Flashing Super-8 with Sound Cartridges...

**Alex** · March 10th, 2003, 02:33 AM

When I was a T.A. in film school one semester, I saw an usual looking Ektachrome film.

It had less contrast than normal. I knew the group that shot the film, and I knew the camera that the group used had been damaged and actually had a light leak by the sound head.

Just before the camera would stop running, there would be a very bright washed out area on the film, and then as the next take started, the brightness would go away, but what remained was a faint fogging of the film. I assume this was caused by the ambient light that was "flashing" the film by the sound head area of the film path.

What if Kodak brought back sound cartridges for those filmmakers that want to experiment with flashing their films?

A modification could be made to either the bottom of the camera, which would allow faint amounts of ambient like to trickle in.

Or a small very dim light could be inserted near the sound head area.

In either case, this after exposure "flashing" could create interesting results for those who want to experiment with reducing contrast on their Ektachrome and Kodachrome films.

**Mike Buckles** · March 10th, 2003, 02:40 AM

An intriguing idea, but Kodak seems dead set against sound film...even though they say it's an environmental hazard, isn't the entire Kodachrome process? Also, as I believe you have pointed out in earlier posts, how environmentally friendly is miles and miles of videotape spooled up into cartridges??? Wonder what the half life is of a VHS tape? (lol)

**Alex** · March 10th, 2003, 05:09 AM

I'm not saying that Kodak reintroduce the striped film (although many of us would like that), I'm saying reintroduce the sound cartridge design with silent film.

The sound cartridge has an additional opening for the sound head, this is the area that can be experimented with for flashing film.

**Greg Crawford** · March 10th, 2003, 08:04 PM

Good past.

Funny you should bring this up, I have been in contact with Dewaynes lab am trying to see if they would be interested in offering a flashing service for Super 8 clients.

Right now I am dealing with the person who checks their E mail, probably a secretary."

Jenny Gartner,

> what is flashing?

It's a controlled fogging of the film to add density to the shadows and bring down the overall contrast level. The problem for people shooting in Super 8 is the negative color films stocks have to much grain. Kodachrome has very fine grain is much to contrasty for professional looking transfers to video. A couple of film user groups I am involved in are looking for a way to get a low contrast solution. In 16 mm it would not be a problem since the film is so much bigger grain becomes less of an issue. And anyone wanting to "Flash" the film could do so just by running the film thought the camera a second time exposing it to a gray card at 3 to 5 stops under the main exposure. (We still need to test and find out how much fog to add)

But with Super 8 their is no way to rewind the film and re-expose it to create the fog exposure.Hope this helps. If you can bring your lab manager or Executives on like on this issue.

This service might really set your lab apart!

Sincerely"

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 10, 2003 04:28 PM: Message edited by: bossjock-dp ]</font>

**Mike Buckles** · March 10th, 2003, 11:23 PM

Jenny Gartner is their chemist...she oversees their Kodachrome developing process and does checks for quality control.

**Alex** · March 12th, 2003, 02:07 AM

It might be wise to check Dwaynes website. I thought they offered some type of flashing, or perhaps it was pushing or pulling, with their kodachrome services.

Bossjock, did you get a chance to check out Dwayne's website?

**Greg Crawford** · March 12th, 2003, 07:49 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">Originally posted by Super-8mm in the DigitalAge: Bossjock, did you get a chance to check out Dwayne's website?</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, it was the first thing I did. Push or Pulls $35.00 dollars extra per order.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="verdana, sans-serif">Originally posted by MikeyB:
Jenny Gartner is their chemist...she oversees their Kodachrome developing process and does checks for quality control.</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

I just assumed answering the web site questions would be left to someone else.

I'm still hoping she will email me back with some good news. Maybe management thinking about it. Ms. Gartner did not mention the chemical fogging as an option.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 12, 2003 03:53 PM: Message edited by: bossjock-dp ]</font>