The film look, with a film camera.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Quick note. When we were looking at the highlights, we were looking at EI 200 on the Alexa. I “matched” both cameras as to not get too confusing here. I will be posting more tests, in controlled scenarios, but in the meantime you can have a look at one of our scenes at different ISOs, where we can see the highlight differences, here: media.discordapp.net/attachments/1123080500601434265/1189673826351579153/stripe.jpg?ex=668ef617&is=668da497&hm=c69e8d8ca4d138eaed766378810a74b6b5b5dae1d22a89d893f35c97c05a04f5&

[@alex_smkp]

That clarifies my confusion about matching. Because with a higher ISO on Alexa Mini you should be able to achieve a better highlight rolloff, right?

[@GencoUney]

While doing all this you're using DaVinci's "tone mapper" during conversion which is garbage. Also you're looking at the log footage directly when comparing the "raw". Looking at log footage is looking at spreadsheet of numbers, apply a view transform which is for your display and never look at log footage directly. AgX Resolve, OpenDRT, JzDT are free DCTLs which will allow you to do this and control it nicely. Is there any way we can access the raw footage to see it for ourselves?

[@The_Daliban]

Quick question: Is there any chance we can purchase some frames of the scenes as test footage to play around with? That way you could make some cash back and we could enjoy the luxury 🙏🏻😬 Maybe? Just realized you might want to release that with your upcoming grading tutorial😅👌🏻 If you want to at all, of course

[@mystarafilms]

As Arri themselves will explain every chance they get, changing the EI on the Alexa alters your dynamic range profile. Going down EI essentially just shifts your dynamic range, it doesn't change the overall sensitivity of the sensor the way changing film stock does. From memory at EI 200 you should get 2 extras stops of detail in the shadows, and 2 less in the highlights which would explain your results with clipping. The same is of course true in reverse, shooting EI 1600 gets you extra range into the highlights at the cost of increased noise in the shadows, as it will double your noise floor.

[@jaketg1080]

Blaine. Your content is absolutely definitive of trimming the fat. Straight up useful information and knowledge, no waffle. Huge appreciation for real creators like you that also work in the industry and can actually apply their knowledge and also are learning in a professional setting

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey thank you so much! That means a lot as I definitely actively try and trim the fluff.

[@jaketg1080]

@@BlaineWestropp1 your videos have always been concise and information dense so just know it’s very appreciated :)

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you thank you :)

[@cokebottles6919]

Love this. The range is crazy on film, and I've been wanting someone to do a direct comparison. I sometimes feel a little spoiled just shooting on Alexa, given what clients are willing to pay in my area. Film would be a whole new level and would require some real salesmanship. Glad you got to make this, and I hope you're able to use film on your coming project!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey thank you! I really love it. The Alexa is definitely my original love, and will continue to love it, but I definitely want to shoot some commercial projects on film. Going to try and make it happen!

[@YuvalAloni]

Are we going to see 35mm film only KZbin videos from now on? yes please.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

It’s either that or my iPhone…

[@AllgoodthingsTv]

At 5:47 in the top left of the frame, if you look at the detail on the blue lamp attached to the wall you can see the significant difference in sharpness between the Alexa and the film camera. That may be what some people are going for, but as someone who shot film by necessity through much of the 90s, it's interesting to see how easily people are willing to forego what was the holy grail to film shooters back in those days - sharpness! People were paying a lot of money to try to find the sharpest lens they could, but film will never be as sharp as digital. And I'm not talking about sharpening in post, I'm talking about straight out of the camera.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

yes it definitely has a softness to it, I still felt like I could get a sharp image, I was using a master prime though.

[@g1234538]

@@BlaineWestropp1 Seems completely unrelated to the film. Looking at the full clip he just posted, it's just the lens. That same lamp gets sharp when stopped down. Either it's missed focus or the lens is softer at wider apertures. Because there's been a TON of Super35 content that when scanned at 4k are ridiculously sharp.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Yep. I was also moving focus a little bit and a slight move may be the reason for that lamp being out.

[@audaz5186]

film highlight rolloff is crazy, nice video

[@BlaineWestropp1]

its wild. I love it.

[@tilleyyellit]

Wow! I’m so glad someone had the funds to make this video! Need more 35mm videos!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

:) more to come!

