Is it possible to obtain a film image when shooting digital video?

Serious video makers and professionals alike are constantly looking for cheaper alternatives to get the results of film shot on video. The beauty of a movie made with a 35mm film camera, like the ones used in Hollywood productions, is that it has a clear nostalgic look that for some reason video has a terrible time mimicking. One of the main reasons for the difference of the appearance of digital video and 35mm film is the frame rate of the cameras. 35mm film cameras typically shoot at 24 frames per second. This speed is just barely fast enough for the human brain to smooth the images together. A frame rate any slower than that would appear choppy. This is how people feel pictures in the mind should look. Video is shot at about 30 frames per second. This has a smoother feel, a realistic feel. It's the way a reality show looks as compared to Alias, CSI, or even NYPD Blue.The simple fact of the matter is 24 frames per second is more attractive for storytelling and thus people are always looking for ways to mimic the look on video because it is far cheaper than film.

To answer the question, yes, it is possible to obtain a film-like image with digital video. The problem that arises from this answer is cost. It is quite spendy to obtain the quality camera necessary to shoot good video. Here are some things to look for when buying a camera so that you will know you can mimic film.

1. 3 CCD chip


2. Wide angle, close-up, and telephoto manual lense add on capability


3. 24 fps (frames per second) capabilities


4. True 16:9 Ratio


5. Manual Capabilities

If you can manage to find a low end camera that can do most of those things, then you are in good shape. There aren't, however, many low end cameras less than a thousand dollars that have a CCD chip, 24fps, and true 16:9 ratio all at once. Those things are important to have in order to "fake" the 35mm camera feel. To have all of those things, it is most likely you will have to invest a bit more money into a higher end, semi-professional camera model.

16:9 ratio is the size at which film is shot and movies look in a movie theater. It is normally known as "wide-screen." A lot of low-end cameras fake this look by chopping off the top and the bottom of a normal 3:5 picture. This is not ideal because it does not preserve all of the picture resolution that is needed to make the final video look convincing. If the camera is capable of shooting in this format, it will specify on the box or in the manual. Shooting video this way makes the video feel cinematic.

A CCD chip is the part of the camera that takes and reads the light from the lense. It's important because it places the light in the appropriate spots to make the final picture. Most cheap cameras only have one CCD chip allowing colors to bleed onto each other, like the orange streak that appears on old videos shot with older cameras. Have 3CCD chips separates the light into three primary colors and keeps the picture looking smooth and sharp. If the camera can do this, then the picture will make the video look even more convincing as a "film" project.

24 fps can be hard to come by on a video camera, even some higher end cameras. If it is impossible to shoot this way, than try messing with the video in editing software. Lots of editing software has the ability to change the 30fps of video to 24fps. It isn't the ideal way of doing it, but it is definitely better than nothing at all.

Making a video look like a film takes imagination. While getting the same resolution can sometimes be downright impossible, taking the time to learn the mechanics of film making will help in making those low budget digital videos look like Hollywood blockbusters.