Black magic cinema, also known as occult or witchcraft cinema, refers to a genre of films that explore the mysterious world of witchcraft, sorcery, and supernatural powers. These films often delve into dark themes, rituals, and the occult, creating a sense of tension, fear, and suspense. In black magic cinema, the protagonist is usually a practitioner of dark magic, or someone who becomes entangled in the world of witchcraft. The films often depict their struggles, conflicts, and the consequences of their actions. The narrative typically centers around the use of spells, curses, and rituals, which play a significant role in driving the story forward. The visual aesthetics of black magic cinema are characterized by eerie atmospheres, dim lighting, and occult symbols.
I’ll leave you with a few frame grabs from The First Musketeer.
A 50mm lens used on a crop-chip DSLR like the 600D is equivalent to about an 72mm lens on a full-frame camera like the 5D Mark III or a traditional 35mm SLR. The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro is a more recent update to the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K see above , and around 500 500 more expensive.
The visual aesthetics of black magic cinema are characterized by eerie atmospheres, dim lighting, and occult symbols. The filmmakers emphasize the use of shadows and dark tones to capture the essence of mysticism and suspense. This contributes to the overall sense of unease and apprehension in the audience.
Black Magic Cinema Camera Review
Throughout September I got a crash-course introduction to the Blackmagic Cinema Camera as I used it to shoot Harriet Sams’ period action adventure web series The First Musketeer. The camera was kindly lent to us by our gaffer, Richard Roberts. Part-way through the shoot I recorded my initial thoughts on the camera in this video blog:
Here’s a summary of the key differences between the Blackmagic and a Canon DSLR.
| Canon DSLR | Blackmagic Cinema Camera |
| Rolling shutter (causes picture distortion during fast movement) | Rolling shutter (though not as bad as DSLRs) |
| Pixels thrown away to achieve downscaling to 1080P video resolution, results in distracting moiré patterns on fabrics, bricks walls and other grid-like patterns | Pixels smoothly downscaled from 2.5K to 1080P to eliminate moiré. Raw 2.5K recording also available |
| On-board screen shuts off when external monitor is connected | On-board screen remains on when external monitor is connected |
| Some models have flip-out screens which can be adjusted to any viewing angle and easily converted into viewfinders with a cheap loupe attachment | On-board screen is fixed and highly reflective so hard to see in all but the darkest of environments |
| Maximum frame rate: 60fps at 720P | Maximum frame rate: 30fps at 1080P |
| 50mm lens is equivalent to 50mm (5D) or 72mm (other models) full-frame lens | 50mm lens is equivalent to 115mm full-frame lens |
| 10-11 stops of dynamic range | 13 stops of dynamic range |
| Recording format: highly compressed H.264, although Magic Lantern now allows for limited raw recording | Recording format: uncompressed raw, ProRes or DNXHD |
| Battery life: about 2 hours from the 600D’s bundled battery in movie mode | Battery life: about 1 hour from the non-removable internal battery |
| Weight: 570g (600D) | Weight: 1,700g |
| Audio: stereo minijack input, no headphone socket | Audio: dual quarter-inch jacks for input, headphone socket |
Having now come to the end of the project, I stand by the key message of my video blog above: if you already own a DSLR, it’s not worth upgrading to a Blackmagic. You’d just be swapping one set of problems (rolling shutter, external monitoring difficulties, aliasing) for another (hard-to-see on-board screen, weight, large depth of field).
The BMCC rigged with a lock-it box for timecode sync with the audio recorder, on a Cinecity Pro-Aim shoulder mount
The depth of field was really the killer for me. Having shot on the 600D for three years I’m used to its lovely shallow depth of field. With the Blackmagic’s smaller 16mm sensor it was much harder to throw backgrounds of focus, particularly on wide shots. At times I felt like some of the material I was shooting looked a bit “TV” as a result.
The small sensor also creates new demands on your set of lenses; they all become more telephoto than they used to be. A 50mm lens used on a crop-chip DSLR like the 600D is equivalent to about an 72mm lens on a full-frame camera like the 5D Mark III or a traditional 35mm SLR. That same 50mm lens used on the Blackmagic is equivalent to 115mm! It was lucky that data wrangler Rob McKenzie was able to lend us his Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 otherwise we would not have been able to get useful wide shots in some of the more cramped locations.
