Storing Film Stock
If I use reversal film, contrast would decrease when I do push process. Is it true? I heard from a friend of mine he said he read contrast decreases. Please let me know the answer. I am sure I know the contrast increases when I use negative push process.
Second, usually, I think people keep raw stock in refrigerator if they don't have real stock place, stable humidity and temparature. I should do same thing? I really care about food and drink in refrigerator making film so bad. How can I keep raw stock? Do you have any recommendation?
Syncing without Timecode
I'm shooting a film, and wanted to know if I could record dialog on a non timecode dat or even a minidisc recorder, and rerecord the sound in bulk to a timecode dat, then sync up the video transfer of my film with the sound on an avid. Is that the way to do it cheaply but effectively? I've heard conflicting reports as to how well sound can be synced to a video transfered picture because of the change in frame rate. Also, when people refer to sound needing to be resolved, is that just aligning the sound speed to picture speed? We would really appreciate your consultation, so when we start filming next week everything will be fine, and we can shoot in confidence!
1st 16mm camera
I will be purchasing my first 16mm camera, and I had some questions. I have a budget of $15,000 through American Express Equipment Financing,
and I am interested in getting the best package I can for the purpose of making 16 mm (or Super 16mm) indie films.
I own a recording studio, so I knowledge about recording
sound just not in terms of cameras (sync etc.)
I know Arriflex, but I have little experience with the 16S, 16BL, and SR3.
I have even less knowledge about Bolex.
So ultimately my question is this ... can you suggest the best set up with these budget requirements?
Negative Transfer
I´m an independent filmmaker in Mexico and I´ll be making a b/w 16mm short film. Some people have said to me that there are film labs that transfers the negative straight to video making a positive image on video without the extra cost of having to make a positive film print first. I´d like to know if this is correct and what the transfer quality would be. I hope you could help me.
Post Syncing for Film
Again, thank you for the wealth of advice you've been giving me on my short film. I am two weeks away from shooting. Here in NY I'm thinking to process the film at DUART, because they do cater to NYU students by offering a discount. It's also good to introduce yourselves to a sales rep. I don't know how are they going to be taking care of my film when it moves to post. I'll let you know. But, meanwhile, burning question. I'm gonna be developing the film and transfer it to video dailies with Timecode for the eventual negative cutting. However, when it comes to syncing sound DUART will do it for video dailies at a rate of $110/hr. That is a lot!!!! Is there any other way beside syncing on a flatbed? I mean for 6000 ft of film at $110/hr that's gonna be about $1,100.00!!!!! Non-discountable!! Help!!
In answer to your question, all you really need to cut your own film is a splicer and tape. They usually start with basic models like the Tower splicer for around $20.00. These are typically small splicers that simply hold the film in place so you can cut and apply your clear splicing tape. The better models, such as the griswold, are heavier duty and better made with clamps to hold your film down. The most versatile splicers are the guillotine splicers that have an arm that cuts the film and the sprockets for holding the film in place while you apply your tape. Hot cement splicers are used for permanent splices. If you are sending your workprint out, labs prefer film that has been hotspliced but you should at least have double tape spliced film. The hot splicer is similar to the aforementioned splicers but also has an arm that heats up and when used in combination with a special cement, fuses the film together. Of course, the job is much easier if you have a viewer. You can put your film up to smoked glass to view the frames or obtain an viewer, Zeiss being one of the better known and higher quality ones.
If you are dealing with much footage, you're going to need rewinds, one for the take up and one for the workprint as well as two split reels. Good ones are usually mounted on an editing bench. You can find
small rewinds on all-in-one kits but they are pretty crappy.
If you plan to do sync sound, you will need an extra set of split reels for your mag stock. You will need a sync block to keep the relationship consistent between pix and sound. You will aIso need a squawk box,
a small speaker attached to a magnetic head that can read the sound off your magstock.
A footage counter would also make the job much easier if you are dealing with any quantity of footage (more than a few hundred feet of 16mm).