The movie/cinema look- Please debate and discuss...give your opinions!

[Jawa Ex Machina]

I hear what you are saying...use what is best for the story,...however, I was careful in the title not to say the "film" look. I am talking about the "movie look"....whether digital or film, MOVIES have all have certain elements that make them look and feel like MOVIES. For instance, a lot of recent movies have been shot digital, yet they still capture the audience just as film would...most of the public wouldn't know the difference...so it's not a film vs video thing.
It's more of a discussion on which elements make a movie come to life as a MOVIE and not just a series of scenes. I definitely agree on the spirit of what you are saying budget wise.....I think knowing what is possible with the budget one has is VERY important.

Sorry, I just believe a film is a film is a film.

Probably because it's prohibitively expensive and unnecessarily cumbersome to do so. Additionally, you can create any filmic look you want using quality digital tools operated by talented individuals, for a fraction of the cost and with all the extra inherent benefits.

Well yeah, but what I mean is, write a story that fits your budget and shoot that.
Or find more money.

Nothing says cinema more than the cigarette burn in the upper right corner of the frame that foreshadows a reel change. Add a few of those and you're golden.

From what I hear, nobody called those "cigarette burns" before Fight Club.

 

[dwyz]

From my limited experience its production design, lighting, and audio, followed by camera angles, moves and the edit.

All together though its the ability to put together a piece that delivers a solid vision.

 

[Egg Born Son]

All together though its the ability to put together a piece that delivers a solid vision.

Actually perhaps "vision" should be right at the top of the list, without which all the lighting, sound, production values and script are unfocussed and directionless.

 

[JeffHarriger]

Since this site is DVX user, it's worth remembering in some corner of the brain - and I say this for my own benefit as much as anyone else - that as much talk talk talk and pixel peeping and blah blah blah that goes on about the newest latest, when Pedro Costa made movies like In Vanda's Room and Colossal Youth on the plain old DVX critics and viewers weren't asking if it looked "cinematic" or comparing it to either Steven Spielberg OR the hottest thing going on Vimeo... they were comparing it to Rembrandt and Vermeer. As ever taste is entirely subjective and that's ultimately what all this is, but having perspective on the MANY valid and wonderful facets that are cinema is most important.