INTERVIEW WITH SHARMILL FILMS
by Mithila Gupta
Have you
ever distributed works shot on high definition? If so, how did you
find it?
As it stands,
most films distributed through our company are still on 35mm.
Some exhibitors to ask for digital copies, and as it stands, most of the
time this is on DVD format. Some do request digital beta, however, this is
still uncommon.
Is their a resistance in your area to high definition video? If so, why do
you think this is?
People seem
to gush over film! "It can't be a film if it’s not shot on film".
To me this is a bit ridiculous. From an exhibitor’s point of view, most are
waiting for price drops in digital projection equipment. It comes at a high
cost for a cinema to do a changeover from film to video for large cinemas.
As a distributor, have you found working with digital equipment easier/more
convenient?
I personally find it more convenient. However, I was raised in the digital
era, so computers for me are quite easy to use and get around with. I can
understand for others who have been in the industry for quite some time
would be sceptical about changing to a digital means. In saying this
however, email, and website access is highly important, sometimes to even
deliver materials to exhibitors. One step at a time may lead to the day when
instead of sending a film print, they just access a server and play it
straight into the cinema from an external network.
What do you lose (if anything), as a distributor, when you use HD?
Nothing as of yet.
In your line of work, which format do you currently prefer and why?
Personally, I am a digital boy. Love it because of its accessibility and
when it comes to cost, size, production, replication and so on is a might
simpler. The quality of digital is not the same as film, nor will it ever
be, however, this is not to say that this is bad. When film came out over
one hundred years ago, I am sure there were the detractors saying it looked
nothing like a painting, or even real life.
What changes in cinema distribution will occur in
Australia due to new
digital formats?
The questions
are as follows:
Cost - Print distribution is a big one. A film print weighs 25kg. A tape
weighs about 500gms.
Low budget filmmaking more accessible. Duplicating material will be
much easier and cheaper.
How
absolute will the change over to digital be?
Absolute. In time, all things change to an absolute.
Remember
though, with all of this hype about digital formats and screenings,
one important thing should never be underestimated. No matter how cheap you
make your film, no matter how big your distribution is, or the special
effects, or the big name stars; if it ain't got a story, it ain't worth
it.