Eric T
Well-known
Is the end of color film now at hand?
http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...to-film-20140118,0,806855.story#axzz2qlySs1vz
http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...to-film-20140118,0,806855.story#axzz2qlySs1vz
Paramount no longer using film for movies
- Thread starter Eric T
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Dan
Let's Sway
The article mentions that about 8% of U.S. theater screens have not gone digital and can show movies only in the old-fashioned film format. How is the film format "old-fashioned" when the point of the entire article is that Paramount is the FIRST (not last) studio to no longer shoot on film?
Jiloo
eternal amateur
But it's all about releasing on film not shooting. Did I get this right?
Valkir1987
Well-known
I like the look of film in the cinema. Can remember the times you had an extra pause when the film broke. Digital is different and somehow more artificial and less natural for me.
The local theatre here, had a Zeiss Ikon cinema projector that lasted 80 years of service, till it got replaced in the 90ies.
The local theatre here, had a Zeiss Ikon cinema projector that lasted 80 years of service, till it got replaced in the 90ies.
randolph45
Well-known
Will be a big money saver for movie distributers at the expense of small movie houses for sure😡
gb hill
Veteran
Up until now the problem & expense has been in archiving a digital format. Apparently Paramount Studios have found a way. I'd like to read how they feel they can do it.
As for colour film I have a large stash but after it's gone it will be no more colour film for me. I plan to focus on B&W film & there will always be a market for that thanks to groups like APUG.
As for colour film I have a large stash but after it's gone it will be no more colour film for me. I plan to focus on B&W film & there will always be a market for that thanks to groups like APUG.
FrankS
Registered User
The small movie house in my small town has recently switched to digital projection equipment. 🙁
wjlapier
Well-known
A bit off topic. The Walking Dead is shot in 16mm. Anyone watch this show and see the difference from other shows on TV? Any other TV shows do this?
mwoenv
Well-known
I've done engineering work for one of the top 5 movie theater owner/operators in the U.S. (unrelated to filmmaking or projection) and recently had an interesting discussion on this with an operations person. They have nearly completed conversion to digital, which was driven by cost, of course. The largest savings are in being able to run movies from a central office with no projectionist required at the theater. The other driver of conversion was availability of films in the future vs. digital files.
The downsides they are contending with are: digital projectors are more expensive, they are not as reliable, and repairs are very expensive. In the past an experienced projectionist could quickly repair a film projector on the spot but a bad digital projector almost always needs to be removed and returned to the manufacturer, so backups are required. As far as quality, they have had problems with on-screen brightness compared to film projectors.
Film in this industry is over, but for most of the quickly-forgettable garbage made, who cares? I'm just annoyed it will probably affect still photography color film availablity.
The downsides they are contending with are: digital projectors are more expensive, they are not as reliable, and repairs are very expensive. In the past an experienced projectionist could quickly repair a film projector on the spot but a bad digital projector almost always needs to be removed and returned to the manufacturer, so backups are required. As far as quality, they have had problems with on-screen brightness compared to film projectors.
Film in this industry is over, but for most of the quickly-forgettable garbage made, who cares? I'm just annoyed it will probably affect still photography color film availablity.
VertovSvilova
Well-known
Yes, you got it right. This is about release prints and NOT about film capture. And it's something that's already known and has been happening for a while now. Most films are projected with a DCP and not a conventional release print. This was going to happen by 2015/2016 but Paramount just decided to start early. They are obviously convinced that all the major theaters are now converted to digital projection and so there's not going to be any issues for Paramount released films. But also don't forget that there are only a few major studios left. Most films people see are distributed and released by smaller companies. Not all films will only be projected digitally; some theaters (like the one Quentin Tarantino owns on Beverly Blvd in LA) are set up for both film and digital projection.
VertovSvilova
Well-known
A lot of TV is captured with film. Breaking Bad was all produced on film. But the reality is that we are watching them delivered digitally (i.e., a TV set.) So it's not that different than watching a digitally projected motion picture that was captured on film.
http://www.motion.kodak.com/motion/Customers/Productions/index.htm
mani
Well-known
I put off trying film for years because I constantly saw negative and defeatist posts like this online, and I thought there was no point getting into a dead format. That's why they still make me so angry: I missed out on many, many years of exploring a medium that's vastly superior to digital, and I'm still bitter about how credulous I was, and how incredibly stupid and pessimistic the posters were all those years ago.
I guess in another decade I'll still be able to read the same posts over and over again. But this time I'll be out with some color film in my camera, and a smile on my face.
VertovSvilova
Well-known
That's the best antidote to the pessimists. Going out and photographing is the only defense.
And read websites like this instead: http://www.shootingfilm.net/
It's also good to put things into historical perspective and read some of the responses to the introduction of photography over 180 years ago. As it turned out, drawing and painting never did die off. 🙂
Gregoyle
Well-known
Somehow, I had never seen that site before you posted the link. It looks like a great place to find motivation and inspiration. Thank you.
-Greg
thegman
Veteran
I think if we put the hyperbole to one side, then we can see that this is a bad thing for film. But the end of an entire product category across all the companies that make it? Seems pretty unlikely.
hendriphile
Well-known
Or as they would say in the Land of Oz:
"This time analog's not MERELY dead,
It's REALLY REALLY REALLY dead!!"
Ranchu
Veteran
or
or
..really most sincerely dead!
"I'm melting! Melting! What a world...what a world! Who would have thought a good little girl like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness? Oooooh, look out! I'm going! Oooooh! Ooooooh!"
😀
or
..really most sincerely dead!
"I'm melting! Melting! What a world...what a world! Who would have thought a good little girl like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness? Oooooh, look out! I'm going! Oooooh! Ooooooh!"
😀
Chuck Albertson
Well-known
The back-up is a film copy (ironically).
Photo_Smith
Well-known
Is interesting to note that Paramount has limited itself to about 15 pictures per year and is divesting itself of financial risk.
The biggest cash cow for them is Nickelodeon where sponge Bob Square pants and Dora the explorer bring them most of their cash.
So who knows what the future is a Viacom/Paramount with so few movies planned and more cash coming from TV we may see them out of the business before film dies.
Here is some news of lay offs:
http://variety.com/2013/film/news/paramount-to-lay-off-110-employees-1200685551/
krötenblender
Well-known
Did anyone here notice, that all pictures on this site are delivered digitally? Even those, where the poster states (but without prove), that it had been shot on film?
Film must certainly be dead a long time...
Film must certainly be dead a long time...
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