64T Cross-Processed Stills

[Justin Lovell]

Just did some testing shooting some bboying some super 8 ektachrome 64T and cross-processed it Niagara Custom Lab. Very interesting color palate and makes the grain even grittier. Super cool, definitely has a specific look to it. Works well for the breakin' footage I shot!

 

Samples show:

 

1.over/under exposure +2,+1,N,-1,-2

2. Uncorrected without the 85 filter

 

Hope this information helps someone!

 

www.framediscreet.blogspot.com

[Ben Reed]

Hello Justin,

 

The samples look great. I was just wondering what process was used?

 

Also a few questions about cross-processing; do most labs do it on request? Is there an extra charge? and lastly, in general is it risky?

 

Sorry for the barrage of questions (i am a newbie to shooting on film!). I just thought I'd say your blog is a great educational tool for inexperienced film-makers making decisions on which film stocks to use.

 

Also I just posted a question on the blog which I might aswell post it here too; it's about the transfer of 'the national' video; Can I just ask what this was telecined onto? and what camera was used?

 

Cheers,

 

Ben

[Mat Fleming]

Thanks so much for posting these I was searching all over for stills like this last week before I shot

a film on Sunday which I intended Xprocessing. IN the end I exposed normal with the idea That I'll test

C41 and retreat to E6 if a clip didn't come out alright. looks like I might need to push process too!

 

Anyway thanks. I have high hopes now. Will post stills when I have some.

 

Mat

[Justin Lovell]

I think most labs can do a cross-process. I just do it with sebastjan at Niagara Custom Lab..

 

Some labs charge more, I don't think NCL charges more, if they do, its minimal.

 

It's always risky, but I've been happy with the results. Gets more contrasty so it helps to nail your exposure. The transfer can make it look really cool, or really cruddy. I've found that if I try to 'save' the image and bring it back to a normal color palate it looks horrible. Its better off letting it be warmer and saturated.. just embrace to wonkyness of the colours.

 

"The national" was transferred in my studio @ frame discreet. I'm using a modified DV8 Sniper from Movie stuff. Swapped out some components, upgraded others changed the camera and added in an upsampling color corrector to get some real control during the xfer. If you're ever in Toronto come drop in and check out the setup.

[Mat Fleming]

The grain in the samples is really contrasty. How does it look when it's moving? is it totally over the top in that it distracts from what's going on or is it acceptable in your opinion? I know these things are completely subjective though.

 

Thanks

[Justin Lovell]

I think it's really gives a gritty raw feeling to the action. I definitely would not consider it too distracting. Its not like video gain/grain.

 

The key is that this grain 'makes up' the image, it doesn't overlay the image.

[Mat Fleming]

Edit - [Hope this isn't hijacking the thread, I thought it might be nice to keep these xprocessing examples together for the next person who looks.]

 

I processed my film. If anyone finds it useful you can see some frames scanned here:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8425161@N02/2471222577/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8425161@N02/2471389441/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8425161@N02/2471924659/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8425161@N02/2471924957/

 

I guess scanning them on a flatbed gives an unrealistically high bit depth but I think you get the idea.

I dont know why I got such different results re exposure. I think the blix found it difficult to cope

with MP lengths it left the base pretty brown.

All in all though, I'm pretty pleased with the results so far, can't wait to see the results moving.

 

cheers

 

Mat

Edited May 7, 2008 by Mat Fleming