First timer-basic questions

[Guest Julia]

I know very little about all the words and terms used to describe film stocks, such as the difference between reversal and negative, and why one would use one as opposed to the other. Can someone perhaps write an index of terms and what they mean in laymans terms? Thanks!

[Dimitrios Koukas]

I know very little about all the words and terms used to describe film stocks, such as the difference between reversal and negative, and why one would use one as opposed to the other. Can someone perhaps write an index of terms and what they mean in laymans terms? Thanks!

 

julia,

I do not want to get into the details right now,

Just the basics:

Reversal is a type of film that while is beeing proccesed (developed) it will give you a positive result.

Wich means that u can project it right away and see the results.example: all colours will have their ''physical'' appearance if you see it under light.

Negative stocks, give you a negative result, wich means that in B+W negative you will have white as black and black as white, while all the mid tones of grey apear negatively.darkest tones means whiter tones ,e.t.c.

In a colour negative, you will see the opposite colours of what u have filmed.

example: reds will look cyan, green will look magenta and blues will look yellow/orange.

 

With the reversal stocks there is nothing you can do if you want to colour correct scenes to match eachother, unless u will do an internegative out of this and then do the corrections on the new negative.

Negative stocks are more flexible in terms of lighting and colour handling, cause you can colour correct them or reduce the brightness for the final copy that will go to the theaters, minimizing loss in quality.

Reversals have a short straight line on their curve, and usually this line is more vertical than a one from a negative stock.

In other words reversal stocks are ones of a harder contrast, while negs have a bigger straight line that will give you more flexibility, regarding the final result.And better options considering contrast.

 

Dimitrios Koukas

[Mike Lary]

I know very little about all the words and terms used to describe film stocks, such as the difference between reversal and negative, and why one would use one as opposed to the other. Can someone perhaps write an index of terms and what they mean in laymans terms? Thanks!

Why ask someone to make you an index when they already exist? Here's the very first thing that comes up in a Google search for "index of filmmaking terms":

http://homepage.newschool.edu/~schlemoj/fi...s/glossary.html

Or, you could read the FAQs on this very site:

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...?showtopic=8069