feeling listless

Film Over the past few years I've been reading a number of film books regarding production. Most for whatever reason have considered indie film making -- people with an impulse and reckless appreciation of credit card bills who need to make their script. Almost all, no all really talk about how expensive post-production can be, and in particular getting their footage developed. It looks like that can now be thrown out the equation. Even the producers and directors who want their movie look like a 'proper' film now have the technology to do so (in other words a digital film doesn't have look like a digital film) and at a cheaper price than you would expect. Ryan Harper and Josh Jaggars talk to Movie Maker about the production of their new piece 30 Miles, and I'm utterly amazed:

MM: What has the reaction to the film been thus far? I know you've been screening the film in HD - how do you hope 30 Miles will lead the way for not only the shooting, but the exhibition of other HD projects?

RH: The reaction to both the content and the technology has been amazing. We've had very well known actors, filmmakers and critics see the film and their reactions contradict the notion that digital movies lack the quality of 35mm films. As we move forward and screen in more venues, we realize the bottleneck in HD cinema is at the theater level. From the panels and reading I've done, this will soon be cured by people like Mark Cuban and I really look forward to it. There is nothing worse than watching your movie screened on a bad video projector!

Here we have a film which simply doesn't exist on 35mm and doesn't need to. And with the lack of post productions costs the budget is low enough at more money could be spent in the shooting. But something else intimated. A number of independent cinemas in the UK are trialing a cheap DV delivery system in their screens. I'm told the results are excellent and in some cases surpass celluloid projection for picture integrity and sound quality. I think we've finally reached the crossroads. With potentially unlimited copies of films available to anyone who wants them, venues across the country can get new releases when they want them without the one or two prints which have been made to pass their way -- and each presentation, just like DVD will be as good as the first, an aging print no longer a barrier to enjoying the film. And when the films go to DVD they'll be transfered from the original digital source. This is going to be the new vinyl debate isn't it?