technicolor monopack

[Filip Plesha]

I've read some old documents on-line from 30's in which some people from technicolor are mentioning that a monopack technicolor fimstock was in development at that time, did anything come out of it?

[David Mullen ASC]

I've read some old documents on-line from 30's in which some people from technicolor are mentioning that a monopack technicolor fimstock was in development at that time, did anything come out of it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

There was a Technicolor Monopack system used but it was just Commercial Kodachrome, a lower-contrast Kodachrome film from Kodak. It was used for the documentary "Memphis Belle", as well as exteriors for "Lassie Come Home" and "Thunderhead, Son of Flicka". By most accounts, the results were inferior to 3-strip originals, too contrasty.

 

Technicolor was working on their own monopack formula different from Kodachrome but gave up when Kodak invented Eastmancolor negative, released in 1950.

[Filip Plesha]

Thank you

 

one more question..

 

I have allso read that Technicolor used some kind of modified procedure

in processing eastmancolor films for their technirama films to make the negatives sharper, some kind of chemical edge enhancement or something. I think It had to do something with different bleaching. Can you clarify this if you know what it is about? If you don't know what I am talking about, I'll try to find the original text to quote it, so perhapse it will be more clear.

 

By the way, was it usual for labs to alter the ECN process or process chemistry, or is this some isolated case? (not counting ENR and other popular processes, since it is done on demand)

[David Mullen ASC]

I suppose it's possible but I have never heard that story -- you'd think any edge sharpening through processing would also make the image grainier.

 

When Eastmancolor was introduced and various studio labs started developing it, I believe Kodak was very strict that they had to follow their processing guidelines or else they couldn't say it was an Eastmancolor movie, hence names like "Color by Deluxe" or "Metrocolor" for awhile. But that was less because they weren't following Eastmancolor processing instructions but that they were mixing some non-Kodak products into the system.

 

Technicolor made reductions from 8-perf VistaVision and Technirama to 4-perf dye transfer prints that looked pretty sharp because of the higher contrast of the process.

[John Pytlak RIP]

Labs could use either a Dichromate Bleach (KODAK SR-4a) or Ferricyanide Bleach (KODAK SR-9) in the old 70F degree temperature ECN process. Dichromate bleach had more of a "tanning" effect on the gelatin emulsion, such that a slight physical "relief image" was formed on the surface corresponding to the image density. In a specular optical system (e.g., dry optical printer), this relief image did offer slight enhancement of edges and an apparent increase in sharpness.

 

Kodak's on-line Chronology of Motion Picture Films shows the films that could be used for "monopack" origination in the 1940's and early 1950's:

 

http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/...t/chrono2.shtml

 

1942: KODACHROME Professional Film, Type 5267.

 

1946: KODACHROME Commercial camera film, 5268. (16mm). Replaced 5262. Replaced by 7255 in 1958.

 

AFAIK, the famous Disney "True Life Adventure" nature series (e.g., "The Living Desert") of Technicolor featurettes was often shot on Kodak reversal film, with dye transfer release prints.

[Filip Plesha]

Labs could use either a Dichromate Bleach (KODAK SR-4a) or Ferricyanide Bleach (KODAK SR-9) in the old 70F degree temperature ECN process.  Dichromate bleach had more of a "tanning" effect on the gelatin emulsion, such that a slight physical "relief image" was formed on the surface corresponding to the image density.  In a specular optical system (e.g., dry optical printer), this relief image did offer slight enhancement of edges and an apparent increase in sharpness.

 

That sounds like what I have read, thank you

 

By the way, David...

 

are you saying that in the 50's, when It said "color by eastmancolor" it ment that

the process was done strictly following Kodak specifications, and if

it was "color by deluxe" or "color by technicolor" there would be some improvisations?

 

I always thought that "color by..." was just an advert for the lab and that it ment nothing for the actual image