Can Digital Filmmaking Get The Gold?

The Academy has for long snubbed low-budget films because it felt
that they did not have the lavish production design of let's say
a Titanic or an English Patient. Of course there have been
instances of surprise nominations and wins (i.e. Billy Bob
Thornton won the Oscar for Best Screenplay for Sling Blade) but
generally it has completely overlooked digital filmmaking.

Many industry professionals believe that we have finally come
to a point where world cinema will change that. More and more
filmmakers have now access to digital filmmaking equipment,
thanks mainly to the 24P feature on most cameras that create
a film look from the previous 30frames per second.

Super Size Me that was a major hit on the American Film Market
was shot on digital and it came as no surprise when it was
nominated for an Oscar for best documentary. Another film that
was completely shot on digital for the low-budget of 500k, was
Open Water.

Chris Kentis, the writer-director of the film had previously made
Grind with Amanda Peet decided to pull his resources together and
film this film in the middle of the ocean. The grainy look of the
Panasonic DVX-100 added an interesting realistic quality to the
film because it does give off the feeling of it being a
documentary.

When the two main characters are stranded in the middle of the
ocean, the viewer slowly drifts into thinking it is really
happening and the camera that was once used to film the two on
vacation has been turned against them to film the horrific
experience.

These films are more easily picked up by distributors because
they have a documentary feel to them, but would a conventional
narrative have the same easy access to theatres if it were shot
on a digital camera?

There are new technologies that are coming out such as the new
High Definition cameras like the f-900 that allow filmmakers to
work without all the restrictions implemented by film. George
Lucas was the first to shoot digitally all three of his Star Wars
prequels including the latest Revenge of the Sith. After him,
Michael Mann shot Collateral with Tom Cruise using digital
intermediate to add the depth of field that is so great in film.

Machiavelli Hangman, thought to be the major independent hit of
2006, was also shot on a High Definition Camera with some digital intermediate. Despite
Machiavelli Hangman's
low-budget and digital format, many believe that it may be the
first ever film shot on a digital camera to be nominated for
the best picture awards.

There will be a great change in cinema when digital filmmaking
becomes more acceptable in Hollywood standards. This will mean
less focus on politics and power and more focus on diversified
talent and material.

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