Digital vs Film Flashcards
What is film base composition?
Film Base Composition: Motion pictures are recorded on plastic film coated with a gelatin emulsion containing tiny silver halide crystals that react to light exposure, forming an invisible image later developed into a photograph.
What is the sound recording process for film?
Sound is recorded onto film using the variable-area soundtrack process (SVA), where the sound frequency is recorded as variations in the width of a transparent line along the film. The line varies in width according to the sound frequency recorded. As the film passes through the line where the sound is recorded, an exciter lamp shines bright light along the line which passes through the film onto a photodetector. The photodetector changes the light to an electrical current and sends the current to a pre-amplifier, which boosts the signal of the current. The current is then sent to an amplifier, and finally to a speaker where the sound is produced.
Film Gauge
Film gauge refers to the literal width of a film strip, measured in millimeters. Different gauges have unique effects on film quality, light exposure, and strip size.
Photography Negative
In photography, a negative is an inverse image on transparent plastic film where light and dark areas are swapped. Negatives are used to produce printed pictures.
Film Editing Evolution
Film editing involved a cut-and-paste process with splicing and glue by hand. Later, “flatbed” machines simplified cutting and splicing film strips, making the process quicker and more precise.
MacGillivray Freeman IMAX Legacy
MacGillivray Freeman is a pioneering large-format filmmaking company, earning over a billion dollars in box-office receipts. They played a crucial role in legitimizing the IMAX process and attracting a new audience for films.The company began in the late 1960s when surfing fanatics Greg MacGillivray and Jim Freeman pooled resources to work on documentaries and commercials. They gained a reputation for aerial photography after their 1971 short about Mexico, Sentinels of Silence, won two Oscars.
Film vs. Digital Projection
IMAX offers both film and digital projection systems. Shooting on IMAX 15/70 film provides significantly higher resolution than digital, with film having over 120 million pixels per frame compared to 4K digital.
Grain vs. pixels
Film-based grain, forming a random pattern, is compared to the structured pixels in digital images. Film is noted for its organic feel, with more color shades (bit depth) compared to digital.
Shooting Limits and Size of Film Gauges
35mm film has a shooting limit of 11 minutes per roll, while 70mm is limited to 9 minutes. Despite the names, 70mm film is about three and a half times the size of 35mm.
Picture Quality of Film Formats
The picture quality of 35mm film (roughly 5-6K) and 70mm film (roughly 18K) surpasses that of digital cameras. Some filmmakers continue to use these formats for unmatched quality.
Filmmaking Transition to Digital
Prior to the rise of digital cameras, films were primarily shot on celluloid. The popularity of shooting on film has declined, with only around 30 films using celluloid in 2021.
IMAX Film Characteristics
IMAX film is a horizontal variant of 70mm, providing a larger picture area. IMAX has 15 perforations, while typical 70mm film has five.
Additional 5mm in 70mm Film
During the filming process, 70mm film is actually 65mm. The additional 5mm is added in post-production when the soundtrack is incorporated into the print.
Ultra Panavision 70
Ultra Panavision 70 boasts the widest aspect ratio in film history at 2.76:1. It has been used in films like Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight.”
Polyvision Format
Polyvision, with a 4:1 aspect ratio, was only used once in the silent epic “Napoleon” (1927).
