Post by Flynn on Jun 13, 2017 4:07:43 GMT
Jun 9, 2017 3:01:30 GMT Flynn said:
Finally, I have a question about grain. When I've watched films projected by a real film projector in the past, I don't recall ever seeing a lot of grain in the image, but The Godfather had some instances of very noticeable grain. It got me to thinking. Is this a product of the digitization process? When you show a film film (as opposed to a digital film) naturally, does the grain look the same way as it does when digitized?I'm not complaining about the grain, mind you. And I do have a rudimentary understanding of why films have grain in the first place, but I'm just wondering if film grain projected from film is the same as film grain produced by a digital version of the film.
On cellulloid, film grains are applied randomly frame-by-frame, so that when the film is projected (as film), there's a subtle modulation to it as the frames flow through the projector - an added element that creates a more abstract and poetic quality to the viewing experience. HOWEVER. When films shot on film are digitized, those modulating grains are frozen in pixels, which removes that wonderful modulating experience and makes the film seem too real, even frozen. I hate it.
To answer your question, When you show a film film (as opposed to a digital film) naturally, does the grain look the same way as it does when digitized?, the answer is no. Absolutely not. If you saw a film shot on film that was projected as film, undigitized, you would (perhaps unconsciously) notice that the grains do modulate, shift, and dance, and are so much more beautiful than frozen pixels that in my opinion take the art out of the film making and viewing experience.
And just one comment about THE GODFATHER being dark: that was one the first films using film stocks that had very high ASA ratings, which meant they needed less light to shoot, so less light was often used; also, cinematographer Gordon Willis was a leader in shooting color films with less light, making them look more stylistically "noirish." I haven't seen the film in a digital presentation, but I imagine it would seem dark (the film version itself was dark). I doubt I would like the digitized version at all. As for LA LA LAND being dark, I haven't seen all of it yet (only the opening on tv with my DGA screener), so I can't comment on your experience with that. I'm really surprised it was shot on film, but, as I said, digitizing it (which is how all films are distributed now), would, I imagine, diminish the visual beauty of the film.
If you have other questions, please ask. I'm so glad to know that I'm not alone in seeing the difference between real film and "digital" film on the big screen.
Thanks for your response. It was very informative.
I saw a Blu-Ray of the first 25 minutes of The Godfather a few months ago on my TV, and I didn't notice any dimly lit images (and the very first scene is very dark). It could be the difference in projection. A TV is giving an image light very differently than a film projector. Maybe a backlit image isn't as dark as a front lit image?
It doesn't matter overall. I'm really more curious than anything. Still a great film, and I'm glad I saw it in a theatrical setting.