Expert: Alessandro Machi - 7/26/2007

Question
I am making a film and I would like to have video quality that is comparable to "hollywood" films. I know that digital video cameras can't rival 35mm, but are they better than 16mm? What cameras come closest to 35mm? I have access to Sony HDW-F900R and Panasonic AJ-HDC27H. I also have access to 35mm (Arriflex 535B and Arriflex 435ES). I am leaning more towards video than film because of cost and ease of use. Can you please give me some advice.

Answer
Hi John, this question does not have only one right answer so whatever I write will inevitably include my opinion and not be the only acceptable or "right" answer.

If you could produce the same project twice, once in video, and once in film, and in both instances you got all the shots you wanted, the film would be easier to sell, but would probably cost more to make as well.

Film will generally cost more to shoot than a video version in lower budgeted productions in which film costs are a higher percentage of the overall budget than on bigger budgeted productions.

Perhaps you could make a one minute project in both video or film, or shoot one scene from your movie in video, and in film, and then follow through and complete all the steps necessary to finish the product and then decide which method to use to shoot your project.

If that approach won't work for some understandable reasons, (it may be inefficient to only shoot one scene from your movie), you may want to determine which way to go based on how "talky interactive" your movie is. If there is a lot of dialogue and it is back and forth dialogue, you may find shooting video is more calming if you end up shooting twice or three times the footage you thought you were going to shoot.

I always recommend someone work on someone else's project before attempting their own production, and to make sure the project you work on actually gets completely completed before using the same technology for your own production.

As for film formats, Super-16 is being hailed as the lower cost version of 35mm. If you do shoot video, try avoiding mixing video formats as it could prove problematic if you end up using exotic post production software that may work better with one HD format and not another. Should you choose HD don't forget that when you take the final step and make a film print it may prove a budget buster.

Good luck!