Actual physical celluloid film is a rarity in the digital age. Around 2011, most theaters ditched their film-based equipment and switched to digital projection. Also by 2011, digital cameras had grown sophisticated enough to handle the same visual fidelity as 35mm film, and many modern studios swapped out their tech. Only a small handful of filmmakers — Quentin Tarantino, P.T. Anderson, Christopher Nolan, a few others — still make it a point to shoot on film as often as possible.
But many filmmakers prefer the heft and visual timbre of 35mm film, and Chung was eager to switch to celluloid to make “Twisters.” Working with film, however, requires more time than shooting on digital, as dailies need to be developed by a lab before they can be reviewed. Studios dislike the delays, having become accustomed to the instant gratification of digital. Chung stuck by his guns, however, and insisted. And once Spielberg made a call to Universal, Chung was permitted to shoot however he wanted. He said:
“I felt like [shooting on film] was a bit of a battle, and I understand [Universal’s] point of view. They want to reduce the unknown risks that exist within production, and film can often feel like an added element of the unknown. But I really love film. […] So it basically took me working with Dan Mindel, and it also took Steven Spielberg coming on board and saying, ‘Please let him shoot on film.’ Those two factors really allowed things to open up for me, so I do credit it to them.”
Despite the large amount of FX shots in “Twisters” (although don’t expect to see a flying cow in this one), it was still filmed 100% on film. If it looks grittier and heftier and “more real” than expected, that would likely be the reason why.
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