Reverse filming

[saschmeling]

Could someone please tell me what is the purpose of running a camera in reverse? Is this done as a special effect or is it just used when trying to double expose a frame?

 

Thanks

[David Mullen ASC]

Both reasons, for reverse-action photography and for double-exposures.

[Michael Nash]

Running the camera in reverse is essential when you need action to take place in reverse AND you're making a traditonal contact print from the negative. Otherwise, getting footage to run backwards requires generational loss, or else transfer to a digital format and back.

 

I had to AC a reverse-run shot once with the Arri 535, and was sweating bullets trying to make sure I first forwarded the camera the desired number of feet, noted the footage count of the last take, making sure we didn't go past that on the reverse run, and lastly remembering to forward the film again past the "beginning" of the reversed shot. All came out fine, but the chance of accidental double-exposure would have meant the loss of TWO shots...

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

Flip the camera over, compose accordingly and physically end-to-end the film during the neg cut?

 

Phil

[Michael Nash]

Flip the camera over, compose accordingly and physically end-to-end the film during the neg cut?

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You can do that with standard 16mm, but not Academy-centered 35mm. There the image is offset horizontally to leave room for the soundtrack on one side. Flipping the negative would result in an offset image and overlap the soundtrack area.

 

Super 35mm is evenly centered between the sprocket holes, but it's not designed to be contact printed anyway so there's no point in having to flip the neg there. And the image in Super 16mm is also horizontally offest, so you're not going to contact print that either.

 

Flipping the neg also messes up the edge numbering, but I suppose a negative cutter could work around that.

[Guest Alex Taylor]

The first thing that comes to mind when you mention running the film backwards is Wally Pfister's work in "Memento." The first scene was shot backwards to initially sell the idea of the entire movie running in a backwards structure. I think the main reason they did it was to create a more surreal look than what you would achieve with reversing in post-production. The commentary for that scene is fascinating - I believe there's even a featurette about it on the DVD - it seems incredibly complicated but looked fantastic.

Edited December 21, 2004 by Alex Taylor