Marking GG for crop?

[Jon O'Brien]

Hi, if you want to shoot on a S-16 modified H16 and crop scanned film to 2.35:1, how would it be best to guide your eye when filming? Is it possible to mark the groundglass with two fine pencil lines delineating the wide aspect ratio, or is there a better way? How is the GG removed?

 

Also, if you later wanted to project some movies shot on reversal stock, is it possible to get a S-16 projector with a modified 2.35:1 gate in it? Thank you.

[Dom Jaeger]

The Bolex ground glass isn't really a removable item, but you can access it by flipping out the prism (with the turret rotated out of the way). You'll see it on the top of the prism. Not sure I'd pencil mark it unless you want those lines there permanently. Also depending on the S16 conversion there may be a condenser optic fitted on top.

 

I used to mark frame lines on SR ground glasses with thin strips of clear tape, lining the edge of the tape up with the desired frame line. To be honest I've never done it to a Bolex. Maybe Jean-Louis has an idea.

[Mark Dunn]

There never was a S16 projector. It's not a projection format. The nearest thing would be a S16 Steenbeck. And two strips of camera tape.

[Jon O'Brien]

Yes, I don't think I will tamper with the groundglass if it's not easily removed and replaced. I think I will leave it alone and try to come up with another solution. Just might have to do it totally using imaginary aspect ratio while filming, checking during rehearsal and using actor's marks for the composition. I also don't want to lower the potential re-sale value of the camera. Regarding the projector, Volker in Germany who is a member here told me that he has a S-16 modified projector and enjoys excellent quality S-16 home cinema. I will email him for advice.

[Doug Palmer]

I once managed to modify a regular 16mm Bolex prism to show 1.85:1, fitting extremely thin wires top and bottom. It's fairly simple partially unscrewing the mask on the top, without disturbing the prism in any way. Then I sandwiched the wires between the mask and the ground glass. When it looks OK in the viewfinder, tighten securely. It's a good idea maybe to have the camera locked on a test card so that you can check that the field of view hasn't changed. And later do a test with film.

But a simpler solution might be to use splicing tape stuck directly on the ground glass, as long as it looks secure.

[Doug Palmer]

There never was a S16 projector. It's not a projection format. The nearest thing would be a S16 Steenbeck. And two strips of camera tape.

I recall I think seeing a S16 projector on ebay some years ago. I would think many projectors could be modified without too much trouble, and a 2.35 mask fitted in the widened gate. The best projectors are ones like the Bolex that have sprocket-rollers not touching the edges of the image.

[Nicholas Kovats]

Jon,

 

While the desired S16 2.35 crop is admirable there is a working alternative called Bolex UltraPan8 2.8 which is essentially a native 2.8 aspect ratio which could then be cropped digitally to 2:35 if need me. It utilizes the full 16mm of Regular 8 stock (unslit) and doubles the run time of a 100ft roll. Edward Nowill in the UK will reperforate acetate 16mm or 35mm into the required 100ft rolls. I shot this on his reperfed V3 200T color negative, e.g.

 

The Bolex DS8 alternative is called Bolex UltraPan8 3.1 and is wider than the Super 16mm frame, .e.g.

 

Cheers!

Edited October 3, 2017 by Nicholas Kovats