Filtration in film and video

I’ve noticed a lot of blunders lately on TV documentaries relating to the use of filters.  One particular programme used them at the beginning and you kind of got the feeling that the camera operator then felt obliged to use them throughout the production to keep the ‘look’ consistent.

A lot of use was made of the good old graduated sky filter which can be used to equalise variations in contrast that you often find between the sky and land in a shot.  Unfortunately, this particular person decided to extend the use throughout other scenes that did not have any sky in the frame at all!  The result of this was that there was a boundary line against people and buildings applied by the filter!

Filters do have their uses and indeed sometimes they are necessary to apply colour correction, or to get yourself out of very tricky situations involving high contrast environments.  However, my advice is to steer clear of them if at all possible.  We also now have the advantage of digital intermediate (DI) post-production making it possible to apply effects like filtration long after the camera gear has been packed away.

What are your experiences of the use of filters in film and video?

James