combining fuji & Kodak

[Guest Michael Cathcart]

I'm doing a project this fall where I want a very desaturated look for parts of the film, while for other parts a very vibrant and colorful feel.

I'm curious your recomendations would be?

I'm thinking about shooting the colorful stuff on Vision 2, and while the desaturated stuff in fuji 400t.

 

What are your thoughts?

 

Also this is a Super 16mm short project. Most of the story is day/exterior, there is one night/interior, and two night/exterior.

 

It's a fairly low budget so doing alot of Post processing is probably out of the budget, but all sugestions are definately appreciated.

[David Mullen ASC]

Since you said it was Super-16, the question is whether this is: (1) just for video transfer only; (2) will be blown-up to 35mm using a D.I.; (3) will be blown-up to 35mm using an optical printer.

 

Because it's only with #3 where you can't adjust chroma levels digitally to create separate looks from the same stock.

 

I've done what you're talking about on some 35mm movies with standard contact-printing. In my case, though (this was before Fuji 400T low-con existed but back when Kodak had their 320T low-con stock), I did the opposite: the modern scenes were Fuji and the period scenes were on low-con Kodak 320T. I also used Antique Suede filters plus a Color Enhancer outside to warm up the period scenes and make the reds pop on the 320T. The Fuji, on the other hand, was shot without the 85 filter in daylight for a cold color bias.

 

But "Somewhere in Time" did what you are talking about, shoot the past on Fuji for its softness and the present on Kodak. So did "Delores Claiborne", which also did what I did regarding the warm bias for the past and the cold bias for the present (although they used Fuji for the past, Kodak for the present.)

 

Since all modern stocks are somewhat lower in contrast and pastel, I'd exaggerate the pastel look of the 400T in some manner to create a wider separation, whether with foggy diffusion filters or overexposure / pull-processing, smoked sets, or just production design.

[Guest Michael Cathcart]

Thanks for your input David,

 

Unfortunately due to the limitations with my locations, I wont be able to use much production design to create the look I want, so It will have to be done with filmstock(s), filters, and in post-production.

 

I am shooting Super 16mm to be transferred to video, perhaps somewhere down the road it could be put back on film, but for right now it will only be going to video.

 

Essentially the character in this story is traveling to a commune, so I want everything before he arrives to have that desaturated look, and then the commune itself to be extremely vivid and beautiful.

Not that it really makes that much of a difference, but it isn't period vs. modern, merely a setting change. Also the entire story is being shot in, and takes place in Montana.

Edited August 19, 2006 by Michael Cathcart

[John Pytlak RIP]

I suggest using 7229 for the softer, lower contrast look:

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products....4.14&lc=en

 

KODAK VISION2 Expression 500T Color Negative Film 5229 / 7229 is a low-contrast, low-color film. With soft, smooth flesh tones and superb shadow detail, Expression film provides a subtle, accurate image rendition at a 500 speed. And with greatly reduced grain, more flexibility in post, and cleaner images from under-to over-exposure, Expression 500T Film is better than ever before.

 

For the "very vibrant and colorful feel" scenes, the slightly higher contrast of any of the other KODAK VISION2 should set them apart. If you use the slower films, they will also have less grain and increased sharpness over the Expression 500T.

[Stephen Williams]

Hi,

 

I only ever used 2 rolls of the Fuji 400T. I was shocked by how grainy it was, unless I was looking for a grain I would personally avoid. FWIW it is the only Fuji stock I have been disappointed with.

 

Stephen

[Guest Michael Cathcart]

I just recieved in the mail the fuji demo package, and on one of the DVD's sent it demonstrated shooting on the 400 [if your familiar it's the one about Boxing], anyway I was watching very carefully and didn't notice the grain you were speaking of. Obviously there was grain, but it didn't seem to be more than your average film stock would have.

 

So obviously lighting really comes down to it. I'm curious those two rolls you were shooting were they Interior, exterior. If exterior was it shot with or without correction?

 

Thanks

 

Mike