The Cinematic Look and the Paradox of High Frame Rates

The onset of Hollywood films produced with high frame rates has raised many questions and controversial discussions among filmmakers and critics about the cinematic look and the potential of digital innovations. Cinema audiences all over the world are used to the standard frame rate of 24 frames per second (fps) and only few cinemas are able to project higher frame rates than 96 fps. An artistic research project was conducted to test the effects of high frame rates (HFR) on film perception. A short movie was shot in HFR (96 fps) and produced in three frame rates (24* / 48* / 96 fps, *frame rate conversions in postproduction) for a cinema experiment. 49 participants watched the film in all three frame rates while being measured with an eye tracking device (counterbalanced within subjects design). They filled out a questionnaire after each film version. The analysis of the results will give new insights about the perception of high frame rates compared to the standard frame rate. Open questions for future research projects on HFR will be discussed.