[@LFPAnimations]

I think 16mm is the sweet spot. Modern scanning tech is so good that super16 can look very clean and also Arriflex SR2 works well for handheld work. Super16 is also much less expensive than 35mm.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I have been eyeing the SR2. I think you are right. I really like 35, but I do think 16 is nice and has a great look and is more doable

[@g1234538]

I've been diving into the subject of film's ability to retain highlights. Yeah, with the "toe" of negative film's characteristic curve you don't want to rely on bringing stuff from the shadows as much. Two important notes: exposing for the shadows, or merely increasing exposure, not only lets you take advantage of the latitude to not end up with murky shadows, but also because you're exposing more silver it should appear less grainy. The exact amount you can overexpose differs based on sources, but Tim Parkin has done tests of Portra stocks which are very similar to the Vision 3 stocks and he's shot scenes containing 18+ stops of information. He's measured Portra 400 at 17-19 stops of DR. Some figures people have given about other films and slide films are even limited by the scanner! Excellent comparison, this was really great to watch!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Wow this is amazing info. For my next test I will definitely push harder on the film. 4 stops is really nothing.. even for most digital sensors. 250D up next!

[@86Sheephead]

Slide film has far inferior dynamic range compared to neg film such as Portra. If you over-expose slide you're gonna have a bad time.

[@g1234538]

@@86Sheephead That's right. I'd only mentioned slide film because I was mentioning scanning. The very dense parts can have more information that may be harder to get with less capable scanners. It was only another example, not saying it has the same DR as negative film.

[@83442handle]

Whats natural about film highlights is that it overloads gracefully into white. With digital it towards white and simply clip as soon as they get there and there is no gradual overload. Film self-masks as it gets more exposed it gets less sensitive to light so it makes it just a little harder to overexpose that particular grain....basically the crystal structure of film gets less sensitive as it nears capacity so there is more light needed to go from 9/10 to 10/10 than there was to go from 8/10 to 9/10. With digital it records each time light hits a pixel until it's full then records nothing.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Great info here!

[@MichaelSchmidt_UrbnPxl]

pure awesomeness ... that highlight roll-off on film is pure magic

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Absolute magic

[@loveinthelandfill1124]

Is there a way to replicate film highlight roll-off in digital videos?

[@complexity5545]

As someone who used to copy film to digital in the early 2000s, my god, film editing is time-consuming and horrible. Digital is actually better at sampling and post production since 2011.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

where did you do that process? tell me more!

[@gusatvoschiavon]

​@@BlaineWestropp1guess we will never know

[@Bajinowhere]

Please reply @complexity5545

[@BlaineWestropp1]

@@gusatvoschiavon still waiting 😢

[@kidcoma1340]

With all these discussions about film vs digital, AI art vs traditional art, and so on, people often forget that art is not just about the end result, but about the process as well (for many artists, the process is actually THE most important thing) I think we are at a point where we can emulate the film look 99%, and soon we get tools where we can achieve that even faster. But this video did a great job of capturing the magic that shooting film can be. And of course this alone already changes the end result in a positive way.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I totally agree with ya. The process is very different shooting on film, and it is something I enjoy. As mentioned, it changes my focus in a good way.

[@xiiiconcepts]

I said it several months ago, and I’ll say it again, Blaine to the moon! Thanks for your insight and enthusiasm.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you thank you :))

[@f0t0b0y]

It's no wonder why top DP/Directors want to shot film.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

it is quite nice :)

[@Mobius1_]

This is incredible. I shoot 2 different YT channels on digitally, but love stills on film. To see someone posting 35mm videos here is absolutely amazing. You're going to blow up.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

🫡😇 more to come..

[@LarsGoldbachDP]

Eye- and information-candy!!! Thanks so much for this Blaine!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

thank you thank you :) more to come!

[@SamMcGhee]

A. Thank you for the cost analysis. B. This made me respect both 35mm film AND my Alexa so much more just seeing the similarities. This confirms my choices. C. I want the LUT you're creating. 🤤

[@BlaineWestropp1]

hahah stay tuned, its coming!

[@rizzo-films]

Love this so much. Us prosumer KZbinrs have been chasing the film look for so long that I feel like we’ve gone away from it in a way. It’s super interesting to actually look at film side-by-side with one of the best cinema cameras out there. I learned first on film (shooting it and editing by hand) so it’s surreal to return to it like this. Also reminds me of how much I still love film. It’s a little flatter but richer in its own way. Not better or worse, just its own kind of beauty.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I think l you nailed it. Not better or worse, just different. Also, that’s cool that you cut by hand. I’ve never done that!

[@emilthilsing]

My favourite channel atm. No doubt!!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you so much:) that means a lot. More to come…

[@mitchellbrinkerdp]

That footage is looking spicy. Chef's kiss

[@mitchellbrinkerdp]

Also, go with the 235 if you need something for lighter handheld work. Wont be disappointed.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you! I definitely want to use the 235 for anything not in studio!

