3-Perforation Negative

[james layton]

Can anyone tell me the titles of a few feature films or other productions that shot 3-perf neg? I can't find any titles on the internet.

[Rob Vogt]

"Doubt," and "The Reader"

[David Mullen ASC]

"Aviator", "Where the Wild Things Are", "Bright Star", "The Baader Meinhof Complex", "Milk", 35mm portions of "Slumdog Millionaire", "W"... you can read the end of the feature articles in "American Cinematographer" and get the format specs.

[james layton]

Thanks Rob and David. Are there any good examples from the late-80s when 3-perf was first launched?

[Stephen Williams]

Thanks Rob and David. Are there any good examples from the late-80s when 3-perf was first launched?

 

As films were finished photochemically there was no advantage in shooting 3 perf for the big screen. It was mainly used unless for a TV finish.

What is the real reason you are asking the question?

[David Mullen ASC]

I gave ARRI some historical info on 3-perf -- here's some of that:

 

http://archiv.arri.de/entry/newsletter.htm

 

For more information about 3 perf and a historical perspective,

here are some articles (Thanks to David Mullen, a Cinematographer

from LA, for sharing his research):

 

In the Sept. 1973 issue of the SMPTE Journal, pg. 742, is an article titled "A Universal Format for Film Production" by Bernstein, Wysotsky, and Konoplev. It is a translated reprint of an article in Tekhnika i Kino Televideniya of January1973. It recommends shooting in 3-perf full-aperture as a way of generating either 1.85, 2.35 anamorphic, or 4:3 TV versions from the same negative.

 

In the March 1975 American Cinematographer magazine is an article by Kenn Davis proposing a new lens system with a 25% anamorphic squeeze, in order to get a 1.85:1 image onto a regular 16mm frame, and a 2.35:1 image onto a 3 perf 35mm frame. He then goes on to explain other advantages of a 3 perf system, including for 1.85 production.

 

In the June 1976 American Cinematographer magazine is an article by Miklos Lente, proposing a 3 perf format called "Trilent-35". It used the Academy width but the 3-perf height.

 

In the July 1986 American Cinematographer magazine is an article by Rune Ericson titled "3-Perf in the Future".

 

In the February 1998 issue of "International Photographer", Vittorio Storaro proposed his "Univision" 3 perf Super35 format.

---

 

Bottom line is that until D.I.'s became popular, the cost savings of 3-perf were offset by the optical printing costs of blowing up the footage to 4-perf for release printing, though that's how most of Storaro's Univisium films were completed until recently. I believe that the German film "Downfall" was also shot in 3-perf and blown-up optically to 4-perf for release prints rather than go through a D.I.

[Leo Anthony Vale]

Bottom line is that until D.I.'s became popular, the cost savings of 3-perf were offset by the optical printing costs of blowing up the footage to 4-perf for release printing, though that's how most of Storaro's Univisium films were completed until recently. I believe that the German film "Downfall" was also shot in 3-perf and blown-up optically to 4-perf for release prints rather than go through a D.I.

 

If you search through mid50s ACs, you'll find an article advocating a 1.66/1 3-perf system.

It's been so long since I read the article, I'm thinking it also recommended 3-perf projection.

Thus it would still use contact printing.

[David Mullen ASC]

If you search through mid50s ACs, you'll find an article advocating a 1.66/1 3-perf system.

It's been so long since I read the article, I'm thinking it also recommended 3-perf projection.

Thus it would still use contact printing.

 

I've read the 50's era of American Cinematographer issues a number of times, gathering articles for The American Widescreen Museum, and don't recall such an article, but I'll keep my eyes out for it the next time I'm flipping through those volumes at the library. I do recall a 1930 article suggesting 2-perf and it may have mentioned 3-perf as well.