Exploring The Digital Revolution – Clips From Keanu Reeves' Doc 'Side By Side'

Keanu Reeves and Chris Kenneally’s upcoming documentary Side By Side chronicles the debate over the digital revolution in filmmaking. Essentially the duo ask an important question: Will film survive? In anticipation  of the release of the doc (stop what you’re doing and check out the trailer here), last week Tribeca.com began their month long series of posts which highlight some of the conversations recorded for the upcoming documentary. Leading up to its release, we film fans can see snippets of video interviews from the project.

Essentially deleted scenes/outtakes these are brief but solid bits that just couldn’t make the final cut. Still there’s something to be gained from them and Tribeca will share these important and possibly divisive opinions from some of the best filmmakers in the industry. For instance check out Martin Scorsese and Michael Chapman‘s (master cinematographer Raging Bull/Taxi Driver) personal stances on the matter:

You can see all the clips so far at Tribeca’s Side Swipes page but here’s some more from their announcement post and Keanu’s vastly interesting doc:

Produced by Keanu Reeves and directed by Chris Kenneally, Side by Side presents in-depth interviews with directors and cinematographers in an effort to explore the complex and divisive conversation currently taking place around the transition from traditional filmmaking to the new digital tools and techniques. Side by Side opens theatrically on August 17, and will be available on nationwide VOD on August 22.

Will film survive? Side by Side asks the definitive experts working in the field and compiles salient points made by both camps. With such a contentious subject, you can imagine that everyone had a lot to say. So as we kick off the month, we will continue the conversation on tribecafilm.com—home to the Future of Film blog, a platform that explores our changing industry on a weekly basis. Each day we’ll post a new clip from one of the film’s prognosticators that couldn’t be squeezed into the final cut of the film. (Over time, you can view the aggregated clips here.)

From industry titans such as Martin Scorsese and James Cameron to digital darlings like Lena Dunham and David Fincher to some of celluloid’s greatest defenders, including Christopher Nolan’s cinematographer Wally Pfister, the clips will offer a daily opportunity to follow the debate that is portrayed so clearly in this seminal film.

Film will still remain a tool in the movie making process however it will become more of a specialty means & method of making them. There are definite pluses and minuses to both film and digital but since the digital process speeds up everything from shooting to editing to distribution (and studios are out to make money after all) it’s an efficiency/consistency measure that’s been widely adopted. Still there’s something magical about using film which is why it will never go away. After all, people still listen to vinyl LPs don’t they?

Tribeca will post coverage and continue the “Side by Side” Side Swipe series all this month. Right now you can check out some of the recent clips with personalities like Steven Soderbergh, Wally Pfister and David Lynch to get an idea of what to expect from the series as well as the doc. For those of you interested in the finished product, Side by Side will premiere on VOD on August 22 just after its initial limited release starting in LA on August 17th 2012. Does this doc look interesting to you?? What do you think about film vs digital??

TO stay up to date on the issues and the film, make sure to “Like” Side By Side on Facebook and follow the film on Twitter @SideBySideMovie.