Lighting for Blow-up S-16 to 35mm

[Uwe Pfizenmaier]

Hey everybody!

I´m shooting a short film on S-16 soon, which is gonna be blown up to 35mm (the optical printing process). Any advise or ideas other than keeping the light contrasty to distract from the boosted graininess? Unfortunately I can´t think of anything else... Do you?

Thanks for the input! All best! -Uwe

[timHealy]

If you haven't already, talk to the lab you will be getting your work done. See what they recommend.

 

Then perhaps shoot a test before you do the whole film. And have the test blown up to 35. It will be worth the time and small investment to make sure you are going to like what your going to get.

 

I would also prefer to use slowest speed film you can get away with, and overexpose say two thirds of a stop to get a good negative. But it will depend on what you'll be doing in terms of look and the subject matter. Maybe big ass grain will be preferable to the content of the film.

 

Best

 

Tim

[Dominic Case]

Over-expose by about a stop, to ensure that blacks will print black, not grey. That is a sure way to minimise graininess.

 

In dark scenes, be sure to include a highlight somewhere: back or rim lighting works well: the eye is looking for strong, sharp shapes in any image; if it's all gloomy, it peers into the gloom and the sharpest thing it finds is grain.

 

For the same reason, be absolutely accurate in your focus. If (as is likely) you are overexposing, on slow stock for finer grain, and with a limited lighting budget, you will not have a lot of depth of field. Make sure your subject is spot on the mark, and light them well (as above).

 

Use the best lenses you can get hold of. (Well, that's a universal need of course, but anything that compromises image sharpness here is more critical).

 

As Tim (heel_e) said, talk to your lab first, and ask for a blow-up test.

[Dimitrios Koukas]

Hey everybody!

I´m shooting a short film on S-16 soon, which is gonna be blown up to 35mm (the optical printing process). Any advise or ideas other than keeping the light contrasty to distract from the boosted graininess? Unfortunately I can´t think of anything else... Do you?

Thanks for the input! All best! -Uwe

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

both replies will get you there,

Print a test and overexpose.Also go for a screenning, you will also notice how much of your actuall frame you will loose,(some facilities have not so accurate gates, so you might loose some of your frame in the procedure.Use a test chart with the format you will going for, let's say if it's 1:85 shoot some 1:85 lines.

Dimitrios Koukas

Edited September 12, 2005 by Dimitrios Koukas