The 16-mm Commercial Film Laboratory

Several years ago J. A. Maurer reported upon the graininess of direct 16-mm prints in comparison with reduction prints from 35-mm negatives. Somewhat earlier he reported upon the status of direct 16-mm sound in comparison with sound optically reduced from 35-mm to 16-mm. The comparisons appeared so favorable to 16-mm that the next step was to put the procedures into commercial use. This paper describes the methods and the machinery used for the purpose. — It was necessary to standardize laboratory and film-handling; all picture printers are of the slow-speed step-contact type, all use the same type of lamp as a light-source. All sound printers are of the optical type; all use the same type of lamp and the same type of ammeter for control. No contact sound printing whatever is used, due to the very serious losses that result from such printing. — It was found that one—and only one—raw-film material should be used for each operation—the material with the best resolving power. Fortunately the material with the best resolving power has the other necessary desirable photographic characteristics. Eastman 5203 was selected as the duplicate negative material. Dupont 605 was chosen for the release print raw stock; Agfa 250 for the original sound negative material. Kodachrome was found to be the best available material for original 16-mm films, not only for color duplicates but also for black-and-white fine-grain release prints as well. — It was necessary also to standardize inspection equipment, especially sound equipment. A film-phonograph of excellent film motion with a 0.4-mil slit image, a noise-free amplifier, and a two-way loud speaker system of the horn and direct-radiator type, with a standard 400-cycle cross-over network, is used for the inspection of 16-mm sound negatives and sound prints that are used for further duplicating (for example, prints used for Kodachrome duplicating). The overall electrical characteristic of the system is similar to that of metal diaphragm systems specified in the “Revised Standard Electrical Characteristics for Two-Way Reproducing Systems in Theaters” issued in 1938 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. For combined print inspection, Bell & Howell utility projectors adapted to connect into the system used for the film-phonograph were found the best commercial compromise. — Uniformity of product is readily obtained; permanent records of each piece of film processed are sufficiently complete to permit the duplication of results long after the details of a particular job are forgotten. With but one variable in each significant step of the process, errors in processing are quickly traced and corrected. Maximum uniformity is achieved simultaneously with maximum output; the methods described are well suited to mass production.

Print ISSN

0097-5834

Published

1943-08

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/J09834