common place within motion picture industry to refer to "
nK" image "quality", where is a (small, usually even) integer number which translates into a set of actual resolutions, depending on the
film formatA film format is a technical definition of a set of standard characteristics regarding image capture on photographic film, for either stills or movies. It can also apply to projected film, either slides or movies. The primary characteristic of a film format is its size and shape.In the case of...
. As a reference consider that, for a 4:3 (around 1.33) aspect ratio which a film frame (no matter what is its format) is expected to horizontally fit in, is the multiplier of 1024 such that the horizontal resolution is exactly points.
For example, 2K reference resolution is 2048×1536 pixels, whereas 4K reference resolution is 4096×3072 pixels. Nevertheless, 2K may also refer to resolutions like 2048×1556, 2048×1080 or 2048×858 pixels, whereas 4K may also refer to 4096×3112, 3996×2160 or 4096×2048 pixels.
The
DCIDigital Cinema Initiatives, LLC or DCI is a joint venture of major motion picture studios, formed to establish a standard architecture for digital cinema systems.The organization was formed in March 2002 by the following studios:* Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
standard for cinema defines 4K with 4096*2048 and 2K with 2048*1024.
Commercial cameras marketed as digital cinematography cameras typically shoot in progressive HDTV formats such as
1080p1080p is the shorthand name for a category of HDTV video modes. The number 1080 represents 1,080 lines of vertical resolution , while the letter p stands for progressive scan . 1080p can be referred to as full HD or full high definition although 1080i is also "Full HD"...
, 2K and 4K.
To date, 1080p has been the most common format for digitally acquired major motion pictures, however since 2008, 2K and 4K are gaining market share.
Tape-based and tapeless workflows
Broadly, there are two paradigms used for data acquisition and storage in the digital cinematography world.
With video tape based workflow video is recorded to video tape on set. This video is then ingested into a computer running non-linear editing software, using a
deckA video tape recorder , is a tape recorder that can record video material. The video cassette recorder , where the videotape is enclosed in a user-friendly videocassette shell, is the most familiar type of VTR known to consumers...
. Upon ingestion, a digital video stream from tape is converted to computer files. These files can be edited directly or converted in an intermediate format for editing. Then video is output in its final format, possibly to a film recorder for theatrical exhibition, or back to video tape for broadcast use. Original video tapes are kept as an archival medium. The files generated by the non-linear editing application contain the information necessary to retrieve footage from the proper tapes, should the footage stored on the computer's hard disk be lost.
Howewer, digital cinematography is gradually shifting towards "tapeless" workflow. This trend is accelerated with increased capacity and reduced cost of non-linear storage solutions like hard disk drives, optical discs and solid-state memory. With tapeless workflow digital video is recorded as digital files onto random-access media like optical discs, hard disk drives or flash memory-based digital "magazines". These files can be easily copied to another storage device, typically to a large
RAIDRAID is an acronym first defined by David A. Patterson, Garth A. Gibson, and Randy Katz at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987 to describe a redundant array of inexpensive disks, a technology that allowed computer users to achieve high levels of storage reliability from low-cost and less...
connected to an editing system. Once data is copied from the digital magazines, they are erased and returned to the set for more shooting. Archiving is accomplished by backing up the digital files from the RAID, using standard practices and equipment for data backup from the
Information TechnologyInformation technology , as defined by the Information Technology Association of America , is "the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware." IT deals with the use of electronic...
industry, often to
data tapeA tape drive, which is also known as a streamer, is a data storage device that reads and writes data stored on a magnetic tape. It is typically used for archival storage of data stored on hard drives...
.
Compression
Digital cinema cameras are capable of generating extremely large amounts of data; often hundreds of
megabyteThe megabyte is an SI-multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission and is equal to 10
6 bytes. However, due to historical usage in computer-related fields it is still often used to represent 2
20 bytes. In rare cases, it is used to mean...
s per second
http://www.blackmagic-design.com/support/detail.asp?techID=30.To help manage this huge data flow, many cameras or recording devices designed to be used in conjunction with them offer
compressionIn computer science and information theory, data compression or source coding is the process of encoding information using fewer bits than an unencoded representation would use, through use of specific encoding schemes.As with any communication, compressed data communication only works when both...
. Prosumer cameras typically use high
compression ratioData compression ratio, also known as compression power, is a computer-science term used to quantify the reduction in data-representation size produced by a data compression algorithm...
s in conjunction with
chroma subsamplingChroma subsampling is the practice of encoding images by implementing less resolution for chroma information than for luma information. It is used in many video encoding schemes — both analog and digital — and also in JPEG encoding.-Rationale:...
. While this allows footage to be comfortably handled even on fairly modest
personal computerA personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator...
s, the convenience comes at the expense of image quality.
High-end digital cinematography cameras or recording devices typically support recording at much lower compression ratios, or in uncompressed formats. Additionally, digital cinematography camera vendors are not constrained by the standards of the consumer or broadcast video industries, and often develop proprietary compression technologies that are optimized for use with their specific sensor designs or recording technologies.
Lossless vs. lossy compression
A lossless compression system is capable of reducing the size of digital data in a fully reversible way—that is, in a way that allows the original data to be completely restored, byte for byte. This is done by removing redundant information from a signal. Digital cinema cameras rarely use only lossless compression methods, because much higher compression ratios (lower data rates) can be achieved with lossy compression. With a lossy compression scheme, information is discarded to create a simpler signal. Due to limitations in human visual perception, it is possible to design algorithms which do this with little visual impact.
Chroma subsampling
Most digital cinematography systems further reduce data rate by subsampling color information. Because the human visual system is much more sensitive to luminance than to color, lower resolution color information can be overlaid with higher resolution luma (brightness) information, to create an image that looks very similar to one in which both color and luma information are sampled at full resolution. This scheme may cause pixelation or color bleeding under some circumstances. High quality digital cinematography systems are capable of recording full resolution color data (4:4:4) or
raw sensor dataA camera raw image file contains minimally processed data from the image sensor of either a digital camera, image or motion picture film scanner. Raw files are so named because they are not yet processed and therefore are not ready to be used with a bitmap graphics editor or printed...
.
Bitrate
Video and audio compression systems are often characterized by their bitrates. Bitrate describes how much data is required to represent one second of media. One cannot directly use bitrate as a measure of quality, because different compression algorithms perform differently. A more advanced compression algorithm at a lower bitrate may deliver the same quality as a less advanced algorithm at a higher bitrate.
Intra- vs. Inter-frame compression
Most compression systems used for acquisition in the digital cinematography world compress footage one frame at a time, as if a video stream is a series of still images. This is called
intra-frameIntra-frame coding is used in video coding . It is part of group of pictures with inter frames.The term intra frame coding refers to the fact that the various lossless and lossy compression techniques are performed relative to information that is contained only within the current frame, and not...
compression scheme.
