filmvideo

Filmvideo is a term used to describe productions that blend film and video technologies within a single project. It refers to hybrid workflows in which elements shot on traditional film stock are combined with digitally captured video, or in some cases to a workflow that alternates between film and video capture at different production stages. The phrase is not standardized in cinematography lexicon but appears in industry discussions about how to achieve certain aesthetic or logistical goals.

Historically, the concept arose as digital video cameras became affordable in the 1980s and 1990s, enabling crews to shoot quickly on video while preserving the option to finish in film. Techniques such as telecine transfers (printing film from video) or film-out processes allow video footage to be projected or distributed on film stock, and conversely, film footage can be digitized for post-production and broadcast. In contemporary practice, many productions rely primarily on digital cinematography but adopt film-inspired workflows, including shooting on digital sensors with film-grain emulation, color grading to resemble film stock, or finishing on simulated film stock.

Technical considerations include differences in grain structure, dynamic range, color science, and resolution between film and video, as well as workflow steps like offline editing, color grading, and the film-out or digital delivery for distribution. The hybrid approach aims to balance the aesthetic qualities of film with the cost, speed, and flexibility of video.

Today, the term filmvideo is mostly used descriptively rather than as a formal category, reflecting a spectrum of hybrid techniques rather than a discrete format. Related topics include film stock, digital cinematography, telecine, and color grading.