[@zachhaayema4481]

All the shots of NYC's skyline in this video look straight out of Succession, which I believe was shot on the same film stock you chose here. TBH when I first watched the show I had just assumed it was Alexa Mini, and I think this video just shows how similar the Alexa can look to something shot on film. I think where the "film look" really stands out the most in modern use is interior low light tungsten set ups, just something about the warmth of those scenes that film still renders somewhat uniquely.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Love succession. A little while back I was doing a lens test and they were prepping cameras for succession. Almost asked them if I could join. Anyways, yes the Alexa is the best. You can make it look like anything, it’s great to work with, and I love it. I also love film and have some more I will be sharing here with different stocks and different scenes with different lighting. I am excited.

[@lumbum_]

This is incredible. Thank you. And low key the best ad inclusion. The ai audio link goes crazy. Thank you for that.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Haha thank you! This was my first time doing that (an ad inclusion). Also the link match is really awesome. Used it for the music in this video.

[@Apatura123]

Can't wait to see more!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Me too. Gonna be fun!

[@riskybiscutz]

Only ever shot with film once, but it was the best and most fun I’ve ever had shooting anything. Idk if it’s an accurate assessment, but I feel like the film did SO much heavy lifting in terms of color and highlight exposure, to the point where it actually felt EASIER to shoot on film than digitally. Even with just a rec709 applied to the log scan gave the colors a liveliness that digital can’t compete with. I love this video!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

hey thanks! I feel ya, I really like it, I like the process, and the colors look great right off the scan! its definitely a fun experience. I think they are times for both.

[@DenezP]

Very interesting video, but I'm wondering if shooting at ISO 200 on the Mini LF was the best setting for a Dynamic Range comparison. Woundn't Shooting at ISO 800 with a 0.6 ND be more truthfull, especially when comparing the Highlight Roll-off? Can't wait to see your next video!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Here is a shot from the Alexa at other ISOs from the same scene. Of course you get more highlight latitude at higher ISOs. I didn’t get into this in this video bc I have made other videos about ISO and it just gets complicated in the comments so I left it out, but in future videos will be taking an even closer look at this stuff. In the meantime here’s a shot from 800 and 3200 media.discordapp.net/attachments/1123080500601434265/1189673826351579153/stripe.jpg?ex=659f0517&is=658c9017&hm=2fd6daa04ecfdadd52c81a9476896ee0e21cb4c0031560c6d16ef90e873d7b38&

[@JoeyVantes]

Amazing my friend. Beautifully done. Thanks

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you ☺️

[@keith-knittel]

The best and most straighforward film vs digital video I've ever seen! Love the comparisons and looking forward to the next videos

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you Keith :)

[@Asomers322]

Wow Blaine. This is top notch. Thanks for sharing these extremely valuable little nuggets

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you 😉

[@LazySlothProductionsLLC]

Your PowerGrades can't come soon enough! And that breakdown too of the matching film and digital too. Great work as usual!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Stay tuned 😉

[@LazySlothProductionsLLC]

Will do! Also looking forward to those Mini LF LUTs for the over exposure. @@BlaineWestropp1

[@he.smile_]

I heavily recommend watching Steve Yedlin's Display Prep Demo for his take on the Film vs Digital debate! Spoiler alert : the capture medium isn't really what makes the final look. 👀

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Oh I know. Seen it. You can match anything to anything. There is one element of… it’s easy to make this look good, and that is what I like. I like it while shooting and I like it when in post!

[@he.smile_]

@@BlaineWestropp1 yeah absolutely! And the focus and dedication film brings out of the DP (and crew) on set is unmatched

[@talktalk4503]

Awesome. Been wanting to see someone do this in this century. Thx ❤

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Haha thank you. I have more on the way!

[@talktalk4503]

@@BlaineWestropp1 look fwd definitely

[@QualityVideoService]

Great comparison video, I have not been able to find any such test. I'm still divided between digital and film, but this is where we are in the 21st century.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I couldn’t find this test either. And there are a few other film related tests that I can’t find that I’m working on now! More to come.

[@theDyingArts]

This is dope dude. The first dozen music videos I directed in the 00s were all shot on ARRI 435s ... I can't explain the feeling of attending the film transfer (after nervously waiting for processing) and seeing what we'd shot as it was graded. Pure magic. It looked like a movie, it was all right there. Sadly once RED cameras came out I never shot on film ever again. This was great to see it side by side an Alexa.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

The film really does look nice. That’s cool you shot a bunch of music videos on film. Would love to see them..!

