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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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Pre-Production Planning
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Selecting the Camera Film Important among all the decisions that must be made before beginning production is the selection of the camera stock that will be used. Conditions under which a majority of the shooting will be done, the release format and the medium through which the release will be made are all factors, which should be considered. Where possible, it is advisable that all of the film for a given production be of the same emulsion number. Raw stock should be handled and stored according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and shipped to the laboratory as soon as possible after exposure. Selecting the Camera Aperture and Format Since the advent of wide screen systems such as Panavision, VistaVision, Cinemascope and others, the theater-going public has become accustomed to the wide screen format. The Academy format, which was the standard for many years for 35mm theatrical projection, presented a height-to-width ratio on the screen of 1.33:1, or a proportion of 4 units wide to 3 units high. This format is still the standard for 16mm films and for television. However, today’s theatrical films are projected in the wide screen format with an aspect ration of 1.85:1 in the United States and 1.66:1 in Europe. Many films are shot in Academy format, with the aspect ratio of 1.33:1 but are projected to fill the whole screen. This means that a mask is issued in the 35mm projector that cuts off a portion of the top and bottom of the frame (Figure 1 - Projected 35mm Image). It is important in the shooting to be aware of this, since the composition of the picture must be such that important information is not lost due to the projector masking. It is very helpful to the cinematographer to have these fields delineated on the viewfinder during shooting. One advantage of the Academy aperture, even though the primary distribution will be in theaters, is that the prints are also acceptable for television without modification. If a film is being shot in 16mm but there are plans to make blow-ups for theater release, these projection formats must be considered. Other factors involved in 16mm to 35mm blow-ups will be discussed later. Identification and Record Keeping The latent image on the exposed film represents the culmination of all the production efforts and must be handled with care. Packaging of the valuable material, the method of delivery or shipment and the written instructions to the lab are very important. Exposed film should be place in the black bag that the manufacturer provides and in the same container from which it was removed. If the same container is not available, make certain that the proper raw stock identification is on the container used. If there is a different identification, cover it with tape and re-identify the stock that is enclosed. When the film has been placed in the bag and can, tape the can securely around the edge where the top and bottom of the can overlap, and clearly mark "EXPOSED". Identify each can by roll number, so that when the film is returned to you, each roll can be checked off. The individual rolls will be joined by the laboratory into larger rolls and each individual roll will have your roll number on its leaders. Some producers shoot the roll number on the slate at the head of each roll. Since the processed film may not be returned in the same container in which it was shipped, you can use the leader roll numbers, your camera log of the first scene and take on each roll, or individual roll. Protection of Film in Transit Film is a perishable item and must be protected from radiation, excessive changes in temperature and humidity as well as exposure to light. Production at a studio or location near the processing laboratory usually presents no transit problems, but shipping film from distant locations requires additional precautions. Air shipment as freight or baggage can be hazardous. High temperature occurring when packages are left unprotected for long periods of time awaiting loading for shipment can cause fog or changes in speed and/or contrast. When film is shipped in the same compartment as radioactive substances used for medical or industrial purposes, radiation can cause local or overall fog. Inspection by airport personnel using high exposure X-ray equipment can cause fog or a change in film speed or color balance. Unprocessed film transported as carry-on luggage will be protected from the potential transport problems listed above. If, however, the film must be shipped as freight, it should be labeled on all sides with the warning: UNDEVELOPED FILM, OPEN ONLY IN TOTAL DARKNESS. PROTECT FROM X-RAYS, HEAT AND ALL RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS. If international shipment is involved, the warning should be repeated in several different languages. Airport X-ray Inspection In 1973, the National Association of Photographic Manufacturers published a recommendation to airline security personnel, scanning equipment manufacturers and concerned government agencies, that the upper limit for X-ray exposure of a package or item of luggage be one milliroentgen. This recommendation was based on the assumption that sensitivity of film available at that time produced a maximum of 0.01 density units per milloroentgen. This recommendation was accepted in the United States by the Federal Aviation Administration and incorporated in their regulations for security for screening operation at all airports in their jurisdiction. X-ray exposure is cumulative on film. If film is subjected to multiple exposures in transit, film will integrate all exposure to which it is subjected. The accumulated total may be sufficient to produce damaging effects. Camera Reports The camera log submitted to the laboratory with each roll of film to be processed will vary in format which each production company. In addition to the production number and the scene and take numbers, these logs contain the name of the company, the director, the cinematographer and a record of the day’s photography. They also contain instructions to the laboratory regarding the scene and take number to be printed, the length of the scene and if the scene is to be day or night, exterior or interior. In addition to this information they should contain emulsion type, roll and strip number and camera and magazine number. If a problem occurs in a day’s production, this information can be very useful in locating its source. For example, a scratch might be traced to a particular camera or magazine or batch of film enabling the production company to quickly sort out the offending item and replace it before additional production time is lost. Written Instructions to the Laboratory Written instructions covering the work to be done should accompany each shipment of film to the laboratory. These instructions should include: Customer’s name, address, and phone number. Job title and number, and purchase order number. The number of rolls, roll numbers, length and type of film. Instructions for operations to be performed. Complete shipping instructions, including destination, carrier and insurance requirements. The disposition of original material: hold or return? Here is a sample of how your order may be written:
This is, of course, just one example covering original processing and dailies. Your instructions could be different and cover different services. The important point is to make your instructions clear, understandable and complete. Other Instructions Occasionally, you may have special instructions to communicate to the lab. Some of your original may require special processing such as force processing or flashing. If you request these services, those rolls must be well marked and separate from footage that is to be processed normally. Cautions to the Lab While the lab checks all film prior to processing, if you suspect that problems which occurred during shooting may have caused physical damage to the film, it is imperative that you advise the lab of the suspected condition and identify the roll approximate footage where the problem may exist. Unprocessed film can only be inspected in the dark by touch, and it is very easy to miss a nicked perforation or a crease under these conditions, which may lead to disaster during the processing.
Similarly, if
you have original material to be worked on that is damaged, shrunk,
or may cause problems of any sort, make sure you notify the lab in
advance. While the lab will notify you if they notice a problem, and
do its best to provide services that meet your needs, the
responsibility for the condition of material you supply and the
usefulness of the resulting products rest with you.
If you do have damaged perforations in your unprocessed film, the lab will remove any such sections before processing the film. Labs do inspect the unprocessed film before it goes into the developer. When they find damaged areas or even a broken perforation, that section will be removed and the film stapled together securely to insure that the film will not come apart or break in processing.
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