Inter frameAn inter frame is a frame in a video compression stream which is expressed in terms of one or more neighboring frames. The "inter" part of the term refers to the use of Inter frame prediction...
compression systems can further compress data by examining and eliminating redundancy between frames. This leads to higher compression ratios, but displaying a single frame will usually require the playback system to decompress a number of frames from before & after it. In normal playback this is not a problem, as each successive frame is played in order, so the preceding frames have already been decompressed. In editing, however, it is common to jump around to specific frames and to play footage backwards or at different speeds. Because of the need to decompress extra frames in these situations, inter-frame compression can cause performance problems for editing systems. Inter-frame compression is also disadvantageous because the loss of a single frame (say, due to a flaw writing data to a tape) will typically ruin all the frames until the next keyframe occurs. In the case of the
HDVHDV is a format for recording and playback of high-definition video on a DV cassette tape. The format was originally developed by JVC and was supported by Sony, Canon and Sharp. The four companies formed the in September 2003...
format, for instance, this may result in as many as 6 frames being lost with 720p recording, or 15 with 1080i recording
http://www.adamwilt.com/HDV/. An inter-frame compressed video stream consists of
group of picturesIn Video coding, a group of pictures, or GOP structure, specifies the order in which intra- and inter-frames are arranged.The GOP is a group of successive pictures within a coded video stream. Each coded video stream consists of successive GOPs...
(GOPs), which has only one full frame, and a handful of other frames referring to this frame. If the full frame, called I-frame, is lost due to transmission or media error, none of the P-frames of B-frames (the referenced images) can be displayed. In this case, the whole GOP is lost. The length of the GOP depends mainly on the compression ratio. Long-GOP sequences are hard to edit - one can cut only at the end of GOPs.
For all these reasons the video streams manipulated during a
digital intermediateDigital intermediate describes the process of digitizing a motion picture and manipulating color and other image characteristics to change the look, and is usually the final creative adjustment to a movie before distribution in theaters...
process are not usually stored as few (possibly one) long video file(s), but rather in one or more
file sequenceIn computing, as well as in non-computing contexts, a file sequence is a well-ordered, collection of files, usually related to each other in some way....
s, where each one stores a still frame, ordered by either timecode,
keycodeKeycode may refer to:* keycode, the parcel of data generated when pressing a computer keyboard key ;...
or simple frame order. In such a case, audio data is stored in separate streams (and files), and synced with video files with timestamps at the head of the audio and video files (similarly to timecode sync).
Digital acquisition codecs compared
| Format |
Bit depth |
Resolution |
Chroma sampling |
Bitrate |
File size |
Inter-frame? |
Algorithm type |
| DV Digital Video is a digital video format created by Sony, JVC, Panasonic and other video camera producers, and launched in 1995. Its smaller tape form factor MiniDV has since become a standard for home and semi-professional video production; it is sometimes used for professional purposes as well,...
|
8 bit |
720×480 (NTSC) / 720×576 (PAL) |
4:1:1 or 4:2:0 |
25 Mbit/s |
217 MB/min. |
No |
DCT A discrete cosine transform expresses a sequence of finitely many data points in terms of a sum of cosine functions oscillating at different frequencies...
(lossy) |
| DVCPRO50 |
8 bit |
720×480 (NTSC) / 720×576 (PAL) |
4:2:2 |
50 Mbit/s |
423 MB/m. |
No |
DCT A discrete cosine transform expresses a sequence of finitely many data points in terms of a sum of cosine functions oscillating at different frequencies...
(lossy) |
| AVCHD AVCHD is a format for the recording and playback of high definition video.The format has been jointly developed by Sony and Panasonic. In 2005, the two companies combined their efforts in creating a high definition format for tapeless consumer camcorders...
|
8 bit |
1920x1080,1440x1080,1280x720 |
4:2:0 |
24 Mbit/s |
|
Yes |
DCT A discrete cosine transform expresses a sequence of finitely many data points in terms of a sum of cosine functions oscillating at different frequencies...
(lossy) |
| AVC Intra |
10 bit |
1920x1080,1440x1080,1280x720 |
4:2:2 |
50 or 100 Mbit/s |
|
No |
DCT A discrete cosine transform expresses a sequence of finitely many data points in terms of a sum of cosine functions oscillating at different frequencies...
(lossy) |
| HDV HDV is a format for recording and playback of high-definition video on a DV cassette tape. The format was originally developed by JVC and was supported by Sony, Canon and Sharp. The four companies formed the in September 2003...
|
8 bit |
1280×720 or 1440×1080 |
4:2:0 |
19-25 Mbit/s |
142 MB/m. (720p) 190 MB/m. (1080i) |
Yes |
DCT A discrete cosine transform expresses a sequence of finitely many data points in terms of a sum of cosine functions oscillating at different frequencies...
(lossy) |
| XDCAM HD422 |
8 bit |
1280x720, 1920×1080 |
4:2:2 |
50 Mbit/s |
|
Yes |
DCT A discrete cosine transform expresses a sequence of finitely many data points in terms of a sum of cosine functions oscillating at different frequencies...
(lossy) |
| XDCAM EX |
8 bit |
1280x720, 1920×1080, 1440×1080 |
4:2:0 |
25-35 Mbit/s |
190 MB/m. (25Mbit/s) 262 MB/m. (35Mbit/s) |
Yes |
DCT A discrete cosine transform expresses a sequence of finitely many data points in terms of a sum of cosine functions oscillating at different frequencies...
(lossy) |
| DVCPRO HD |
8 bit |
960×720, 1280×1080 or 1440×1080 |
4:2:2 |
100 Mbit/s |
423 MB/m. (720p60) 835 MB/m. (1080i60) |
No |
DCT A discrete cosine transform expresses a sequence of finitely many data points in terms of a sum of cosine functions oscillating at different frequencies...
(lossy) |
| HDCAM HDCAM, introduced in 1997, is an HD version of Digital Betacam, using an 8-bit DCT compressed 3:1:1 recording, in 1080i-compatible downsampled resolution of 1440×1080, and adding 24p and 23.976 PsF modes to later models. The HDCAM codec uses non-square pixels and as such the recorded...
|
8 bit |
1440×1080 |
3:1:1 |
144 Mbit/s |
|
No |
DCT A discrete cosine transform expresses a sequence of finitely many data points in terms of a sum of cosine functions oscillating at different frequencies...
(lossy) |
| HDCAM SR |
10 bit |
1920×1080 |
4:2:2 or 4:4:4 |
440 or 880 Mbit/s |
|
No |
DCT A discrete cosine transform expresses a sequence of finitely many data points in terms of a sum of cosine functions oscillating at different frequencies...
(lossy) |
| Panavision SSR |
10 bit PanaLog |
1920×1080 |
4:2:2 or 4:4:4 |
Up to 3 Gbit/s |
|
No |
Uncompressed |
| CineForm RAW (SI-2K) |
10 bit Log |
2048×1152 |
Raw Bayer |
100-140 Mbit/s |
900 MB/m. |
No |
WaveletLoosely speaking, a wavelet is a wave-like oscillation with an amplitude that starts out at zero, increases, and then decreases back to zero. It can typically be visualized as a "brief oscillation" like one might see recorded by a seismograph or heart monitor. Generally, wavelets are purposefully...
(lossy) |
| REDCODE RAW |
12 bit |
4096×2304 |
Raw Bayer |
220 Mbit/s |
1.87Gbit/s (RC28) 2.14Gbit/s (RC36) |
No |
WaveletLoosely speaking, a wavelet is a wave-like oscillation with an amplitude that starts out at zero, increases, and then decreases back to zero. It can typically be visualized as a "brief oscillation" like one might see recorded by a seismograph or heart monitor. Generally, wavelets are purposefully...
(lossy) |
| "DALSA" RAW |
16 bit |
4096×2048 |
Raw Bayer |
~ 3.2 Gbit/s |
|
No |
Uncompressed |
Distribution Formats
Movies shot digitally may be released theatrically, on
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
or in a High Definition format like Blu-Ray.
