Cinematography-Theory-And-Practice

Figure 10.12. (left) Color negativewith its distinctive orange mask.Figure 10.13. (right) The layers ofcolor negative film.When all the steps are finished, the film has a negative image of theoriginal scene. It is a negative in the sense that it is darkest (has thehighest density of opaque silver atoms) in the area that received themost light exposure. In places that received no light, the negative isclear, or at least as clear as the film base can be.Other types of chemistry can result in a positive image, This is calledpositive film or reversal film. In still photography, the images areoften referred to as transparencies or slides. Reversal film has finer grainand sharper resolution, but it is also extremely sensitive to exposureerror. Also, since the film is already positive, there is no printingof the negative, which is where small corrections in exposure andcolor balance can be corrected when a print is made for projection.Making prints from a negative also has a safety factor: the originalnegative only has to be sent through a printing machine a few times,which decreases the chance of dirt and damage.Color NegativeColor negative is three layers of black-and-white film, one on top ofthe other (Figures 10.12 and 10.13). The difference is that each layeris treated with a different spectral sensitizer so that it is receptive to adifferent band of the spectrum. These translate to roughly red, blueand green. Some color negative films have four color layers. cals,and the exposed silver halide grains develop to pure silver.Oxidized developer is produced in this reaction, and the oxidizeddeveloper reacts with chemicals called couplers in eachof the image-forming layers. This reaction causes the couplersto form a color, and this color varies depending on how thesilver halide grains were spectrally sensitized. A different colorforming coupler is used in the red, green, and blue, sensitivelayers. The latent image in the different layers forms a differentcolored dye when the film is developed.solution.chemicals and reaction products as possible.The overall orange hue on color negative film is the result of maskingdyes that help to correct imperfections in the color reproductionprocess; this is easily removed in making color prints or in film-totapetransfer.Film’s Response to LightThere are two steps in the making of a negative:is altered when subjected to light, in direct proportion to theamount of light energy absorbed. This change is not visible, it’sstill a latent image.cinematography190