DIGITAL FILMMAKING: Found via The Digital Bits, this article from the Star Wars Web site says that for Episode III, its producers are planning an even more advanced version of digital filming:
“The Sony 24p camera that we used for Clones had a resolution of 2.2 million pixels,” explains McCallum, “but Sony is developing and working on a 10 million pixel camera. We’re really hoping they’ll get that together in time for us, even if it’s just a prototype.”
“Plus, there’s a whole new generation of lenses that’s competing with the Panavision lenses. Isis is coming out with them, Fuji has a third generation and Canon is coming out with some interesting product. We’re excited about the competition and what’s going in the marketplace. With these new cameras and lenses, we’re going to get a new heightened level of reality that
film cannot capture.”The added detail captured with the new equipment will bring the greatest benefit to audiences watching movies projected digitally. “Even the current generation of digital projectors can interpolate anything that’s given to them,” says McCallum. “When we first started we had a Mark 4 Texas Instruments projector… now they’re already on the Mark 8.”
“For the first time, the movie industry is in the same world as the computer business. Every 18 months we’re getting twice the value at half the cost.”
If I’m reading this right, I’m not sure how thrilled I’d be as a theater owner, having to replace my projection equipment on a regular basis. But I can definitely see the advantages of shooting in digital, and then playing back in film, particularly as more detailed cameras become available.
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