What is the difference between film and video?
A. Well, a lot. For starters, film is a chemical process and video is an electronic process. Images are acquired by different technologies and the aesthetics and resolution are far greater in film than in video. To use the correct terminology, when you are using video, you tape or record images, you do not film them. Film is also much more expensive than video. An hour tape of video may cost $10, whereas an hour of film would cost close to $400 just for the raw stock, not including processing or a work-print. There are different aspect ratios, meaning the relationship between the height and width of your viewing surface. Film is much wider than video, which tends to be square. Most theatrical movies and episodic dramas on television are shot on film, whereas most reality shows, newer documentaries and sitcoms are shot on video. Now, almost all productions are editing digitally on computers. They are then matched back for film prints or mastered onto tape for video.
