When Sony first approached Young & Rubicam, New York, in 1999 with the idea of shooting a commercial in high definition, the agency was hard pressed to find a director willing to experiment. "There was much fear and loathing and scurrying for the doors by many a fine director at the prospect of being a technological test case," recalls Y&R managing partner and director of broadcast Ken Yagoda.

Despite initial reluctance, Yagota assembled a dream team of commercial directors and armed them with Sony Digital 24P CineAltas to demonstrate the camera's attributes while showcasing a range of talent. Yagoda recruited directors Simon Blake (Chelsea Pictures), Chuck & Clay (Crossroads Films), Bruce Dowad (Bruce Dowad Associates), Bob Giraldi (Giraldi Suarez Productions), Tony Kaye (Tony Kaye Films), Jordan Scott (RSA-USA/Black Dog Films), Peggy Sirota (HSI), and Frank Todaro (@radical.media). The parameters were few: tell a story in under four minutes based on the theme "Dreams."

The resulting films were showcased at the Egyptian Theater following a panel titled "The Digital Pace Picks Up: Broadening Experiences in Digital Filmmaking." Some demonstrated specific tech advantages, such as Chuck & Clay's short, which explored the dreams of the blind in a series of portraits called Dreaming in the Dark. According to the filmmakers, the digital camera was capable of running uninterrupted for 50 minutes and helped to establish a level of intimacy with the subjects of documentary. At the other end of the spectrum, director Tony Kaye chose to comment on Sept. 11 by dressing up as Osama bin Laden in his short Nonsense. The brief encounter shows Osama in bed snoring vigorously.

Other pros and cons of shooting digital were debated during the panel discussion. "The absolute coolest thing is that you can see what you're doing while you're shooting," acknowledged DP Francis Kenny, who recently shot How High with director Jesse Dylan. "You don't have to wait to see the dailies. The second thing is that you require very little lighting to shoot HD, which is to say that I didn't use fewer lights but smaller lights."

A relatively inexpensive tool, the digital camera brings with it a renewed emphasis on storytelling. The reduced barrier to entry means that even young filmmakers are more likely to operate multiple cameras. In addition, the digital device weighs less than 20 pounds, allowing cameraman maneuverability in the tightest locations.

The major drawback identified was the inability to change frame rates. For Kenny this necessitated switching cameras for explosion scenes. However, it was noted that George Lucas recently authored software to facilitate alternate frame rates.