8mm Forum: Current Status of 35mm Film

This is topic Current Status of 35mm Film in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on July 28, 2011, 11:25 AM:

What is the current status of 35 mm film in Hollywood feature movie production? Is film still the preferred and dominant medium, or are most feature films now shot in hi-def digital?
Need to know for my upcoming film class.

Posted by Allan Broadfield (Member # 2298) on July 28, 2011, 11:36 AM:

Somebody supposedly in the know tells me that the next Bond film is originating on digital.

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on July 28, 2011, 12:27 PM:

Paul

You might find this article interesting from an earlier thread:

http://www.slate.com/id/2266654/pagenum/all/#p2

Well I wouldn't go looking for a job as a projectionist. My friend is a VP for a major theater chain here in the USA and they have all ready upgraded most of their equipment to digital. The ones they couldn't upgrade were closed. Fortunately they kept most of their employees. As far as a percentage I really don't know.

PatD

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on July 28, 2011, 01:04 PM:

If they go digital, is celluloid even needed to film with?

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on July 28, 2011, 02:08 PM:

Until now, we can still easy to distinguish film shot in digital vs. celluloid. Not because of the resolution (which I doubt I can). During the high speed scene, video is still inferior to celluloid. Do you know why?

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on July 28, 2011, 07:45 PM:

Ar Rob Young's suggestion, I carried out a survey of the IMDB Technical Specs for the current top 10 box office films. Here are the results:

1. Captain America 35mm Kodak Vision 2

2. Harry Potter 35mm Kodak Vision 2

3. Friends With Benefits - Digital HDTV

4. Transformers 35mm Kodak Vision 2

5. Horrible Bosses Digital HDTV

6. Zookeeper 35mm film

7. Cars 2 Digital

8. Winnie The Poo - not specified

9. Bad Teacher 35mm film

10. Midnight in Paris 35mm Kodak Vision 2

So 60% of the current top 10 box office movies originated on 35 mm film.
Looks like Hollywood still prefers film origination. [Smile]

Posted by Kirkamus Anderson (Member # 2441) on July 28, 2011, 08:21 PM:

I work and live in Hollywood and I'll tell you most big budget features are still shot on 35mm.

RED and Alexa has taken over a fair share of the "commercial" market and ALL of the music video market. DSLR is slowly creeping up but as far as real productions and not indie stuff it's still not being used as much as people think.

Now adays everything has a D.I. and no one even comes close to cutting the negative. But 35mm is still alive and well from my perspective.

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on July 29, 2011, 03:21 AM:

Come on Winbert, give us the answer!

Very interesting thread Paul. Well done and good luck with your film class.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on July 29, 2011, 07:45 PM:

I expect 35mm to continue to be used for photographing movies for a good while longer, but as far as exhibition, you can expect to see it completely gone in the US by 2013.

What I find more interesting are the aspect ratios:

quote:
1. Captain America 35mm Kodak Vision 2 - SCOPE

2. Harry Potter 35mm Kodak Vision 2 - SCOPE

3. Friends With Benefits - Digital HDTV - SCOPE

4. Transformers 35mm Kodak Vision 2 - SCOPE

5. Horrible Bosses Digital HDTV - SCOPE

6. Zookeeper 35mm film - SCOPE

7. Cars 2 Digital - SCOPE

8. Winnie The Poo - not specified - FLAT

9. Bad Teacher 35mm film - FLAT

10. Midnight in Paris 35mm Kodak Vision 2 (don't know)

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on July 30, 2011, 08:56 AM:

quote:
Come on Winbert, give us the answer!

John, actually my posting above is more to be my question.

However, since you were also asking, then I was looking for the answer and this is the answer (my interpretation) after running around the google.

It seems that everything shot on video, although the camera is set up with 24 fps (to have a film looks), however, the way of pictures taken is different with 35mm.

The HD video is taking picture by pixels not by frames. Secondly and most importantly, while 35mm using shutter wheel to create the pictures, HD video using scanning from left to right and from top to bottom in very speedy.

Now, what Brad mention above is true that today it is already in the market an HD VIdeo with rolling shutter (= shutter wheel?), i.e Arri D20 and D21. 4K resolution, 12bit 4:4:4. colorspace. The physical body of this camera does just look like today' 35mm camera.

If with this rolling shutter will create exactly like 35mm (because of frame by frame picture), like it or not, like Brad mentioned above,....bye-bye 35mm celluloid and cinema also will be full digital.

It is sad but true,

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on July 31, 2011, 03:45 AM:

I suppose it's inevitable Winbert. Thanks for looking it all up as your conclusions do make perfect sense.

Interestingly I have a video camera that takes images as good as my Super 8 Canon 814 but it cost several thousand pounds to get one up to that standard. The reason I mention this though is that if 1080 line professional cameras have reached the quality of Super 8 then 4000 line cameras won't be too many years away from the quality of 35mm, plus introducing proper shutters will no doubt hasten the day.

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