1929 Newsreel footage

[Guest Eric Corriveau]

Hi,

 

I'm hoping to find here some kind of film historian. I'm finally in the process of producing my first independent feature. At some point in the script, we need to show some old newsreel BW footage, just like the beginning of Citizen Kane. This footage will be completely staged. As I want to keep the digital processing at a minimum, I bought 2 vintage Bell & Howell Filmo 70 16mm camera to film the footage. Does somebody here know what kind of filmstock was used for that purpose in the late twenties ? My guess is that it was reversal, but I'm curious about the speed of it. And if you have any tips about how to emulate the look (filters?) of 1929 stock using current BW Kodak filmstock, I would be extremely grateful.

 

Thank you

 

Eric Corriveau

[Sam Wells]

There was a thorough history of Kodak's film stocks on the Kodak web site; you can probably find the exact URL as fast as I can, or if John P is here he can post it.

 

 

A newsreel in 1929 would have been shot in 35mm, and would have likely been a panchromatic negative by then. (16mm B&W was reversal, but like I said...)

 

I think Plus X reversal original might give a good approximation, as long as you don't show the projector; are you projecting film in the scene ?

 

I've seen newsreel footage from that era, even a couple nitrate prints direct from camera original. The ortho did look a bit snappier than the panchromatic, but B&W is kind of timeless really.

 

-Sam

[Nathan Milford]

Kodak Chronology of Film:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products...=0.1.4.20&lc=en

[John Pytlak RIP]

Kodak Chronology of Film:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products...=0.1.4.20&lc=en

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree, 35mm newsreels were B&W negative film. Use 7231 if you want finer grain, 7222 for a grainier "look", although for 16mm simulating a 35mm "look", you may want to stick with the finer grained film:

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products...0.1.4.4.8&lc=en

 

Newsreels in 1929 might have still used ortho films still on the market --- use a deep cyan filter to simulate the tone scale.

 

Use an older lens with moderate to high flare.

[Sam Wells]

Hmm. I was thinking newsreel cinematographers would've tended to jump on the panchromatic, maybe not ?

 

It's likely that any lenses which came with those Filmos would probably give the look.

 

I personally would lean toward Plus X reversal & project the original if I had to fake 35mm.

 

-Sam

[Guest Eric Corriveau]

Thank you all for the information.

 

I completely forgot the fact that it was shot on 35mm. I was more influenced by the 16mm footage shot by the military during world war II.

 

I'll shoot some tests with fine grain negative and reversal stock using the old Taylor-Hobson Cooke lenses. These lenses should help the look.

 

Thanks again...

 

Eric Corriveau

[John Sprung]

Newsreels were shot on negative, and edited by actually cutting the negative, not a workprint. They tried to keep it out of the moviola as much as possible, and just cut over a lightwell. This required some very experienced editors. Twice the length of your arm is a reaction shot.

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Dominic Case]

Hmm. I was thinking newsreel cinematographers would've tended to jump on the panchromatic, maybe not ?

Panchromatic emulsions had been available throughout the 1920s, but were more expensive. Most film was still shot on ortho (blue & green sensitive, red-blind) until sound came in. Studio lighting was often mercury arc light: bluish, but too noisy for the sound recordist. So the studios switched to tungsten lights, with more red content, and therefore had to switch to panchromatic stock.

 

That wouldn't have been an issue for newsreels at that time though, as newsreel sound was mainly narration/music (or exterior live sync sound - newsreels tend not to be shot in studios!). So I'd guess that they could still have been using orthochromatic for a little longer. Use a cyan filter as John suggests. It will darken faces, particularly lips, and lighten skies. That would probably be the most distinctive "look" adjustment that you could make.

 

Have a look at some 1929 newsreels to see if they have that "ortho" look.