cinematography Film making possibilities with high end DSLR:s ??

S

shrugged

Hi everyone!
I am a newbie to film making, and my "only" equipment at the moment is the eos 550d. Im spending many hours a day learning film techniques and my results is getting better and better, but of course the quality is not fit for the big screen or anything like that :D

BUT...i resently learned that the last episode of House was shot entirely with the canon eos 5d mark II, and that made me realise how much you can do with a dslr.

My question is at follows...is it possible to make a movie with all the latest special effects etc etc only with a high-end dslr? And im talking big ass movies, like batman dark knight etc. I expect the answer to be no...but lets say that you have ALL the equipment & money necessary for that kind of film, massive green-screen, makeup, dollys, cranes, 3d graphic designers, locations, blowing-stuff-up-equipment etc etc...is it then possible with a dslr?

If absolutely no, what is it that a conventional film camera can do, that a dslr cant? Im asking because im qurious and want to learn :)

/ Ted, Sweden.
 
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PatF said:
you wont find many big name movies that were shot on DSLRs, especially not the T2i, however, you will find some features that used the 7D for B-footage. Kevin Smith used a 7D for B while shooting Red State and incorporated it into the RED footage nicely.

This was shot entirely on a 7D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khjAtpnVk4Q

the T2i, T3i, 60D and 7D use the same sensor...each one has different pros and cons though..
Click to expand...


I didn't mean big name movies. I meant a feature film shot on the T2i.
 
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If memory serves me right, small parts of the B roll for Avengers was short on a DSLR for some strange reason. Source: American Cinematographer. Don't quote me though.

So.... Yes you can, but there are caveats and it can take a little more preparation.

One issue is the aspect ratio. AFAIK 16:9 is pretty much all that is offered on the DSLR's which is slightly too high for 2k or 4k projection, so the top/bottom gets lopped off to get projected in a cinema. Obviously that doesn't have to happen for DVD or Blue Ray.

Also obviously 1080p and 2k/4k have different resolutions to there is a slight issue with quality but not as much as some people would lead you to believe.

If you want to see what you can possibly make a movie from, watch The Blair Witch Project.

But as someone said before, its the story that people go to see. It all starts there not the camera its been shot on.
 
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If you want an example of "any film", here is the trailer for one of the first T2i features. We shot it summer 2010 and premiered it at the Roxy Theater, May 2011. I did a pretty heavy grade to it, and we had 120 effects shots, some of which are in the trailer. The goal was to shoot a Bourne style action film with shakey cam on DSLR. Hope it helps.
-El
Leap: Rise of the Beast Official Trailer
 
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El Director said:
If you want an example of "any film", here is the trailer for one of the first T2i features. We shot it summer 2010 and premiered it at the Roxy Theater, May 2011. I did a pretty heavy grade to it, and we had 120 effects shots, some of which are in the trailer. The goal was to shoot a Bourne style action film with shakey cam on DSLR. Hope it helps.
-El
Leap: Rise of the Beast Official Trailer
Click to expand...

There, ya see? That looks pretty damn good! And the fact you only used the kit lens raises my confidence.
 
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There, ya see? That looks pretty damn good! And the fact you only used the kit lens raises my confidence.
Click to expand...
Thanks. The biggest thing I learned from that film is that most people have no idea what they're talking about. They've read reviews, seen charts, but never actually put a camera through it's paces and see what it can do. The kit lens IS "good enough" for the budget filmmaker. "You can't do handheld and shakey cam". Yes you can, just keep the sensor out in front of your pivot point. "The codec falls apart with heavy grading and you can't do effects." Actually, you can. And effects? The only reason my greenscreen effects didn't turn out was because I didn't know how to use Keylight. I've learned since then and now you can't tell. My point is that people need to go out and shoot! It kills me seeing people on forums with thousands of posts under their name that really haven't shot much acting like they're experts. All they're doing is regurigitating something they've read or heard from someone else. Go shoot! Push the limits of what we "think" the technology can handle and find out for yourself :)
 
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