So you wanna shoot your first
digital production. You have a lot on your mind to
plan on the technical end. You are not sure which
camera to use, whether to shoot NTSC or PAL, wide
screen or conventional 4:3 aspect ratios, are some
of the technical issues facing today's filmmakers
when making their first digital film.
What will help you most is
answering the following questions:
"Where will my film be screened
and how will it be distributed?
Your answer could vary anywhere
from the "the Internet market," or "straight to video,"
to "theatrical distribution"
There are three types of filmmakers
shooting on DV today. The first type are those who
are going straight to video. The second are aiming
for a 35 mm film release. The third are somewhere
between the two, the filmmakers who are not so sure.
Whichever category you belong
to, you must be prepared for the unknown in this new
digital filmmaking era we are entering. The best motif
about being unsure on the ultimate distribution of
your film is simply taking the assumption that you
are.
| |
"When
you are aiming for a DV to film transfer, it is
advisable to use a wide screen anamorphic lens
in production." |
"I É(name) am sure that my
film will be distributed theatrically and I will shoot
accordingly." Now that you have made the assumption,
you can go for it, proceeding carefully as follows.
You decide on a digital camera
that you like and you can afford. Settle for no less
than a three chip digital camera (between $2100 to
$4000) or you could rent one ($100 to $200 per day)
The more days you rent it the better the daily rates
you can negotiate with the rental house. NEWTONVILLE
CAMERA in Newton, Mass. offers a wide variety of digital
cameras to meet all budget ranges as well as tape
stock and accessories.
Lately many filmmakers wonder:
"Should I shoot in PAL because I heard that PAL is
better since converting it to motion picture film
is a breeze because of the proximity in frame rate?"
Considering this is your first
digital feature, I would not advise you to shoot on
PAL.
In fact I do not advise anyone
without solid funding to obtain a 35mm first answer
print from PAL - around $35,000 - to consider it.
If you originate in PAL and then find out that your
film is only hitting the video market, you loose a
generation going back to video - NTSC - in good old
USA.
PAL is better for a video
to film transfer at the present time but not for long.
US labs are foreseeing the money to be made in transferring
video to film. Our labs are more focused on getting
a better NTSC to film transfer than their European
competitors whose bread and butter is the PAL transfer.
And now you have the scoop on NTSC VS. PAL. Okay pal?
You need to decide next whether
to shoot in wide screen or in conventional 4:3 aspect
ratio. Video cameras traditionally record in almost
a square-like mode, which plays on your conventional
TV screen, this is called a 4:3 aspect ratio. In movie
theaters, the film is recorded and projected in a
rectangle-like view or a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. With
the invention of wide screen TV, we are now able to
watch movies recorded in their original aspect ratio.
If you are shooting for a
film transfer, you need to shoot in wide screen. Makes
sense. If you are aiming for a straight to video release
of your DV film, then you need not be concerned about
this issue.
So how could you shoot in
wide screen? The least expensive camera that records
in true wide screen is the Sony DSR 500 WS. It runs
for about $15,000 or rents for $250 per day after
bargaining.
If you are on a limited budget,
here is a trick you can do to. On most prosumer digital
cameras today there is a built-in faux 16:9 aspect
ratio. You can switch your camera to the 16:9 setting
only to frame your subjects and then go back and shoot
it in 4:3 regular mode. You have at least made your
film "wide screen safe." This protects your material
in case it is released in wide screen or if it was
blown up to film.
I do not encourage filmmakers
to shoot with the in-camera 16:9 setting since a sacrifice
in quality of the picture is noticeable in the transfer.
For those wide screen diehard
fans with little cash to spare, the release of a new
anamorphic wide screen lens by OPTEX is a dream come
true for indies. This Optex lens enables a true wide
screen image without any loss of resolution. It converts
your regular lens into a wide screen one. You also
gain 30% more information in picture size by using
this lens. This Optex solution is being sold here
in the US exclusively by ZGC in New Jersey. You can
visit them at WWW.ZGC.COM
for more information.
I had the chance to test
this lens this month, and I absolutely love it and
highly recommend it to anyone seriously considering
shooting in wide screen. The lens fits nicely on most
digital cameras, with an adapter if your lens diameter
is 58mm or without if your lens diameter is 52mm.
I tested it using the new SONY PD-150 digital camera
and the old SONY VX1000 and it worked flawlessly on
both cameras. CENTURY OPTICS makes a similar anamorphic
lens that I tried but the vignetting on the far edges
of the lens on the underscan mode of a wide screen
monitor is too risky.
Wide screen works well if
you are shooting vast landscapes in your film or a
unique location. I wish I had this lens when those
tall ships arrived at the Harbor last year. You can
also add an impressive-looking CHROSZIEL Sunshade
to the OPTEX lens also sold at ZGC, which doubles
up as a two-filter holder. The use of a "Pro mist"
filter is helpful if you want to get the elusive "film
look," only if you are aiming for a straight to video
release. If you are shooting tape to film only certain
filters, like a "low contrast," filter can be used
to reduce the high contrast of video in the transfer
process. More on this issue next month.
For now, remember the old
saying, "It is not the tool the Carpenter uses, it
is the skill." You should try to follow the research
above but rely on your skill of telling a good story
the most.
Raouf
Zaki is a full-time freelance Digital DP shooting
with various DV outfits on features and documentaries.
Visit him at www.filmondigital.com
or email him at ravision@hotmail.com
