I have just read Scene To Screen, a publication produced by Sony on the 24P Video Format and I cannot help but be struck by the naivety of the articles, coming from what are claimed to be experienced Producers and Directors. The main praise for the new technology is its sensitivity and picture quality at low light levels - we don’t need lights any more! This, to me, is a basic mis-understanding of LIGHTING. It is not just about exposure and quality - a Lighting Cameraman creates MOOD, an essential part of any - drama - this is his skill. The articles also go on about the new technology reducing the ‘large crew sizes’ while extolling the virtues of using Panavision’s fast lenses and ‘film look’. So whom don’t they need? The Lighting Cameraman, obviously (no lights required), the Camera Operator (anyone can point a video camera, surely), the Focus Puller (what does he do, anyway - we probably have a whole inch depth of field with Fl .5 Panavision lenses), the Clapper/Loader (‘rushes’ and paperwork no longer required), the Grip, (who does the Crane and Dolly moves - the Director sorry, it is all handheld now!). Maybe the Lighting Crew should go (hey, no lights, again!). Perhaps Make-up, Wardrobe, Designers, and Construction - we don’t need as many now that it is on VIDEO! What are we saying here? As far as these people are concerned, the recording media is not an issue. These jobs still have to be done skilfully otherwise the PRODUCTION quality suffers - what has this to do with technical PICTURE quality? This is one fine example of technology getting in the way of art! One director actually suggested in an article that this new camera would enable him to capture scenes usually ‘destroyed’ by technicians on a feature film crew - magic! This is all from Sony’s marketing people and they are definitely aiming it at the wrong people. The point they miss is, at last they may have an electronic camera that can challenge 35mm quality. But it is now even more important to get the details of makeup, costume and sets right because this new definition and quality means that these areas are featured clearly! It should be promoted this way, not attacking the crews as this is nonsense and can only be met with ridicule. No producer in his or her right mind hires more technicians on a movie than is required, and there is no logic in changing this with a new media. I leave sound till last - well, that is where we belong! | The illustrations show attractive female operators (more) hugging the new camera on their shoulders (if it is THAT light - who needs tripods?) with only the microphone on top of the camera shown. Great. The reality is probably a large loom of cables stuck up the back of the camera for multi-track sound inputs and returns, timecode, power, video outputs and this is supposed to be the new FEATURE tool. How can they talk ‘quality’ in one breath and show such misunderstanding of feature film skills in another? And does that 24P video camera run in sync with separate sound yet - no mention here, but the Sony DigiBeta never did. Another quote from an article was that the new producers don’t want ‘prefabricated’ sound - what the hell is that? This, to me, shows no respect for the audience who pay to put bums on seats to see and hear an EXPERIENCE they cannot get at home on the telly!  Now I may appear Luddite, in favour of the status quo from the above but no, this is not my attitude. I don’t care if it is silicon-coated wet string that is used to record the images and sound as long as it is BETTER for the PRODUCTION. Videotape is cheaper, certainly, but in reality, film stock costs are only a relatively small part of a feature film budget and this is a problem for Sony. Electronic distribution to digital projectors and no cost of release prints are real savers and this is the way we will go. But this is not PRODUCTION as such - the sharp end. One article does suggest that they will still shoot on 35mm but post on 24P - not a bad idea - but what is the 24P camera for, then? AMPS must be part of this technological revolution. Surely we must raise our voices (in a positive way) and tell them where they are going wrong? Or have WE been wrong all those years? I’m sure the Camera Guilds have some similar thoughts - let’s ask them. But until someone from Sony actually asks us how we all do our jobs, we have little hope changing this ‘TV Documentary’ mentality. So, hey, Sony come and talk to us; we can sell your camera, honestly! SANDY MACRAE |
