Why are so many productions switching over to digital?

[Reuel Gomez]

I honestly don't understand why so many productions this year are shooting digitally instead of film. Other than aesthetic reasons, a lot of productions are shooing digitally because of the added benefit of speed, especially when it comes to visual effects. But why switch over to a completely different format just for speed alone? I remember reading an article on Arri's website, which I think may have been on some other websites as well, where John Toll, ASC stated that his reasoning behind shooting on the Alexa for Iron Man 3 was because it was a big visual effects picture. Yet so many other visual effects pictures (for example: the new Star Trek film, Fast & Furious 6, and Man of Steel) were shot on film. Apparently Marvel Studios plans on forcing all of their future films to shoot digitally, which I think is a big mistake.

[Giray Izcan]

Amen to that.

[George Ebersole]

Because it's cheaper, faster and you can get higher definition image quality with newer digital cameras.

 

Astehtically, to me at least, digital films don't look as good as films shot on high quality film stock. When that becomes an issue for the paying movie audience, then I'm sure the big wills will switch back.

[Reuel Gomez]

But most of the movie going audience could care less. I think the artist should have the right to choose between a canvas/palette and a digital painting software.

[Guest Christopher Sheneman]

Digital is exciting. Gives me wood when I think about it.

[Reuel Gomez]

:O I cannot believe you just said that.

[George Ebersole]

But most of the movie going audience could care less. I think the artist should have the right to choose between a canvas/palette and a digital painting software.

Well, we are here to make money as well as something that people enjoy. Pick your poison on what you want to shoot on.

[Guest Christopher Sheneman]

:o I cannot believe you just said that.

HARD STIFFY!

[Paul Salmons]

There's a documentary on film vs digital you may enjoy called "side by side" which may help answer this question for you.

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2014338/?ref_=sr_1

 

You can find it on netflix.

Edited July 3, 2013 by Paul Salmons

[Adrian Sierkowski]

I personally found side by side pretty badly put together.

[Francisco Martins]

Side by Side was a pretty superficial attempt to analyze the situation.

[Neal Norton]

Why digital?

 

Fast. Cheap. Good (enough)

 

 

[Reuel Gomez]

Good enough isn't good enough