Great Filmmakers Keep Getting this Wrong

[00:00:00]This video is sponsored by Squarespace.

[00:00:03]Large format, full frame, VistaVision, Super Panavision 70 mm, and of course, IMAX. Large format filmmaking it seems more popular than ever before, and that would be great if anyone actually used it correctly. Now, to be absolutely clear, I'm not calling anyone untalented or an idiot. After all, the filmmakers I'm referring to in this video are Academy Award-nominated box office megastars, and I'm just a YouTuber. But, it seems certain myths around large format continue to mislead outstanding filmmakers who end up squandering the format's potential. As streaming and social media further proliferate into our culture, cinema feels more threatened than ever. To stay competitive, cinema releases need to offer something unique. They need to give audiences something they can't get from a home TV or a phone screen, and large format would seem to be the key.

[00:00:59]However, in their quest to save cinema, these filmmakers are using the right tool, but for the wrong reasons. So, let's tackle the many myths surrounding large format and reveal how to use this incredibly creative tool correctly. Myth one, resolution. Let's get the obvious one out of the way first, resolution.

[00:01:19]IMAX, 70 mm, VistaVision, and full frame do not offer higher resolution. This is extremely true film because celluloid doesn't really have a resolution.

[00:01:31]Resolution is mostly a modern concept that only partially applies to photochemical film stock. Film negatives work by exposing silver nitrate crystals to light in order to render an image.

[00:01:43]While this is similar to how digital sensors work, it's not a one-to-one comparison because a film negative has no set crystal count the way digital sensors have a defined pixel resolution.

[00:01:54]Small stocks like 8 mm or 16 mm don't look as good as larger 35-mm or 70-mm stocks because smaller film stocks have less surface area and therefore fewer crystals per millimeter. Smaller, cheaper stocks are also more prone to damage and wear simply because larger stocks are made of sterner stuff. This is why small film stocks often look grainy and damaged while larger film stocks look clear and sharp. The bigger the film stock, the larger the surface area, the finer the grain, and the cleaner the image. A lot of film lovers boast that 35-mm film has to be scanned at 4K or 8K just to capture all the detail, but that's not really true. You can scan any film stock at any resolution you wish. Obviously, a higher resolution scan will contain more detail, but that doesn't mean film has a native pixel resolution because film doesn't have pixels. Digital sensors also don't increase in resolution at a larger sizes. There are just as many pixels in a 4K image shot on a Super 35 sensor as there are in a 4K image shot on a full frame sensor. The pixels are simply larger on the bigger sensor. So, if large format doesn't increase resolution, then what's the point? I'll get to that in just a second, but first, let's tackle another myth. Myth two, shallow depth of field. Large format does not create shallow depth of field.

[00:03:22]That's when the area of sharp focus in front of the camera is only very small, producing those blurry backgrounds so many people love these days. But, large format doesn't create this effect because shallow depth of field is created by the lens. The aperture, that's the little iris inside the lens, determines how much light hits the sensor or film stock. A wide aperture generally creates a shallow depth of field, whereas a narrow aperture creates a deeper depth of field. I won't go into the technical reasons why this happens exactly, just know that it happens.

[00:03:56]Though the film or sensor is what is ultimately being exposed, the lens controls how the light reaches it. The reason for this misconception about large format and depth of field, however, is due to the way filmmakers choose their lenses. Focal lengths also require a long technical explanation, but all you need to know right now is long lenses or telephoto lenses are lenses with a lot more magnification, whereas wide or short lenses have less magnification. Long lenses generally have a more limiting close focusing distance, meaning how close a subject can get to the camera before they start getting blurry, whereas wide lenses can get right up close to a subject and still keep them sharp. Large format certainly makes it harder to maintain deep depth of field, but just look at older 65 or 70 mm movies. Directors in those days knew when to keep their camera back to keep their subjects away from the close focusing limit and take in more of the environment, because that's the true strength of large format. It's not resolution or depth of field, but field of view. I'll explain what this means in just a moment, but first it's time to hear from this video's sponsor, Squarespace. With big platforms using algorithms to decide what people see, it's more important than ever for creators and professionals to carve out their own online spaces, [music] and Squarespace provides all the tools to do just that. I built the website for my production company Galaxy Class Pictures in Squarespace using their cutting-edge blueprint system. You can have a beautiful looking website up and running in just a few minutes.

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[00:06:10]Large format's benefits lie in image composition, not in technical detail.

[00:06:15]Another thing to note about focal lengths is image compression. Longer lenses flatten an image, so subjects look closer than they really are, allowing a cinematographer to layer more elements on top of each other. Wider lenses exaggerate the distance between objects, creating greater depth. Both kinds of lenses have their strengths and weaknesses, but what if you wanted to combine them? The layered flattened effect of long lenses and the exaggerated depth of wider lenses. Enter large format. On large format, a mid-range or telephoto lens can render an image usually only possible with a wider lens while still retaining the compression of a longer focal length.

[00:06:56]And wide lenses get even wider, capturing huge portions of an environment without the distortion associated with extremely short lenses.

[00:07:04]The whole point of large format is to literally see more information, not simply add detail to an already existing image. Here's the mistake filmmakers often make with large format. They frame shots as if using standard Super 35. By pushing the camera closer to the subject or switching to a longer lens, they create shallower depth of field while thinking they're getting more resolution. Though why you would want more pixels to render a blur, I have no idea. The next time you want to shoot on large format, try this. Frame your subject on a Super 35 sensor and then switch to a larger format. Then consider what else can fit inside the available space. Perhaps a single becomes a two-shot. Perhaps some element of the environment can enhance the emotion of the scene. Perhaps you can find a new angle to show the subject exploring the environment. These concepts are, of course, possible in standard formats, but they hit differently in large format.

[00:08:02]Filmmakers like James Cameron and Denis Villeneuve seem to be the only ones using the format correctly, and IMAX itself seems to understand the appeal in their marketing. Everyone else is using the right tool, but for the wrong reasons.

[00:08:18]If you like these kinds of technical filmmaking breakdowns, you can check out this video on the degradation of light and color in modern movies, or this Star Trek flavored video essay on why modern shows and movies look and feel so different to older media. If you liked the look of those Unreal Engine renders, you can see more in my novel deep dive videos, which explore some mind-blowing sci-fi concepts. You can find those on my channel homepage, where they're organized into playlists, or by following the links in the annotations and end screen. If you want to see future videos early, uncut, and ad-free, then you can join my patrons and members via the links below. Thank you to all of my current patrons and members, and thank you to you for watching.