Resolution For Film Projects

[Gochris1]

Hello All:

I am doing a project with TV Paint. I want to enter it in Animation Festivals.

If I get into any festivals, I want to have the project rendered to 35MM Film.

I know 1920 X 1080 is HDTV -- is 1920 X 1080 an adequate resolution for film transfer? Or am I going to have to produce the project at 2K Full Aperture?

And what does 2K Full Aperture, 2K Anamorhic, and 2K Academy mean? I could not find definition in the owner's manual.

Any help is always appreciated. Thanks!

Chris

[slowtiger]

HDTV 1920 x 1080 is nearly 2K (2K = 2000px), it is good enough for film transfer. The aspect ratio is 16 : 9, or 1: 1,77. Academy and anamorphotic simply refer to other aspect ratios, as 1:1,33 (Academy) or 1:2,25 (or similar) (anamorphotic).

You need to decide which aspect ratio you want to use, then find the appropriate resolution for that.

Stuff like this you will find in any basic filmmaker's amnual. Search your local library, or Wiki for a start.

[Paul Fierlinger]

I am curious; why is it important for you to have your work projected in 35 mm film if accepted into a film festival?

[Gochris1]

Slow Tiger - thank you for the info. I didn't know Academy and anamorphotic refer to aspect ratios. I am making a comedy film, and I don't think
the 1920 X 1080 aspect ratio is as conducive to comedy as a ratio that is more like a square shape.

Paul: Why do I want 35MM transfer? I don't! If I can a DVD submit to festivals instead, I'd prefer it that so I can save the money. I had just assumed that festivals request a DVD for their application process, but want a 35MM print for the screening at the festival.

I certainly want to avoid paying for 35MM filmout if I can avoid it!

Thanks to both of you for the info! I appreciate it.

GoChris

[slowtiger]

Have a look at http://www.britfilms.com/festivals/brow ... imation&c= for a quite long list of festivals which accept animated films. They list the accepted screening formats which mostly include at least one video format like Beta SP or DigiBeta. To learn which of the festivals accept a DVD (or even online) for application you need to visit the festivals' websites.

I don't really believe that the aspect ratio of a film depends on the genre. Laurel&Hardy in 1:1,33 are as funny for me as Louis de Funes in Cinemascope. I'd rather think that the speed you want to tell your story in and the settings where you want your story to happen should influence your choice of aspect.

[Paul Fierlinger]

35 mm is not a requirement even at such opulent and important festivals as Cannes or Berlin. They will all accept (and even prefer) digi-beta these days; DVDs are accepted only for pre-selection committees. Fewer and fewer festivals will accept DVD for festival screenings because they have proven to be very unreliable as they are mostly home studio made. Be aware that in these glorious times of cheap production possibilities the competition is enormous. Big animation festivals like Otawwa or Annecy will have up to 5,000 applicants vying for selection into competition, which can accept only about 80 films; then about another 50 or 60 into Panorama. This is why there is such a huge proliferation of tiny festivals popping up everywhere. Many of these can be quite eclectic though and are worth perusing for new filmmakers.

You have one thing going for you already: comedy. You might be surprised how few films entering for competition are funny, or even attempt to be funny. The funnier the better chance of getting in.

[User 767]

Paul: Why do I want 35MM transfer? I don't! If I can a DVD submit to festivals instead, I'd prefer it that so I can save the money. I had just assumed that festivals request a DVD for their application process, but want a 35MM print for the screening at the festival.

I certainly want to avoid paying for 35MM filmout if I can avoid it!

In my experience, a projected DVD looks pretty bad. There's a lot of compression going on there-and limited resolution as well. Here are some other questions for you:

How long do you anticipate your final 'film' being?

What sort of cost are you anticipating? How much are you willing to spend? At what point is the expense "just too much"?

Your visual 'look' will have an effect on what would be best to start with as compared to the projected image. Lines, fills, gradients, etc. Are you willing to post a frame for further commentary? This has more to do with compression schemes and distribution formats.

