The Movie Minute with Madeline, Episode #4
Hey all,
Madeline here again with another entry in The Movie Minute. This week’s topic will be on the two main media used for shooting movies: digital and film stock. Believe it or not, both mediums remain in use today in modern cinema. But what are the major differences and why do some directors and DPs prefer one over the other?
It’s pretty obvious that film stock was the first to be used when producing the first films from the Lumiere Bros., and then on, due to the lack of advanced digital technology back then. Even before the rise of digital cameras, films such as Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, which was shot by John Alcott (who also shot Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon using lenses built for NASA) is noted for its innovations with cinematography, mainly due to its extensive use of Steadicam technology. But with the advent of digital cinematography, however, came a plethora of changes. As its use became more widespread in the industry going into the 21st century, it became more and more common for film and video to be produced and distributed in digital format, especially with the transition from VHS to DVD.
It’s important to note that both media have their advantages and disadvantages. Digital cinematography is the best option for anyone who wants to get started, as it’s available on a variety of different devices; even your own phone! It’s also easier to store on various media, such as SD cards, and it allows for the film crew to take a look at the footage as soon as the recording has finished. On the other hand, film stock has the capability of higher resolutions and dynamic range, according to TheDarkroom, but at the same time it is a lot more expensive, can be too overwhelming for beginners, has to be handled more delicately, and has to go through a long development process before it can be viewed for editing.
Many directors and DPs have praised the capabilities of digital cinematography. For example, Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins has praised the Arri Alexa camera, especially highlighting its capabilities. Another is one of my personal favorite filmmakers, David Lynch, who shot his 2006 experimental film Inland Empire using a Sony camcorder. In addition, digital cameras such as the Arri Alexa line have been used in several acclaimed films, including multiple winners and nominees of the Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Picture, per British Cinematographer.
However, according to Phactual, some notable figures in the industry, most notably director Quentin Tarantino, continue to insist on using film stock, claiming that it could disrupt the artistic integrity of cinema in a negative way. But movies don’t always have to be shot solely in one way or the other; Dune Part One, for example, according to Digital Camera World’s Sebastian Oakley, was actually shot on digital, transferred to film stock, and then re-digitized, as director Denis Villeneuve and DP Greig Fraser didn’t want the film to look “too crisp or nostalgic”.
Of course, digital is still the best way to start as a beginner in cinematography, with apps such as Blackmagic Camera (free on iOS and Android!) being a great way to start shooting some scenes. In fact, many Hollywood films have been shot partially or even fully on iPhone as well! However, whether digital or film stock is the best medium to use entirely depends on the project and the crew, and it’s best for the director, DP, editor, and other crew members to coordinate.
In fact, for us at Poor Bear pretty much all of the camera equipment we use is digital: Sony Alpha cameras, FS7 and Panasonic GH5, etc., as film stock would be too costly and impractical for the work we do, and the benefits of digital camera equipment outweigh the drawbacks.
To sum it all up, even with the rapid adoption of digital cinematography over the years, many in the field still continue to work with traditional film stock, and whichever will work best for your project will ultimately depend on a variety of factors and what you and your crew believe is the best way to shoot your project. With all said, that concludes this week’s entry of The Movie Minute. Stay tuned for next week’s entry as we continue our journey through the filmmaking world!
https://filmlifestyle.com/comparison-of-digital-and-film-photography