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Originally Posted by Bornieo: Fully Loaded
Digital projection is coming and I think that will change everything.
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How so? I got to see the really good Texas Instruments digital projection at the Arclight when the new Star Wars movie came out. As a film purest I went in wanting to HATE it, but I had to admit it looked pretty darn good (although the HD camera work made me feel like I was watching a home movie and not a huge budget blockbuster). I would say the projection was about 90% of what a good new 35mm print looks like. I also had to admit that if they can standardize the technology and format, i.e. stop coming out with the biggest best thing every 6 months and pick an international video signal (hopfully PAL), bring down the cost ($100,000 is wayyyyyy to much for a projector) and simpify the operation of the unit (right now only highly trained specialists can run the things) then theater owners will embrace digital projection. Also the studios need to help with the cost of installation. As it is now I don't see a change as soon as some people think, unless George Lucas is willing to put his money where his mouth is
. It would mean a compleate overhoul of the way movies are made which is something most studios are not yet ready to do. We are still very much in a reserch stage when it comes to the so-called digital revelotion, and have been in that stage for 20 years. Filmmakers are always hearing the cry that film is dead, but I don't think it is, at least not in the way most people think it will die.
You also have to remember that most cinematographers still prefer to shoot in film. Now that the HD craze has settled down HD camera rental is at an all time low while 35mm and even 16mm camera rental has been going way up. Both Kodak and Fuji have come out with the first new low grain fast (about 500t) 35mm film stocks in years, Panavision is updateing its 35mm cameras, and is rumored to be working on a whole new line of 16mm and 35mm cameras. Arriflex created the first truley small 35mm camera that is no bigger then an XL-2. So even if digital projection won you would still be watching film transfer to video. I myself have given up on finishing most of my films in film. As it stands now it costs $60,000 to shoot a feature and finish on film. That can be cut in half if finshed on video which is a very good thing for indie filmmakers! Although when I send something in to the the film festival scene I would make a short subject experimental narrative and finish on film so that it could be shown internationaly. Plus when you finish in film people take you a lot more seriously.