American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1963)

16MM FILM AS 16MM . . . 16mm camera film should not be considered “a cut-down version of 35mm.” It has achieved full professional status and best results follow when it is shot as 16mm, with full consideration for its characteristics and its limitations. produced for the low-priced market and could not be compared to the highpriced, well-engineered cameras and other production equipment of the 35mm area. But, this has changed; 16mm cameras and equipment for pro¬ fessional use are now designed and built to professional standards. Also, as the 16mm film business grew, the professional laboratories began to take an interest, and not only adapted their existing facilities for 16mm hut de¬ signed and built machinery and insti¬ tuted procedures specifically for 16mm film handling. All of these, plus other factors, have made 16mm film a pro¬ fessional form, along with 35mm — but with its own characteristics. “16mm is now widely used as the camera film for the production of motion picture films in the school and church field, for business and indus¬ try, for defense plant and military record and instrumentation work, and for other areas in the broad non¬ theatrical film market. From the start of the television broadcast industry in this country, 16mm has been used ex¬ tensively, and today most TV stations are equipped for 16mm prints, rather than 35mm. Some low-budget theatri¬ cal features have been shot in 16mm and blown up to 35mm negative for release printing. Some television shows and commercials have also been shot in 16mm, then blown up to 35mm, in order to satisfy the network require¬ ments for 35mm prints. So, we can pretty well accept the fact that 16mm becomes a true professional medium when utilized properly. “The point we want to make in this discussion: best results are achieved in exposing 16mm film if its differ¬ ences and limitations are understood, and observed in planning production. No one can shoot 16mm successfully as ‘a smaller size 35mm film,’ but very good results can be achieved shooting 16mm as 16mm. “There are available a variety of 16mm film stocks for professional camera use. In 16mm black-and-white there are both negative and reversal¬ positive types in a range of film speeds, and it should be remembered that graininess increases when films with the higher speeds are utilized to over¬ come low light levels. “In 16mm color, a reversal-positive is widely available, with a 16mm color negative available only on special order. The reversal films are divided between daylight and tungsten bal¬ anced emulsions. Here, too, there is a range of film speeds in different stocks, but a lesser range than a black-andwhite. “Now, before we go into some of the specific differences between 16mm and 35mm film stocks, let us empha¬ size that we’re not asserting that either one is ‘the best choice.’ In general, if a certain camera film is available in both 16mm and 35mm, you may logi¬ cally expect a superior picture quality from the 35mm. But, the budget or production requirements may weigh heavily in favor of 16mm — lower cost and lesser footage for the same screen time, easily portable equipment, lower lab costs. With these thoughts in mind, let’s go into the differences: “First, size. The significant item is not so much the 16mm width com¬ pared to 35mm, hut the size of the picture frame. The 16mm frame is approximately one-sixth the 35mm frame area. You expose for 1/6 the picture size, not 16/35ths. “Second, speed of film movement: 35mm and 16mm are both shot at 24 frames per second for sound, but 35mm moves at 90 feet per minute through the camera or projector, com¬ pared to the 16mm speed of 36 feet per minute. This lineal speed has a Continued on Next Page EXCELLENT PHOTOGRAPHIC results usually are achieved with 16mm film when the cinematographer is fully experienced in 16mm, knows the limits of the film he is working with, and has learned to stretch those limits under certain circumstances. (Atomics International photo.) 71 1 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER, DECEMBER, 1963