The film look with interlaced cameras: Doctor Who & Dirty Jobs at DVinfo.net

Bill Edmunds · August 27th, 2007, 08:11 AM

If you have watched the new series of the BBC's Doctor Who or the newest episodes of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery channel, you may be aware that both of these programs are shot with interlaced video, and then given a "film look" in post production. The thing that amazes me (especially with Doctor Who) is that they look like they were genuinely shot on film, and not merely altered to look like film. Heck, they look more like real film than when shooting with natively progressive video IMO. They lack the strobing the 24p video gives you. My question is: how do they make it look so convincing? What software are they using?

Bennis Hahn · August 27th, 2007, 08:33 AM

How do you know they aren't shooting progressive?

Bill Edmunds · August 27th, 2007, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bennis Hahn

How do you know they aren't shooting progressive?

On Dirty Jobs, you can see the cameras they are using. On Doctor Who, I've spoken to members of the production team. They shoot interlaced video and then give it a film look in post production. And it looks fantastic.

Sean Skube · August 27th, 2007, 09:18 AM

they're probably shooting 60i or 50i and then converting to a kind of 24 with pulldown in editing. I've done this by basically making a 24p project in Vegas and bringing in the 60i footage. Output as a 24 quicktime, then bring that file into a 60i project and export. I'm no editor, but that gave me a pretty decent 24 with pulldown.

Bill Edmunds · August 27th, 2007, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bennis Hahn

How do you know they aren't shooting progressive?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Skube

they're probably shooting 60i or 50i and then converting to a kind of 24 with pulldown in editing. I've done this by basically making a 24p project in Vegas and bringing in the 60i footage. Output as a 24 quicktime, then bring that file into a 60i project and export. I'm no editor, but that gave me a pretty decent 24 with pulldown.

Without the "strobe" of native 24p video? That would be nice.

Ben Winter · August 27th, 2007, 10:24 AM

Doctor Who is a British show, I wouldn't be surprised if they just deinterlace the 50i and the production value gives it the rest of the film look they need.

Bill Edmunds · August 27th, 2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Winter

Doctor Who is a British show, I wouldn't be surprised if they just deinterlace the 50i and the production value gives it the rest of the film look they need.

Doesn't deinterlacing reduce the quality of the image, though?

Bennis Hahn · August 27th, 2007, 12:52 PM

There is no way of going from 60i to 24p without loosing some quality.

Craig Chartier · August 29th, 2007, 09:25 PM

Dr. Who is shot on DIGIBETA. Sony came out a few years back( 2 i believe ) with this camera in 24P mode. Several years too late imo to save the format as a production camera, however is full 4:2:2 . with very little compression, so that probably helps with the richness of the colors.

Jeff Whitley · March 21st, 2008, 06:40 PM

The Quality of the footage from Doctor Who is great. What camera are they shooting the show with?

Oleg Kalyan · March 22nd, 2008, 04:58 PM

I also would like to know what camera is it shot on?
The show has a great distinctive look!

Jeff Whitley · March 22nd, 2008, 08:09 PM

I have read somewhere that of course the camera settings are a "trade secret". But none the less a camera that shows that quality, is definitely something to strive for. The shows are in my opinion just as good as HD.

Rashdan Radha · April 1st, 2008, 09:54 AM

Am I the only person who doesn't think Dr Who looks particularly filmic. I watch Dr Who all the time (my son is a massive fan) and whenever I'm watching it I always think to myself "why don't they apply a little filmlook to the footage?". The ITV-DrWho-wannabe-show Primeval looks more filmic(too bad it's badly written). But that's just my opinion. Maybe my eyes are crooked or my TV is broken.

Jeff Whitley · April 1st, 2008, 06:09 PM

The Camera is a DigiBeta

I humbly have to disagree.

Although the footage is not entirely film like in appearance, it definitely does not look like video. Since this is shot by a DigBeta camera (Comes with a high price tag) it gives the operator many camera available options.

I am most impressed by the clarity and color saturation/separation it resembles HD to me, that's just me.

Dylan Pank · April 3rd, 2008, 03:54 AM

Definitely Digibeta. The producers say that they don't shoot in HD because they would not be able to maintain the special effects schedule if producing in HD. Though why they don't shoot in HD and then downcovert, keeping the FX files around for upscaling later when HD is more widespread (and processing power cheaper by the gigahertz.) I don't know.

I have to say it screams de-interlaced video to me. The edge sharpening around the frequent areas of bleached out over exposure is obvious, and the DoPs on the show love very heavy back lighting, hard light and strong theatrical gels on the key and fill lights not things SD video has ever handled well. I think they should have left it 50i, like the old show!