[@DespaRobinson]

Delivering the knowledge in the coolest way. Keep it coming Blaine.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you 😊 more to come.

[@jppj4067]

Great video!! Just one question, why didn't you use the camera raw settings on the Alexa footage, especially when it came to exposure, highlight and shadows recovery?

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you! Didn’t want to cheat!

[@saturn_fpv]

​@BlaineWestropp1 How is that cheating? Isn't that exactly the right tool, you would normally use?

[@TechnoBabble]

@@saturn_fpv Lol, seriously. "I didn't want to cheat so I handicapped one option".

[@JS_Leger]

If I win at the lottery someday, I'd definitely buy an ARRICAM LT and make a feature film with it 🙃

[@BlaineWestropp1]

You need much less than the lottery.. you just need an idea 😎

[@anneboyer6359]

@@BlaineWestropp1 And money will come out of where? Hollywood is not sitting there ready to fund any random on the internet. Your script will never even be seen until you at least know the top studio executive.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

@@anneboyer6359 when you think negatively like that.. what you say in your comment is true. If you adopt positive thinking, you can do whatever you want. I challenge you to try that. Seriously. If you sit there and say “I can’t do this” .. you won’t do it. It’s all up to you really.

[@diegoramxs]

I am envious, you have been able to make the video that every Filmmaker lover would want to make.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

its crazy.. I have really wanted to do this for a very long time. and this is just part 1. there is much more. cant wait to share it.

[@diegoramxs]

Oh! I will be the first to see. I really like this content! thank you@@BlaineWestropp1

[@CinePals]

That was a fun inspiring video. Thank you for taking the time to put this together and share your experience, really enjoyed it.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey! thank you so much :)

[@itsmarcocanlas]

holy cow... this film footage in unreal well done sir!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey thanks! I do love it..

[@NewCompVisuals]

You're living the dream man, looks great. The bed scene reminded me of lost in translation

[@BlaineWestropp1]

hey thank you! love the look of the bed scene. great location. going to have to go back there with some more rolls of film.

[@DiLeggeBrothers]

Would love to see a deep dive into some other gauges of film. Specifically super 16!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I’ll do it just for you.

[@MaurideHaro]

Thank you for taking the time doing this great comparison! In all honesty I thing nothing can compare to 35mm film.... PERIOD. It's just the best look possible. So if you have the money and time, always film!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey thanks! I do really like the look. I think the Alexa can get you there but it is nice shooting on and looking at the film.

[@MattAitia]

Great video Blaine! Love how in depth you went

[@BlaineWestropp1]

thank you Matt! love it

[@jc-px8ox]

I swear your channel's gonna blow up soon. I was here before the bang!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

☺️☺️ haha I’m feelin it. Got some fun stuff on the way.

[@leoodekerken1423]

very good comparaison, we can clearly see how close the arri Alexa is to film and this is amazing, even if we prefer film !

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you! Yep. It’s wild. I have some deeper tests on the way!

[@furkonige]

Amazing, thank you so much and happy 2024, cheers!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you 😊 you too!

[@robchado]

Such a dope video. I say do more Audiio sponsors and just shoot your YT videos exclusively on film.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

😂 let me run that by them

[@hugomalpeyre]

Film + haircut = Gold Bagel 🎉🎉🎉

[@BlaineWestropp1]

😂😂🥯

[@cammackey]

I CANT AFFORD THIS BRO. WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Do it bro. Arri 235 is on the way.

[@tannerbrowningfilms]

Excellent review of the top in both fields. Thanks for doing this for us all!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

thank you thank you! more to come :)

[@BoyXx76]

Amazing how little work is needed to make it look good and how well it holds up being pushed around! Film ftw!!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I was very happy how easily you can push it around and how little you need to do to make it look good.

[@Edensproject]

thank you for this down to earth practical knowledge, love your attitude

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey thanks! More to come.

[@nickbradyfilms]

The goat is back

[@BlaineWestropp1]

When you back in bk bro!

[@nickbradyfilms]

@@BlaineWestropp1 tomorrow 😎

[@luvair6765]

Great comparison. Honestly the digital is close enough to the film that a little finesse of color grade with davinci magic gets it really close.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

thank you! and yuuuup.

[@laurencewhite4809]

No, it's not close, it's done. Digital it better in every aspect. You can literally make it looks like everything and anything. Film is dead. It's over.

[@julienpierb]

@@laurencewhite4809 it's so dead and done that within 15 seconds I found more than 20 films that were shot on Film in 2023. This is the definition of death

[@PeaLoop]

So interesting. Great stuff.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

thank you.. more to come!

