How can HDCAM improve lessen my risk on speculative projects?
The production of independent features is extremely risky, since most projects never achieve distribution, much less turn a profit. With film production, its necessary to spend the big bucks on the front end for film stock, processing, and transfer. But with HD production, the front end costs for stock are modest and nearly insignificant. An HD theatrical production can be shot, edited, and sold before spending the money to transfer back to film for theatrical projection. This can substantially reduce the risk confronting prospective investors, particularly if several projects are packaged together. Very soon there will be a sufficient critical mass of digital cinemas around the country that a moderately wide theatrical release can be done without spending big bucks on film transfer and prints.