Digital Theatrical Distribution
For the over 4000 theaters with digital projectors in the USA, digital films may be distributed digitally, either shipped to theaters on hard drives or sent via the Internet or satellite networks.
Digital Cinema Initiatives, LLCDigital Cinema Initiatives, LLC or DCI is a joint venture of major motion picture studios, formed to establish a standard architecture for digital cinema systems.The organization was formed in March 2002 by the following studios:* Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
, a joint venture of Disney, Fox, MGM, Paramount, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal and Warner Bros. Studios, has established standards for digital cinema projection. In July 2005, they released the first version of the
Digital Cinema System Specification, which encompasses 2K and 4K theatrical projection. They also offer compliance testing for exhibitors and equipment suppliers.
Distributors naturally prefer digital distribution, because it saves them the expense of making film prints, which may cost as much as $2000 each. Digital projection also offers advantages over traditional film projection such as lack of jitter, flicker, dust, scratches, and grain. They are also far more flexible with regard to running trailers, pre-feature advertisements and the like.
However theater owners initially balked at the high cost and potential reliability problems of installing digital projection systems, since they normally do not contribute directly to print costs, simply splitting admission proceeds with the distributors in an agreed ratio. Nonetheless, the number of digitally equipped venues is now growing, (as of September 2007), at a rate of around 400 screens a month in the United States. It is important to note that in the majority of cases, rather than being a complete conversion to digital projection, the more likely scenario is digital projectors sitting side-by-side with film projectors in the projection booths, (often replacing the pre-feature slide projector) or only some units in a multiplex being Digital Only. Currently, (2008) even new cinema installations typically use a mixture of film and digital projection.
In the UK 300 cinema screens were converted to digital projectors as part of a UK film council initiative, the Digital Screen Network (DSN) to advance digital theatrical distribution in the UK funded by National lottery money. The first film to be screened digitally on the DSN was King's Game, a Danish film.
Film-based Theatrical Distribution
Since not all theaters currently have digital projection systems, even if a movie is shot and post-produced digitally, it must be transferred to film if a large theatrical release is planned. Typically, a
film recorderA Film Recorder is a graphical output device for transferring digital images to photographic film.All film recorders typically work in the same manner. The image is fed from the computer by a raster file producing program...
will be used to print digital image data to film, to create a 35 mm
internegativeAn internegative also referred to as Color reversal internegative, or CRI, is motion picture film duplication process designed by Kodak in the 1970s as a workaround for the existing processes of creating film duplicates. Originally intended for the faster pace of the television commercial industry,...
. After that the duplication process is identical to that of a traditional negative from a film camera.
Digital cinematography cameras
Professional cameras include the Sony HDCAM Series, RED One, Panavisions Genesis, Silicon Imaging SI-2K, Thomson Viper, Vision Research Phantom,
WeisscamThe Weisscam Company manufactures digital high-speed cameras. The cameras are mainly used in commercials, imagefilms and in shootings of athletic activities.The Weisscam Company was founded by Director of Photography Stefan Weiss.- History :2005...
HS-1 and HS-2, GS Vitec noX, and the Fusion Camera System. Independent filmmakers have also pressed low-cost consumer and prosumer cameras into service for digital filmmaking.
Predictability
When shooting on film, response to light is determined by what film stock is chosen. A cinematographer can choose a film stock he or she is familiar with, and expose film on set with a high degree of confidence about how it will turn out. Because the film stock is the main determining factor, results will be substantially similar regardless of what camera model is being used. However, the final result cannot be controlled when shooting with mechanical cameras until the film negative has been processed at a laboratory. Therefore, damage to the film negative, scratches which are generated by faulty camera mechanics etc can not be controlled.
In contrast, when shooting digitally, response to light is determined by the CMOS or CCD sensor(s) in the camera and recorded and "developed" directly. This means a cinematographer can measure and predict exactly how the final image will look by eye if familiar with the specific model of camera being used or able to read a vector/waveform.
On-set monitoring allows the cinematographer to see the actual images that are captured, immediately on the set, which is impossible with film. With a properly calibrated high-definition display, on-set monitoring, in conjunction with data displays such as
histogramIn statistics, a histogram is a graphical display of tabulated frequencies, shown as bars. It shows what proportion of cases fall into each of several categories: it is a form of data binning. The categories are usually specified as non-overlapping intervals of some variable. The categories must...
s,
waveformsA waveform monitor is a special type of oscilloscope used in television applications. It is typically used to measure and display the level, or voltage, of a video signal with respect to time....
, RGB parades, and various types of focus assist, can give the cinematographer a far more accurate picture of what is being captured than is possible with film. However, all of this equipment may impose costs in terms of time and money, and may not be possible to utilize in difficult shooting situations.
Film cameras do often have a
video assistVideo assist is a system used in filmmaking which allows filmmakers to view a video version of a take immediately after it is filmed.Originally a small device, called the video tap, was installed inside a movie camera that allows the director to see approximately the same view as the camera...
that captures video through the camera lens to allow for on-set playback, but its usefulness is largely restricted to judging action and framing. Because this video is not derived from the image that is actually captured to film, it is not very useful for judging lighting, and because it is typically only NTSC-resolution, it is often useless for judging focus.
Portability
Ultra-lightweight and extremely compact digital cinematography cameras, as the SI-2K Mini, are much smaller and lighter than mechanical film cameras. Other High-end digital cinema cameras can be quite large, and some models require bulky external recording mechanisms (though in some cases only a small strand of
optical fiberAn optical fiber is a glass or plastic fiber that carries light along its length. Fiber optics is the overlap of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of optical fibers...
is necessary to connect the camera and the recording mechanism).
Compact 35 mm film cameras that produce the full 35 mm film resolution and accept standard 35 mm lenses cannot be sized down below a certain size and weight, as they require at least space for the film negative and basic mechanics.
Smaller form-factor digital cinema cameras such as the Red One and SI-2K Mini have made digital more competitive in this respect. The SI-2K Mini, in particular, with its detachable camera head, allows for high-quality images to be captured by a camera/lens package that is far smaller than is practically achievable with a 35 mm film camera and is used in many scenarios to replace film - especially for stereoscopic productions.
Dynamic Range
The sensors in most high-end digital video cameras have less exposure latitude (dynamic range) than modern motion picture film stocks. In particular, they tend to 'blow out' highlights, losing detail in very bright parts of the image. If highlight detail is lost, it is impossible to recapture in post-production. Cinematographers can learn how to adjust for this type of response using techniques similar to those used when shooting on reversal film, which has a similar lack of latitude in the highlights. They can also use on-set monitoring and image analysis to ensure proper exposure. In some cases it may be necessary to 'flatten' a shot, or reduce the total contrast that appears in the shot, which may require more lighting to be used.
Many people also believe that highlights are less visually pleasing with digital acquisition, because digital sensors tend to 'clip' them very sharply, whereas film produces a 'softer' roll-off effect with over-bright regions of the image. Some more recent digital cinema cameras attempt to more closely emulate the way film handles highlights, though how well they achieve this is a matter of some dispute. A few cinematographers have started deliberately using the 'harsh' look of digital highlights for aesthetic purposes. One notable example of such use is
Battlestar GalacticaBattlestar Galactica is a military science fiction serial drama television series and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was created by David Eick and Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the Battlestar Galactica television series from 1978 created by Glen A. Larson...
