Vistavision Cameras: How They Changed Film Production

How the creation of unique Vistavision Cameras lead to the game-changing special effects of Star Wars and how they may have had an effect on our modern digital camera sensor sizes. Is your film vertical or horizontal?

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00:00 Intro
00:53 What is VistaVision?
03:53 Reasons VistaVision was short lived
04:55 VistaVision's Adoption
06:27 VistaVision and its influence on frame size
08:33 Thanks!

Links
White Christmas (1954) - Paramount Pictures
North By Northwest (1959) - Warner Bros. Entertainment
Vertigo (1958) - Paramount Pictures
Pillow Talk (1959 Cinemascope) - Universal Pictures

VistaVision Promo

The Making of Star Wars Documentary (1977)

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🎹 Music

[markallen]

VistaVision and Technirama were the two finest film formats ever devised... I've run a lot of VistaVision effects plates and the sharpness is mind blowing.

[ChadSchomber]

Thanks for the little history lesson. I’m fascinated by old school film innovation.

[richardarnold]

Currently on a job using Vistavison cameras. They are hilarious when trying to use them with modern film making tools.

[tuffrubber]

As a cinematographer for over 35 years, all I can say is that you know very little about film and that it is an amazing format. The things one can do with film even today are amazing. film today is constructed on Mylar with special content to allow exposure at any speed and at any subject without any hard grain. Plus digital format can give off pixel grain at a lower expansion than film today. I loved working with film and the smell and feel of the emulsion and the slick low scratch effect on the projection side is wonderful.

[Art-is-craft]

Just to add you can put about 80 million pixels on 35mm film which equates to a simple 12k resolution at 2 to 1 aspect ratio.

[AdamsOlympia]

I wish I could see The Searchers or Vertigo on the original Vistavision projectors.

[jahanzabahmedkhan]

so underrated channel. Keep it up guys.

[theophilus]

An excellent and very full presentation of Vistavision. VV is a relatively uncelebrated format but the richness of the colour and the fresh-air open quality of the image has never, in my perception, been bettered. Cinemas equipped with VV projectors were rare. I live in the UK where I think only two such installations existed, both in London. Alas, I never got to see a film projected this way but I have seen a 70mm blow up of _Vertigo_ and that was breathtaking. Technirama, a combination of Vistavision and Cinemascope, which could be shown on a much wider screen, had the same qualities. Well done. I will look at your other videos. As for IMAX, point taken, but it's just too big for a 1940's and 50's film lover.

[pushbikeman]

Great little video so well explained with interesting narration with very nice clips.

[alexlandherr]

At 5:25, having watched “Light & Magic” on Disney+ it’s infectious how nerdy people like John Edlund and John Dykstra are about camera technology.

[smsstuart]

It would be fun to see an original VistaVision horizontal release print, unfortunately Technicolor never adapted a dye transfer (IB printing) technology for 35mm 8-perf horizontal film format. I've seen (and own) a few clips, and [unfortunately] they are horribly faded Eastman color prints.

[EMMASERRANOMARTÍN]

good video very interesting, thanks!!

[DavidJonesImages]

Great video, thanks, more like this please.

[srfurley]

Running 35 mm film horizontally was not a new idea. Many years before there was a system by alberini, not sure if I’ve got the spelling right, which actually had a wider image than Vistavision, I think it may have been ten perf. It didn’t catch on, as with most formats which have been thought of, but it was used at least experimentally. There’s a frame of it shown on the BKSTS Film Formats wallchart.

[hattree]

The original Crop frame was actually from the APS film format.

[peterwatkinson]

I correct myself it was a Mitchel movement.

[Hobbies]

Ugh. You don't "record" on film, you "expose" film. It is a light reactive medium. I really enjoyed this video and the information those of us who grew up with film just cringe whenever someone says "recorded on film." I personally have a problem with "I filmed it on my phone." No, they actually recorded it on their phone. If they used and actual video camera, they did not "get it on film, " they likely got it on memory card or an external solid disc drive. "I memory carded it." Sounds funny, but it's 100% accurate.

[TrevorGray]

I’m working on one for somebody special. And it’s been a blast. But I will note that the camera has its problems. If you want great film you gotta make some sacrifices.

[peterwatkinson]

I Still regret not having bought a Vistavision printer movement that turned up in an auction five years ago, it did not sell, I could have bought it for £30, a great talking piece, Ho hum...

[thorstenjaspert]

Was Vista Vision the forerunner of IMAX? IMAX Cameras are huge, and load. Vista Vision Cameras can be build smaller. Vista Vision is the best compromise between common 35 mm and 70 mm IMAX. A native projection of Vista footage vision must look awesome. It would be interesting to watch the differences in split screen of Vista Vision and common 35 mm projection.