The difference between the mainstream studio movie and the small independent feature often boils down to just one thing: budget. Although we assume that Big names mean Big budgets, it’s not always the case. The recent developments in digital filmmaking are luring even the big names into low-budget filmmaking.
Quantum of Solace was shot entirely on a new digital camera, the Dalsa Origin II.
Wim Wenders, well known for bigger budget films like Wings of Desire made a foray into digital filmmaking on DV (Digital Video) with Land of Plenty, a film shot for under $500 000 on the Panasonic AG-DVX100. Five years before he had made the truly successful music documentary Buena Vista Social Club on mini-DV with some DigiBeta footage added ion for effect.
Danny Boyle shot 28 Days Later on a Canon XL-1s mini-DV, using the speed of set-up to get a visual rhythm to his film that would have been difficult to capture on film. In the same way, a lot of 2008’s Cloverfield was shot on the Panasonic HVX 200, although the majority was shot on the digital dream that is a Sony F23 and the Viper Filmstream.
David Lynch shot Inland Empire on the Sony PD-150, a brilliant little mini-DV camera that used to sell at around $4 250.
David Lynch shot Inland Empire on the Sony PD-150, a great mini-DV camera, and was able to bring his project to film for remarkably little outlay. The range of DV cameras is wide, from the top-end Cine-Alta cameras to the entry level mini-DV cameras for consumers. But with DV getting better every day, expect to see more great films, not shot on film!
(Originally written April 2009)
Shoot for the Heart 