Film

I never knew I would miss “film”, and by film I mean that round roll that was counted for in a production’s budget. I always felt I needed more rolls, it was never enough, it made me live in fear throughout my shootings, fear of not having enough “film” to capture my shots. This was the case until “film” started disappearing and digital took over. It was only then that I realized that film taught me the value of a shot, the film made me prepare my shoot to the second, it made me make up my decision about a good take faster. It is just a roll after all, but the anticipation and the anxiety that I felt before the film was developed, the joy I felt the next day when I discovered that it all looks good, all the shots are beautifully exposed, I miss all of that.

When HD started, I refused it; I kept comparing. The granulated image, the life that is printed on that roll, the soft highlights, the beautiful contrast, the vibrance in the shot, as if it was a memory taking shape, none of this existed on digital. But then on digital, I could take as many shots and takes as I wanted, as long as time allows it. Another take did not cost anything except that extra space on the hard drive. That’s a good thing, isn’t it!

Regardless of the many projects that I shot on Alexa afterwards (I ended up succumbing), I still feel I am part of the lucky generation. I got to experience the authentic, the real thing and I got to be tested the hard way. The way I see it, film thickened my skin, it taught me, it shaped me.