Scanning Super 8mm

[Larkin A Seiple]

Hey All,

 

I am shooting a project on Super 8mm. Would love to spend all day in a Telecine. Can only afford a one light, or a very very short time with a colorist.

 

I color correct the majority of my digital work on Apple's Color, RED, DVCPRO, etc. Having done so I know the more information I have the more room I have to maneuver, meaning with RED it gives you a Flat image to then add your own contrast and etc.

 

So I theorize this:

 

Like when I print a film after the Neg cut (can't scan the whole negative only the print) I get a low-con print that I can then bring to a Telecine and have more room to manipulate because there is more information because the image is flatter.

 

Taking that principle.

 

If I get a one light or a simple scan of my Super 8 footage, should I ask the colorist to give me a FLAT and full image, backs being at 20 ire and highlights being at 80ire, so I can then take it to my computer to manipulate?

 

Presumably I can them bring the contrast and saturation back when I do a final pass on my computer in Color?

 

Anyone else been here? or have a better idea? Just trying to find a way to get the most control without relying on spending hundreds of dollars in a Telecine.

 

Appreciate any words of wisdom.

[Justin Lovell]

Yeah, that's doable. You can get a 8 or 10 bit uncompressed file and grade it in post.

I can help you with that and do a flat scan and you can do all your own manipulations on it.

 

Typically I color grade the footage before it gets encoded as a file to get the best base color correction without any chance of digital compression artifacts.

 

www.framediscreet.blogspot.com has a bunch of samples of different stocks and advice over the past few years.