Amateur Photographer & Cinematographer (1933)

Some Extra Uses for 16-mm. Positive Film There are numerous different ways in which i6-mm. positive film can be used, and most of them are well worth considering, as the cost of this film is approximately one-third of the price of reversal, or negative-positive, film. Undoubtedly the most useful way in which this film can be utilised is in the filming of titles, and this is a practice which is becoming extremely popular with many amateur cinema¬ tographers. Of course, the film is slow in comparison with the regular stock ; but this is compensated by its extraordinary latitude, and its clean working qualities during processing. Then again, as the film is very con¬ trasty, the titles when projected reveal that dense black and sparkling white which is so desirable for titles. The film is very useful, when gaugingshort distances or setting up a title board, as a length of two feet or so can easily be loaded in the dark-room, and after being exposed it is only a matter of a few minutes before the resultant pictures can be examined, ft is not necessary to use spools for lengths under two feet. When it happens that a small quantity of film is required to complete a reel, if lighting permits, positive film can be used. The advantage of not having to wait until fifty feet of film is exposed amply repays the short time taken during processing. It is not generally known that prints can be made with most i6-mm. cametas, it being only necessary to remove the lens. The method is as follows : supposing a print is required from some ten feet of negative film — the negative is loaded, emulsion to emulsion, and wound on to a 50-ft. spool, and then run through the camera negative towards lens mount, in front of a 20-watt bulb. Naturally it is necessary to make a trial to find the exposure, but once this is found, all future exposures can easily be made without error. By J. M. DENTON. The process outlined above has great possibility ; for instance, if some shots require lengthening, it is only necessary to make a negative and then print a positive ; then again, titles with a moving background can be made, using some shot which is featured in the particular film. To do this, a negative is first made from the shot and then replaced in the camera — the lens is also replaced. The title to be used must be written in white on a black background. The title is then photographed on the negative, the exposure being on the full side. When the print is made, the wonls will appear black on the moving background, so the print should be made on the thin side. If this is done correctly the words are not smothered with the background. Positive film can be obtained in several different tints, ranging from a yellow to a deep blue, and titles printed faint on this stock give to the picture a dramatic effect ; for instance, bluecoloured titles would be suitable for using in conjunction with night scenes — in fact, some of the scenes themselves might well be printed on film of this shade, if not overdone. Positive film can be developed by the reversal method, or it can be developed as a negative. The re¬ versal method is as follows : the film is first developed until the high-lights W ater foregrounds are always effective in cine work. At the present time when many country roads are flooded, viewpoints can be selected and action subjects produced with greater attractiveness than would be possible if the roads were dry. 133 21