DV Filmmaking

Digital Features: A Brief History of Directors Who Chose Digital Production over Film

When digital video cameras first became available, people who were already shooting analog video flocked to the new technology, but film-oriented directors remained hesitant. Years ago, I went with some friends to see The Cruise, a feature that garnered significant attention on the festival circuit as one of the first projects shot and edited using entirely digital equipment. Everyone I went with liked the movie, but one friend (who to this day is still a particular devotee of 16 mm film) looked at us afterward and said, “You know, it’s still video.”

Modulations: DV interspersed with film

Even in an all-digital context, many filmmakers doubted the quality of video in any form. Cinematographers earn a living by making the world look good on screen, and many were reluctant to trust a DV camera if it meant risking their reputation on an unproven technology that might not produce the greatest possible image. Film is, above all else, a visual medium.

One of the first filmmakers to use DV in a large-scale documentary was Iara Lee, who used DV equipment to shoot interviews for her 1998 film Modulations, which explored the world of electronic music. To produce Modulations, Lee shot interviews with musicians, producers, and DJs around the globe, then combined the edited interviews with observational footage shot in clubs, at concerts, and at other venues. Lee is highly conscious of the importance of quality ...