An interesting film/HD comparison on British TV are the twinned shows Moving Wallpaper and Echo Beach. The former is shot on Super16 for gritty hand-held look, and the latter on HD for a high budget glossy look.

Primeval looks more filmy because it's Super16.

August 27th, 2007, 08:11 AM	#1
Bill Edmunds Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Conway, NH Posts: 574	The film look with interlaced cameras: Doctor Who & Dirty Jobs If you have watched the new series of the BBC's Doctor Who or the newest episodes of Dirty Jobs on the Discovery channel, you may be aware that both of these programs are shot with interlaced video, and then given a "film look" in post production. The thing that amazes me (especially with Doctor Who) is that they look like they were genuinely shot on film, and not merely altered to look like film. Heck, they look more like real film than when shooting with natively progressive video IMO. They lack the strobing the 24p video gives you. My question is: how do they make it look so convincing? What software are they using?

August 27th, 2007, 10:24 AM	#6
Ben Winter Trustee Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 1,675 Images: 1	Doctor Who is a British show, I wouldn't be surprised if they just deinterlace the 50i and the production value gives it the rest of the film look they need. __________________ BenWinter.com

March 21st, 2008, 06:40 PM	#10
Jeff Whitley Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 43	Camera The Quality of the footage from Doctor Who is great. What camera are they shooting the show with?

March 22nd, 2008, 08:09 PM	#12
Jeff Whitley Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 43	settings I have read somewhere that of course the camera settings are a "trade secret". But none the less a camera that shows that quality, is definitely something to strive for. The shows are in my opinion just as good as HD.

April 1st, 2008, 06:09 PM	#14
Jeff Whitley Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 43	camera The Camera is a DigiBeta I humbly have to disagree. Although the footage is not entirely film like in appearance, it definitely does not look like video. Since this is shot by a DigBeta camera (Comes with a high price tag) it gives the operator many camera available options. I am most impressed by the clarity and color saturation/separation it resembles HD to me, that's just me.

August 27th, 2007, 08:33 AM	#2
Bennis Hahn Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 221	How do you know they aren't shooting progressive?

August 27th, 2007, 09:18 AM	#4
Sean Skube Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 156	they're probably shooting 60i or 50i and then converting to a kind of 24 with pulldown in editing. I've done this by basically making a 24p project in Vegas and bringing in the 60i footage. Output as a 24 quicktime, then bring that file into a 60i project and export. I'm no editor, but that gave me a pretty decent 24 with pulldown.

August 27th, 2007, 12:52 PM	#8
Bennis Hahn Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 221	There is no way of going from 60i to 24p without loosing some quality.

August 29th, 2007, 09:25 PM	#9
Craig Chartier DVi Contributor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Austin Texas Posts: 374	Dr. Who is shot on DIGIBETA. Sony came out a few years back( 2 i believe ) with this camera in 24P mode. Several years too late imo to save the format as a production camera, however is full 4:2:2 . with very little compression, so that probably helps with the richness of the colors.

March 22nd, 2008, 04:58 PM	#11
Oleg Kalyan Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: MOSCOW Posts: 860	I also would like to know what camera is it shot on? The show has a great distinctive look!

April 1st, 2008, 09:54 AM	#13
Rashdan Radha New Boot Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: London, England Posts: 17	Am I the only person who doesn't think Dr Who looks particularly filmic. I watch Dr Who all the time (my son is a massive fan) and whenever I'm watching it I always think to myself "why don't they apply a little filmlook to the footage?". The ITV-DrWho-wannabe-show Primeval looks more filmic(too bad it's badly written). But that's just my opinion. Maybe my eyes are crooked or my TV is broken.

April 3rd, 2008, 03:54 AM	#15
Dylan Pank Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Portsmouth, UK Posts: 611	Definitely Digibeta. The producers say that they don't shoot in HD because they would not be able to maintain the special effects schedule if producing in HD. Though why they don't shoot in HD and then downcovert, keeping the FX files around for upscaling later when HD is more widespread (and processing power cheaper by the gigahertz.) I don't know. I have to say it screams de-interlaced video to me. The edge sharpening around the frequent areas of bleached out over exposure is obvious, and the DoPs on the show love very heavy back lighting, hard light and strong theatrical gels on the key and fill lights not things SD video has ever handled well. I think they should have left it 50i, like the old show! An interesting film/HD comparison on British TV are the twinned shows Moving Wallpaper and Echo Beach. The former is shot on Super16 for gritty hand-held look, and the latter on HD for a high budget glossy look. Primeval looks more filmy because it's Super16. Last edited by Dylan Pank; April 3rd, 2008 at 04:30 AM.