.
Digital acquisition typically offers better performance than film in low-light conditions, allowing less lighting and in some cases completely natural or practical lighting to be used for shooting, even indoors. This low-light sensitivity also tends to bring out shadow detail. Some directors have tried a "best for the job" approach, using digital acquisition for indoor or night shoots, and traditional film for daylight exteriors.
Resolution
Substantive debate over the subject of film resolution vs. digital image resolution is clouded by the fact that it is difficult to meaningfully and objectively determine the resolution of either.
Unlike a digital sensor, a film frame does not have a regular grid of discrete pixels. Rather, it has an irregular pattern of differently sized
grainsFilm grain or granularity is the random optical texture of processed photographic film due to the presence of small grains of a metallic silver developed from silver halide that have received enough photons.-RMS granularity:...
. As a film frame is scanned at higher and higher resolutions, image detail is increasingly masked by grain, but it is difficult to determine at what point there is no more useful detail to extract. Moreover, different film stocks have widely varying ability to resolve detail.
Determining resolution in digital acquisition seems straightforward, but is significantly complicated by the way digital camera sensors work in the real world. This is particularly true in the case of high-end digital cinematography cameras that use a single large bayer pattern CMOS sensor. A bayer pattern sensor does not sample full RGB data at every point; each pixel is biased toward red, green
or blue
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=739177&postcount=37, and a full color image is assembled from this checkerboard of color by processing the image through a demosaicing algorithm. Generally with a bayer pattern sensor, actual resolution will fall somewhere between the "native" value and half this figure, with different demosaicing algorithms producing different results. Additionally, most digital cameras (both bayer and three-chip designs) employ optical low-pass filters to avoid
aliasingIn signal processing and related disciplines, aliasing refers to an effect that causes different signals to become indistinguishable when sampled...
. Such filters reduce resolution.
In general, it is widely accepted that film exceeds the resolution of HDTV formats and the 2K digital cinema format, but there is still significant debate about whether 4K digital acquisition can match the results achieved by scanning 35 mm film at 4K, as well as whether 4K scanning actually extracts all the useful detail from 35 mm film in the first place. However, from 2000 to 2009 the huge majority of all films that use a
digital intermediateDigital intermediate describes the process of digitizing a motion picture and manipulating color and other image characteristics to change the look, and is usually the final creative adjustment to a movie before distribution in theaters...
are done at 2K, independent of their budget. Additionally, 2K projection is chosen for almost all permanent
digital cinemaDigital cinema refers to the use of digital technology to distribute and project motion pictures. A movie can be distributed via hard drives, optical disks or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional film projector...
installations, often even when 4K projection is available.
One important thing to note is that the process of optical duplication, used to produce theatrical release prints for movies that originate both on film and digitally, causes significant loss of resolution. If a 35 mm negative does capture more detail than 4K digital acquisition, ironically this may only be visible when a 35 mm movie is scanned and projected on a 4K digital projector.
Grain & Noise
Film has a characteristic
grainFilm grain or granularity is the random optical texture of processed photographic film due to the presence of small grains of a metallic silver developed from silver halide that have received enough photons.-RMS granularity:...
structure, which many people view positively, either for aesthetic reasons or because it has become associated with the look of 'real' movies. Different film stocks have different grain, and cinematographers may use this for artistic effect.
Digitally acquired footage lacks this grain structure. Electronic
noiseImage noise is the random variation of brightness or color information in images produced by the sensor and circuitry of a scanner or digital camera. Image noise can also originate in film grain and in the unavoidable shot noise of an ideal photon detector....
is sometimes visible in digitally acquired footage, particularly in dark areas of an image or when footage was shot in low lighting conditions and
gainGain is a measure of a system's response to feedback. If the gain in a positive feedback loop is less than 1, the feedback is not of itself sufficient to make the system become unstable. For example, water evaporating from the World's oceans causes a positive feedback, as it is a greenhouse gas...
was used. Some people believe such noise is a workable aesthetic substitute for film grain, while others believe it has a harsher look that detracts from the image.
Well shot, well lit images from high-end digital cinematography cameras can look almost eerily clean. Some people believe this makes them look "plasticky" or computer generated, while others find it to be an interesting new look, and argue that film grain can be emulated in post-production if desired.
Since most theatrical exhibition still occurs via film prints, the super-clean look of digital acquisition is often lost before moviegoers get to see it, because of the grain in the film stock of the release print.
Digital Intermediate Workflow
The process of using
digital intermediateDigital intermediate describes the process of digitizing a motion picture and manipulating color and other image characteristics to change the look, and is usually the final creative adjustment to a movie before distribution in theaters...
workflow, where movies are
color gradedColor grading is the process of altering and enhancing the color of a motion picture or television image, either electronically, photo-chemically or digitally. The photo-chemical process is also referred to as color timing and is typically performed at a photographic laboratory...
digitally instead of via traditional photochemical finishing techniques, has become common, largely because of the greater artistic control it provides to filmmakers. In 2007, all of the 10 most successful movies released used the digital intermediate process.
In order to utilize digital intermediate workflow with film, the camera negative must first be processed and then scanned to a digital format. High quality film scanning is expensive (up to $4 a frame, although the costs of this are continually dropping). It also cannot normally be done in real time, although in practice this does not greatly add to the total processing time. With digital acquisition, the scanning step is not necessary; and footage can go directly into a digital intermediate pipeline as digital data. In practice, this applies to the 1080P streams of Sony HDCAM and HDCAM SR cameras, Arris D21 in video Mode, Panavisions Genesis system with HDCAM SR and to any realtime-recorder. With RAW-basing workflows using cameras such as the RED One, the SI 2K which record RAW data, the debayering process can be realtime, faster than realtime or take longer than traditional photochemical developing followed by scanning, depending on the hardware and quality used.
Some filmmakers have years of experience achieving their artistic vision using the techniques available in a traditional photochemical workflow, and prefer that finishing/editing process. While it would be theoretically possible to use such a process with digital acquisition by creating a film negative on a film recorder, in general digital acquisition is not a suitable choice if a traditional finishing process is desired. The classic chemical & mechanical workflow however has become the minority of hollywood productions, and digital intermediate meanwhile became the new standard process.
Sound
Films are traditionally shot with dual-system recording, where picture is recorded on camera, and
sync soundSync sound refers to sound recorded at the time of the filming of movies, and has been widely used in U.S. movies since the birth of sound movies. The first animated film in which sync sound was used is Walt Disney's Steamboat Willie...
is recorded to a separate sound recording device. Picture and sound are then synced up in post-production. In the past this was done manually by lining up the image of the just-closed clapper board sticks with their characteristic "Click!" on the sound recording. Nowadays this is normally done automatically using timecodes burnt onto the edge of the film emulsion.
Practically every camera used for digital cinematography can record sound internally, already in sync with picture. In theory this eliminates the need for syncing in post, which can lead to faster workflows. However, most sound recording is done by specialist operators, and the sound will likely be separated and further processed in post-production anyway. Apart from this, software problems can cause unpredictable sound-picture timing problems or even complete loss of sound recording which need to be corrected.
Because of this, experienced operators often use old-fashioned clapper boards as well as timecode, (often with the timecode generator built into the clapper/slate assembly) as this can provide a valuable backup if the sound-sync gets lost. (This is regularly seen in the "making of" segments at the end of each episode of the most recent Dr Who series).
