The impact (or otherwise) of home media/broadcast during the 80’s/90’s

[cormacrestrike]

Mr Deakins

during your filmmaking in the 80’s and 90’s how much did the home media afterlife of a film impact (if at all) on the decisions you were making during production? Was the modification to 4:3 for VHS or broadcast less of an issue when shooting 1.85:1, allowing you to compose as you wished?

Many thanks

Cormac

Topic

[Roger Deakins]

I can’t say I took no notice of the home media when I was shooting for the cinema screen. I began framing for 1:85 but exposing with a 1.66 gate. Then the studios wanted the full academy frame exposed for home media. That was a problem, but it did not compromise what I framed for the theatrical release.

On Blade Runner 2049 we knew there would be an IMAX release but the 2:40 frame was always paramount. Shooting open gate allowed us to use the top and bottom of our centered 2:40 for IMAX.

[Author]

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