Dan Horstman

Hi Brendan, We at Colorlab can process your B/W Negative film and transfer it to video. We are down in Maryland just outside of Washington, DC. Check out our website www.colorlab.com for more info. Dan Horstman Colorlab

You should take all the unshot film to the lab and have end tests done. This will let you know how much the film has broken down due to age. You will probably want to over expose the film by 1 stop (or more) when you go to shoot it...this will cut down on the grain and burn through the age fog.

I've had one for 3 years and it is a great little camera. You can't shoot sync. And if you thread the loop too tight you'll get base scratches...but once you get used to loading it...it is no problem. Dan Horstman

You could also search the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for footage. Much of this is public domain stuff. You will have to pay to have the copies made, but that should be it. www.archives.gov

Can you post some pictures? Or at least list the type of viewer? If it is a Moviescop viewer it is pretty simple. You should probably attach the rewinds to a table (most have holes or slots on the base that allow you to use a bolt) The rewinds should be about 3 to 4 feet apart. So that you can stand in the middle and easily reach each of the rewinds. The viewer goes in the middle. Put your film (wound to heads out) on the left hand rewind (if you have your film on a core you will need a split reel) Thread the film through the rollers on the viewer and take up on the right hand rewind (you will need an empty reel or another split reel and core) When you wind through the film you should use your hand on the feed reel to create a little bit of drag. Most rewinds have a knob that you can screw in to adjust tension...but in most of old rewinds I have used, this is usually missing or broken...so use your hand on the feed reel. Wind through the film at a fairly steady pace, avoid abrupt starting or stopping so you don't cause damage to the film. And there you go. If you have an old desk or table that you can use just for this, then you might want to cut out a hole in the table, mount a small light and put a peice of white plastic over the hole. This makes it easier to see the image on the film when you are marking it for a cut.

I have the Sekonic L-508 Cine and I love it. It is both spot and incident. I just wish it could read color temp.

I just put it up on Ebay for sale. If you have any questions about the package, I'll be more than happy to answer them. Dan Horstman

I'm pretty sure it was 16mm. I remeber PT Anderson's commentary track on the original DVD...I think he said it was 16mm.

Like if Prince decided he wanted to be a DP?

Shoot a lot of tests. That is my best suggestion. When I shoot cross process (usually old 7250) I over expose by 1/3 to 1/2 stop and have had good results. I have never shot any of the E-6 reversal film...only VNF. As far as what movies to look at for cross process: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Summer of Sam, Three Kings

If you are willing to go smaller, then you can find a 2.5 inch LCD screen on Ebay for about $50. I recently got one and it is perfect for my needs. You'll have to get a battery pack...but you can get one at Radio Shack.

Shoot a clean negative and "mess it up" in post. If you want to establish the look in camera, however, shoot some tests with different filters, try push processing the film (to increase the grain and contrast), try different levels of under-exposure (give you more grain and make thinks more milky looking), or try cross processing color reversal film. With this route shoot tests, then shoot some more tests, and finally shoot some more tests.

You don't have nearly as much lattitude for Reversal films as you do with Negative. On the reversal it is pretty much what you shoot is what you get.

It is the Colorlab just outside DC. Come on by and I'll give you the 5 cent tour of the lab. For image quality the Super 16 is going to be better than the regular 16...more real-estate as you said. Plus you usually will have better lenses for the Super 16. The main reason I recomend Regular 16 for a FIRST feature is that it will allow you to make an Answer Print with Sound for festivals much cheaper than with Super 16. Not a requirement as many will screen on digital video now. With the low grain of the Vision 2 film stocks, making a 35mm 1.85:1 aspect ratio blow up from a Regular 16 frame is now a seriously viable option. (Thank you Kodak!) (My computer is having some problem and it accidently posted the quote before I started writing my response...then wouldn't let me edit the post...I hate you stupid computer from last century)

Welcome to the darkside. Once you start down that path, forever, will it dominate your destiny. If you want another great big budget/low concept action movie that transcends the crappiness you would expect...I highly recommend Bad Boys 2...I am not a Michael Bay fan...but Bad Boys 2 is a very fun movie.

I went to see Snakes On A Plane with the expectation that it was gonna be horrible and I would be laughing at the movie...not along with it. But it turned out I laughed along with it. I was scared that it would be just a one bit/gag/joke movie...but they kept coming up with new stuff to make you laugh or jump or go "oh no don't do that!!!!" That to me is good filmmaking. It also helped that the crowd was way into it. We all had such a great time watching this movie together. Everybody was yelling at the characters, hootin and hollerin, and I think it really added to the enjoyment. I bet I would have a very different oppinion if I saw it on DVD. I give it 4.5 snakes out of 5. (Samuel L. Jackson should have had a fight with the bad dude at the end over a pit of vipers...ending with the bad dude falling into the pit and getting bit so many times he balloons up and explodes like the guy in Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life)

Your stock and processing costs are going to be the same for Regular 16 or Super 16. The drawback to Super 16 is that you will have to do a blow up to 35mm to make a print because the Super 16 image is expanded into the 16mm sound track area. But Super 16 does have a larger image area and therefore should have less grain when it is blown up to 35mm (as opposed to Regular 16) You also can buy a decent Regular 16mm sound sync camera (Eclair ACL, NPR or Arri BL) for around $2000 (or less) on Ebay. You can get a Super 16 converted ACL or NPR for a little more. An Aaton LTR/XTR/A-Minima or Arri SR1/2/3 will cost you quite a bit more. My personal oppinion is to go with Regular 16 for your first feature. You can still compose for 1.85 widescreen and have the lab make your Telecine or Answer Print with a 1.85 matte. With the low grain of the Kodak Vison 2 film stocks it should still look pretty darn good if you decide to blow up to 35mm. But by shooting Regular 16mm you could do a 16mm Answer Print first for sending it out to festivals and then if you get picked up for distribution you can do a 35mm blow up for the theatrical release. If you want some price estimates for your processing and telecine. Send me a PM. Dan @ Colorlab

Over exposure by 1/2 to 1 stop will help to reduce the grain.

At Colorlab we will only charge for setup if it is a very small run (less than 400 feet) otherwise we charge it just like normal.

You should also ask the lab if they give discounts for: Students, Non-profits, PSAs, or bulk discounts for sending a large order in. We give discounts here at Colorlab. Also if you establish a relationship with a lab as a regular customer they may offer you a discount after showing you will be a consistent source of business (we do this as well here at Colorlab) PM me for a price quote.

Just an FYI IN (Internegative) stock is used for making a negative from a reversal original or a positive projection print (for creating a new archival master) DN (Dupe Negative) stock is used for making a negative from an IP (interpositive) element. You can make an IN from an IP...but DN stock is specifically designed for this process and is cheaper. I've seen a lot of people on this site refer to an IN when they really should be saying DN. Dan

Check ebay. Also you might check with B&H Photo and Video. If they don't have it in stock, they may be able to order it.

Thanks for the nice review of our customer service. I'll pass it on to Jake and Kevin. We are ready for your project. Unfortunately I won't be here to see the film when it comes in. I'm moving out to LA to try and sell some scripts the first week in October. But Kevin and Jake will take good care of you. I'll still be checking in here on the boards regularly and trying to answer as many questions as I can...but my profile won't say Industry Rep anymore. Dan

There used to be a copy of the ACL instruction manual in .pdf format online. Do a google search.