However, a lot of television oriented productions still record sound only on the camera, usually with some kind of wired or wireless monitoring feedback to the sound recordists.
Recording sound in-camera will also require running additional cables if overhead microphones are used, which can be problematic in some shooting situations, particularly if the camera is moving. Wireless transmission systems can reduce these problems, but they are not suitable for use in all circumstances.
Archiving
Many people feel there is significant value in having a film negative master for archival purposes. There are after all numerous extant examples of original 19th century film footage which were manufactured under primitive conditions, with no consideration given to archival value, but whose original images are still clearly visible and recoverable with relatively simple equipment. As long as the negative does not completely degrade, it will always be possible to recover the images from it in the future, regardless of changes in technology, since all that will be involved is simple photographic reproduction. In contrast, even if digital data is stored on a medium that will preserve its integrity, highly specialized digital equipment will always be required to reproduce it. Changes in technology may thus render the format unreadable or expensive to recover over time. For this reason, film studios distributing digitally-originated films often make film-based separation masters of them for archival purposes.
Low-budget / Independent Filmmaking
For the last 25 years, many respected filmmakers like
George LucasGeorge Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, director and chairman of Lucasfilm Ltd. He is best known for being the creator of the epic sci-fi franchise Star Wars and joint creator of the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
have predicted that electronic or digital cinematography would bring about a revolution in
filmmakingFilmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story idea or commission, through scriptwriting, shooting, editing and distribution to an audience. Typically, it involves a large number of people, and takes from a few months to several years to complete...
, by dramatically lowering costs.
For low-budget and so-called "no-budget" productions, digital cinematography on
prosumerProsumer is a portmanteau formed by contracting either the word professional or producer with the word consumer. The term has taken on multiple conflicting meanings: the business sector sees the prosumer as a market segment, whereas economists see the prosumer as having greater independence from...
cameras clearly has cost benefits over shooting on 35 mm or even 16 mm film. The cost of film stock,
processingPhotographic processing is the chemical means by which photographic film and paper is treated after photographic exposure to produce a negative or positive image...
,
telecineTelecine is the process of transferring motion picture film into video form. The term is also used to refer to the equipment used in the process....
,
negative cuttingNegative Cutting is the process of cutting motion picture negative to match precisely the final edit as specified by the film editor. Original camera negative is cut with scissors and joined using a film splicer and film cement...
, and titling for a feature film can run to tens of thousands of dollars according to
From Reel to Deal, a book on
independent filmAn independent film, or indie film, is a film that is produced outside of any major film studio. Originally, this term denoted independence from Paramount Pictures, MGM, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros., RKO, Universal Pictures, United Artists, and Columbia Pictures, the 8 major studio entities...
production by Dov S-S Simens, based on his 2-day film course. Costs directly attributable to shooting a low-budget feature on 35 mm film could be $50,000 on the low side, and over twice that on the high side. In contrast, obtaining a high-definition prosumer camera and sufficient tape stock to shoot a feature can easily be done for under $10,000, or significantly less if, as is typically the case with 35 mm shoots, the camera is rented.
If a 35 mm print of the film is required, an April 2003 article in American Cinematographer found the costs between shooting film and video are roughly the same. The benefit to shooting video is that the cost of a film-out is only necessary should the film find a distributor to pick up the cost. When shooting film, the costs are upfront and cannot be deferred in such a manner. On the other hand, the same article found 16 mm film to deliver better image quality in terms of resolution and dynamic range. Given the progress digital acquisition, film recording, and related technologies have seen in the last few years, it is unclear how relevant this article is today.
Most extremely low-budget movies never receive wide distribution, so the impact of low-budget video acquisition on the industry remains to be seen. It is possible that as a result of new distribution methods and
the long tail"The Long Tail" is a concept put forth by Chris Anderson in an October 2004 Wired magazine article which described the niche strategy of businesses, such as Amazon.com or Netflix, that sell a large number of unique items, each in relatively small quantities...
effects they may bring into play, more such productions may find profitable distribution in the future. Traditional distributors may also begin to acquire more low-budget movies as better affordable digital acquisition eliminates the liability of low picture quality, and as they look for a means to escape the increasingly drastic "boom and bust" financial situation created by spending huge amounts of money on a relatively small number of very large movies, not all of which succeed.
Hollywood
On higher budget productions, the direct cost advantages of digital cinematography are not as significant in relation to the total budget, primarily because the costs imposed by working with film are not the only major expenses for such productions.
Other factors, such as improved speed, security and the ability to connect to the postproduction already while shooting are also important factors which often play a role when A-budgets are shot digitally and not mechanically. Skipping developing the negative, linking live via satellite or data networks, on set backups of the shots and immediate availability of high-quality dailies on blu-ray, hdcam or file-base have become commonplace for many directors and Directors of Photography.
Recent films, such as
Sin CitySin City is an ensemble cast American action/crime/thriller film written, produced, and directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez...
and
Superman ReturnsSuperman Returns is a 2006 superhero film based on the DC Comics character Superman. Directed by Bryan Singer, the film stars Brandon Routh as Superman, as well as Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden and Parker Posey. Superman Returns is a loose continuation of Superman and Superman II...
, both shot on digital tape, had budgets of $40 million and close to $200 million respectively. The cost savings, probably in the range of several hundred thousand to over a million dollars, are not negligible for today's producers.
The mentioned security and speed advantages are an important reason to shoot digitally for many producers. The ability to check expensive shots at once on set, the possibility to backup and copy shots lossless directly at the set, the immediate transfer to postproduction as well as remote viewing by directors allow massive cost- and timesavings and reduce risks.
Rick McCallumRichard McCallum is a film producer mostly known for his work on the Star Wars prequel trilogy, special editions as well as The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles...
, a producer on
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the ClonesStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of internal chronology....
, has commented that the production spent $16,000 for 220 hours of digital tape, where a comparable amount of film would have cost $1.8 million. With disk-basing systems as the Red one or the SI 2K, the cost would be even lower, and exact backups can be stored at different locations on different media as well. However, this does not necessarily indicate the actual cost savings percentage, as the very low incremental cost of shooting additional footage may encourage filmmakers to use far higher
shooting ratioThe shooting ratio of a film or video is the ratio between the total duration of its footage shot and that which results from its final "cut".A film with a shooting ratio of 2:1 would have shot twice the amount of footage that was used in the film...
s with digital. Lower shooting ratios, no matter if with mechanical or digital cameras, may save time in editing, or may make the team miss interesting shots.
Industry acceptance of digital cinematography
In 2009, the
Academy Award for Best CinematographyThe Academy Award for Best Cinematography is an Academy Award awarded each year to a cinematographer for work in one particular motion picture....
was awarded for a film mostly shot digitally,
Slumdog MillionaireSlumdog Millionaire is British film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
. Another nominee,
The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy drama film directed by David Fincher. The screenplay by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord is loosely based on the 1921 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film stars Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse and Cate...
, was also shot digitally.
It was different in the last century, virtually all movies have been shot on film then and nearly every film student learned about how to handle 16 mm and 35 mm film. Today, digital acquisition accounts for the vast majority of moving image acquisition, as most content for broadcast is shot on digital formats.
The majority of movies destined for theatrical release are still shot on film. Digital cinematography cameras suitable for acquiring footage intended for theatrical release have meanwhile gained widespread adoption, digital cinematography gains more market share every year while mechanical film cameras lose market share every year.
