Cinema vs Television

[Jed Shepherd]

So to start this off I know there is not a 100% correct answer on this and i also know the question is broad.

Anyway...
When i watch television and movies there is a distinct difference in the way the cinematography of each is done. Seeing as there are movies being shot on the same cameras being used on television series, what would you say defines the difference in the way they appear?

I was watching a movie the other night which looked odd and when i looked up the DOP on the film he turned out to be a television DOP normally. The whole movie felt like a long television series episode.

Now i know that post on films plays a big part as months/years can be spent perfecting color etc but when comparing the cinematography of film vs television what would you say is some things that help define which you are watching.

David Mullen is a good example of someone who's works look like they should eg. His television work looks like television cinematography normally looks like but then his movie cinematography looks just like it should. Maybe if you read this David you could explain some things you do differently for each type.

I think longer shots is one thing but with many television shows now running at around the 40 minute mark they should be able to do this as well. This observation is coming to me as im watching The Mentalist right now and its obvious that the cutting of shots is rather rapid.

Any insights or opinions would be great.
Thanks

 

[Cüneyt Kaya]

most cinema movies work also as silent films, just mute the show and you still get everything.
or try a good foreign film. And usually cinema films have a much more complex approach in production design, lighting, staging and blocking and much more time to get the performance out of the actors.

TV Films are more working through dialogue, so you see more talking heads....and usually you have less time to shoot

but there are cinema movies which are terrific examples of dialogue movies ...look out for some of the sidney lumet movies...

these are observations i had, but for sure they arent 100 % correct.

 

[David Rasberry]

Screen size plays an important role in the differences between TV and Cinema. The styles of composition that work well for the big screen don't always translate well to TV. There is not as much difference in this regard now with HD and large flat screens becoming the norm at home. Cinematic styles I think are reading better on TV now and the tools to create them economically are improving.
On the production side, time and budget do play a significant role. But the turnaround time for most theatrical films these days is shorter too. It seems like the major big budget theatrical films are tending more towards large scale action and spectacle while TV is the medium of choice for more intimate dramas. So perhaps it has as much to do with the nature of the typical production as the medium itself.

 

[Rob Gardner]

Budget. Mind set.