Cinematography-Theory-And-Practice

TRANSFERRING FILM TO VIDEOWhen transferring 24 fps film to video at 29.97 fps, there is a mismatchof speed that must be corrected. Interlaced video has 60 fields/second (2 fields per frame), so five fields take 5/60 second = 1/12second time, which is exactly the amount it takes for a film to showtwo frames. The solution to the problem is that each frame of film isnot transferred to a corresponding frame of video.The first film frame is transferred to 3 video fields. Next, thesecond film frame is transferred to 2 video fields. The total time forthe original film should be 2/24s = 1/12s, which is exactly the sameit took for NTSC to transfer the same frames (3/30s + 2/60s = 5/60s= 1/12s). This process alternates for successive frames.This is called 3-to-2 pulldown, usually written as 3:2 pulldown.The problem with this is that every other film frame is shown for1/20 of a second, while every other is shown for 1/30 of a second.This makes pans look less smooth than what they did in the movietheater. Film shot at 25 fps does not require this process.Prepping for TelecineA great deal of film that is shot now goes from the processing lab to atelecine house, where it is transferred directly to video. Transferringfilm to video is called telecine or film-to-tape transfer. At the sametime it is being transferred, color grading (also called color timing) willusually occur, either preliminary grading for dailies or final gradingfor the release print. During the grading process, the colorist canadjust exposure, contrast, and both primary and secondary colorswith a high degree of accuracy. They can also use what is called powerwindows to make adjustments only in a particular area of the picture;some systems are capable of many simultaneous power windows,which can also track with picture elements as they move.Color grading for a DI (digital intermediate) is a similar process.Even features intended for theatrical release are telecined for nonlinearediting and for video dailies. It is important to follow the correctsteps to prepare for telecine. Failure to do so may cost the producerextra, which is not good for job security.speed shooting, and so on, confer with the telecine house first.telecine houses — check before you shoot.you will not be present for the transfer.photo that they have manipulated in Photoshop or other imagingsoftware.send an actual color correction file for each scene and to createLUTs.you are shooting at an off-speed frame rate, and want the footagetransferred at that rate.day or night, interior or exterior, frame rate and other data.applies to framing charts and any test or calibration charts. Prep for telecine. When this istechnical issues331