by Vardhana

Rajiv Jain | Bhartendu Natya Academy Of Dramatic Arts Alumni: Interview With Indian Kenyan Cinematographer On Hdtv | Rajeev Jain Ics Wica

Rajiv Jain | Bhartendu Natya Academy of Dramatic Arts Alumni: Interview with Indian Kenyan Cinematographer on HDTV | Rajeev Jain ICS WICA

Here is a quick look at some of the most frequent ones I’m asked:

What is the difference between film and video?
Both film and video have their purpose in present day productions. It seems as though film tends to be used for high-end productions and video tends to be used primarily for corporate films, low-budget commercials, and news gathering.

Why does a movie rented from the local video store look so good when played back on your VCR? Then, when you look at footage shot on your personal camcorder, it looks so bad?

My preference is film because it allows for much greater control over the depth-of-field (the areas in focus), whereas video tends to hold everything in focus. Film also has a greater range for capturing the brightness and contrast areas of a scene.

Compare a picture you took with your 35mm still camera to a picture taken with a digital camera or camcorder? The differences are astounding. This is one of the reasons film is the preferred origination format for all future delivery formats.

HDTV
Q: What is HDTV?
A: HDTV stands for high definition television. It’s the highest quality digital TV format available.

Q: Is HDTV going to replace film?
A: As an origination format, film will be around for a long time. As a delivery format, HDTV has a promising future. Many movies will continue to be shot on film and then transferred to HDTV for television broadcast. There are some TV shows originating on HDTV and are satisfied with the results. As far as I know, there hasn’t been a major, theatrically released motion picture originated on HDTV yet. George Lucas taped his newest Star Wars movie in HDTV.

Many critics say it’s difficult to describe how productions originated on HDTV “look.” Some say HDTV looks like very good video. Others say it looks like extra crisp film. I feel that HDTV is another tool for the cinematographer and it is a great format for many applications.

Q: Is origination on HDTV cheaper than originating on film?
A: According to some recent articles in Millimetre Magazine and Videography Magazine, two television shows that have switched from 35mm film to HDTV origination have realized hardly any cost savings. In some cases, the costs were higher than film origination due to the expensive post-production requirements of HDTV.

The ever-changing landscape of technology seems to make video formats change rapidly. Whenever a new video standard is introduced, massive “hype” spreads through the air. TV was predicted to kill radio. The VCR was predicted to kill the movie theatre. And now HDTV is predicted to replace film.

I know some people that have spent over 0,000 to get outfitted with new HDTV camcorders. After only a couple of years, the new progressive-scan HDTV format came out and now they are trying to sell their cameras so they can upgrade. Time after time, film can still be converted and screened nearly anywhere in the world.

Motion picture film is still the preferred origination format for feature films; In fact, many HDTV originated shows still transfer to film negative for archival purposes. Film is remains the only format for capturing extreme slow-motion shots (like explosions, etc…) and time-lapse shots.

Super16 Film
Q: What is Super16?
A: Go to this web site for the answers: Super16 Guide

Digital Video (Mini DV, DVCAM, DVC Pro, etc) the quality of Digital Video has quickly achieved that of Beta cam SP. Since DV has a softer look, it tends to look more “film like.” Also, the tapes are cheaper than Beta cam formats and allow much longer record times. Their small size helps shooting discreetly without attracting much attention.

Q: Why are some low-budget feature films being shot on Mini DV? I’ve heard that you can transfer Mini DV to 35mm film, does it look good?
A: Have you ever sat about 2-feet from a TV screen and saw all those lines? That’s what DV will look like when transferred to film. Unfortunately, the resolution isn’t there yet.

Budget is the primary reason that many independent pieces are being shot on DV. There is often much disappointment when it’s transferred to film. Also, the costs to transfer to film are so expensive that if a transfer from video to film is in the future, there is no cost savings.

“Film look” process in post-Production
Q: Why do so many people try to give video a “film look?”
A: Film has a more organic and pleasing “feel.” Many folks feel video tends to look “too crisp”. Video is the preferred format for news shows so a video show feels like a “live event.” People associate video with lower-budgets so by making it look more film-like, it raises the production value.

Then of course there is the saying:

A love scene shot on video is considered “Porn.” A love scene shot on film is considered “Art.”

Tags: Bhartendu, Natya, Academy, Dramatic, Arts

Author: Born in Los Angeles, David Henry Hwang is the son of immigrant Chinese American parents; his father worked as a banker, and his mother was a professor of piano. Educated at Stanford University, from which he earned his B.A. in English in 1979, he became interested in theatre after attending plays at the American Conservatory in San Francisco. His marginal interest in a law career quickly gave way to his involvement in the engaging world of live theatre. By his senior year, he had written and produced his first play, FOB (an acronym for “fresh off the boat”), which marked the beginning of a meteoric rise as a playwright. After a brief stint as a writing teacher at a Menlo Park high school, Hwang attended the Yale University School of Drama from 1980 to 1981. Although he didn’t stay to complete a degree, he studied theatre history before leaving for New York City, where he thought the professional theatre would provide a richer education than the student workshops at Yale.

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