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WRS MOTION PICTURE AND VIDEO LABORATORY |
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1000
Napor Boulevard,Pittsburgh Pa 15205 |
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WRS MOTION PICTURE AND VIDEO LABORATORY |
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1000
Napor Boulevard,Pittsburgh Pa 15205 |
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Preparing Original A and B Rolls for Printing
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Preprint material is prepared in A and B rolls to achieve fades and dissolves in the printing process of both 16mm and 35mm film, without the use of costly opticals. It also enables the original to be cut in such a fashion that slices in 16mm are invisible of the screen. Sometimes it is necessary to prepare A, B, and C rolls to achieve certain effects that might occur in montages or title sequences. It is recommended, however, that the printing rolls be held to a minimum. Invisible Splices In order to make 16mm splices invisible, A and B rolls may be prepared using the "checkerboard" technique. This is accomplished by alternating the scenes back and forth on the A and B rolls. The splices should be made in a splicer that makes one of the cuts on the frame line and the other cut in the picture area. When splicing the scene to black leader, the scene should be placed in the splicer in such a manner that the scraped portion of the splice occurs only in the scene and never in the black leader. After splicing the head of the scene, you will note that in order to make the splice correctly at the tail of the scene, it will be necessary to turn the scene around in the splicer. Be sure the splicer is properly aligned so that no white scrape line is visible on positive image film and no black overlap line is visible on negative.
Checkerboard
Techniques for
Be sure when making a 16mm splice for liquid gate optical printing that the cemented overlap of the splice maintains the proper pitch (x) between the perforation of the splice, which is the first frame of picture negative, and the perforation of the first frame of black leader. If this pitch, or distance, between these two perforations is not the same standard as the pitch between any two perforations where a splice does not occur, there will be a vertical jump in the picture at the scene change. The reason for this is that the registration pins on all 16mm full immersion optical wet gates are either one or two perforations away from the frame being exposed. Thus, the frame being printed is in a position established by a perforation on the opposite side of the splice. If the splice is off pitch, as described, the first frame, or the first two frames after the splice, is improperly positioned with the adjustment coming on the following frame when the pin is registered after the splice. This problem will not show up when you make a 16mm contact print from your A and B original because, on the 16mm continuous printer, the sprocket teeth register the film and raw stock at the area of exposure. Original should be spliced with the utmost care. It is recommended that before splicing any original, several test splices be made to check the correct alignment of the splicer, the depth and width of the scraped area and the continuity of perforation pitch. Use only enough cement to insure a good splice. Avoid winding a wet splice onto the roll because it will mark the next layer of film Be sure the cement is fresh and clean. Cement in splicer bottles usually deteriorates in a few hours due to evaporation. It is a recommended practice that cement be stored in large supply bottles and dispensed into small bottles for use. Unused cement left in the small bottle from the previous day’s use should be discarded and replaced with fresh cement from the supply bottle before the start of each day’s work. It is advisable to use a weld time of not less than 10 to 15 seconds. A splicer with a heated block is highly recommended. (Figure 8 - Checkerboard Technique for Making Invisible Splices) Zero cuts Another method of achieving invisible splices in printing from A and B rolls is to use the checkerboard technique, but extend each end of each scene at least two frames. When rolls so prepared are placed in a synchronizer, there would be a four-frame overlap at the head and tail of each scene. Rolls prepared in this manner must be printed on a printer that will make scene changes by means of a shutter that rapidly opens or closes. Not all laboratories are equipped to print rolls prepared for zero cut, so check with your lab. Zero cuts made on a 16mm continuous release printer usually appear as less than one frame dissolves. Zero cuts made on 16mm step contact or optical printer will appear as a perfect straight cut.
(Zero Cuts Image)
Black leader It is recommended that only black leader manufactured for this purpose be used between scenes. Use black leader for 16mm negative A and B rolls and for 35mm negative rolls prepared for the checkerboard technique. Double or Single Perforated Leader 16mm double perforated leader should be used only when the entire original is double perforated. When some or all of the original is single perforated, the use of single perforated leader is recommended to avoid possible future damage to the original. It is recommended that head and tail leaders should be single perf in the same wind as the printing materials. Fades When a fade-out is followed by a fade-in from original reversal materials, it is recommended that the fade-in scene be carried across to the other roll without any overlap. The preparation is the same as that used in preparing "Invisible Splices." Instructions must be given so that the fades will be printed in at the desired places and in the desired lengths. Fades can be made from negative A and B rolls (Figure 9) by keeping the fade-out scene and the fade-in scene on the same roll. Clear camera leader, which has been made by developing unexposed camera row stock of the same type that was used to photograph the scenes, should be cut in opposite the area where the fade-out and face-in will occur. At least 5 extra frames of clear camera leader must be added for each fade-out and 48 frame fade-in desired. This length of 96 frames, plus 5 additional frames, make a total of 101 frames of clear camera leader that should be cut in opposite the fade-out and fade-in scenes.
Fades
For Negative Rolls Dissolves It is suggested that the middle of each dissolve be marked by making a small "x" in each of two adjacent frames, in the center of each frame, on both the A and the B roll. These two small "x"s should be made on the emulsion side of the film, outside the picture area. They will appear in the center of the effect of the perforated edge of 16mm film (not the track edge). The two "x"s in the A roll will then be exactly opposite the two "x"s in the B roll when both rolls are placed correctly in a synchronizer. Thus, the dissolve overlap can be easily checked and correct synchronization of the rolls verified. The 16mm emulsion can be scraped by a scriber to form the "x"s or they can be made with a pen using a white, waterproof, quick-drying ink. Black ink should be used on the track-side on 35mm film (since the edge is clear). (Figure 10 - Dissolves) Series of Effects and Cuts When dissolves, fades and cuts follow each other at very short intervals, caution should be exercised. The editor should remember that on a single roll, no new effect or cut can be started before the last effect is over. It is suggested that you obtain your lab’s recommendations before preparing negative rolls. Length of Effects Forty-eight frames is the most common length of fades and dissolves. Most labs can, however, offer fades and dissolves of 16-24-32-48-64-96 frames in length. Check with your lab. Instructions to the Laboratory Instructions should accompany each film when sent to the laboratory and should indicate in detail all special effects. Use footage and frames to indicate where effects are desired, measuring from the printer start mark in the head leader. Your cutwork print, with all effects correctly marked, is an invaluable aid to the laboratory timer. Do not use paper clips, grease pencils, Scotch tape, string, adhesive labels, etc. on the original to indicate where effects are desired.
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