Originally published in our Fall 2010 issue, we look at why digital intermediate has become an essential tool for DPs.

From the story:

Aside from discussing the look of the film with the DI house early on for both aesthetic reasons and very practical ones like deciding what kind of camera to use, these meetings can also help a producer or director determine what their actual budget is going to be. A process house can walk everyone through all the different camera and workflow options and show them actual finished footage of what these options will look like. Thinking of shooting a film with an HDSLR? Let a DI house project the finished product on a 40-foot screen and judge for yourself if that’s the look you imagined. Early meetings with visual aids like this will help producers and directors come to terms on a look they can afford.

Read the complete story.