When television was introduced into living rooms in the 1940s, people were saying that radio was on its way out. Now we’re hearing that hi-def technology will soon put film out to pasture. High definition provides a higher resolution, and it is cheaper and easier to use.
Hard to argue against that logic. Hi-def cameras are cheaper and require no film. Just pop in the cassette and shoot. No developing is necessary, so forget about processing labs and related costs. Just go right to the edit, pass "go" and collect $200. It sounds so easy, but high definition really isn’t about the camera.
The Federal Communications Commission currently has no definition for high definition. High-definition television can be 1080I, which is 1920 pixels by 1080 active lines, displayed 30 times per second in an interlaced fashion. Or it can be 1080P, which is 1920 pixels by 1080 lines displayed progressively at 24 frames per second. Or 720P, which is 1280 by 720 active lines displayed progressively at 60 frames per second. Are you confused yet? You should be. Is high definition the source you use to shoot with? Not necessarily. Right now, high definition is more about broadcast transmission standards than it is about film or tape.
I recently had the opportunity to do some work in hi-def, and conclude that the best source is film. Hi-def that originates from film is hi-def to me. There are many limitations to shooting tape, and with hi-def, you see everything. As a director, I depend on my DP to give me the look and feel that I visualize in my mind. With hi-def, I can’t shoot 90 frames per second on tape, nor 360. I can’t shoot extreme shutter degree angle. With hi-def, can I shoot stop motion? Sorry. Can I shoot time lapse? No way. Can I "ramp" during the shot and change the shutter degree angle at the same time? No. Can I capture a flare popping off the side of the car? Not a chance.
These techniques are just some of the filmmaking tools I use every day when making spots. Clients and ad agencies demand that their products look the absolute best. There are limits to what we can do when shooting on tape. That’s why film is still the way to go. Other areas of spotmaking will change, but the finish can only be as good as the source.
I believe in the future of hi-def—but as high-definition images transferred from film. These will be tomorrow’s unbelievable images. Film has its own feel and its own life, which enhances our filmmaking. I haven’t even discussed film stocks, or the years of experimenting and testing that are spent by directors in order to achieve a desired effect. Black-and-white, reversal, and low-light film stocks are just some of our choices. Stories told on film have withstood the test of time.
To ask directors to limit their source to digital tape is short-sighted. Agency creatives are being told by hi-def equipment manufacturers that shooting commercials in that format will save millions of dollars. Can anyone take these cost-saving claims seriously? When was the last time you ever saw anything get cheaper? How will viewers feel if every scene starts to look the same through the use of hi-def tape? Directors are expected to bring life to stories, and the expectations for this are so very high. The future is bright for hi-def, but it begins with film.
