Film Positive Advice!

[Daniel Porto]

Hey guys im getting back into film and my knowledge of the whole processing process is not in my base of knowledge but if anyone can give advice as to what would be the best set of processes to do to shoot and create a positive print (in the end). Ideally I wanna save money but one question apart from reversal stock is there any other way to shoot and use the same film to process and create a positive print for exhibition? Or does it involve some process to copy the image from the negative to create a film print positive for exhibition (what would this exact process be called?) 

Thanks Guys and Gals!

[Brian Drysdale]

Today, shooting negative is the only realistic method if you wish to have prints. 

[Samuel Berger]

1 hour ago, Daniel Porto said:

what would this exact process be called?

Printing from negative? The only alternative is to shoot reversal, but then you're handling your camera positive every step of the way instead of a workprint. The other thing is, if you're shooting 35mm, how many venues actually still have 35mm projectors? 

[Gautam Valluri]

1 hour ago, Daniel Porto said:

Hey guys im getting back into film and my knowledge of the whole processing process is not in my base of knowledge but if anyone can give advice as to what would be the best set of processes to do to shoot and create a positive print (in the end). Ideally I wanna save money but one question apart from reversal stock is there any other way to shoot and use the same film to process and create a positive print for exhibition? Or does it involve some process to copy the image from the negative to create a film print positive for exhibition (what would this exact process be called?) 

Thanks Guys and Gals!

If you don't want to create a positive projection copy from a negative, and want options other than shooting reversal, the only way remaining is to shoot digitally and print direct to 35mm projection print (like Cinevator).

[Tyler Purcell]

No, there is no magic that turns negative into positive. You'll have to shoot reversal (I don't know anyone processing 35mm E6) or you'll have to shoot negative and strike a print from the negative. The negative to print process is a contact print, the two elements touch each other and has a colored light which exposes the film. Most real labs can do this work, but it's expensive, especially if you want a shot by shot color grade, which is important if you're shooting different stocks and different stops. If you keep the stop the same throughout and insure there are no massive shifts in DR, you could get away with a single light print from the negative to project. Also remember, most cameras today shoot S35mm, which is not projectable. So you will need to shoot "normal" 35mm which for 2x anamorphic is standard, but for 4 perf, everyone shoots S35 today for digital scan and digital finish. This isn't a big deal, but you'll need to make sure if you're going to print, to shoot 4 perf "normal" 35mm.

[Samuel Berger]

1 hour ago, Tyler Purcell said:

(I don't know anyone processing 35mm E6)

That would be the awesome people at https://www.cinelab.com/pricing 

Check the pro rate card for E6 35mm.

[Daniel Porto]

1 hour ago, Tyler Purcell said:

No, there is no magic that turns negative into positive. You'll have to shoot reversal (I don't know anyone processing 35mm E6) or you'll have to shoot negative and strike a print from the negative. The negative to print process is a contact print, the two elements touch each other and has a colored light which exposes the film. Most real labs can do this work, but it's expensive, especially if you want a shot by shot color grade, which is important if you're shooting different stocks and different stops. If you keep the stop the same throughout and insure there are no massive shifts in DR, you could get away with a single light print from the negative to project. Also remember, most cameras today shoot S35mm, which is not projectable. So you will need to shoot "normal" 35mm which for 2x anamorphic is standard, but for 4 perf, everyone shoots S35 today for digital scan and digital finish. This isn't a big deal, but you'll need to make sure if you're going to print, to shoot 4 perf "normal" 35mm.

Thanks for your replies everyone! Ill shoot negative and create positive from that!!!! if this ends up going ahead and I can get this 70mm camera working ill shoot that 🙂
By the way if i shot on intermediate color print film and developed it normally apart from the color differences compared to regular negative would you still get a NEGATIVE image essentially? 

[Simon Wyss]

Yes.

What 70 mm camera?

[Gautam Valluri]

11 hours ago, Daniel Porto said:

By the way if i shot on intermediate color print film and developed it normally apart from the color differences compared to regular negative would you still get a NEGATIVE image essentially? 

The only colour intermediate film Kodak offers is the 5242 and can be developed to a negative or a postive. I think it has an ISO/ASA of 1.

11 hours ago, Daniel Porto said:

and I can get this 70mm camera working ill shoot that

So you just casually drop "this 70mm camera" and not tell us more?

[Samuel Berger]

4 hours ago, Simon Wyss said:

What 70 mm camera?

Unrelated, but, I sent you a DM.

[Daniel Porto]

4 hours ago, Gautam Valluri said:

The only colour intermediate film Kodak offers is the 5242 and can be developed to a negative or a postive. I think it has an ISO/ASA of 1.

So you just casually drop "this 70mm camera" and not tell us more?

Hulcher 70 123 - 15perf 🙂 got it off eBay 🙂 good condition just getting it to run now 🙂 originally sold to NASA in 1990

[Simon Wyss]

As much as I know you won’t reach 24 fps with that Hulcher, maybe 12. You’re out in the woods with it, cinematography-wise. Certainly fun to watch the dog movement. I’m outta game here.

[Daniel Porto]

5 minutes ago, Simon Wyss said:

As much as I know you won’t reach 24 fps with that Hulcher, maybe 12. You’re out in the woods with it, cinematography-wise. Certainly fun to watch the dog movement. I’m outta game here.

They can go to 50fps but yes that would require a faster motor. Currently if it worked it would go to 20fps. I may end up getting a faster motor anyway if the current electronics are shot. Just gotta spin those internal gears haha it's a basic camera and just uses a regular 12dc brushless motor like at a electronics store 😛

Edited October 30, 2024 by Daniel Porto

[Ludwig Hagelstein]

On 10/29/2024 at 8:35 PM, Tyler Purcell said:

No, there is no magic that turns negative into positive. You'll have to shoot reversal (I don't know anyone processing 35mm E6) or you'll have to shoot negative and strike a print from the negative. The negative to print process is a contact print, the two elements touch each other and has a colored light which exposes the film. Most real labs can do this work, but it's expensive, especially if you want a shot by shot color grade, which is important if you're shooting different stocks and different stops. If you keep the stop the same throughout and insure there are no massive shifts in DR, you could get away with a single light print from the negative to project. Also remember, most cameras today shoot S35mm, which is not projectable. So you will need to shoot "normal" 35mm which for 2x anamorphic is standard, but for 4 perf, everyone shoots S35 today for digital scan and digital finish. This isn't a big deal, but you'll need to make sure if you're going to print, to shoot 4 perf "normal" 35mm.

Poor Things was shot on 35mm E6 processed Ektachrome in large parts - we processed it in Berlin. As of today, there are 2 commercial labs Cinegrell in Berlin and Cinelab in Boston that process 35mm E6 to cine specifications. 

[Tyler Purcell]

14 hours ago, Ludwig Hagelstein said:

As of today, there are 2 commercial labs Cinegrell in Berlin and Cinelab in Boston that process 35mm E6 to cine specifications. 

Yea, I was referring to the US market. 

We will have to ask Robert if he would do 35mm in his E6 machine. 

[Ludwig Hagelstein]

9 hours ago, Tyler Purcell said:

Yea, I was referring to the US market. 

We will have to ask Robert if he would do 35mm in his E6 machine. 

I think he does from what I know.