Some notable high-profile directors and producers that have shot with digital equipment include
- Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective...
– A Prairie Home CompanionA Prairie Home Companion is a 2006 ensemble comedy elegy directed by Robert Altman, his final film released just five months before his death. It is based on A Prairie Home Companion, a program broadcast on public radio stations in the United States and elsewhere...
- Jean-Jacques Annaud
- Biography :Annaud was born in Juvisy-sur-Orge, a southern suburb of Paris, France.He began his career by directing television advertisements in the late 1960s to early 1970s. In his first feature film, Black and White in Color from 1976, he used personal experience obtained during his own...
– Two BrothersTwo Brothers is a 2004 adventure/family film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. It is about two tigers who are separated as cubs and then reunited years later.-Plot:...
, His Majesty Minor
- Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle is a British filmmaker and producer. He is best known for his work on films such as Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire...
– Slumdog MillionaireSlumdog Millionaire is British film directed by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy, and co-directed in India by Loveleen Tandan. It is an adaptation of the novel Q & A by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup...
, 28 Days Later28 Days Later is a 2002 British post-apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Danny Boyle. With a screenplay written by Alex Garland, the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Noah Huntley and Christopher Eccleston...
- James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian film director, producer and screenwriter. His writing and directing work includes The Terminator and Titanic. To date, his directorial efforts have grossed approximately US$1.1 billion domestically, unadjusted for inflation...
– Ghosts of the AbyssGhosts of the Abyss is a 2003 documentary film released by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media. It was Disney's first film produced in 3-D and was directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker James Cameron after his Oscar winning film Titanic...
, Aliens of the DeepAliens of the Deep is a 2005 documentary film, directed in part by James Cameron and filmed in the IMAX 3D format. It was produced by Walden Media and Buena Vista Pictures...
, AvatarAvatar is an upcoming 3-D science fiction epic film directed by James Cameron, due to be released on December 16, 2009 by 20th Century Fox. The film is Lightstorm Entertainment's latest project.- Premise :...
- Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an Italian-American film director, producer and screenwriter. Away from showbusiness, Coppola is also a vintner, magazine publisher and hotelier. He is a graduate of Hofstra University where he studied theatre. He earned an M.F.A. in film directing from the UCLA Film School...
– Youth Without Youth
- David Fincher
David Andrew Leo Fincher is an American filmmaker and music video director known for his dark and stylish movies such as Seven, Fight Club, Zodiac and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.- Early life and career :...
– ZodiacZodiac is a 2007 American film directed by David Fincher and based on Robert Graysmith's non-fiction book of the same name. The Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros...
, The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy drama film directed by David Fincher. The screenplay by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord is loosely based on the 1921 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film stars Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse and Cate...
- Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American Australian actor, film director and producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in the Mad...
– ApocalyptoApocalypto is a epic film directed by Mel Gibson. Set in Central America, during the declining period of the Maya civilization, Apocalypto depicts the journey of a Mesoamerican tribesman who must escape human sacrifice and rescue his family after the capture and destruction of his village.The film...
- Alex Proyas
Alexander "Alex" Proyas is an Australian filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer, best known for directing The Crow, Dark City, I, Robot and Knowing.-Biography:...
– KnowingKnowing is a 2009 science fiction film directed by Alex Proyas and starring Nicolas Cage. The project was originally attached to a number of directors under Columbia Pictures, but it was placed in turnaround and eventually picked up by Escape Artists. Production was financially backed by Summit...
- Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, CBE is a Welsh film, stage and television actor. Considered to be one of film's greatest living actors, he is known for his portrayal of cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter in the 1991's The Silence of the Lambs, its sequel, Hannibal, and its prequel, Red Dragon...
– SlipstreamSlipstream is a 2007 American science fiction film starring, written, scored, and directed by Anthony Hopkins, which explores the premise of a man who is caught in a slipstream of time and remembers his own future...
- Peter Jackson
Peter Robert Jackson, CNZM is a New Zealand filmmaker, producer and screenwriter, best known for The Lord of the Rings trilogy adapted from the novel by J. R. R. Tolkien...
– Crossing the LineCrossing the Line is a 2007 short by Peter Jackson set in World War One. It is the first film made with the Red One camera. The film has no dialog apart from the incidental speech of background characters....
- Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. He also teaches film at New York University and Columbia University...
– BamboozledBamboozled is a 2000 satirical film written and directed by Spike Lee about a modern televised minstrel show featuring black actors donning blackface makeup and the violent fall-out from the show's success...
- Frank Miller
Frank Miller is an American writer, artist and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
- The SpiritThe Spirit is a crime-fighting fictional character created by writer-artist Will Eisner. He first appeared in Spirit Section #1 , a seven-page insert into American Sunday-newspaper comics sections...
- Joe Dante
Joseph James "Joe" Dante is an American film director and producer of films generally with humorous and scifi content....
– The HoleThe Hole may refer to:* The Hole , a Japanese drama directed by Kon Ichikawa* The Hole , a French film directed by Jacques Becker* The Hole , an animated short film directed by John Hubley...
- George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, director and chairman of Lucasfilm Ltd. He is best known for being the creator of the epic sci-fi franchise Star Wars and joint creator of the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
– Episodes IIStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of internal chronology....
and IIIStar Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the sixth film released in the Star Wars saga and the third in terms of the series' internal chronology. It completes the entire Star Wars story.The film takes place three years after...
of Star WarsStar Wars is an epic space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas. The first film in the franchise was originally released on May 25, 1977, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, spawning two immediate sequels, released at three-year intervals...
, Red Tails
- Peter Segal
Peter Segal is an American film director, with credits in producing, writing, and acting. He has had general success in the comedy film genre...
- Get SmartGet Smart is an American television comedy series that satirized the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams as Maxwell Smart, Agent 86, Barbara Feldon as Agent 99, and Edward Platt as Thaddeus, the chief of CONTROL, a secret American government...
- Guy Ritchie
Guy Stuart Ritchie is an English screenwriter and filmmaker.-Early life:Ritchie was born on 10 September 1968, the second of two children born to John Vivian Ritchie and his first wife, the former Amber Parkinson...
- RocknRollaRocknRolla is a 2008 British crime film written and directed by Guy Ritchie, and starring Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton, and Tom Wilkinson. It was filmed in London and released on September 5, 2008 in the United Kingdom, hitting #1 in the UK box office in its first week of release...
, Sherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional character of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who first appeared in publication in 1887. He is the creation of British author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle...
- Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet is an American film director, with over 50 films to his name, including 12 Angry Men , Serpico , Dog Day Afternoon , Network and The Verdict , all of which, except for Serpico , earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director.According to The Encyclopedia of Hollywood,...
– Before the Devil Knows You're DeadBefore the Devil Knows You're Dead is a 2007 crime-drama-thriller film written by Kelly Masterson and directed by Sidney Lumet. It stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, and Albert Finney...
- David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker and visual artist. Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, for The Elephant Man , Blue Velvet , and Mulholland Drive . He also received a screenplay Academy Award nomination for The Elephant Man...
– Inland EmpireInland Empire is a surrealistic, psychological thriller film, written and directed by David Lynch. It was his first feature-length film since 2001's Mulholland Drive, and shares many similarities with that film. It premiered in Italy at the Venice Film Festival on september 6, 2006...
