2017-04-12, 10:19 PM
(This post was last modified: 2017-04-14, 12:47 AM by CSchmidlapp.)
Hello Fan Resers.
I've started this thread as a reference to those (who like me) would like a break down of the entire process of shooting and delivering a movie on film (35mm primarily) as simple as possible so everybody without a career in the film production industry can understand.
This is more based on the era before digital mastering / delivery, but will cross over a little.
I've also kept it super simple as to try and demystify the process. This does not mean it can not get complicated as we go on, but wanted to start on an even keel
I will use this original post to create a step by step guide and update accordingly.
All points have a ? at the end
I will also add photos and illustrations ect like the chart PDB shared
Celluloid film has been shot, and is ready to be prepared for Post-Production. The first thing is to get the film developed in a lab. This is much the same as developing a photo still and is a chemical process. This will be done in a dark room and will lock the negative so that no more light can be captured on the film grain. Your negative is now safe to handle outside of a dark room if needed.
This will give you your OCN - Original Colour Master.
The negative will look like a 4:3 image and depending on the aspect ratio decided during shooting, may look stretched vertically if Anamorphic Lenses have been used to capture the image. If not there may be alot of what looks like wasted screen estate, often containing production equipment and unwanted image ect. This will be cropped / matted out later (in most cases by the projectionist on the final release print) This is what is known as Open Matte and we will get back to this a few times later in the chain.
For the Anamorphic variant it will remain Streched through the process and be projected using an Anamorphic Lense that will stretch the image out Horizontal giving you the desired aspect ratio (2:35:1 or Scope).
OCN - Original Colour Master
Depending on your work process (or what year your in!) Your negative will then be either scanned into a computer or turned into a ‘positive’ print for Editing. In Celluloid Film this will be called a Workprint.
Workprint/s
These will now be files on a Hard Drive or strips of 35mm film in reels, both having corresponding information to your OCN (e,g reel number and timecode) This is because after editing is finalised or ‘picture locked’ you return to your OCN and cut it to your Workprint.
OCN - Original Colour Master EDITED / CUT
This is where things split off depending on your desired workflow. Before the advent of Computer post-production, the process continued as follows.
You now have a fully cut OCN corresponding to your Workprint, with no more editing to be performed. It’s time to Colour Correct or Colour Time your film. This is a chemical process and a Answer Print is created for approval.
Answer Print/s
A number of answer prints can be created until you get the Final Look or Colour Time you are after. Then using the charts that got you to your desired Answer Print a Interpositive is created,
Colour Master Positive (Inter-positive)
Red Separation Positive
Green Separation Positive
Blue Separation Positive
It should be noted that along with your Colour Master Positive (Inter-positive), separate Red, Green and Blue Separation Positive prints are also created. These are color "backups" of the film. It is inevitable that both the OCN and IP will fade over time, even when kept in the best conditions. What doesn't fade is black and white film. So someone had the idea to adapt the old 3 strip technicolor process and create 3 B&W pieces of film, One with a red filter in front of it, a separate print with blue and another with green. That way if the original fades, you can combine the 3 films together and recover the colors of the print.
This is also where we see the first set of 'unwanted' side effects show up, due to the fact we are in the analog world here and everytime you print (Copy) to film it changes the look. No matter how neutral the film stock being used to print to is, there will be changes to grain (added!), contrast, highlights and colour.
This is the first one in the chain as the earlier steps all returned to the OCN, but this process will happen atleast 2x more before the film crowd get to see it.
The Inter-positive could now be considered your 'Master' for delivery, where Colour Duplicate Negative (inter-negative) Prints can be struck / created or a Telecine / Scan can be performed (This will avoid further degradation for the Home video crowd).
Colour Duplicate Negative
65mm for 75mm release prints
35mm for 35mm release prints
16mm for 16mm release prints
From the Colour Duplicate print the Final Release prints are struck.
