How Attack of the Clones Revolutionized Filmmaking | The Birth of Digital Cinema

First video in a series about the history of film technology. A look at how George Lucas, together with Sony and Panavision, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones pioneered the use of digital cinematography in filmmaking.

Sources: Lucasfilm, AFI, Disney
#filmmaking #starwars

[drewwhitney]

I remember hearing that George Lucas was abandoning film to shoot Episode 2 on video tape, and I couldn’t believe it! Then I saw it in the theater and thought it looked like a real movie, barring a handful of unconvincing vfx shots. That was before I knew what high definition was, or what a difference lighting choices make in making a movie look like a movie.
Also, when I learned that Yoda was being replaced with cgi, I thought it was blasphemy! That was until I saw the duel scene, and it all clicked, and that reaffirmed to me that George still knew what he was doing.

[Ghost_Recon_Actual]

It is people like George Lucas with a vision in their minds and the ability to explain it so companies can design tools that never existed because they were never thought of.

[andrewattenboroughtwothumb]

I honour George Lucas for taking a big leap and changing cinemas and revolutionising it was a massive commitment and well done that so many don’t appreciate him for doing and the money he invested in the early 80s which is why he is a genius

[evilemperorzurg]

No matter how much some dislike the prequels no one can deny that they pushed boundaries in terms of filmmaking. The sequels simply did not do that.

[computerkid]

There's a certain unique and nostalgic look that these early digital films had. It's hard to explain but it existed until the 2010s when digital cameras started looking more and more like traditional film ones.

[SuperJumper]

Great video. George Lucas and his prequels still don't get enough credit for how much they revolutionized the world of cinema back in the day. The technology wasn't perfect at that time; Lucas was a pioneer in the field. But today, the majority of all motion pictures are shot digitally, and this technology is superior to analog film in all respects. Once again, Lucas was ahead of his time.

[tokelahti]

Do remember that HDCAM’s chroma resolution is 3:1:1 or 480x1080. Luma rez was 1440x1080.
This is why they wanted HDCAM SR for Ep3.

[ReviveHF]

Ang Lee continue this trend by making it more realistic or authentic, now he made movies in 120 FPS with digital cinematography. So, George Lucas and Ang Lee are like the artists from the realist movement era where it sought to portray real and typical contemporary people and situations with truth and accuracy, and not avoiding unpleasant or sordid aspects of life, it primarily concerned with how things appeared to the eye, rather than containing ideal representations of the world. On the other hand, George Lucas and Ang Lee's movie always or subtly depicted everyday subjects and situations in contemporary settings.
While Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino are the film making equivalent to the Romantism Movement, they are still using traditional 35mm film to convey exotic subject matter and the exaggerated emotionalism and idealised world.

[swagatron]

What's the source for the "700 pixels tall" statistic mentioned at 4:10 ?

[odiadordeisrael]

One of the best Star Wars movies. Too bad people hate it because the internet told them so.

[OpticLureProductions]

Great video, learned some stuff for sure.

[alexandersamuilov]

Very nice video! Cool to see digital technology being used appropriately for movies that require large amounts of computer effects, although I still prefer the "look" of celluloid film.

[speedyboishan]

Imagine if the video tape got chewed by the camera.

[mtdouthit]

The audio didn’t end up working and the actors later had to painstakingly overdub every single line.

[TheCynicalAutist]

3:11 shouldn't that be 4K? 8K would be 70mm.

[Meteotrance]

Sorry to say that but Pitof with the movie Vidoq from 2001, was the first to shot a full movie with the first Sony Cine Alta, it was a pile of crap, but was a big test proof, that a movie can be make with digital camera.

[acf]

35mm film is NOT equivalent to 8K. Try 4K at best.

[gedimangediman]

Hello, I have seen that you respond to the comments and that is why I am writing to you. Almost all my life I've had a strange question and I don't know if I'm crazy. I think you are the one to clear my doubt please. In the 80's and 90's it is seen that some movies do not seem to be filmed in 35mm since their colors seem dull, or they do not have a nice grain, they are usually direct-to-video movies although it is not always, I also see it in some series of TV. I have looked on IMDB and they are shot on 35mm negative, Panavision cameras, color by Technicolor or DeLuxe, so I don't understand why I watch these movies and series differently if everything seems to be in order. (Sorry since I use the Google translator) Greetings from Colombia. I appreciate your response.

[TheMightyCookieShow]

I have come to believe that film itself will ultimately go the route of black and white. In other words, to use film would be for a very specific, creative reason. But I don't think it's fair to say that film is still the standard though. Its not, not anymore.

[nickclarkart]

As important as all of the advances made on AOTC were, sadly the tech was part of its downfall. George genius that he is, found a new toy in editing takes together. and the result ended up with a wooden feeling to the acting, because the actors in the same shot from different takes and are not reacting in real time. It ends up adding a level of disconnect, that mostly gets blamed on Hayden.