LAB PROCEDURES
Choosing the right lab is very important. It's important
that you meet the general manager of the lab before you start shooting
and utilizing the lab.
Financial arrangements are first, but are not the most important
considerations.
Naturally you should make the best deal you can; but, that
means that you are well-respected by the manager! You need to have
frank discussions with the manager regarding your production goals and
your budget. If you're not treated well at this stage, look for other
labs. This is important: you're going to spend a substantial part of
your budget on the lab services; you have to be satisfied by the way
you are getting treated.
After you have agreed on the charges for developing and printing of the
film, you proceed to setting up a working relationship with the lab
staff that are specifically assigned to your production -- initially
the Timer.
The Timer is the lab technician who sets the printing light
levels for your negative, after it's been processed (developed).
You should have some camera tests shot for the purpose of setting the
printing light levels. These are referred to as RGB (Red/Green/Blue)
levels and density (brightness and darkness) level. For example, you
may agree to print the film at "Light 25 across the board." That means
your negative will be printed at light levels of 25 at the red, green
and blue filter settings. This being the most pleasing look you've
decided on after screening the test results.
Thereafter, all your dailies (everything you shot the day
before) will be printed at these levels. When you screen your dailies
(also commonly called Rushes) early each morning before you start
shooting anything else, you check to see if the film looks good as far
as color and density are concerned. Your DP looks for scratches or hair
in the gate (camera gate where film is exposed inside the camera).
Naturally any scratches or hair is extremely bothersome and should
rarely, if ever, occur. Still when they do, you'll be re-shooting the
scene or scenes affected, and the production manager will schedule such
shots.
It's important that the timing of the dailies remains the
same, so that you can detect any inconsistencies in the photography and
can therefore fix any problems as you go. You don't want to wait to the
end of production obviously, because things change and you won't be
able to match the look of things. An actor cuts his hair, somebody is
unavailable, the weather changes -- don't take a chance, get everything
you can while the gettin' is good.
You should discuss one other matter with the lab manager and
that is the answer print (the first print after the film has been all
completed and the negative cut). Because this printing sets the
parameters for all release prints (theatrical screening prints) your
cost and approval procedure of this printing is important.
Most labs charge double or triple for the answer print. That's because
they might have to print the whole film two or three times before
you're satisfied! This is normal.
Even though the labs have sophisticated timing equipment (Hazeltine
machines and new computer technologies,) there are artistic
considerations that no lab can anticipate.
You may like the whole film to have a special "look." You
like a western to have an "old photograph" sepia look, a crime drama
may have to be "gritty" and so on. One lab manager was asked to produce
an "electric blue" look for a music video and almost had a nervous
breakdown at the number of answer prints he had to provide.
A good lab would bend over backwards to make you happy with the final
look of an answer print; however, one has to be realistic about the
number of answer prints a lab has to strike before the film maker
approves one. Beyond the third print, there is something wrong. If the
lab is at fault, there is no problem; but, as a film maker you have to
be clear and precise about your corrections and expectations.