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Author Topic: Is 'film' still synonomous with 'movie'? Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-24-2012 09:58 PM                        Now that the movie industry is going digital, is it still reasonable to call a movie a film? Is the term strictly linked to the media? I have always thought of a 'film' as being a more artistic movie, where a 'movie' was more just the typical popcorn entertainment.  |  IP: Logged Wayne Keyser Master Film Handler Posts: 272 From: Arlington, Virginia, USA Registered: May 2004 posted 01-24-2012 10:03 PM                     I always thought a distinction of that sort was just about perfect, but - considering the general quality of pictures these days - it's well to remember that a "film" can also mean the sticky layer of dried sludge on stagnant liquid (think of a 5-day-old cup of soda that hasn't been picked up yet).  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-24-2012 10:18 PM                     They need to stop using the term "film." If they don't have film running through the camera they're shooting video. It doesn't matter if it's analog or digital, it's fucking video. But "video" doesn't have quite so much romance associated with it since it is synonymous with television shows (the news, soap operas, video-originated sit-coms, talk shows, etc.). So these guys say they're "filming digital" and call themselves "filmmakers." Douchebags. Honestly, anyone saying they're "filming digital" makes them sound like an idiot. At least when the Smurfs used the term "smurf" for everything from eating to whacking it we didn't mind because they were little blue fantasy cartoon characters. I refuse to give anyone in Hollywood or any human beings elsewhere the same amount of slack over use of the word "digital" as I would a smurf for saying "smurf." The term "digital" is an extremely broad term, it even goes well beyond stuff related to computers. For example, a clock which displays the time in numerals is technically a digital clock even if the numerals are those old, non-lit, gear driven, flippy kind of things. Your fingers are digits. A light switch on a wall can be called a "digital switch" since you use your fingers to manipulate it. If you're solving math problems you can say you're doing "digital calculations." I can stomach the use of the term "movie" for a 2 hour feature shot with video cameras. But let's face it, it's a damned video. It sure as shit isn't film.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 01-25-2012 04:07 AM                        How about when people say stuff like "I'm going to film my cousin's wedding"? Hell, these days you can't even say "I'm going to videotape my cousin's wedding". I think the word "shoot" should be used in place of film when used as a verb.  |  IP: Logged Ian Parfrey Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1049 From: Imbil Australia 26 deg 27' 42.66" S 152 deg 42' 23.40" E Registered: Feb 2009 posted 01-25-2012 05:07 AM                     In light of the above comments, I propose to legislate heavy fines for any cinema who uses frames of film in their advertising material when they are running digital presentations. Let them try and use a hard drive to inflame the movie-going passions in the public.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-25-2012 10:34 AM                        LucasFILM  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-25-2012 11:37 AM                        Old habits die hard. I still refer to our "film booker" because I've been doing that for 33 years. If I was to start saying "movie booker" it would sound weird. And if I just say "booker" then people outside the business don't know what I'm talking about. Most movies still start off with "A (name of director) Film" in the credits. It's the same way a new group of songs by an artist is still called an "album" even though many people buy songs piecemeal these days. I do usually refer to "shooting" when talking about videocams though. (I've tried to stop saying "taping.") I've always thought the term "filming" was kind of dumb anyway. You're not filming, you're putting images onto film. We don't use a film image in any of our advertising, but there is a 'strip of film' image across the top banner of our website. But, I think that looks cool so I'm keeping it. I will get rid of it when video producers stop using fake scratches and specks to simulate "film."  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 01-25-2012 02:15 PM                     We still "dial" the phone even though phones have not had dials for a few decades now...  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 01-25-2012 03:46 PM                     With Martin's post about the preservation of film, I can see filmmakers hanging on to the medium for such, thus the term will stay as a "film" to be shown on the screen no matter how it's presented.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 01-25-2012 04:41 PM                        quote: Ian Parfrey I propose to legislate heavy fines for any cinema who uses frames of film in their advertising material when they are running digital presentations. I agree. Nothing but 1s and 0s should be permitted or else they have to close down for 6 months (all digital screens).  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-25-2012 04:43 PM                        The cameraman is digitally "ingesting reality." In the cinema, we are "downloading content." Please note the above and delete any references to film, its style, or its quirks. Louis  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-26-2012 01:20 AM                        quote: Mike Blakesley Most movies still start off with "A (name of director) Film" in the credits. "A (name of director) File" And of course there's -- "A New File by Academy Award Winning Director N N"  |  IP: Logged Brent Francis Film Handler Posts: 84 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Nov 2008 posted 01-26-2012 10:55 AM                        Don't even get me started on "process and print" instructions for negative, when the client means process and transfer to tape or drive, not actual workprint film. I gave up asking about that one 10 years ago.  |  IP: Logged Jonathan Althaus Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Bedford, TX Registered: Dec 2008 posted 01-26-2012 11:12 AM                     I hear reps from digital cinema companies (Barco, Doremi, etc.) still refer to it as "film"  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 01-26-2012 03:24 PM                     One definition of "film" is a "motion picture." The definition of "motion picture" does not care what media the images are recorded on. So YES, a movie is still a film. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/film http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/motion+picture I asked a friend of mine who was going to film school this question once, and he agreed. They still make films, even if the media used to make them is not film. Two different, mutually exclusive definitions. quote: Joe Redifer How about when people say stuff like "I'm going to film my cousin's wedding"? Hell, these days you can't even say "I'm going to videotape my cousin's wedding". I think the word "shoot" should be used in place of film when used as a verb. While the term "film" is not inaccurate here, I tend to agree. I also use "shoot" when referring to photographing. quote: Mitchell Dvoskin We still "dial" the phone even though phones have not had dials for a few decades now... A valid point, sir!  |  IP: Logged

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