Side by Side

            I recently watched the documentary Side by Side.  This documentary compares film to digital recording.  The documentary talks to a number of influential filmmakers about their preference. 

Most filmmakers today prefer digital to film.  Digital filming is easier.  For starters it is much cheaper than shooting in film, as film doesn’t have to be purchased.  It makes getting your shot faster as you do not have to wait on film to be developed to see whether or not you have the shot you want, from a technical aspect.  Also, the lack of film means a lack of a film canister.  Without the film canister, cameras can be made a lot smaller, enabling filmmakers to get more complex shots than they could have achieved with film.

The downside to digital filmmaking is that as of now film still looks better.  Digital filming gives us a clearer image than film, but there is something aesthetically pleasing about the look of film.  Film is dirtier and better to look at.   But don’t take my word for it…

Here is the trailer for the upcoming movie, Stalingrad (shot digitally):

And here is a clip from Saving Private Ryan (shot on film):

Both films are set in WWII so the overall look should be the same, but in my opinion film looks better.  Film is also a better storage medium as it lasts longer than a digital file.

So in my opinion film is best, because I care more for the look of the film than the money.