The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Digital cinema poised for big leap

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 17, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Digital cinema poised for big leap

By Sudhish Kamath

CHENNAI. MARCH 16. D-Cinema is in.

Digital technology has come of age, and is today competing with conventional film making technologies.

In the conventional 35 mm film format, there are about 4,000 lines a frame. Today, thanks to digital technology, video has reached halfway, providing for up to 2,000 lines a frame.

"This is called D-cinema or digital cinema," explains K.M. Suryanarayanan, senior manager (Technology) of Real Image Media. "D-Cinema films are shot on the hi-definition digital format," he said addressing entertainment managers at a seminar organised by ITCOT consultancy services recently.

Kamal Hassan's latest project `Mumbai Express' is Kodambakkam's second venture in the hi-definition digital format after P.C. Sreeram's `Vaanam Vasapadum.'

A year before that, Arul Moorthy of Digital Magic shot Kodambakkam's first digital film called `Muththam' on the Digi-Beta format that provides about 1,000 lines per frame.

While Arul Moorthy and P.C. Sreeram had to transfer their video footage to film (reverse-telecine) to make prints for release, Kamal Hassan will not have to, thanks to the digital projection systems that have been installed all over the State.

Projection systems

The savings on print cost is just one of the benefits of digital projection systems.

The picture quality remains unaffected by the number of screenings. Qube cinema digital servers were installed in Abhirami multiplex a few days ago. These E-cinema (Electronic cinema) projectors play movie files in the MPEG format and cost between Rs. 10 lakhs to 15 lakhs. "D-cinema projectors which offer a higher picture quality cost about Rs.1 crore," Mr. Suryanarayanan says.

"E-cinema will be the poor filmmaker's medium. These will become popular in multiplexes all around the State. D-cinema will be used by big budget filmmakers. D-cinema cameras, which can make for 4,000-5,000 lines per frame, are being introduced in the market. It is just a matter of time before film is entirely replaced by digital cinema," he adds.

Cameras to shoot hi-definition films, however, are expensive today. "That is because the technology is just being introduced.

The prices are likely to fall drastically when the demand increases," Mr. Suryanarayanan adds.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu