Can film survive the digital revolution? That question has become more relevant than ever given the nominees for Best Cinematography at the 85th annual Academy Awards.
The way we make and watch movies is changing, and the fact that film is no longer the dominant cinematic medium is apparent now, more than ever. While the Oscar nominations of any year always bring a fair number of surprises, in 2013 the nominations for cinematography tell the story of the increasing influence of the digital format, both by what was singled out by the Academy, and by what was not.
Particularly of note is the snub of Mihai Malaimare Jr.'s beautiful photography in The Master. Shot entirely in 65mm, The Master was famously screened in 70mm in most theaters still capable of using the format. So what gives?
It is true that of the five films in the Best Cinematography category, three were shot on film. Among those nominees is Bob Richardson, a three-time Oscar winner (including The Aviator and JFK), who received his eighth nomination for his work on Django Unchained. The slaveploitation movie marks Richardson's fourth collaboration with Quentin Tarantino, who makes no secret of his disdain for digital filmmaking. (Interestingly enough, Richardson won last year in the same catagory for Hugo, which was shot entirely on the Arri Alexa and in 3D.)
Janusz Kaminski, who has shot every Steven Spielberg film since 1993's Schindler's List, was nominated for the sixth time in the Best Cinematography category for his 35mm work in Lincoln. He previously won Oscars for Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. Finally, Seamus McGarvey was nominated for his work in Anna Karenina, shot in lush anamorphic 35mm. Fun Fact: McGarvey actually shot his first digital film this yearnone other than The Avengers.
Despite the cinematography nominations for Django Unchained, Lincoln, and Anna Karenina, what is notable is that other much publicized film achievements that ultilized traditional Hollywood techniques were snubbed by the Academy in 2013. Of the snubs, neither Robert Yeoman (Dogma, Rushmore) nor newcommer Ben Richardson received nominations for Moonrise Kingdom or Beasts of the Southern Wild, both of which were beautifully shot on 16mm. Even more surprising was the lack of recognition for famed cinematographers who employed innovative film techniques to great effect.
Wally Pfister (The Dark Knight, The Prestige), for example, used both 35mm and 65 mm IMAX to achieve the look of this year's The Dark Knight Rises. In 2010, Pfister, using the same technique, won an Oscar for his work in Inception. Likewise Rodrigo Prieto (Brokeback Mountain, Babel) did not receive a nomination for his inventive use of both film and digital photography in Argo. Another surprising oversight? Ron Fricke's cinematography featured in the documentary Samsara, which was shot solely in 70mm over the course of four years and took place in 25 countries across 5 continents.
However, the digital films that were included in this year's nominees for best cinematography are notable as well. Previously recognized with an Oscar nomination in 2008 for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Claudio Miranda is nominated this year for his stunning work in the Life of Pi, shot exclusively on Arri Alexa and in 3D. Also recognized is Roger Deakins, who famously has been nominated in the Best Cinematography category eleven times without a win. This year, he is hoping that his work on Skyfall, also shot on Arri Alexa, will finally put him in the winners circle. Skyfall has the distinction of being the first James Bond movie to be shot digitallyit will not be the last.
Considering the films that were nominated and those that were snubbed this year in the Best Cinematography category, this showdown between film and digital is a firm indication that our industry is entering into a pivotal time with the ultimate fate of celluloid as a medium hanging in the balance.
Documentaries like Side by Side, which ignited debate on this very topic at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival, have never been more relevant. Heres the trailer:
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
Can film survive the digital revolution? That question has become more relevant than ever given the nominees for Best Cinematography at the 85th annual Academy Awards. 
