Transitions can be a tough thing for any human being on Earth. For most, they are set in their ways, resist change, and also keep a closed mind due to doubt or sometimes information overload. When two very different industries start to form together into one; it present challenges to both parties.
For artists or cinematographers, it is that new age film defies what they have mastered in their teachings. For the engineers of new technology, it is learning an old profession and adapting it technologically to improve the process of creating the film.
There are many differences between analog and digital film. Some of these differences are strong characteristics that elevate the industry and create “new cinema.” Many cinematographers can do great things in both formats. Anthony Dod Mantle won an academy award for his film Slumdog Millionaire. He reiterated in his interview in Side by Side that part of his success was in the adaptations of his camera. It was lightweight, making it easy to carry and move on the set. In addition, these innovations in technology also produce the films much faster than they have been made in the past.
Films produced in digital can be made without turning the camera off, allowing more candid acting that is more genuine and relatable to audiences. This concept can be especially useful in the field of journalism. People of today’s society are more interested in images rather than text. The growing amount of digital media allows for a more transparent and truthful way of portraying events.
Not only film more transparent; audiences can actually view them better. The increase in technology has dramatically increased camera resolution and detail. Pixels are how we measure this detail in digital media. The F900 camera was the first HD camera and it recorded 1920 pixels across. We have and will continue access to even better technology as time progresses.
So if audiences can see a better picture, and cinematographers can create unique work without limitations, why do some people believe that technology is a threat to artisanship? I’m sure caveman were not treated when they discovered that writing on paper is a much more convenient way of communicating rather than engraving rocks.
So what needs to be our course of action in digital filmmaking? I believe the best direction to go in, is forward. There needs to be an alliance between filmmakers and the people who create the technology for them. The same is true for any industry. The innovation of the delivery system has expedited the process of virtually all sharing and distributing of content. Now, People can receive a whole video file in seconds! I mean seriously, how could any professor teach this information in a college if it took longer than a semester to complete the course. This increase in productivity allows users to even make films on their own spare time, share them with their friends, watch them without disturbing others and so forth. The possibilities are endless; we shouldn’t say that artisans are now limited because the innovation put more time in their pockets.
Journalism of the 21st Century 