How to Transfer Film to Video

Posted by Anonymous , 9/5/2007 Tags:TransferFilmVideo
Post By :
Anonymous
Rate:
Vote

How to Transfer Film to Video

Introduction

When transferring American system film (24 fps) to NTSC video (29.97 fps), there is a mismatch of speed that must be corrected. NTSC has 60 fields per second (two fields per frame), thus five fields take 5/60 second, which is exactly the amount it takes for a film to show two frames. The proper transfer of film to video will require a transfer house to make a telecine of your print.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Prepping for Telecine

Steps

1

Step One

Shoot a properly exposed and color-balanced Gray Scale. It's a good place for the colorist to start.
2

Step Two

Communicate with the telecine operator. Keeping notes of what you're doing with pictures, notes, sound recordings or even pictures from magazines you are using as a reference allows them to understand what look you want for your film.
3

Step Three

Write on the slate whether a shot is interior or exterior, day or night and at what frame rate you shot the film. Some also have places for filtration and other informative information for the telecine operator.
4

Step Four

Make sure the slate is lit and in focus to be readable by the camera.
5

Step Five

Mark the camera reports as "Prep for telecine." When this is requested, the lab cleans the negative and joins the camera rolls into lab rolls no larger than 1200 feet with 6 feet of leader on each end.
6

Step Six

Use correct slating procedures.
7

Step Seven

Shoot a framing chart and communicate to the colorist what framing you are shooting.

Pre-roll

Things You'll Need

  • A telecine machine (or a contact at a telecine house)

Steps

1

Step One

Pre-roll audio for 5 seconds or more. This is done by rolling audio (which is recording time code) before syncing with the slate.
2

Step Two

Re-jam the slate frequently to make sure it is in sync with the audio recorder. The slate is "jammed" by connecting it to the time code output of the audio recorder.
3

Step Three

Look at the slate as the second AC holds it up before the take. This is usually the job of the AC and/or the camera operator.

Tips & Warnings

  • Confer with the telecine house before you begin if you are doing anything out of the ordinary, including green screen, unusual color balances and off-speed shooting.
  • Film will be transferred at 24 frames per second with standard SMPTE framing unless specifically requested otherwise. Transfer rates other than 16 to 30fps may not be available at all telecine houses-check before you shoot.
  • Most telecine transfer houses require that sync audio for telecine be recorded at 30fps not using Drop Frame time code.
  • For a simple, at-home method, simply project the film on to a wall and record it with a video camera.
Tools: |