Cinema Canada (Apr-May 1974)

TECHNICAL NEWS Super 8 Lab Service Following up last issue’s report on the Super 8 Sound System, I began to wonder what kind of lab services were available for the professional or budding professional Super 8 filmmaker, for the greatest remaining drawback to Super 8 production has been the lack of comprehensive post-production services. By phone, I discovered that many labs offer basic services, including processing of Ektachrome stocks and contact printing for duplication. But after that, when we become interested in optical effects like fades and dissolves, A-B Roll printing, timing and colour correction, internegatives for repeat printing, title superimposition, freeze frames, skip frames and all those other goodies that make a film look far better if used properly, it becomes difficult to find a lab to help you out. But I did find one. Bellevue-Pathé Ltd. under the direction of Murray Fallin, has hand-built equipment that can accomplish all these effects and more. A talk with Mr. Fallin is probably one of the best ways to determine just how worthwhile Super 8 filmmaking can be, since he seems to be the one person who can offer all necessary services. Perhaps the most interesting thing he told me is that it isn’t necessary to get involved in A-B roll printing at all to produce duplicates of your film that do not show splices or frame lines. If your editing is done with a workprint and the original is properly prepared, with ten extra frames between each shot, five at the end and five at the start of the next, then the optical printer can be set to “skip print’’ over these splice areas, and the resuli is a print without those annoying lines. Internegatives, masters and prints are standard procedures, and other available effects include cropping, double or multi-frame printing, conversion from 18 to 24 F.P.S., reverse sections, split screen and pans. Under auxiliary Super 8 services are listed magnetic sound striping, sound transfers, and edge numbered leader, Pathé has the No-En process and cartridge loading facilities for Technicolour Cartridges, Kodak Super 8 Cassettes, and Fairchild Cartridges. The No-En treatment, especially valuable for Super 8 cartridges and for any continuous-run film, treats the film to resist friction and conditions it to retain flexibility. Vacuumate is a 20 Cinema Canada vapour-in-film process to treat and lubricate a print for longer life. If old films are not too badly shrunken and the sprocket holes are in good condition, a Vacuumate treatment can rejuvenate the film for duplication. Unlike surface applications, Vacuumate will not wear off but will last the life of the film. I was unable to find as complete a list of services offered anywhere, so it looks like if you’ve got serious Super 8 filmmaking to do, Pathé is where you ought to be. There is a price list available and a booklet by Mr. Fallin on background material on Super 8 production. Write or call Bellevue-Pathé, 9 Brockhouse Road, Toronto 14, 259-7811. New wireless microphone system from Cinequip The Swintek Mark IV Wireless Microphone System meets the most exacting requirements of the professional cinematographer. Modern design techniques have been used extensively to guarantee the utmost in dependability and quality sound reproduction. The system consists of a receiver, transmitter, and carrying case. The transmitter, about the size of a pack of cigarettes, and weighing only five ounces, can easily be concealed in costumes or placed in a shirt pocket. Microphones may be hand-held or lavalier type. A standard transistor radio battery powers the transmitter and a flexible 18-inch wire serves as the antenna. The receiver provides three simultaneous audio outputs at various levels. A phone jack and volume control are provided for monitoring the audio signal with a headset. A light-emitting diode indicates the transmission is being received. Any number of transmitters may be operated with a single receiver as long as only one transmitter is on at a time. In order to operate simultaneously more than one transmitter, one complete Mark IV system is needed for each channel. Two or more Swintek Mark IV’s in use at the same time must operate on _ slightly different frequencies. According to Don Hall of Cinequip, the Swintek system completely eliminates all the problems previously incurred with wireless microphone systems, as it is impervious to external FM noise and other interference. Further information, including rental and purchase prices are available from Cinequip, 41 Scollard Street, Toronto. (416) 920-5424, or 1382 Main Street, North Vancouver B.C. (604) 980-3022. The amazing reality of colour portable VTR secsssseseeaaitdians aneperenet! Braun Electric of Canada has introduced a complete portable Colour VTR and Camera combination that retails for some $7000. The outstanding quality of the system is matched by its compact size and an automatic assemble edit system that allows simplified shooting and absolutely accurate edits between shots, with no roll-overs. The system means that anyone can videotape 26 minutes on a reel of lowcost 1/4-inch tape on battery power or AC and get full-colour playback instantly on any standard TV set. The tape can be erased and reused hundreds of times. In addition to automatic editing the system features sound dubbing and stop action similar to that seen in television replays of sports events. The camera is comparable in size to today’s Super 8 movie cameras. The 6 to 1 zoom has an automatic, servocontrolled iris which varies the aperture of the f/2 lens to compensate for varying light levels. A 600-ohm microphone is built-in and provision is provided for plugging in an external microphone. The very lightweight camera (5.7 lb.) is usable with any colour VTR. The Portable VTR weighs 16 lbs. running 1/4’ tape at 10 ips. Resolution is more than 230 lines. For further information contact Braun Electric Canada Ltd., 3269 American Drive, Mississauga, Ontario. (416) 677-3243. Low cost replacement heads for Auricon-type cameras Alex L. Clark Ltd. announces new low cost record-playback heads that will fit the Auricon, Auricon conversion,