„Digital film vs. Video “- Simply explained for customers

The professional world speaks of digital film whenever the images have to be “developed” first in post-production on the computer - similar to analog film. Film material has to be chemically developed in a laboratory before a viewer can view the moving pictures with a cinema projector. In the case of digital film, this intermediate step is carried out using a computer program: color grading - that is, the development of digital film.

Color grading means that a colorist (color technician) adjusts or gradates the colors, brightness and contrasts of the digital images according to technical and artistic specifications. In the meantime, color grading has become an integral part of professional cutting programs.

* Note movie files raw mode, even for viewing the images must be color graded.

Picture 1 shows the look of an unprocessed file from a digital film camera (flat, log). Picture 2 shows the finished moving picture, graded by the colorist. Picture 3 simulates a video image in which the camera automatically performs the work of a "colorist" internally.

The main differentiator between video files and digital film files is that digital film is raw and video has a given look - it's almost done. As can be seen in Picture 1, an unprocessed digital film image is dark, flat, low-contrast and colorless. While a video image appears high-contrast, colored and bright.

As described, flat or LOG images have to be developed or color graded in post-production before you as a viewer can see a beautiful moving image on your TV or computer monitor. What are the advantages of color grading? Due to their LOG gradation, digital film cameras represent more dynamics in the picture. This means that the digital film shows no or less overexposure in the image - similar to celluloid film. Professional cameramen evaluate beautiful images in the first instance according to their dynamics or the contrast between light and dark. Let us look at our example pictures 1 and 2. Both represent a recognizable drawing in the shadows and a good representation of bright highlights within the clouds, without the bright structures burning out. Picture 3 shows a video look in which individual cloud structures are burned out white and cannot be “brought back” even in post-production.

The image from a digital film camera does not burn out the highlights so much and shows more details in the shadow areas.

The image of a video camera is automatically graded in the camera and can be viewed immediately. The images show less dynamic range in light and dark structures. There is no need to process video images in the post | to color grade them.

TVs are getting bigger and better technologically. They show more and more dynamic range and even outperform cinemas in terms of quality. TVs can display more picture quality than TV stations can broadcast today. These screens require acquisition formats with great image quality that only digital film cameras / cinema cameras can record.

Some Hollywood directors such as Christopher Nolan or Quentin Tarantino still use cinema cameras with celluloid. Why? Because the cinema film look plays a unique role in our pop culture. The cinema viewers have internalized the film look as the ultimate standard for moving images - as a reverence.

The digital film also follows this reference. Before it gets really complicated - a complete description of the film look is complex, since there are many other properties to consider, such as sensor size, resolution, frame rate, color space, lighting design or even stage design. Color grading is a tool of this art form, because a special color aesthetic can reach viewers even on an emotional level.

High-end digital film cameras are now as good or better than analog film. Roger Deakins is one of the most successful cameramen (Director of Photography) in the film industry. He was the cinematographer for numerous films such as Bladerunner 2049, James Bond Skyfall, The Shawshank Redemption and many other productions.

One more reason for professional advertising - film production. Feel free to get in contact :

UNEM-Filmproduktion
Michael Großmann & Helmut Schnock GbR
Lohweg 2
25524 Itzehoe

04821-8881130

m.grossmann@unem.de

[1] Source: filmpuls.info | Online magazine marketing, pr and communication using film and video
https://filmpuls.info/arri-alexa/