Film
From SPARK
Film
Film technology is an older technology. (Digital technology is often used instead.) There are two types of visuals which use film, those that have motion and those that do not. Those that have motion use film that goes from one reel to another.
Still photography (photography without motion) can produce negatives, photos, slides, and filmstrips. Slides and filmstrips require a viewer or a projector for viewing. Digital photography is rapidly replacing negatives and slides. Slide projectors have almost totally been replaced by digital projectors.
Movie film (usually 35mm film) contains both the picture and the audio tract inbedded on one side. Movies generally used to be shot using film and a movie camera. To view a movie, one needed a movie projector which projects the picture and played back the audio. Later new technology was developed so that movies could be played back and recorded at home using a machine called a Video Cassette Recorder (VCR). The tapes used in these machines are called video cassettes or more specifically, VHS tapes.
Movie cameras were then manufactured which produced films entirely on tape, saving the expense of developing film and then converting to tape. These cameras at first recorded directly to VHS tape but the cameras were big and bulky. Soon cameras were manufactured which recorded on VHS-C or DV tape, tapes which were smaller. Today, the most popular video cameras use 8mm or mini DV tapes. These cameras can be hooked up to a VCR and the recording transferred to VHS tape. Computers can also be used to edit the movie and save to VHS tape, a DVD or some other media.
Strengths and Limitations of Using Motion Picture Films
| Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|
| * Motion gives greater sense of reality | * Requires expensive, high-maintenance equipment |
| * Keeps its sequence | * Expensive to produce |
| * Suited to small or large audience | * Medium is outdated |
| * Requires power | |
| * Requires a darkened room |
Strengths and Limitations of Using Photos
| Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|
| * Realistic | * Requires camera and film |
| * Can change sequence | * Requires commercial processing |
| * Portable | * Limited in size |