[@mtdouthit1291]

Thank you for finally doing the ultimate test!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

🫡

[@Unelephant]

Okay, so this post workflow is so interesting to me. I was not expecting it to be like this. I've always thought when people shoot on film, they would have a different coloring process in some kind of dark room. But we see here you get a digitized footage in ProRes XQ looking like a log footage. And do the rest of the color grading in resolve, with color space transforms, with white balancing, with scopes, with film LUTS and all. Would this be the standard way to do this? I feel like a first time Star Wars watcher who went from A New Hope right to Return of the Jedi. I'm curious what is the science behind the digital Prores XQ retaining the "film's" analog data in 1s and 0s. Arent we just coloring digital data at this point? And what is the relationship between Kodak Vision3 and the popular Kodak 2383. What I'm finding is the Vision3 is a color negative film and the 2383 is a color print film, but not really understanding how they relate to each other. So many questions!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

hey great questions! for this, I colored the scans from the lab. this is one workflow, and there are others. you can also do a telecine session, and work with your lab to get desired results. I will be doing a telecine session at the lab in the theater and will be posting about that on this channel soon! the scans one receives are in cineon log, so lots of information and can be pushed around a lot in resolve, like I showed here. regarding coloring digital files.. yes you are grading a digital file technically (in the process I showed here). but it is not the same as a digital file from a camera, in the same way a digital file from an Alexa is not the same as a phone. vision3 is a shooting stock. it is a negative. there are positive shooting stocks like ektachrome. 2383 is a print stock, you print your movie to it and that print goes to a theater and plays through a projector! let me know if you have any other questions!

[@Unelephant]

@BlaineWestropp1 thanks for the response Blaine! Still wrapping my head around all of this and will definitely do more research. A video on the telecine session would be dope. Looking forward to it mate.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

@@Unelephant I will make it happen! stay tuned. will be very informative, and it'll be cool to get a bunch of these answers from the lab!

[@iammilesq]

all hail big daddy blaine Also - this video goes way too hard. Window shot on the bed comparison is wild; not surprised as the shadow/highlight detail recovery between the two. Still great to see it in action though. You're wife is a champ for being in all these videos.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

hahah thank you Miles! have so many more tests to post. can't wait.

[@maximilian-auer]

Damn, Blaine. You nailed the sequence for the film reveal at 3:35. Goosebumps.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you! ☺️

[@MateoToro]

this video couldn't have dropped at a better time my goal for next year is to finally shoot on film!!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Cheers to you reaching that goal!

[@hactrain]

Just gonna be siting on the couch waiting to see a commercial on TV in 3:2 with film perfs

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Haha you may be sitting there for a while…

[@mcorsig]

Great video as always. 👋

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thanks so much :)

[@d0ntchange]

Another incredible video in another amazing hoodie…thank you for this ✅

[@BlaineWestropp1]

haha thank you. love that hoodie.

[@HeartflashProductions]

Thanks for this! So inspiring to watch ⚡️👍🏼

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you. I have a few deeper tests on the way. Will be great!

[@alektimmer]

Let me get my popcorn ready...

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hahah get it ready!

[@lkmccamley]

wow Blaine! you're always doing the coolest stuff and you never cease to amaze me with your expansive knowledge and skillset. Very impressive!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you Lauren 😇

[@LukeHolliday]

Thanks for doing this video! There’s such a shortage of helpful content on shooting film. So cool to see how much latitude it holds! And also great to see you can easily correct shooting tungsten stock in daylight scenes ✨

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Was so happy about the ability to push the tungsten stock. Looks great. I have some more videos coming on film. Stay tuned!

[@WasabiNoise]

Legend! I’ve always bern curious about this. Looking forward to a video where you try to match the film look.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

stay tuned... its coming!

[@danielp_adams]

Great video Blaine, definitely haven't seen such a complete and practical breakdown of film vs. digital on here before. Cheers!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey thank you so much! Can’t wait to post more about it.

[@chrisniswonger]

Thanks for the transparency on the co$t. 👌

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Sure thing 🫡

[@julienpierb]

I am late to the party for this one! Such a great comparison. I've never had the chance to work on a set that shot film but now you've created a need in me.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hehe it is fun!

[@KleberEleven]

3:00 "Doing cool things and making cool videos..." You said it perfectly man! Sharing knowledge in the coolest way! Thanks!!!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

hey thanks so much! more to come!

