An Ode To Film | The Experts Speak Out #1

Over the next little while we are going to have various entertainment industry experts give us their take on the importance of film and where it's heading. First up is Brian Spruill, VP & General Manager at the Eastman Kodak Company's Entertainment Imaging division.

On the Importance of Film...
The importance of film cannot be understated. Motion picture film is the medium through which we see the past, present and future. Film captures everything from movies, television shows and commercials, to music videos, sporting events and documentaries. The world’s social, cultural and historical defining moments are chronicled on motion picture film.

On the Future of Film...
In Hollywood specifically, film has become such a mainstay, its significance is sometimes overlooked. America’s love affair with movies, that intangible quality that draws viewers to the theater, can be directly attributed to motion picture film.  Today the creative community has choices in origination media. Those choices are generally based on the look creatives want to achieve with their project. It is hoped that those choices will be informed ones.

There is no doubt that digital video has made significant image improvements over the past few years, however, film has the ability to convey tone, warmth, color and emotion like no other capture medium. Film’s layering and overlapping of grains creates an unparalleled richness and depth, drawing viewers further into the magical movie experience. Various stocks of film give cinematographers the tools they need to bring their creative, artistic visions alive on the big screen.

Film offers an interesting dichotomy. The technology is more than 113 years old, which would appear antiquated, but researchers continue to improve its capturing power. Consider VISION2, Kodak’s latest line of motion picture film released in November. VISION2 offers superior image resolution, light sensitivity and detail capture… and the best is yet to come. Kodak scientists continue to make significant advances in emulsion technology, and expect that film’s sensitivity to light, which allows viewers to see complex detail and delivers a greater sense of realism, will be further advanced in the years ahead. With these continued advances the future for film is very bright. It will continue to be the medium of choice for image capture for years to come. The reason is simple: there is no other medium that offers image quality, dependability, portability, and most importantly, archivability like film.

  The future will also introduce more film/digital hybrid technologies. While film and digital are sometimes seen as competing technologies, they are often used together to create the ultimate in image manipulation. The key is capturing as much information as possible with which to work. Motion picture film captures virtually every aspect of a scene, giving cinematographers a huge palette with which to shape their vision. Once the image is captured on film, cinematographers use digital technology to alter it. As motion picture film continues to advance, digital technology will be forced to keep pace. The increased use of both technologies will allow cinematographers to more effectively bring their visions to life, and create a more enjoyable movie experience for the audience.