Processing of Damaged Film

[Gary Robinson]

I shot some film with my Arri 2b that was rejected from the lab. I think the perfs were torn because I threaded it wrong, shot highspeed, and did lots of starts and stops. Are there any labs that are particularly good at processing and repairing damaged negatives?

[John Pytlak RIP]

I shot some film with my Arri 2b that was rejected from the lab. I think the perfs were torn because I threaded it wrong, shot highspeed, and did lots of starts and stops. Are there any labs that are particularly good at processing and repairing damaged negatives?

 

You can check with other labs, but labs are reluctant to process film with edge or perforation damage, as it greatly increases the risk of a film break in the processing machine. You might find a lab willing to run the damaged roll when there is not any other customer film in the machine. If the damaged sections are short, the lab might remove them before processing, or reinforce them with lab splicing tape (the film under the tape will be unprocessed since the solutions will not reach it).

[Chris Keth]

I shot some film with my Arri 2b that was rejected from the lab. I think the perfs were torn because I threaded it wrong, shot highspeed, and did lots of starts and stops. Are there any labs that are particularly good at processing and repairing damaged negatives?

 

 

You in a huge hurry? I bet you could talk to a lab and get them to do your film all alone at the end of the day or something along those lines.

[Charles MacDonald]

You in a huge hurry? I bet you could talk to a lab and get them to do your film all alone at the end of the day or something along those lines.

At the ned of the week, perhaps, with an agreemnet to pay for the tech to rethread 150 feet of leader if the film breaks. Includingthe leader, as if it only goes through the process part way I don't think they can re-use it.

[John Pytlak RIP]

At the ned of the week, perhaps, with an agreemnet to pay for the tech to rethread 150 feet of leader if the film breaks. Includingthe leader, as if it only goes through the process part way I don't think they can re-use it.

 

A film break in the machine could lose alot more than 150 feet of leader, depending on the size and speed of the machine. Labs are rightfully cautious in carefully inspecting the film that goes into the ECN-2 processing machine for any damage that could cause a film break.