Technicolor News & Views (September 1954)

8-PERFORATION AREA (VISTAVISION) Technicolor has modified some of its three color cameras so that a single strip of color negative film may be used. In these modified cameras the film runs past the camera aperture hori- zontally and an area corresponding to eight perforations (or two normal frame areas) is exposed. The negative image area is then optically printed in reduced size. RED IMAGE BLUE IMAGE GREEN IMAGE The Technicolor Three-Color Camera uses three strips of negative film and incorporates a prism in the optical system to divide the light. Two of the films with emulsion surfaces in contact are placed in the camera at a right angle tc the lens axis. The front film receives the BLUE image and the rear film receives the RED image. The third film is placed directly in back of the prism and receives the GREEN image. The negatives after processing appear as above. EASTMAN COLOR NEGATIVE ANSCO COLOR NEGATIVE Eastman Color Negative has only one strip of film surfaced with three layers of emulsion, each being sensitive to a different primary color. This film can be used in a conventional 35mm camera. (Normal aspect ratio shown.) Ansco Color Negative has only one strip of film surfaced with three layers of emulsion, each being sensitive to a different primary color. This film can be used in a conventional 35mm camera. (Normal aspect ratio shown.) ANAMORPHOSED IMAGE (CINEMASCOPE) For CinemaScope, the image is recorded on the film in the same manner as on other negative film proc- esses except the image is compressed horizontally by means of a special lens. color motion picture negative which, con- trary to custom, moves horizontally through a camera. The scenes are re- corded on an area equal to two full frames of normal motion picture nega- tive. Working from such a double frame negative the TECHNICOLOR laboratory is manufacturing 35mm TECHNICOLOR dye transfer release prints of normal size and position, which may be combined with either photographic or multiple magnetic sound tracks. Such release prints can, of course, be projected on any screen including large screens, and in any aspect ratio from 1.33 to 1 or to any larger ratio desired. Since these new improved TECHNICOLOR dye transfer re- lease prints are of normal size and posi- tion in every respect no special projection lens in the theatre is necessary. TECHNICOLOR has been working on the new system for more than a year, resulting in the introduction of laboratory procedures which are uniquely depend- ent upon steps in current TECHNICOLOR techniques. The new method is already in operation in moderate volume at the Hollywood plant. After successful camera tests com- bined with tests of the TECHNICOLOR laboratory procedure, Paramount Studios decided to photograph their high-budget production “White Christmas" using this process, thus being the first to use it on a feature picture. FIGURE 1 SUCCESSIVE FRAME NEGATIVE The Successive Frame process, used in most animated cartoon photography, uses one strip of black and white negative. In front of the camera lens is mounted a wheel containing three filters — BLUE, GREEN and RED. This wheel rotates as each scene is photographed three times on successive frames through each of the three color filters. The negative therefore is three times as long as the finished print. CINERAMA In Cinerama type photography, 35mm color negative film is used, but a larger than normal area is exposed. On each of the three negatives, which are exposed simultaneously in three separate cameras, an area 6 perforations in height and extending completely across the film between the perforations is utilized. AGFACOLOR GEVACOLOR FERRANIACOLOR In Europe, there are three additional color negatives, AGFACOLOR, GEVACOLOR and FERRANIA- COLOR. These negatives are similar to those used in the United States in that three layers of emul- sion are superposed on a single film base. Technicolor manufactures dye transfer prints from these negatives also. — F O U R — — FIVE —