- Michael Mann – Miami Vice
Miami Vice is a 2006 American crime drama film about two Miami police detectives, Crockett and Tubbs, who go undercover to fight drug trafficking operations. The film is an adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name, written, produced, and directed by Michael Mann...
, CollateralCollateral is a crime thriller film starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx. It was directed by Michael Mann and written by Stuart Beattie.The film is set in Los Angeles, California though the original screenplay set the story in New York City...
, Public Enemies
- Rob Minkoff
Robert Minkoff is an animator, writer, film producer and director.He has directed several films for Walt Disney Feature Animation, including The Lion King and two of the Roger Rabbit shorts: Tummy Trouble and Roller Coaster Rabbit...
– The Forbidden Kingdom
- Hughes brothers
The Hughes Brothers is the collective name for American twin brothers and film directors, producers and writers Albert and Allen Hughes...
- The Book of EliThe Book of Eli is an upcoming post-apocalyptic drama film directed by the Hughes brothers and starring Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman and Mila Kunis. Filming began in New Mexico in February 2009...
- Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author and liberal political commentator. He is the director and producer of Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, Sicko, and Capitalism: A Love Story four of the top six highest-grossing documentaries of all time...
– Bowling for ColumbineBowling for Columbine is a 2002 American documentary film written, directed, produced by, and narrated by Michael Moore. It brought Moore international attention as a rising filmmaker and won numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, the Independent Spirit Award for...
- Greg Mottola
Gregory J. "Greg" Mottola is an American filmmaker and television director. He wrote and directed the 1996 independent film The Daytrippers before being introduced to television directing. Since, he has directed several episodes of Undeclared and Arrested Development...
– Superbad
- Doug Liman
Doug Liman is an American film director and producer best known for The Bourne Identity , Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Jumper .-Early life:Liman is the son of Arthur L...
– JumperJumper is a American science fiction film from 20th Century Fox and Regency Enterprises. It is loosely based on the 1992 science fiction novel of the same name by Steven Gould. The film is directed by Doug Liman, director of The Bourne Identity and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and stars Hayden Christensen,...
, Fair GameFair Game is a 1995 action film directed by Andrew Sipes. It stars Cindy Crawford as family law attorney Kate McQueen and William Baldwin as Max Kirkpatrick, a Florida police officer...
- Peter Greenaway
Peter Greenaway, CBE is a British film director. He is currently professor of cinema studies at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.-Early life:...
– NightwatchingNightwatching is a 2007 film about the artist Rembrandt and the creation of his painting The Night Watch. The film is directed by Peter Greenaway and stars Martin Freeman as Rembrandt, with Eva Birthistle as his wife Saskia van Uylenburg, Jodhi May as his lover Geertje Dircx, and Emily Holmes as...
- Pitof
Jean-Christophe Comar , better known as Pitof, is a French film and visual effects director, who is notable for his works including Vidocq and the critically-panned Catwoman, for which he won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director.-Career:Most of his work has been in French language films,...
– VidocqVidocq is a 2001 science fiction film, directed by Pitof, starring Gérard Depardieu, It takes place in the 19th century Paris, pitting the historical figure Eugène François Vidocq against a supernatural serial killer...
- Robert Rodriguez
Robert Anthony Rodríguez is an American filmmaker, writer, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He is perhaps best known for making profitable, crowd-pleasing independent and studio films with fairly low budgets and fast schedules by Hollywood standards. He shoots and produces many of...
– Sin CitySin City is an ensemble cast American action/crime/thriller film written, produced, and directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez...
, Grindhouse, Spy Kids 3-D: Game OverSpy Kids 3-D: Game Over is a 2003 action/adventure family film directed by Robert Rodriguez, and is the third and last film in the Spy Kids Series. It was released in the United States on July 25, 2003...
, Once Upon a Time in MexicoOnce Upon a Time in Mexico is a 2003 action film written, edited and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It is the final film in the "Mariachi Trilogy", which also includes El Mariachi and Desperado. Antonio Banderas reprises his role as El Mariachi...
- Tony Scott
Anthony "Tony" D. L. Scott is an English film director. His films include Top Gun, Days of Thunder, The Last Boy Scout, True Romance, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Man on Fire and Spy Game...
– Déjà VuDéjà Vu is a crime thriller with elements of science fiction. The film was directed by Tony Scott, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and co-written by Bill Marsilii and Terry Rossio. The film stars Denzel Washington, Jim Caviezel, and Paula Patton as the main characters, but also includes actors Val...
- Larry Charles
Larry Charles is an American writer, director, and producer. He is best known as a staff writer for the American sitcom Seinfeld, contributing some of the show's darkest and most absurd storylines...
- ReligulousReligulous is a 2008 American comedy/documentary film written by and starring political comedian Bill Maher and directed by Larry Charles...
- Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer known for his stylish visuals and an obsession for detail. His films include Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, Matchstick Men, Kingdom of Heaven, American Gangster and Body of Lies...
- The CompanyThe Company is a miniseries about the activities of the CIA during the Cold War. It was based on the best selling novel by Robert Littell. The teleplay adaptation was written by Ken Nolan.-Plot:...
- Roger Donaldson
Roger Donaldson is an Australian-born New Zealand film producer, director and writer who has made numerous successful movies. He was a co-founder of the New Zealand Film Commission.-Career and life :...
- The Bank JobThe Bank Job is a 2008 British crime film directed by Roger Donaldson and starring Jason Statham, based on the 1971 Baker Street robbery in central London, from which the money and valuables stolen were never recovered...
- Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer is an American film director and film producer. Singer won critical acclaim for his work on The Usual Suspects, and is especially popular among fans of the sci-fi and comic book genres, for his work on the first two X-Men films and Superman Returns.-Early life:Singer was born in New...
– Superman ReturnsSuperman Returns is a 2006 superhero film based on the DC Comics character Superman. Directed by Bryan Singer, the film stars Brandon Routh as Superman, as well as Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden and Parker Posey. Superman Returns is a loose continuation of Superman and Superman II...
- Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis , better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor and producer. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles. He is well known for the role of John McClane in the Die Hard...
- Three Stories About Joan
- Steven Soderbergh
Steven Andrew Soderbergh is an American film producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor, and an Academy Award-winning film director...
– CheChe is a two-part 2008 biopic about Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Benicio del Toro. Rather than follow a standard chronological order, the films offer an oblique series of interspersed moments along the overall timeline...
, The Girlfriend ExperienceThe Girlfriend Experience is a experimental drama film shot in New York City. It is directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars adult film actress Sasha Grey. A rough cut was screened at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2009. The film has also been made available on Amazon Video on Demand as a...
- Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter. One of the biggest box office draws in the world from the 1970s to the 1990s, Stallone is an icon of machismo and Hollywood action heroism...
– Rocky BalboaRocky Balboa is a 2006 film written and directed by Sylvester Stallone who also stars as underdog boxer Rocky Balboa. It is the sixth and final film in the Rocky series, which began with the Oscar-winning Rocky thirty years earlier in 1976...
- Lee Tamahori
Lee Tamahori, born 17 June 1950, is a New Zealand filmmaker best-known for directing the 1994 film Once Were Warriors and the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day.-Upbringing and early career:...
– NextNext is a 2007 film, whose original script was very loosely based on the science fiction short story The Golden Man by Philip K. Dick. The film is directed by Lee Tamahori and stars Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore and Jessica Biel...
- Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer. In a career of over four decades, Spielberg's films have touched on many themes and genres. Spielberg's early sci-fi and adventure films, sometimes centering on children, were seen as an archetype of modern...
, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
- Lars von Trier
Lars von Trier is a Danish film director and screenwriter. He is closely associated with the Dogme 95 collective, although his own films have taken a variety of different approaches.-Biography:...
– DogvilleDogville is a 2003 philosophical drama and mystery film written and directed by Lars von Trier, and starring Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Lauren Bacall, Chloë Sevigny, Stellan Skarsgård and James Caan...
, ManderlayManderlay is the 2005 sequel to the film Dogville. It is the second part of Lars von Trier's projected USA - Land of Opportunities trilogy. Bryce Dallas Howard replaces Nicole Kidman in the role of Grace Mulligan. The film co-stars Willem Dafoe, replacing James Caan...
, AntichristAntichrist is a 2009 horror film written and directed by Lars von Trier, about a couple who, after the death of their child, retreat to a cabin in the woods where they encounter strange and terrifying occurrences. The film stars only two actors, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe...
- Martin Scorsese
Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. He is the founder of the World Cinema Foundation, a recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to the cinema and has won awards from the Oscars, Golden Globe,...
- Shine a LightShine a Light is a 2008 documentary film directed by Martin Scorsese documenting the Rolling Stones 2006 Beacon Theatre performance on their A Bigger Bang Tour. The Scorsese film also includes archive footage from the band's career and marked the first utilisation by Scorsese of digital...
, George Harrison Documentary
- Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski – Speed Racer
Speed Racer is a 2008 American live action film adaptation of the 1960s Japanese anime series of the same name. The film is written and directed by The Wachowski Brothers...
- David Zucker
David Zucker is an American film director, producer and screenwriter.-Personal life:Zucker was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Charlotte and Burton Zucker, who was a real estate developer. He graduated from Shorewood High School. Zucker is married to Dr. Danielle Zucker, with whom he...
– Scary Movie 4Scary Movie 4 is the fourth film of the Scary Movie franchise and is directed by David Zucker, written by Jim Abrahams, Craig Mazin and Pat Proft, and produced by Craig Mazin and Robert K. Weiss. It is distributed by The Weinstein Company via its Dimension Films unit in the U.S., and...
Others artists, who didn't shoot their movies digital so far, are using digital cinematography as producers, such as Ridley Scott for his 2007 series "The company", which was shot on Arri D-20.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0488352/technical
Some directors have expressed an openness for either format, such as
Jean-Jacques Annaud- Biography :Annaud was born in Juvisy-sur-Orge, a southern suburb of Paris, France.He began his career by directing television advertisements in the late 1960s to early 1970s. In his first feature film, Black and White in Color from 1976, he used personal experience obtained during his own...
who used 35 mm and HDCAM together for
Two BrothersTwo Brothers is a 2004 adventure/family film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. It is about two tigers who are separated as cubs and then reunited years later.-Plot:...
http://www.sony.co.uk/biz/view/ShowContent.action?site=biz_en_GB&category=BC&contentId=1187079501081§iontype=BC&preserveContext=true, or
Quentin TarantinoQuentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s he was an independent filmmaker whose films used nonlinear storylines and aestheticization of violence...
, who, while he ended up shooting his contribution on film, expressed an interest in digital acquisition for Grindhouse
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.04/robert.html.
Directors
Christopher NolanChristopher Jonathan James Nolan is a British-American filmmaker, writer and producer. The son of an English father and American mother, Nolan is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United States. He is married to Emma Thomas, his longtime producer...
,
M. Night ShyamalanManoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan , known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is a two-time Academy Award-nominated Indian-American filmmaker and screenwriter who resides and works primarily in the United States, known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots that usually climax with a...
,
Oliver StoneWilliam Oliver Stone is an American film director and screenwriter. Stone came to prominence as a director with a series of films about the Vietnam War, in which he had participated as an American infantry soldier, and his work continues to focus frequently on contemporary political and cultural...
, and
Paul Thomas AndersonPaul Thomas Anderson is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He has written and directed five feature films: Hard Eight , Boogie Nights , Magnolia , Punch-Drunk Love and There Will Be Blood...
belong to the opposing camp, and have vowed to continue to shoot on film.
Lower-budget and limited-release movies have adopted digital cinematography at a somewhat faster pace, although some filmmakers still choose to shoot such productions on 16 mm film, the traditional medium for that market segment.
As the
digital intermediateDigital intermediate describes the process of digitizing a motion picture and manipulating color and other image characteristics to change the look, and is usually the final creative adjustment to a movie before distribution in theaters...
process gains wider use for finishing movies shot on film, and as digital acquisition technology continues to improve, it seems likely digital cinematography will continue to gain wider acceptance.
Digital technology has eclipsed analog alternatives in many other content creation and distribution markets. On the content creation side, digital photo cameras significantly outsell film photo cameras, digital video tape formats like MiniDV have superseded analog tape formats,
digital audio workstationA digital audio workstation is an electronic system designed to record, edit and play back digital audio. A key feature of DAWs is the ability to freely manipulate recorded sounds...
s have almost entirely replaced
multi-track tape recordersMultitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole. This is the most common method of recording popular music...
, digital non-linear editing systems have displaced
MoviolaA Moviola is a device that allows a film editor to view film while editing. It was the first machine for motion picture editing when it was invented by Iwan Serrurier in 1924.-History:...
/
SteenbeckSteenbeck is a brand name that has become synonymous with a type of flatbed film editing suite which is usable with both 16mm and 35mm optical sound and magnetic sound film.The Steenbeck company was founded in 1931 by Wilhelm Steenbeck in Hamburg, Germany...
equipment as the standard means of editing movies, and page layout software running on desktop computers has come to dominate the graphic design industry. On the distribution side,
CDA Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store sound recordings exclusively, but later it also allowed the preservation of other types of data. Audio CDs have been commercially available since October 1982...
s have largely replaced
LPsLong-playing record albums are 33⅓ rpm vinyl gramophone records , generally either 10 or 12 inches in diameter. They were first introduced in 1948, and served as a primary release format for recorded music until the compact disc began to significantly displace them by 1988...
,
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
s have largely replaced
VHSVideo Home System, better known by its abbreviation VHS, was a video tape recording standard developed during the 1970s. It was released to the public during the latter half of the decade. During the late part of the 1970s and the early 1980s it formed one-half of the VHS vs Betamax war, which it...
tapes, and digital cable systems are displacing analog cable systems. It seems likely that despite current resistance on the part of some in the industry, digital technology will eventually be similarly successful in the feature film acquisition and theatrical exhibition markets.
List of major films shot in digital
In the last decade a large number of films have been shot digitally. Some of them are independent, low-budget productions, while others are major Hollywood- and Europe-based productions.
See also
- List of motion picture topics
- Filmizing
Filmizing is a generic and informal term referring to a process which makes video productions appear as if they were shot on film...
- Russian Ark
Russian Ark is a Russian film directed by Alexander Sokurov. It was filmed using a single 96-minute Steadicam sequence shot.-Plot:An unnamed narrator, unseen by the audience and voiced by the director, wanders through the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg...
- The first feature film shot completely in uncompressed high-definition.
- Digital versus film photography
Digital versus film photography is a topic sometimes debated by photographers. Both digital and film have advantages and drawbacks.- Spatial resolution :...
External links