Film Processing and Types: A Comprehensive Look
Film Processing: From Shooting to Screening
In traditional filmmaking, the film processing journey can be summarized in the following phases:
Revelations and Visions
The exposed film is labeled and classified. It is then sent to the laboratory sealed in cans after each day. Here, it is developed and printed, allowing for the viewing of unedited footage. This is known as “dailies” or “daily rushes.” Today, it is common to perform a telecine (electronic scanning) and then view a video copy, as editing is usually done on a computer.
Positives
Once the roll (or rolls) of film is finished shooting, it is developed. After verifying its validity, color matching and positive printing are performed. Different methods are used for creating positives, the most common being contact printing. In this method, the original negative and raw positive film are placed in contact, emulsion to emulsion. Contact printing produces a 1:1 transfer of the image size, and the positive image is a mirror image of the original.
Editing
The editor receives the dailies on film or video and assembles the film using a Moviola. Modern productions often use nonlinear editing systems, such as Avid Film Composer. Traditionally, the laboratory was required for various optical effects of varying complexity (fades, dissolves, blurs, etc.). These were created using optical printers (also known as optical copiers). Nowadays, it is customary to create these effects digitally, even when the film is not following a digital workflow.
Negative Cutting
Once edited, the copy of the film is returned to the lab for negative cutting. During this process, each scene is individually color-timed. Signal points are identified to indicate to the printer where each scene change will occur, and therefore, each change in grading. The negatives are then spliced together, following the editor’s instructions.
First Copy and Duplication
Before printing, the cut negative is cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaning machine to remove traces of dust and dirt. After all the effects are added, the first copy is created. The grading of this first copy is used to produce the interpositive, also called IP or master positive. Once the producer approves the first copy, the interpositive is made. From the interpositive, several duplicate negatives are made (called internegatives). Copies for exhibition are printed from these internegatives.
Regarding sound, traditional methods of recording, mixing, and playback have largely been replaced by digital technology. This offers significant improvements in quality and creative flexibility. In addition to conventional analog photographic soundtracks, most 35mm screening copies use one or more types of digital sound to enhance the cinematic experience. Commercial film labs and audio post-production houses are equipped with recorders to create the type of soundtracks requested by the producer for distribution.
Types of Cinematic Films
There are two main categories of films: those used directly in the camera and those used in the laboratory. Both are available in color and black and white.
Camera Films
These are used in film cameras to capture the original image. There are two types:
- Negative Film: Produces a reversal of colors and shades, requiring printing or other transfer for final display.
- Reversal Film: Produces a positive image directly on the original camera film. The original can be projected and viewed without going through a printing process. Reversal films have higher contrast than camera negative films.
All camera films are manufactured with marginal numbers (outside the perforations) called “footage,” which is a sequential numbering for each foot. This is useful when editing and cutting the negative.
A special type of negative film is sound negative film. This is used only at the end of the production process to optically record the sound previously recorded on tape (corresponding to the final mix of the soundtrack).
Laboratory Films
These can be positive films for copying from original negative or reversal films, or for copying from original reversal films. In addition, laboratories and post-production houses use intermediate positive films to produce the intermediate steps needed for special effects and titles. Once the film has been edited, the cut negative can be transferred to positive film. However, this is usually done using intermediate films (internegatives and interpositives) to protect the original material from potential deterioration.
Today, many films are post-produced digitally. The camera negative is scanned to obtain what is called a Digital Intermediate. After editing and special effects work, a negative is created from the digital intermediate using a digital film recorder.