[I] had been wanting to make a short film for long but had no funds.
Finally, technology and my friends came to my rescue and helped me
realize my dream. The technology that made it possible is Digital SLR.
In this series, I wish to share my learning of working with digital
technology.
The last time I made a film, it was a different era altogether. The camera was 16 millimeter Arriflex BL. We recorded sound on 1/2 inch magnetic spool tapes on a Nagra 4.2 and edited it using a splicer and a cutter on a Steinbeck! The journey between the two little films that I made, seems nothing less than time travel. While Arriflex is part of film history now for being the darling of French New Wave directors, DSRLs are history in the making. DSLRs are the most significant technological innovation since Arriflex that are bound to change the way films are made.
I shot my film on a Nikon D7000 camera. Though Canon 7D has been quite a craze with indie filmmakers, Nikon’s offering, if not better, is equally good and little less expensive. I chose it over 7D on my cinematographer’s suggestion. His reason was simple, he already had a set of Nikon lenses and had he gone for 7D, he would have had to invest all over in lenses.
Nikon D7000 and Canon 7D are both Digital SLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex or DSLR) cameras. Though, these are primarily still cameras but are capable of shooting high definition (HD) Video. The resolution that they offer is full HD i.e 1920X1080 pixels. These cameras shoot at 23.98 frames per second, that’s closer to cinema’s 24 frames per second. The HD aspect ratio is 16:9 that is approximately 1.77:1, that is also closer to Hollywood widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1.
In cinema you can see each single frame as a still image. You would understand that if you’ve ever held a film reel in front of your eyes. In video or television, each frame is made of two fields, and each field is made of lines, so unlike cinema, frame is just a concept in video. What makes these cameras better suited for cinema is something called progressive scan. Here each frame is a complete frame, almost like a still image, just like cinema. And since these cameras shoot at approximately 24 frames per second (23.98), they are strikingly closer to cinema.
DSLR cameras give you great liberty and quality at a great price. Nikon D7000 comes for around Rs. 74,000/- with 18-105 zoom lens. Canon 7D is priced around Rs.1.28 Lakh with 15-85 zoom lens.
Many equipment rental agencies in Mumbai (and other cities) also rent Canon 7D. The rent could vary depending on lenses and accessories, however, it should be around Rs. 2,000-3,000 per day.
A DSLR which is in fact cheaper than a miniDV camera is a full HD camera. Once you shoot on it, with little upscaling you can finally get your film made into a Digital Cinema Pack (DCP) in 2K resolution. 2K DCPs are accepted by festivals all over the world and multiplexes have already gone digital.
Alternatively you can also print your film on 35mm or get a negative made. This way you can reach out to the entire exhibition, distribution chain.
If you want to see what these cameras are capable of watch “Stanley ka Dabba” which is running in theatres now. I saw Q’s much talked about film “Gandu” (The Asshole) in Berlin which was shot entirely on Canon 7D. Parts of Black Swan was also shot on 7D.
The last time I made a film, it was a different era altogether. The camera was 16 millimeter Arriflex BL. We recorded sound on 1/2 inch magnetic spool tapes on a Nagra 4.2 and edited it using a splicer and a cutter on a Steinbeck! The journey between the two little films that I made, seems nothing less than time travel. While Arriflex is part of film history now for being the darling of French New Wave directors, DSRLs are history in the making. DSLRs are the most significant technological innovation since Arriflex that are bound to change the way films are made.
I shot my film on a Nikon D7000 camera. Though Canon 7D has been quite a craze with indie filmmakers, Nikon’s offering, if not better, is equally good and little less expensive. I chose it over 7D on my cinematographer’s suggestion. His reason was simple, he already had a set of Nikon lenses and had he gone for 7D, he would have had to invest all over in lenses.
Nikon D7000 and Canon 7D are both Digital SLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex or DSLR) cameras. Though, these are primarily still cameras but are capable of shooting high definition (HD) Video. The resolution that they offer is full HD i.e 1920X1080 pixels. These cameras shoot at 23.98 frames per second, that’s closer to cinema’s 24 frames per second. The HD aspect ratio is 16:9 that is approximately 1.77:1, that is also closer to Hollywood widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1.
In cinema you can see each single frame as a still image. You would understand that if you’ve ever held a film reel in front of your eyes. In video or television, each frame is made of two fields, and each field is made of lines, so unlike cinema, frame is just a concept in video. What makes these cameras better suited for cinema is something called progressive scan. Here each frame is a complete frame, almost like a still image, just like cinema. And since these cameras shoot at approximately 24 frames per second (23.98), they are strikingly closer to cinema.
DSLR cameras give you great liberty and quality at a great price. Nikon D7000 comes for around Rs. 74,000/- with 18-105 zoom lens. Canon 7D is priced around Rs.1.28 Lakh with 15-85 zoom lens.
Many equipment rental agencies in Mumbai (and other cities) also rent Canon 7D. The rent could vary depending on lenses and accessories, however, it should be around Rs. 2,000-3,000 per day.
A DSLR which is in fact cheaper than a miniDV camera is a full HD camera. Once you shoot on it, with little upscaling you can finally get your film made into a Digital Cinema Pack (DCP) in 2K resolution. 2K DCPs are accepted by festivals all over the world and multiplexes have already gone digital.
Alternatively you can also print your film on 35mm or get a negative made. This way you can reach out to the entire exhibition, distribution chain.
If you want to see what these cameras are capable of watch “Stanley ka Dabba” which is running in theatres now. I saw Q’s much talked about film “Gandu” (The Asshole) in Berlin which was shot entirely on Canon 7D. Parts of Black Swan was also shot on 7D.
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