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Best Lab in Los Angeles for processing motion picture


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Hello, I am an independent producer and director. I've been working on a feature-length film in 16mm. We shot in Canada and San Francisco and are now here for a week of production. I am looking to develop around 6K feet of 16mm and I am having trouble sifting through the myriad of labs in LA all of whom seem legitimate but none are standing out. Does anyone know of a lab that stands out? I am looking for development of negative and a telecine. I would appreciate anyone's advice.

 

all the best!

Jackson

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Hello, I am an independent producer and director. I've been working on a feature-length film in 16mm. We shot in Canada and San Francisco and are now here for a week of production. I am looking to develop around 6K feet of 16mm and I am having trouble sifting through the myriad of labs in LA all of whom seem legitimate but none are standing out. Does anyone know of a lab that stands out? I am looking for development of negative and a telecine. I would appreciate anyone's advice.

 

all the best!

Jackson

 

 

I have always been pleased with Fotokem for color negative. However, I don't think do do reversal or cross processing.

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Fotokem is the only lab I've delt with in LA, but I have to say they are top notch. You can drop film off at the lab 24 hours a day, processing is usually done in 24 hours. I'm sure it helped that I started as a student, but they have been great extending student rates to me past college to ensure I am still able to shoot on film for personal projects.

 

Transfer is a whole other game...

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I've used Spectra and liked the results. They're nice to deal with, too.

 

Spectra are really inexpensive on their rate card/website. Was 13 cents/foot for 16/35 colour neg. I'm guessing they don't move much when negotiating for a feature. Is there any downside to using them? I think they batch process but that might be for stock other than colour neg. Looks like a great place for indies/microbudget folk committed to film.

 

In New Zealand we had two labs at NZ 45 cents/foot (US 34 cents/foot). One just closed. LA looks good. I talked to an indian film maker the other day and tried to find out how to guage costs in India. Very difficult for a white European to get a straight answer. Normally someone inserts themselves between you and the labs and negotiates a good rate for a commission. I can't help wondering, if you turned up at the labs looking like a veteran hippie Euro-expat holding an Arri ST what rate you might get.

 

Gregg.

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