There is a myth pervading our industry about high-definition (HD) technology. High-definition, so the story goes, is an exciting, great-looking acquisition medium.
This is, at best, a half-truth.
While it is true that HD is an excellent choice for shooting and producing pictures that can, at times, rival film, HD is about much more than just the camera. If your distribution requirements cross format boundaries, high-definition is the smartest, most efficient way to finish your next project. And if you need a final HD master, there’s no need to change your shooting medium of choice. HD has already caused many of us to rethink the way we capture our footage, and it should really make us rethink the way that footage is posted.
I’ll pass along a little anecdote. I recently had the opportunity to speak at Avid’s "Start to Finish" tour. The topic of discussion was acquisition and post in high-definition. I asked the professionals in attendance, "How many of you regularly shoot on film?" Roughly half the people raised their hands. I then asked, "And how many of you shoot on video?" As you might expect, the other half raised their hands. Then, I asked them all a final question: "Why change acquisition formats?"
A few of them seemed stunned at this last question. Evidently, many of them had been led to believe that if they want an HD final product, they must shoot in HD and forsake their acquisition medium of preference.
My point is this—don’t change your acquisition penchant; just change your thinking about how to finish the project. You can shoot in whatever medium you are most comfortable, and still finish in HD—getting all the benefits of quality and efficiency the medium offers. That’s the choice that will truly validate your acquisition method, whatever it is.
This, precisely, is the beauty of high-definition. It is a universal mastering solution for our industry, a kind of "one tool fits all." Once a high-definition master is created, it can then be re-purposed for any foreseeable application. It can be down-converted to NTSC or PAL without degradation. It can be used for DVD compression, with beautifully sharp images and better colors. It can be used immediately for any stations airing HD content.
And let’s not forget how mastering in HD paves the way for a smooth large-screen exhibition. We can—and have—shot a film negative from HD master for theatrical release. HD material itself can be projected with fantastic results. Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of handling the HD assembly on a project called "Dreams." Spearheaded by Sony and ad agency Young & Rubicam, this was a collection of short subjects that were all shot on HD. The results were screened at the Sundance Film Festival and other large-screen HD venues around the country, and they were magnificent. Moreover, HD masters give you excellent quality, should you decide to transfer back to film for more conventional large-screen viewing.
At Rhinoceros Post, we’ve been encouraging our clients to master in HD for some time now, citing not only the quality benefits, but the distribution efficiencies as well. To mention an example, the series 100 Centre Street is internationally distributed. Finishing in 24p HD was the perfect distribution solution for the program. NTSC, PAL and all requirements were simply accommodated from one HD master.
In that same vein, we recently worked on the Michael Moore documentary, Bowling for Columbine, completing film-to-HD and data-to-HD transfers on over a dozen scenes. We also handled HD finishes on the indie features, Grown Ups and Design (a Sundance finalist). Both features were film acquired, finished in 24p HD, and then shot back to film negative. A new CBS series, Queens Supreme, is currently being acquired, and we are finishing in 24p HD.
The bottom line here is this: there may be greater value to finishing in HD than there is to shooting in HD. Do you like shooting film? Then, by all means, shoot film. Shoot with a hand-held Bolex if you want to. Likewise, if you prefer video—or if video is more within the confines of your budget—then shoot video. The key here is to finish your work in the medium that is closest to film quality, and reward your efforts with a master that will defy degradation and bridge the gap to countless applications.
There aren’t many easy answers in this industry. But I know enough to embrace one when I see it.
