Technological advances make filmmaking process a lot faster, cheaper

BUSAN - The film industry is going through major upheaval due to advances in technology nearly every day. Therefore, according to experts, it is important for the industry to focus on setting a standard of making high-quality, future-proof content more effectively.

Kevin Kang, a production technology specialist working in Netflix, emphasized the importance of producing content in 4K resolution at the Asian Film Market seminar “Hyper-connected, a New Film Making Paradigm” on Monday afternoon.

“The local broadcast and film industries still produce a lot of their content in 2K resolution, which is why I believe that many film insiders are surprised when we tell them that all Netflix content is produced in 4K,” Kang said.

“However, I believe that this is a promise that we make to consumers to provide the best quality of content that we can make. This is important because all viewers want to enjoy what they are watching at the highest resolution.”

Kang went on to say that if content is initially produced in 2K, remastering it into 4K does not provide as clear resolution as content originally made in 4K.

“All of the things that we do is to ensure that we make our content future-proof,” Kang said.

“What we mean by future-proof is to make content that is sustainable, that can be preserved so that it will be easier to adapt or even remastered [when] the latest technology enables us.”

Ha Jung-su, post production manager at Netflix, talked about a useful application called PIX. The app comes in handy especially in the production management process, because directors can update and view whatever they film wherever they are.

“Directors are able to share footage and check on it whenever and wherever they want - in their cars, on the bus or at homes - and edit them instantly too.” Ha went on to say that the app makes it possible for footage to be edited almost instantly.

“Filmmakers who come from a strictly film background find it difficult to believe that video footage can be edited simultaneously while they are filming. But the filmmaking patterns are changing: Instead of having just one director per film, we now have multiple directors working on the same project. So while one films, the other director can be editing in the next room.”

Technology has also allowed for filmmakers to make movies in more cost-efficient ways.

Assaff Rawner, CEO of Mark Roberts Motion Control, said that remote production and 5G technology is becoming a popular way to work efficiently, as a lot of the costs for travel and sets will be eliminated.

“[For instance], if you have a race horse and put a cameraman up to film the race, that cameramen has to be there the whole day - his accommodation, food, somewhere to sit, the workspace [all have to be provided], whereas he could just put a remote robotic [camera] and have him remain at a broadcast center, control it remotely over 5G and [save a lot of money].”

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]