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Digital Film |
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Background: For many years now, film technicians have looked on enviously at the ease with which digital video could manipulate images. Conversely, video technicians coveted film's high quality images, particularly when projected onto big screens. It has only ever been a question of time before the two disciplines merge. That time has now come. |
| What it is: Our film department consists of two main pieces of equipment. One of these (the scanner) is for transferring film onto data tape. The other (the recorder) does the opposite, transferring the data back onto film. The scanner is called a Klone and is manufactured by Rank Cintel, who are the world leaders in scanning technology. The recorder is a Celco eXtreme MPX, which has recently been used to great success on such blockbusters as Twister, Independence Day and Mission Impossible. As well as being able to scan data back onto film, the Celco can also scan D1 video back onto film. There are two basic systems available to the film maker who wishes to use digital technology and then end up on the big screen. D1 to film and digital film. |
| D1 to Film: This system utilises only the Celco half of the equation, via D1 video, which is then up-res'd and transferred to film. At the up-res stage the TV lines are cleverly 'interpolated' which basically creates extra lines between the existing TV lines. By so doing, the normal problems associated with video-to-film transfers (moiré patterns, horizontal lines, aliasing etc.) are greatly reduced. The advantage of this system is that it progresses a familiar path (telecine, online, digital edit etc.) which allows for normal telecine sessions etc. It is also relatively cost effective and relatively quick. It is really the only practical solution when theatrical release is an afterthought, which can happen with commercials. It is probably used for 90 % of the commercials you will see at the cinema. The disadvantage is that image quality, though very good, will not match that of the Digital Film system (below). The path: With this system you start with film neg. (all shots) -Telecine transfer to D1 (staying frame based)- digital editing and effects to create D1 master (staying frame based and racking for correct format) - Transfer entire D1 master back to film (including re-pitching the sound). |
| Digital Film: This system converts the film to a digital high resolution image, prior to returning it back to film. Only the effects shots would normally worked on in this way, though the quality is so good that shots which have been digitised can later be cut in along side original negative with no apparent difference. In this respect it works very much in the way film opticals used to, only with far greater effects capability and far better quality. The advantage of this system is that the quality is so good that it can match that of the original negative. It is the only system which should be considered for feature work and 100% of feature special effects work, as well as the very top-end commercials use this route. However, the cost and speed of this system cannot compete with the D1-to-film system (above). The path: Start with 35 mm film (effects shots only) - scan onto data tape (e.g. exabyte, metrum etc.) -take data into effects suite (e.g. Inferno, Cineon etc.) -transfer finished effects shots back onto data tape (e.g. exabyte, metrum etc.) - record data back onto 35 mm film. |
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