Dredd (2012)

[JOE SOAP]

What do people mean by soap opera effect?

Looks similar to a flat 'interlaced' video image like Eastenders rather than a 24/25fps 'progressive' film-look.

[radiator]

Film has traditionally been shot at 24 frames giving it a slightly flickery, strobing quality. It's so strongly associated with cinema that it's just accepted as the norm.

Footage that has a higher frame rate, in the context of a film, gives it an eeriely smooth feel - almost as if you are watching it at 1.5x speed - giving it an aesthetic as if it was shot on video, like a soap opera or studio sitcom. It makes special effects look really fake for some reason, and while many don't notice it, some find it very jarring and off-putting.

[Steve Green]

Easiest comparison is 70s and 80s BBC shows like Monty Python/Who/Dads Army compare the difference between the film used for exteriors and the videotape used for studio shots.

Around 2000 there was a phase where shows acquired on tape (but shot interlaced) was 'filmised' to make it more filmy. League of Gentlemen DVDs have clips before it was done.

That in itself was contentious on some shows, even more so in that it reduced the resolution to get the effect.

[JOE SOAP]

Easiest comparison is 70s and 80s BBC shows like Monty Python/Who/Dads Army compare the difference between the film used for exteriors and the videotape used for studio shots.

Didn't Monthy Python do a sketch on it where the characters within realise they look different when shot on film or video?

[Stan]

I think I have an idea of what you mean but I'll check it out later when my internet is non-crap.

[Steve Green]

Easiest comparison is 70s and 80s BBC shows like Monty Python/Who/Dads Army compare the difference between the film used for exteriors and the videotape used for studio shots.

Didn't Monthy Python do a sketch on it where the characters within realise they look different when shot on film or video?

Yep.

[Danbo]

Like when on an 80's sitcom it always looked different when they were outside as opposed to when they were shooting in the studio?

[JOE SOAP]

Like when on an 80's sitcom it always looked different when they were outside as opposed to when they were shooting in the studio?

Yes, or when you watched Dallas as opposed to Emmerdale farm.

[Danbo]

Ahh,don't know how I feel about that,it will be a suck it and see I think.

[radiator]

The difference isn't quite as pronounced - go into your local dixons and look at the display tvs. They always have that motion interpolation feature turned on to the max. It's designed to give the impression of a smooth frame rate. I find it unwatchable.

[JOE SOAP]

It is more pronounced when it's 48fps and 60fps.

[Spaceghost]

Just popped in to see if there's any news.

Found long dissertations about the merits of 3D and other film techniques.

No news then.

[Goosegash]

Like when on an 80's sitcom it always looked different when they were outside as opposed to when they were shooting in the studio?

A good example of the difference between shooting on film and videotape is mid-eighties Dr Who - beginning with Colin Baker's second season, the series switched from shooting all exteriors on film to filming everything on tape to save money. The knock-on effect was the show suddenly looked much cheaper than it had a year before.

I think film is still used for some US shows, but almost never in British TV since the advent of digital cameras, as it's more cost effective to shoot everything on digicam and create the "film effect" in post production.

[JOE SOAP]

The film effect doesn't need to be created in post-production when shooting digitally. If digital is shot progressive, the motion-blur and shutter effect of film is replicated to a large extent. The rest is to to with adding grain if wanted and colour balance.

[Stu101]

Just popped in to see if there's any news.

Found long dissertations about the merits of 3D and other film techniques.

No news then.

My good lady just asked me what I was upto, and I could basically just quote you Lee.
But after the latest from Wagner, Drokk being released and the immenent trailer (when oh when?)
I seem to be glued to this forum which is really whetting the appetite for September.
Anyone been sketching Dredd in his new 'film outfit'? It's something I'm quite tempted to do pretty soon.