HDTV Forum

Digital Cinema Rules. Film is Dead!

Jim Burns

"Film Done Right"

Many would disagree.

Variety pronounced "Film Is Dead" almost 50 years ago, when Ampex introduced 2-inch video recording. Guess which of the two formats still thrives, and which is a museum piece?

John Pytlak
Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services
Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, New York 14650-1922 USA
Telephone: +1 585 477 5325
e-mail: [email protected]
website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Having seen a couple of digital theater presentations, I think there are pluses & minuses. There are no dust specks, no film grain, better color IMO. On the downside, I find the sharpness & resolution to be a bit less than a good film presentation and the black levels are not quite up to film. The resolution that is currently being used in these theater projectors is fantastic for a home theater setup with a 50" or 61" plasma display, but to spread that same resolution over a screen that is 50 or 60 FEET wide, is a totally different different story. In fact, it's pretty amazing to me that there is as much clarity as there is given this limitation.

Ken

Kodak Digital Cinema System

The Kodak Digital Cinema System raises the bar on quality over what is currently available:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/digital/system.shtml

Our prototype digital cinema projector displays 2K images using JVC's new 2048 x 1536 D-ILA chips.

"QUESTION: There has been a lot of discussion about how much resolution is 'good enough' for theatrical projection. What should be the standard?

KENNEL: We are starting with 2K because we believe you need at least that resolution to create natural looking images that don't block up or have jagged edges. We also believe that in the long term we can do better than 2K. That's important, but resolution accounts for just part of the 'film-look' that audiences associate with a movie-going experience. Today's color negative films give the creative community the ability to record subtle nuances in contrast, colors and textures that are important components of their visual language. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to develop a system that retains all of that visual information. We are determined to set high standards for digital cinema, and we intend to make on-going advances in this technology that will enhance the cinema experience."

John Pytlak
Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services
Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, New York 14650-1922 USA
Telephone: +1 585 477 5325
e-mail: [email protected]
website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Perhaps you would be more accurate to say, dying

I mean, the writing is on the wall. Sure, there are far more film theaters presently, but there are also far more VCR's out there than there are DVD players. None-the-less, I don't watch VHS. And when it comes to film, I only watch fresh prints, as I get to screen most movies before they open. I can't wait for the technology to go mainstream. I won't judge it until then, as we need to embrace these new technologies. Many people love film, I don't. I don't like watching a movie, when I am kept constantly aware of the medium that is presenting it. HD is the first time I have ever seen a motion picture that made me feel as if I were actually there, or at least looking out a clean window. The whole idea of multi-channel audio is to try to reproduce a live and enveloping experience, shouldn't we expect the same from the video?

Seth Schnaible
A/V Consulting
Santa Cruz, CA
(831) 459-9704
http://www.avconsulting.us

Until there are more films being presented in digital, and until there are more theaters willing to make the investment, film is not dead. Yes, digital will eventually take over film. It's inevitable. Mainly because it holds the advantage over film in every area except resolution. Some people also prefer the aesthetics of film. Nonetheless, digital is in it's infancy. But it is quickly getting better and better.

Lucas sort of came first, although he really wasn't first. He was the first big name filmmaker to shoot with it, and AOTC was the first big name tentpole film to be presented in digital. Then Rodriguez started shooting with it. Then Soderbergh shot a film with it. It will continue to grow. But film isn't going anywhere for now.

Terrell

"Mainly because it holds the advantage over film in every area except resolution."

The gap has been closed with Sony's new D-Cinema effort -
http://www.projectorcentral.com/news_story_674.htm