American Cinematographer - September 2000 - 177

Filmmakers' Forum - continued from page

been blurred

176

thrown off

completely in
the confusion generated by the relent¬
less change. With enormous amounts of
or

cash at stake for manufacturers of these
new

wares,

it's

no

surprise they play fast

technological improvement. Indeed,
we're excited by the prospect of the new
brushstrokes that digital technology will
bring to our art, and we're waiting with
giddy anticipation for what will come

be proven
tools

savings that make some digi¬
superficially attractive to
producers - what about the audience?
What about lighting and composing a
picture for the screen - i.e., the
essence of what we do? It is universally
acknowledged that at its best, optically
projected 35mm motion-picture film is
the standard against which any compet¬
ing system is judged. Right now, digital
has a long way to go in measuring up to
celluloid as a mode of both capture and
deliver/ (or as an archival medium, for
that matter). Given the uneven quality of
theatrical presentation throughout the
world, the argument over what is "good
enough" then becomes an adjunct to
economic concerns, but that is a cynical
conceit and totally without merit. Every¬
one knows what is good enough, even
those too deluded by the hype or too
future-happy to admit it.
Everyone also wants to save a
buck. True, it costs less to live in a lousy
neighborhood, eat baked beans at even/
tal

mean

over town to

it would be

better for any of us to live in such a fash¬
ion? It would if we followed the herd

mentality and automatically accepted
new as better, opinion as fact and move¬
ment as progress.

I

H

L ^

that

losing

our power

"secrets" accessible to all

-

well, that's

just nonsense. For any person interested
enough to have learned, there never
have been any secrets. And to those who
think they'll be waltzing into our world at
the major-league level by virtue of a new
chip that supposedly makes exposure
idiot-proof, I say this: please call me - I
can always use a good laugh.
The importance of taking a strong
stand for what is right can never be over¬
stated. The call now is to join cine¬
matographers in looking beyond narrow
concerns to take in the big picture.
Unquestionably, digital technology is
here to stay, and we are ecstatic about
what it might ultimately offer. It is
improving all the time, and the best of it
as applied to traditional cinematography
would make the old studio masters
green with envy. Elowever, this progress
also brings with it an immense responsi¬

bility. Subsequent generations will go
into theaters and accept without
complaint whatever they are exposed to
as the standard of their day. Whether
that standard meets the highest levels
established thus far by photochemical
means

demands

a

True lovers of Hollywood's Golden
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tion, the battle is

video/high-def/digital debate.
hobbyist's mentality at work. It's
not about resistance to change or fear of
the future, either. As professional direc¬
tors of photography, we are the future!
Going back to day one, the history of
filmmaking clearly establishes that cine¬
matographers have always been and
continue to be the brightest innovators
vs.

Special Book

choice between truth

film

already envision the lock-

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and untruth. The combination of techni¬

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every front of this war. Given this posi¬

That's

■

cinematographers are afraid of
base because a socalled "digital democratization" will
undermine our primacy and make our

-

step opposition's retort, but it would be
disingenuous to characterize this threat
to the visual quality of movies as another

can

Jj

-

As for the most malicious attack

But if money is the only thing that
matters - and this includes the yet- to-

meal and ride the bus all

11

-

next.

and loose with the facts.

work. But does that

pi\\ m 1

ours to

lose.

■

a

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175
American Cinematographer - September 2000

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - September 2000
