Bromine 18 wrote:WahWay wrote:I was thinking of Sam Mendes's "1917" imagine how much a Ronin 4D could have added or reduce production costs if it was around when it was filmed?
If only the production costs for Hollywood studio films were significantly influenced by just the type of equipment.
Production of studio films, whether they are large or small, is sharply moulded by longstanding relationships and closed-loop networking forged over decades. This applies not just to Hollywood, but also to other major film industries around the world.
By extension, this also applies to the rest of the cast and crew – social circles come first.
That’s one of the main reasons Arri, and to an extent, Panavision, have been able to sustain dominance for so long – they either have enduring and direct association with major cinematographers or with the rental companies that filmmakers prefer.
It’s not just about the ease of use, affordability, and dependability of camera equipment, but also about trustworthy connections with camera people on whom productions depend on for functioning like a well-oiled machine.
Problem with a few of the working cameras? Here’s our guy from Arri Rental to fix it on the go.
Want a custom lens set designed to your own specifications? Here’s our VP from optical engineering ready to start building them right away.
Gear can’t be fixed? There’s a rental outlet just a few miles away ready to transport replacement equipment within a few hours.
That’s why other camera manufacturers either struggle to make inroads in Hollywood or cannot achieve primacy – why would anyone obliterate established relationships just because new technology is appealing?
I’m fairly certain that even if the Ronin 4D was available back then and 1917’s productions costs could’ve been slashed by half, Roger Deakins – who has an incredibly a close working relationship with Arri – Sam Mendes, and their producing partners wouldn’t have budged about using the Mini LF prototype and other Arri gear.
You are correct. But keep in mind we are the cinematographers of tomorrow. The same relationships and gear our predecessors forged and used before us, we are doing the same now. The difference is there is more innovation and tools to choose from. I believe more of us are open minded to using new tech in this day and age than the people that came before us.
So hypothetically if 1917 was shot in 2025, we may very well see a ronin 4d on set. Or the new blackmagic camera “thingamagig” The industry is changing. Just like it transitioned from film to digital. One thing is constant, they want to maximize profit by cutting production costs. If a tool sometime in the near future is reliable enough and cuts costs, they wont hesitate to use it. It will start with one brave soul. If it works, then rest of the industry will soon follow.
GODS CREATE