[Gochris1]

Thank you to everyone for all of the good advice. I will respond to your questions and comments:

"Have a look at http://www.britfilms.com/festivals/brow ... imation&c= for a quite long list of festivals which accept animated films..."

Thank you Slow Tiger I will do this.

"I don't really believe that the aspect ratio of a film depends on the genre. Laurel&Hardy in 1:1,33 are as funny for me as Louis de Funes in
Cinemascope."

I disagree - respectifully. I believe comedy and filming of a dance are best done in 1:1,33. That square shape is a good frame for comedians, because it can emphasize the body. Fred Astaire also preferred that aspect ratio, even though his career continued into the widescreen and Cinemascope years. I think slapstick works best in that aspect ratio. That aspect ratio feels more like a recording of a performance to me than widescreen or cinemascope. The widescreen is great for all kinds of films, but I prefer 1:1,33 for what I am doing.

"35 mm is not a requirement even at such opulent and important festivals as Cannes or Berlin. They will all accept (and even prefer) digi-beta these days; ..."

That is certainly good news Paul! Since I live in Los Angeles, getting a digi beta transfer will be easier to do that would be in other places.

"Be aware that in these glorious times of cheap production possibilities the competition is enormous. Big animation festivals like Otawwa or Annecy will have up to 5,000 applicants vying for selection into competition, which can accept only about 80 films; then about another 50 or 60 into Panorama."

Thank you for the advice. I may not know my aspect ratios, but making cartoons for film Festival audiences is something I have been thinking about for years. I am following Bill Plympton's advice:

1. Make it short
2. Make it funny
3. Make it cheap

I I will make this film, then preview it for audiences, and edit it. I definitely want to have it festival worthy before I send it out.

"You have one thing going for you already: comedy. You might be surprised how few films entering for competition are funny, or even attempt to be funny. The funnier the better chance of getting in."

Yes when I go to animation festival screenings, I am very surprised that very few cartoons are gag oriented.
It is a pet peeve of mine: television ruined slapstick cartoons. TV is all about talk talk talk - you can't watch TV for more than 10 seconds without hearing somebody talk. They even talk over a golf match! So the short film I am making is an attempt to do slapstick, with no dialogue. Cartoon characters are the best slapstick comedians. As Tex Avery said: "You can't stuff Chaplin in a milk bottle."

"How long do you anticipate your final 'film' being?"

Five minutes.

What sort of cost are you anticipating? How much are you willing to spend? At what point is the expense "just too much"?

This company:

http://dvfilm.com/

Will do transfers for $350 a minute. So I expected to have to spend $1750. But if I don't have to I won't.

"Your visual 'look' will have an effect on what would be best to start with as compared to the projected image. Lines, fills, gradients, etc. Are you willing to post a frame for further commentary?"

Eventually I will post something. It may make me very unpopular on this board, but I am attempting to emulate the look of Terry Toons. Hopefully my cartoon will have better jokes than your average Gandy Goose!

"This has more to do with compression schemes and distribution formats."

I will post, and hopefully we'll pick up the thread again. Thanks everyone for your help!

Gochris

[User 767]

Will do transfers for $350 a minute. So I expected to have to spend $1750. But if I don't have to I won't.

You'll probably be able to avoid the film transfer. But, if you end up wanting to go to film, that doesn't sound like the complete price (I didn't bother wading around on their site to figure it out). See if that's including film, processing, and a print. A release print includes lots of little nonsense (color timing, leaders, packaging, shipping, etc. etc.) If you can get it out the door for $1750, that's great.

So, you'll be creating in 1.33 from the sound of it. I'd suggest your project settings be progressive frames, 1:1 pixel ratio, maybe 2048x1540 for resolution probably 12fps. Conversion to whatever tape format can be dealt with easily enough. At least with these settings, you're good for 2K film, on down.