Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film

Camera
special effects. Unlike film, digital media can be duplicated
countless times without loss of quality, and the
videos do not degrade over time. Because digital cameras
are smaller and weigh less than 35mm cameras, they
allow the use of cinéma vérité and direct cinema techniques
previously reserved for 16mm cameras. More and
more movies have been produced on digital video since
the turn of the century, including Collateral (2004), Star
Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star
Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith (2005). Despite its
many advantages, however, there are some drawbacks to
using digital technology. Because films are still overwhelmingly
projected from 35mm, digital videos must
be transferred to film for distribution. Furthermore,
some filmmakers maintain that the mathematically precise
digital image cannot compare with the imperfect,
ethereal quality of traditional film.
SEE ALSO Cinematography; Documentary; Film Stock;
Technology
FURTHER READING
Ascher, Steven, and Edward Pincus. The Filmmaker’s Handbook:
A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age. New York: Plume,
1999.
Auer, Michel. The Illustrated History of the Camera from 1839 to
the Present. Translated by D. B. Tubbs. Boston: New York
Graphic Society, 1975.
Bordwell, David, Janet Staiger, and Kristin Thompson. The
Classical Hollywood Cinema: Film Style and Mode of
Production to 1960. New York: Columbia University Press,
1985.
Campbell, Drew. Technical Film and TV for Nontechnical People.
New York: Allworth Press, 2002.
Christie, Ian. The Last Machine: Early Cinema and the Birth of the
Modern World. London: BBC Educational Developments,
1994.
Coe, Brian. The History of Movie Photography. London: Ash and
Grant, 1981.
Cook, David A. A History of Narrative Film. 4th ed. New York:
Norton, 2004.
Happé, L. Bernard. Basic Motion Picture Technology. London and
New York: Focal Press, 1971.
Malkiewicz, J. Kris. Cinematography: A Guide for Film Makers
and Film Teachers. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1973.
Mamber, Stephen. Cinema Verite in America: Studies in
Uncontrolled Documentary. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press,
1974.
Musser, Charles. The Emergence of Cinema: The American Screen
to 1907. New York: Scribners, 1990.
Taylor, Thom, and Melinda Hsu. Digital Cinema: The Hollywood
Insider’s Guide to the Evolution of Storytelling. Studio City,
CA: Michael Wiese Productions, 2003.
KristenAndersonWagner
188 SCHIRMER ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FILM