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Doing proper 35mm cement splices


GeorgeSelinsky

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I've decided to take the bold step and match my 35mm negative myself.

 

I don't have ten grand to spend on a negative matcher, furthermore the negative matchers I spoke with are pissed at me for not including keycode in my transfers and are talking about all these labor fees. There's really nothing so hard about this process in my opinion, so long as I keep a solid database. Just to be safe I intend to transfer my film to video before doing a print, adjusting my sound accordingly.

 

I used to cement splice my own 16mm, but that was just reversal direct projection stuff. How do I make a proper negative cement splice on 35mm, and what equipment is best recommended for this (available for rent)? The biggest paranoia holding me back from doing my negative matching is not making a strong or clean enough cement splice, and having it come apart in the printing. Does anyone have any helpful advice that I can follow, or place I can learn?

 

Also, are there standard optical layout sheets for all labs or does each lab follow its own rules? I know that some labs have specific fades/dissolves they do.

 

Thanks for all of your advice and help in advance,

 

- George.

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There's really nothing so hard about this process in my opinion
Let's hope you will stand by this opinion when you've finished.

 

It's not clear to me how you intend to match the negative if you don't have a keykode reference. Remember that you will be handling original negative. The images are not so easy to recognise as reversal images; and any dirt or handling marks you get on the negative will show up as white marks on your print. That's much worse than the black marks that you would have got handling your reversal material.

 

If you are determined, you need a good splicer. Older ones with any wear or play in the pivots may result in inaccurately pitched splices which will jump on the printer however strongly you make the joins.

 

Practice lots of splices first. You must scrape all the emulsion off before making the join, but avoid scraping too much of the base itself. When you have made a join, hold the film a few frames either side of the join and bend it into a curve. The film should form a smooth shape and not buckle at all at the splice. Then twist it a little: if the join is weak, this will make it start to come apart.

 

You need enough cement to completely cover the scraped area, but not too much or it will spread into the image. Examine your practice splices to see if you can see any gaps in the weld or any splurges of excess cement.

 

Get to be good enough so that you can paint the cement on and join the two pieces of film in one movement - any delay will weaken the splice.

 

Neg cutters in the USA often don't make the splices themselves: they cut the neg on the correct frame, but send it to a lab for splicing. You might want to consider doing that - or finding a neg matcher who will splice for you: most of the labour cost that you are trying to avoid paying for will be to locate the right shots and cut on the right frame. If you want to take responsibility for that (with your non-existent keykodes and solid database), it might pay you to go to an expert to do the bit you are (rightly) worried about.

 

But personally, I'd be worried about the whole job.

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It's not clear to me how you intend to match the negative if you don't have a keykode reference.

 

I just use burn in timecode, which I burned in visually after I digitized all my video (and made sure I didn't drop any frames). I can verify my transfers this way too, if my sequence is consistent with the timecode numbers. If the split fields fall on, say, every 2/3 and 7/8, I know that the telecine was run uninterrupted throughout. Then, if a cut falls on a split field, I have to remember to alternate, +1 frame, -1 frame, so that I stay in sync. The way I probably will do it is match my negative, then get a corrected transfer done, and from that check my sound.

 

What I don't understand is that there was a time in video matchback before keycode existed. Negative matchers managed, somehow, to produce cut lists. I know this because I've spoken to people who've gotten it done for their films (unfortunately I never found out who their cutter was). Now for some reason the cutters all seem to want key code or no job.

 

Unfortunately, one lab person told me that keycode is a "waste of money" and "isn't always accurate". I thought that since he was in the business for 40 years he knew what he was talking about, and I did want to save money on the job, so I took that into account together with the fact that others have managed to get cut lists made w/o keycodes of any kind.

 

Anyway, I used to process my own movie film (including color) so I'm sure with the proper practice I can handle hot splicing. It's just a question of "how to". Thanks Dom for your input, it was very helpful!

 

- G.

Edited by GeorgeSelinsky
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AttilaSkojan.jpg

 

Here is an example of my burn in time code, which I designed. It conveniently sits in the letterbox area.

 

Left to right, the 01.17.03.03 means that the dailies were transferred on 1/17/03 (which is the tape number), and that this is transfer flat 3. The timecode is 00:00:47:29 (non drop frame), and the frame count is 01439.

 

Each flat has its own number, and the timecode begins at the first frame of picture. There is a black punch at the head and tail of the film.

 

- G.

Edited by GeorgeSelinsky
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AttilaSkojan.jpg

 

Here is an example of my burn in time code, which I designed. It conveniently sits in the letterbox area.

 

Left to right, the 01.17.03.03 means that the dailies were transferred on 1/17/03 (which is the tape number), and that this is transfer flat 3. The timecode is 00:00:47:29 (non drop frame), and the frame count is 01439.

 

Each flat has its own number, and the timecode begins at the first frame of picture. There is a black punch at the head and tail of the film.

 

- G.

 

 

Wouldn't it be easier for cutting negatives to base some part of your timecode on the factory edgecode on your film?

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Wouldn't it be easier for cutting negatives to base some part of your timecode on the factory edgecode on your film?

 

If you know what that edgecode is in advance of course. When it comes time to create the actual cut list from the time code, I will take each flat and check where the camera rolls begin, then use a formula to calculate the correct edge number for the timecode. It's more manual labor of course, but a few cents extra per foot for keycode adds up.

 

- G.

Edited by GeorgeSelinsky
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