[@chebosludo]

Film was rated at 200ASA and the Alexa is rated at 800 ISO natively. In that case you would have more DR in the highlights (and less in the shadows of course). I think you should have used an ND6 on the Alexa and rated it to 800 to match the exposure on the 200 film. Interesting test non the less, film looks amazing ! Thanks !

[@anhdvids]

This was such an awesome in-depth test! Also, fun to see someone I know in your video haha

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey thanks! You know Arjun?

[@Filmboy24]

Great comparison! Thanks for sharing!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you 😊

[@carljuztine3328]

hoping to sea a comparison w the A35 in the future, i wanna see how those added stops compare

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Me too.. and it’s already in progress. Stay tuned.

[@prods5hni]

You packaged all this info in such a cool and unique way. thanks for sharing!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you :) more to come…

[@TheJairoObando]

Killer as always dude, if you ever give peeps an opportunity to shadow you or help out with anything I'd love to be there, born and raised in NYC so I'm here whenever.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

awesome! good to know. may need some help with some stuff coming up

[@The_Daliban]

16:38 Looks absolutely beautiful. Really looking forward to your powergrades, luts or whatever is coming👍🏻👌🏻 Happy New Year!!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey thank you! Happy new year :)

[@aashotoshsk9387]

Happy Holidays, my dude. I found your channel this year and it's absolutely been a game changer. You're criminally underrated, hopefully you'll see a lot more subs in '24, Anyway, where is past 2 of that 2 parter video? been eagerly waiting for it.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey thanks so much! 😊😊 Part 2 is coming!

[@vivianvaldi7871]

4 perfs, good for social media, the place where you have a moment to think about what you are looking at... just a sec. So ye when you look at something you don't really think so much, might work. I'd give a try.

[@MilesRoxas]

Cancel holiday break and new year plans new Blaine video just dropped 🎉

[@BlaineWestropp1]

😂😂😂

[@carljuztine3328]

that ultrawide sequence in the intro made me think of Fallen Angels. cool man

[@BlaineWestropp1]

😇

[@charliemcgrain]

Many thanks, really well put together. Maybe it is because I am viewing the comparisons on youtube, but apart from the obvious advantage in the highlights I am not seeing enough difference between the two cameras to sell me on shooting film. What am I missing, here?

[@Noah-lj2sg]

The process of shooting film. He mentioned how it made him slow down and be more careful

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I do like the process. Also, here is the Alexa from the same scene at different iso values. At the 200 that you saw, you will not experience huge range in the highlights. See how much better 800 and 3200 is here: media.discordapp.net/attachments/1123080500601434265/1189673826351579153/stripe.jpg?ex=659f0517&is=658c9017&hm=2fd6daa04ecfdadd52c81a9476896ee0e21cb4c0031560c6d16ef90e873d7b38&

[@charliemcgrain]

To be honest, it was really hard for me to see the difference in your side by side shots in terms of quality or feel. I think the modern digi cameras do such a great job these days it is really hard to tell the difference between well put together digi and film (especially on youtube). So it brings me back to "The Film Look" being more about composition, art department, costume, lenses and lighting. The actual camera just has to be good. On the last film I worked on the DP was sending me pictures of his setups on his iPhone. I was blown away by how 'cinematic/filmic even an iPhone can be if the shots/scenes are properly lit, dressed and composed. Cost, convenience and the security of actually "seeing what you are getting" as you shoot it, seem to way heavier for me than any benefit I might get from shooting on film. All power to the DP's of old who had to deal with the alchemist like witchcraft of film. @@BlaineWestropp1

[@bobh1782]

You should totally do a test with Alexa 35 next time!!! Keen to see the difference

[@BlaineWestropp1]

already happening 😉

[@jogrev]

Try to find an Arriflex 535 B in NYC. It is a great camera, easier and comfortable to work with on shoulder! Another thing: It is about exposure. Read the scene tonal range and you will know how to expose. The best tool is a spot meter. It is important to know the characteristic curve of each emulsion for the exposing and the developing process in the right way. What I used to do is to cut a piece of film, 6 feet more o less, load it on a 35 mm cartridge and make test with a 35mm SRL camera. It is a cheaper method and an excellent starting point. At the end, you will be using the same film stock and the same lab with the Arri Camera to get a similar result, specially in topics as lighting, exposure, processing, etc. Film it is an other experience!!!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Will look for the 535 B for sure. Also, I have been wanting to load some vision 3 and shoot some frames on my AE 1!

[@AgentGrimShorts]

I thought the it would be hard to notice the difference... but the close-up on the face made me pin-point why I hate the look of most shows. The clean look... the extra shiny skin/lips with no texture. It's got that youtube photoshopped look. Hard to explain. 🐧

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I smell you..

