Films without film.

• Author: Sullum, Jacob
• Position: Briefly Noted - Brief article

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Moviemakers have used the same basic film emulsion method since the 1800s. Side by Side, a documentary directed by Christopher Kenneally and narrated by Keanu Reeves, considers the revolutionary consequences of the shift toward digital cinematography that began in the 1980s.

Dismissed at first as a fad that couldn't approach the image quality of film, digital recording is rapidly becoming the industry standard. Some of the directors and cinematographers interviewed by Reeves regret the end of the celluloid era. But most are excited by the new technology's potential, not just for creating big-budget...