A newb with a Processing question

[Jordan Brade]

Hello, My name is Jordan and I'm a yound aspiring movie maker. I'm currently in highschool and I've used video pretty much all my life, however I'm planning to make a feature on film (I know; first time with film, and I decided to make a feature. I'm nuts). I've slowly been learning over the years how film works, but there's still one more question I have: After you go through the developing and processing and do the telecine transfer, do you get your negative footage back? This probably has a really simple answer, but I wanted to make sure that I have a clear understanding of everything. Thank you.

[David Mullen ASC]

After you go through the developing and processing and do the telecine transfer, do you get your negative footage back?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yes, if you ask -- and your lab bill is paid up. But most people keep it stored at the lab through post-production until it is cut for printing, then it stays at the lab for release printing. Eventually it might be shipped to a long-term vault. I have a friend who got back the 35mm negative for our first feature and it's been in his garage most of the time, unfortunately, slowly fading I'm afraid...

 

Proper temp and humidity for storage will help reduce dye fading over time.

[John Pytlak RIP]

Your lab will generally keep and store your original elements during post production. As David mentioned, they are collateral for your unpaid bills too. But once the production is done, the original elements and any protection elements should be moved to long-term storage facilities like Kodak Pro-Tek Media Preservation:

 

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

 

http://www.fpchollywood.com/protek.html

 

It's actually good practice to store valuable protection elements in separate geographic locations to avoid risk of a localized disaster (flood, fire, earthquake) without backup.

[Adam Frisch FSF]

Yes, if you ask -- and your lab bill is paid up.  But most people keep it stored at the lab through post-production until it is cut for printing, then it stays at the lab for release printing. Eventually it might be shipped to a long-term vault.  I have a friend who got back the 35mm negative for our first feature and it's been in his garage most of the time, unfortunately, slowly fading I'm afraid...

 

Proper temp and humidity for storage will help reduce dye fading over time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That's tragic. Couldn't he vault it at some company that specializes in storing film?

[Allen Achterberg]

dude I'd seriousely think about shooting some shorts on film before doing a feature...experience is key especially when you are talking about a feature on film, a lot of money. but that's just me, my cojonas probly not as big as yours.

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

> I know; first time with film, and I decided to make a feature. I'm nuts

 

You are also being dangerously irresponsible with someone else's money. If you really can raise the money to do this, which I doubt you can in practical reality, for God's sake wait to use it.

 

Phil

[Dominic Case]

I've slowly been learning over the years how film works, but there's still one more question I have:

I suspect there are hundreds more questions - there should be.

 

One of them is "how much does film cost?"

 

You (like may others) can probably shoot your first long-form production (please try a 10-minute short first, read other threads that discuss this) for very little money. Talent works for free, crew work for free (to do whatever you don't do yourself), shoot locations with no set building, in your neighborhood so no travelling and accomodation, and you find some other way to support yourself so you don't get paid either. Of course free talent, free crew, you get what you pay for.

 

But you can't get filmstock, processing, telecine transfer etc for free. OR neg cutting and printing etc.(I assuume you are thinking of a film finish, why else would you risk so much on shooting on film?). All these are professional services provided by professional facilities who do have wages, capital costs etc to cover.

 

For example - a rough ballpark figure to buy stock and get it processed (no telecine) might be a dollar a second. For a 100 minute film, hat would be $6,000x shooting ratio. If that's 7:1 - a figure I've seen bandied around, but I think is skimping a bit - you are up for $42,000 (very roughly) plus maybe half as much as that for telecine transfer - that's before you have anything you can use.