[@jenningsbarmore1575]

Dang it film, why do you look so good.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

looks so good!

[@jenningsbarmore1575]

looking foreword to your emulation deep dive. @@BlaineWestropp1

[@LettersFromTheEditor]

Dude you’re a legend. Such a cool comparison. Film just has such a unique look and range. Digital is quite a bit more accessible though. 😂

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Hey thanks so much! As with anything, there are perfect scenarios for either option. I like the process of film, and the image, but modern digital is so good that you can get great results. The one thing is.. looking at the footage straight from the film is something special.

[@LettersFromTheEditor]

@@BlaineWestropp1 absolutely. The journey of shooting film is far more rewarding. And in a way almost like a piece of history, since it’s so much rarer these days.

[@emersonsenseman2182]

Dude, this was so awesome! So rad to really see what it takes to shoot film. I can't wait to see if you end up shooting film for your commercial work in the future. Keep it up!

[@BlaineWestropp1]

thank you so much! I have a lot more to share here about film, other stocks, comparing to other cameras, deeper dives. stay tuned!

[@emersonsenseman2182]

@@BlaineWestropp1 so stoked!

[@ronineditor9920]

Ironically, I discovered my 'hate' of film in film school... because I was a poor student. We used 16mm Bolexs and an Arri 35 in the advanced classes... but, every project, I was so confined in how I shot; could only get a master shot, then an MCU or CU of the actors talking and that was it... assuming the actors knew their lines on the first or second take. It was so creatively confining, but in the late 90s, it was the only option to get it to look close to a real film... the only other option was SVHS or my Beta SP from my news job that time but that obviously looks nothing like film, especially 29.97 frame rate. We tried using PAL Mini DV cameras from England, that someone had and that at least had a more of a 'feel' of digital but the image fell apart. To me, yes, I can use film cameras now that I have some money... but I still hate the massive limitations on so many fronts. The ONLY thing film does slightly better than digital is color depth - that is literally it. To me, since I'm a Colorist as part of my job, I can fool people and make it look like film every time... nobody every knows, let alone the regular viewer. On top of that, I'm not restrained with wasting feet of film if a take runs long or running out during a great take, or developing/processing it, or conforming negative, or hoping you read the light meter right or that the focus was good, or knowing how each film stock behaves, or changing stock as night comes around when I just wasted half a can, etc. Film buffs will say, "Well, you just have to be a better DP then!!" No man, it takes a Herculean effort to make film look solid. With that said, however, I did learn a LOT from working with film -- like lighting for FILM not just grabbing an Alexa/Venice/Ursa/RED and shooting and hoping it will look good later. "Kids these days" think that's all you need, "I'll just slap a LUT on!" Also, I learned to be efficient and rehearse more before set or, in music videos or commercials, knowing EXACTLY what I want. I make animatics for how I generally see a commercial then get that coverage and whatever else inspires me on set. Some digital people just roll and hope to get something. Also, lenses... for me personally, I would use the cleanest, more clinical lens for film, to offset the film look, which you can wash out with an 'old' lens. However, with digital, absolutely the opposite... I only use vintage film lenses (Cooke Varotal from the 70s is a beast but amazing) or even modern Cooke S4s to, as they say, "take off the edge from digital." A clinical lens on a digital camera almost always looks so "digital" and lifeless and too crisp. But yeah, if the audience doesn't know the difference -- that's the metric that matters. Then, creatively, with smaller and smaller budgets, we don't have to have the planets align to get a perfect shot on film... with digital, I know.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

great writeup here. I do think that if you show someone something you made to look like film, and asked them if it was film or digital, they likely would not know, if you did a good job. I also agree with you on the being more prepared, and not just rolling on everything with no plan. I always hates just firehose rolling on everything. even at a young age I know I hated working like that. this is why I like the film process. precision. you prepare, you set it up, things go quiet, and you turn it over. everyone is aware. you get what you want. I love it. I like some clean lenses on digital, and some dirty lenses on digital. I do think if parts of the process are a certain way, you can make something differently. im not saying film is better, but I like the process and I like the look.

