CP/16R blowup to 35mm

LangISback · October 7, 2004

Hi there,

I have the chance of using a very nice CP/16R for a short film intented to be blowed-up to 35mm later.

I've read that because the CP 's don't have registration pin the image is not THAT steady. I want to know if some of you have experience in blowups from material shot with the CP to 35mm, or if this is a good camera for such purpose.

thanks a lot!!!

regards

Josh Hill · October 8, 2004

If you've seen The Blair Witch Project in the theatre you've seen a CP16/A blown up to 35mm. I don't know how their trasnfer process was to home video (if they went from the 35mm print or what) but it didn't seem unsteady to me.

I've never really heard anything bad about a well maintained CP and problems with image stability. All I've heard about CPs seems to be positive, that they are good workhorse cameras that produce excellent results when they are properly maintained.

I personally wouldn't worry about it. Just form your loop well and I don't think you should have any problems.

Search the IMDB for "CP" under technical information (its on more searches) and then you'll have a list of movies/shorts that you can check out if you want to.

I would be curious to read where you read about the CPs unsteady image.

Preston Herrick · October 10, 2004

I guess the assumption is, if it doesn't have a registration pin, it must not have a steady image. I have a CP (in fact I had it modified for S16) and everything I've shot with it has been telecined. Never noticed a stability issue other than some occasional weave near the end of rolls.

LangISback · October 10, 2004

Sorry for being a bit supicous about the CP, but I wanted to take an informed decission.

:)

Thanks a lot for your posts!!,

Javier Calderon · May 18, 2006

If you've seen The Blair Witch Project in the theatre you've seen a CP16/A blown up to 35mm. I don't know how their trasnfer process was to home video (if they went from the 35mm print or what) but it didn't seem unsteady to me.

Josh, I'm a little confused here. Could you help clear this up for me please? Here's a quote I ran across not too long ago posted by Mr. Matt Pacini:

"Just a note of trivia:

Blair Witch Project was shot on Hi-8 analog, not DV.

I've seen in print, incorrectly listed as anything from DV to Super 8."

So what was the film actually shot on?

Anyone know difinitively? Am I missing something?

Thank you everyone,

Javier

David Mullen ASC · May 18, 2006

Well, having just worked with the director of "Blair Witch Project" (although I already knew the technical details...)

It was shot on Hi-8 and 16mm b&w neg (I guess on the CP-16) transferred to beta-SP. The whole movie was finished to beta-SP (as I recall) and then recorded out to 35mm.

From memory (I may have some details wrong), I think the film cost $30,000 to make, $60,000 to transfer to 35mm for Sundance, and then another maybe $200,000 was spent by Artisan on sound post after they acquired it. Later, even though it earned over 100-mil at the box office, Artisan tried to claim that the film was unprofitable, triggering a lawsuit by the filmmakers that was settled out of court (it was going to hard to prove that a movie that only cost $30,000 to make and earned over 100-mil was somehow not profitable...)

Artisan also tried to back out of the distribution deal that gave the filmmakers more of the profit after the film earned 20-mil (I think) at the box office, since generally no indie movie makes over 20-mil, so at the time Artisan signed the deal, they didn't think it was going to be an issue.

I think the home video versions have been taken off of the beta-SP master, not a telecine of the 35mm film-out, but I'm not sure, not having seen it on home video. In some ways, the director feels that it was meant more for the small screen, especially the wild handheld camerawork.

Leo Anthony Vale · May 18, 2006

I've read that because the CP 's don't have registration pin the image is not THAT steady. I want to know if some of you have experience in blowups from material shot with the CP to 35mm, or if this is a good camera for such purpose.

---Robt.Duvall's 'Angelo, my Love' was shot on A CPR with Angie 10-150mm and CP Ultra high speeds(Kowa). Sometimes the Angie footage looks a bit off, but the low light Kowa footage always looked good.

Sun Classic's 'In Search of Noah's Ark' was shot on a CPR. Another case of IMDB.com being wrong.

I suppose later Sunn Classics also used the CPR.

Wolper's 'Sandberg's Lincoln' used a CPR with a prototype studio rig.

This was the first major US network show shot on 16mm color neg by a union crew used to BNCRs and Panaflexes. It was tested against and chosen over NPR and Arri 16BL.

---LV

Damn. I gotta double check the posting dates.

Edited May 18, 2006 by Leo A Vale