Buying 16mm film

[connor denning]

What would be a good place to buy short ends in large quantities, at a good price, perhaps locally.

Also I've some digital restoration on new super8 footage, it included sharpening, But It didn't have the artificial look I'm used to seeing with that kinda stuff. I'd like to do it with 16mm.

 

Here it is done with avisynth.

 

 

Thanks

 

[Tyler Purcell]

Depends on where you live. I thought Los Angeles was crack city. :shrug:

[connor denning]

Depends on where you live. I thought Los Angeles was crack city. :shrug:

Oh I ment to say, Colorado.

Edited March 30, 2016 by connor denning

[Tyler Purcell]

Well, http://www.reelgoodfilm.com/ is one shop. However, their inventory changes day by day, so don't call until you actually need the stuff and are ready to buy.

 

May I ask if you plan on shooting negative or positive? Color or black and white?

[connor denning]

Well, http://www.reelgoodfilm.com/ is one shop. However, their inventory changes day by day, so don't call until you actually need the stuff and are ready to buy.

 

May I ask if you plan on shooting negative or positive? Color or black and white?

I plan on shooting what ever I can do the cheapest really. Though if you could compare negative (same as reversal right?) and possitive, I will likely shot half in balk and white.

[Aapo Lettinen]

Color negative is probably the way to go, or b/w negative because they are most likely available at reasonable prices. Color negative and color reversal are totally different film stocks and processes. Most black and white reversal films can only be developed as reversal but most black/white negative films can be developed both negative or reversal if you want. I would look for negative films anyway unless you specifically need the film only for projector use and you are not planning to scan it at all

[Tyler Purcell]

I plan on shooting what ever I can do the cheapest really. Though if you could compare negative (same as reversal right?) and possitive, I will likely shot half in balk and white.

Color negative is color negative and reversal is positive.

[connor denning]

both are transparent developed, right? And for best quality I should develop negative as negative correct?

[connor denning]

Is it feasible to make B&W film? Assume I will get the sprockets right. I referring to getting the chemical compositions right. Has anyone here ever made there own photographic film or movie film?

[Aapo Lettinen]

I saw somewhere an example of this kind of stuff a while ago (maybe 10 years ago or so) . Of course you can get clear film (just get perforated base material so that you don't have to mechanically engineer a feasible perforating machine) and coat it by yourself. The coating process is actually the most difficult part, not the chemical compositions.

And the gelatin is very difficult to get to stick to the film surface so that it would not peel away when it dries.

 

probably it will cost a lot more than buying factory made film, but can be done if you have enough time, know how and equipment

[Aapo Lettinen]

there is someone's test setup https://www.flickr.com/photos/dark_orange/sets/72157603226919391/

[Heikki Repo]

Connor,

 

making film is complicated and can be expensive. It is possible, but not really for motion picture film uses. There are too many precision requiring steps.

 

If you want to achieve nice looking footage relatively cheap, just buy modern color negative film for 16mm camera and buy process+scan package for it. Processing costs money, but can be still relatively cheap (like $0.4/ft., including good quality HD telecine).

 

By going DIY route you won't get the results you asked for in the first post. Period. Manufacturing color film at home is not possible. If some sort of black and white film with its own home brew characteristics (it won't be perfect, it'll have its flaws) is enough, sure, you can dedicate years of your life to this endeavor. You'll need solid knowledge of both electronics and chemistry and you have to be comfortable with designing machines and sourcing parts for them and then building things with your own hands using different tools. In five years you might have some sort of film manufactured, then you'll have to find a way to get it slit and perforated with good enough perforations in order for it to run well in your camera and give you stable image.

 

If your passion is making films and not engineering/chemistry, I strongly suggest just buying a K3 and some film for it. Shoot it, process it, telecine it and then decide what you'll want to do next.

[Heikki Repo]

Correction to the earlier message -- when I mentioned Connor's first post, I was referring to this: http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=70893&p=451962

Edited April 1, 2016 by Heikki Repo

[connor denning]

how much would I have to pay for to get 1000ft of film, it dosen't have to be in one roll, short ends are fine.

[Brian Drysdale]

You can't buy 1000ft rolls of 16mm, only 35mm/

[connor denning]

You can't buy 1000ft rolls of 16mm, only 35mm/

I know. I'm talking about 1000ft's worth of film, I just want to know the cost of that much film in any number of rolls.

[Giray Izcan]

175 or so per 400ft, which is 11 mins. So 525 dollars is for 1200 ft of film.

[Bill DiPietra]

Kodak Motion Picture Catalog

[connor denning]

Kodak Motion Picture Catalog

 

175 or so per 400ft, which is 11 mins. So 525 dollars is for 1200 ft of film.

Buy short ends or expired stock is the only option.

Edited April 4, 2016 by connor denning

[Tyler Purcell]

Buy short ends or expired stock is the only option.

Stock is actually one of the cheaper things because you can get expired stock on ebay. The problem is processing and as I've mentioned before, how are people going to watch it? You can't project color negative and you clearly are looking for low-cost solutions for things, so you can't make a telecine machine yourself out of a projector without making a print first, which is costly in of itself.

 

Just trying to figure out your game plan.

[connor denning]

Stock is actually one of the cheaper things because you can get expired stock on ebay. The problem is processing and as I've mentioned before, how are people going to watch it? You can't project color negative and you clearly are looking for low-cost solutions for things, so you can't make a telecine machine yourself out of a projector without making a print first, which is costly in of itself.

 

Just trying to figure out your game plan.

why can't I just develop it and scan it why make a print?

[Tyler Purcell]

why can't I just develop it and scan it why make a print?

I mean, you're penny pinching stock cost. Processing at it's absolute best rate is .12/foot and scanning is around .45/foot depending on the resolution. So your 1000ft of film will run you $570 at absolute best + drive cost and a few other fee's. So you're looking at close to a grand per 1000ft (stock+processing+scan)

[connor denning]

I mean, you're penny pinching stock cost. Processing at it's absolute best rate is .12/foot and scanning is around .45/foot depending on the resolution. So your 1000ft of film will run you $570 at absolute best + drive cost and a few other fee's. So you're looking at close to a grand per 1000ft (stock+processing+scan)

I do intend to do as much of it my self, at some point I'd like to learn how to process the stock my self. I f some one could put me in the right direction that'd be grate.

[Aapo Lettinen]

I'd be very careful with eBay short ends, they are usually very old and you never know what you'll got and especially how it is stored. the prices are not that good either considering the fact that the film may be completely unusable condition and may even have been x-rayed several times in the worst case.

 

processing b/w negative by yourself is very cost effective, processing b/w reversal still is but not as much. Processing color negative is lots of work and may not be economical at all. and processing color reversal is not economical nowadays because the chemicals are so expensive and have very short shelf life

[Aapo Lettinen]

as Tyler said I would save on processing and scanning and get the stock from a reputable seller. you will only save pennies by buying old ebay cans but you may ruin your entire film