[@matthewmaccarthy8542]

Awesome test. I salute you for getting 6.5K scans. Because I love film so much I feel compelled to come to its defense in regards to the shadow detail section around the 7:20 mark. Once the film is scanned you are grading under the limitations of ProRes 4444XQ in LogC. If you ever have the opportunity to grade directly off of the negative in a telecine session the amount of detail film holds in the shadows and highlights will blow your mind and you will never see film vs the same again. It's a tragedy that the current film to digital workflow is not structured to optimize pulling the most out of film image, it is structured to optimize efficiency, convenience and to minimize costs. Even if it's just with a 100ft roll of Super-16mm, I urge you to grade film in a supervised telecine session.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I would LOVE to have a telecine session… maybe I will make it happen. For sure you aren’t going to be able to pull it out of a prores scan. Maybe I’ll try and set up a session :)

[@g1234538]

That's really interesting. How much does that change things, what does a telecine session involve differently? What kind of limitations does that ProRes profile (?) have? I could only imagine the thing that would inherently affect things is if film's gamma suited it differently than the pixel format allows. But I'm only guessing, I don't have much knowledge of that at all. For example, everyone doing these latitude comparisons at least sees the highlight behavior from their scans, is something messing with the shadows?

[@matthewmaccarthy8542]

@@g1234538 In a Telecine session the image is graded directly off of the camera negative so you are working with the full range of film's capabilities. It's something that must be seen first hand to truly be understood in regards the overwhelming amount of data a film negative can hold. Another factor that causes a lot of confusion about film is the issue of grain. Film is nowhere near as grainy as most believe it is. Most of the time what people are seeing as grain is digital noise because the digital format the film was scanned onto did not know what to do with the excess of data. Color negative film is designed to be printed onto color positive film which is very sharp. That's why when you watch DVD of a movie shot on film in the 1990s or 1980s there isn't any grain, because the digital scan was a of a color positive print.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I have to do a telecine sesh

[@matthewmaccarthy8542]

@@BlaineWestropp1 You'll never be the same.

[@kraftpunk6654]

The ungraded film and Alexa shots look so alike, the only major visual difference being the grain/texture. In terms of color, both require roughly the same amount of work to make them look good, which demonstrates that the aesthetics of the final image come from the post-pipeline (and person behind the camera, regardless of format).

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Yep! They do look quite similar. Both look great in my opinion.

[@alexander_mejia]

Thanks for doing this expensive test. I would love to see an ungraded clip available for download to test the dynamic range on an HDR display. I’ve completely moved away from SDR and it’s really liberating when you have cameras that have the range.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I can give you a frame. you in the discord?

[@carterburkhart4336]

Great test! As you said, the roll off of 35mm stocks cannot be beaten

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Thank you, truth!

[@wjauregui]

i'd love to see a little more pixel peeping of digital vs film, like zoomed in on whats in focus to get a direct comparison of what sharp/clinical digital looks like compared to organic film...and then also how accurate a tool like dehancer is to make digital footage emulate that same film stock, grain, bloom, halation, etc

[@BlaineWestropp1]

its coming! stay tuned.

[@orestfilm]

Thanks for the video. Love film ❤️

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Sure thing! I love it. More tests to come :)

[@aregal]

Does shooting on S35mm film make you think more of getting an Alexa35? I’m small potatoes but after getting my C70, I’ve fallen in love with S35 again vs the larger formats.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

I like s35, but having a mini LF, I haven’t really desired buying an a35. I love the a35 for sure, but the mini LF is my number one. I shoot s35 on it here and there, and while not the same resolution or DR as the a35, I still love it.

[@aregal]

@@BlaineWestropp1 ahh yes, that’s true! I forget you literally have an AlexaMini inside your LF’s sensor via S35 crop. Haha.

[@MetallNYX]

We can clearly see why Dehancer added a film compression tool in their plugin. I'm not sure about Alexa, but on other cameras you can shoot with higher ISO and get more details in Highlights rather than shadows. IF you shoot on the lowest ISO you are kinda in the middle territory, if you shoot with a higher ISO, you can get more room in Highlights.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Film compression in Dehancer is awesome! Here is the shot from the Alexa at different ISO values. media.discordapp.net/attachments/1123080500601434265/1189673826351579153/stripe.jpg?ex=65b17a17&is=659f0517&hm=ec631c1857c77949f6a331614cfb7697f5120cae539fc1d36b6292b8d301344f&

[@pablovi77]

You should have chosen a super 35mm sensor, like the original Alexa Mini. And Vision 500T which is closer in dynamic range to the Alexa sensor.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

The original Alexa mini is identical to a cropped LF. Also, I have the other stocks, and a deeper dive coming soon :)

[@pablovi77]

@@BlaineWestropp1 Oh, I didn’t know you cropped it, I thought it was open gate. Great! Cnat wait to see the other stocks.

[@BlaineWestropp1]

Me too! I did actually shoot open gate but on my monitor I had frame line to match the format of the film. Then I just cropped to that frame line in post.