[b]Release Print
Telecined / Scanned for Home Video / TV Releases.[/b]
I've started this thread as a reference to those (who like me) would like a break down of the entire process of shooting and delivering a movie on film (35mm primarily) as simple as possible so everybody without a career in the film production industry can understand.
This is more based on the era before digital mastering / delivery, but will cross over a little.
I've also kept it super simple as to try and demystify the process. This does not mean it can not get complicated as we go on, but wanted to start on an even keel
I will use this original post to create a step by step guide and update accordingly.
All points have a ? at the end
I will also add photos and illustrations ect like the chart PDB shared
Celluloid film has been shot, and is ready to be prepared for Post-Production. The first thing is to get the film developed in a lab. This is much the same as developing a photo still and is a chemical process. This will be done in a dark room and will lock the negative so that no more light can be captured on the film grain. Your negative is now safe to handle outside of a dark room if needed.
This will give you your OCN - Original Colour Master.
The negative will look like a 4:3 image and depending on the aspect ratio decided during shooting, may look stretched vertically if Anamorphic Lenses have been used to capture the image. If not there may be alot of what looks like wasted screen estate, often containing production equipment and unwanted image ect. This will be cropped / matted out later (in most cases by the projectionist on the final release print) This is what is known as Open Matte and we will get back to this a few times later in the chain.
For the Anamorphic variant it will remain Streched through the process and be projected using an Anamorphic Lense that will stretch the image out Horizontal giving you the desired aspect ratio (2:35:1 or Scope).
OCN - Original Colour Master
Depending on your work process (or what year your in!) Your negative will then be either scanned into a computer or turned into a ‘positive’ print for Editing. In Celluloid Film this will be called a Workprint.
Workprint/s
These will now be files on a Hard Drive or strips of 35mm film in reels, both having corresponding information to your OCN (e,g reel number and timecode) This is because after editing is finalised or ‘picture locked’ you return to your OCN and cut it to your Workprint.
OCN - Original Colour Master EDITED / CUT
This is where things split off depending on your desired workflow. Before the advent of Computer post-production, the process continued as follows.
You now have a fully cut OCN corresponding to your Workprint, with no more editing to be performed. It’s time to Colour Correct or Colour Time your film. This is a chemical process and a Answer Print is created for approval.
Answer Print/s
A number of answer prints can be created until you get the Final Look or Colour Time you are after. Then using the charts that got you to your desired Answer Print a Interpositive is created,
Colour Master Positive (Inter-positive)
Red Separation Positive
Green Separation Positive
Blue Separation Positive
It should be noted that along with your Colour Master Positive (Inter-positive), separate Red, Green and Blue Separation Positive prints are also created. These are color "backups" of the film. It is inevitable that both the OCN and IP will fade over time, even when kept in the best conditions. What doesn't fade is black and white film. So someone had the idea to adapt the old 3 strip technicolor process and create 3 B&W pieces of film, One with a red filter in front of it, a separate print with blue and another with green. That way if the original fades, you can combine the 3 films together and recover the colors of the print.
This is also where we see the first set of 'unwanted' side effects show up, due to the fact we are in the analog world here and everytime you print (Copy) to film it changes the look. No matter how neutral the film stock being used to print to is, there will be changes to grain (added!), contrast, highlights and colour.
This is the first one in the chain as the earlier steps all returned to the OCN, but this process will happen atleast 2x more before the film crowd get to see it.
The Inter-positive could now be considered your 'Master' for delivery, where Colour Duplicate Negative (inter-negative) Prints can be struck / created or a Telecine / Scan can be performed (This will avoid further degradation for the Home video crowd).
Colour Duplicate Negative
65mm for 75mm release prints
35mm for 35mm release prints
16mm for 16mm release prints
From the Colour Duplicate print the Final Release prints are struck.
[b]Release Print
Telecined / Scanned for Home Video / TV Releases.[/b]