As for the Blackmagic’s ability to shoot raw, it sounds great, but will you use it? I suggest the images you get in ProRes mode are good enough for anything bar a theatrical release, and are of a far more manageable data size. You still get the high dynamic range in ProRes mode (although it’s optional), and that takes a little getting used to for everyone. More than once the director asked me to make stuff moodier, more shadowy; the answer was it is shadowy, you just won’t be able to see it like that until it’s graded.
The colour saturation is also very low, again to give maximum flexibility in the grade, but it makes it very hard for the crew huddled around the monitor to get a sense of what the finished thing is going to look like. As a cinematographer I pride myself on delivering images that looked graded before they actually are, but I couldn’t do that with the Blackmagic. But maybe that’s just a different workflow I’d need to adapt to.
The biggest plus to the BMCC is the lovely organic images it produces, as a result of both the down-sampling from 2.5K and the high dynamic range. This was well suited to The First Musketeer’s period setting. However, I think next season I’ll be pushing for a Canon C300 to get back the depth of field.
I’ll leave you with a few frame grabs from The First Musketeer.
Note: I have amended this post as I originally stated, incorrectly, that the BMCC has a global shutter. The new 4K Blackmagic Production Camera does have a global shutter though.
If you ask anyone to choose between a Japanese brand and an Australian brand when it comes to anything technological, they'd choose Japan, myself included. Brands like Sony and Canon are historical masters at giving the world great image capturing devices. I like the precision of Sony and what they are able to develop in their cameras and lenses.
The genre has had a long history, with notable examples including classic films like "Rosemary's Baby" (1968) and "The Exorcist" (1973), which set the foundation for modern occult cinema. In recent years, black magic cinema has experienced a resurgence in popularity, with films like "The Witch" (2015) and "Hereditary" (2018) captivating audiences and receiving critical acclaim. Black magic cinema is often intertwined with other elements of horror, such as supernatural entities, possession, and psychological terror. It explores the boundaries between the natural and supernatural worlds, as well as the consequences of dabbling in dark arts. While black magic cinema may be used as a form of entertainment, it also serves as a medium for exploring deeper themes and social commentary. These films can delve into issues of power, control, and the dangers of unchecked ambition. In conclusion, black magic cinema offers a unique and captivating cinematic experience, delving into the realms of the occult and witchcraft. Its emphasis on dark themes, rituals, and supernatural powers creates an atmosphere of tension and fear. With its long-standing history and recent resurgence, black magic cinema continues to captivate audiences with its exploration of the mysterious and the sinister..
Reviews for "Black Magic Cinema and its Impact on Society"
1. John - 1 star: I was highly disappointed with my experience at Black Magic Cinema. The seats were uncomfortable, the sound quality was poor, and the picture was blurry. It felt like I was watching an old VHS tape rather than a modern film. Additionally, the staff was unfriendly and unhelpful. I expected more from a cinema with such a great reputation. I will definitely not be returning.
2. Emily - 2 stars: I was really looking forward to watching a movie at Black Magic Cinema, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. The overall ambiance of the theater was lackluster, and the seats were not comfortable at all. The sound quality was also subpar, making it difficult to fully enjoy the movie. The ticket prices were quite high compared to other cinemas in the area, and I don't feel like I got my money's worth. I would recommend exploring other cinema options before settling on Black Magic.
3. Rebecca - 1 star: I had a terrible experience at Black Magic Cinema. The whole place looked rundown and in desperate need of renovations. The screen was small and the image quality was mediocre at best. The sound system was not properly calibrated, with some dialogues being too loud while others were barely audible. The staff seemed disinterested and unengaged with the customers. Overall, I found it to be a very disappointing and underwhelming cinema experience. I would not recommend this cinema to anyone.
4. Mike - 2 stars: Black Magic Cinema fell short of my expectations. The seating arrangement was uncomfortable and the legroom was practically non-existent, making it difficult to sit through a movie comfortably. The concession stand lacked variety, with only a few basic snacks available for purchase. The picture quality was decent, but the sound system left a lot to be desired. All in all, I wouldn't choose this cinema again unless they made some significant improvements.