Film 'Looks'
Film 'Looks'
A couple of tips for what they're worth.
Short of using a RED or a Panavision Genesis, you wont get the 35mm film look with an HD camera. The problem being that the likes of the Pana HVX & the Canon XHA1/XLH1 lenses and chips just don't have the ability to represent the focal/colour depth and resolution of film.
Having said that there are a few things you can do increase the film look of HD footage. Using the Pana HVX200 is a good start. This camera shoots in 720p/25p. Progressive formats tend to result in a footage that looks more 'like' film than the interlaced formats. Also, should you want to take advantage of the HVX200's 'in camera' slow motion, you will NEED to shoot in 720p. Also the settings on the back of the HVX200, the Scene File ring give you the options for 'Cinema Style' looks with higher dynamic range and contrasts.
I am a Final Cut Studio user but I would presume that the Adobe CS3 Production Suite would have very similar features.
I recently began to use Apple's new Color (Colour where I am from) software (Part of FCS2) and there is pretty much an infinite amount of post production colour correction or manipulation that you can do. Including standard "Film Look' filters included and a huge number of plug ins to perform the same job. Color gives you the ability to manipulate all the hue, saturation and luminence (HSL) values in a shot, scene or whole film or just a small part of the same. Once you have the look you are going for, you can save that look and apply it to your whole film.
You can use Motion (or After Effects) to create focal depth changes in shots that have none.
Having said all of that, one of the best ways to be able to get your HD/DV to look as close to film as it is possible to get it, is to light and shoot it correctly. An HD monitor on set is a great asset, so you can see exactly how your shots look as you set them up.
Play with everything available to you if you can get access to it, shoot test shots and scenes etc Shoot colour charts (
www.dsclabs.com) it will make your life alot easier in the long run.
Also, read, read, read....there are so many great books written by very intelligent and knowledgable people who know all this stuff, far more than a mere amateur like me :0)
Hope this is of some help.