16mm: A smaller medium resolution film gauge typically used for industrial, educational, experimental, home, and other forms of non-commercial filmmaking.
35mm: The standard film gauge in studio and commercial feature filmmaking.
Regular 8mm: Small gauge film format typically used for home movies and experimental films. Differs from Super 8mm in two ways: larger perforations and smaller image.
Super 8mm: Small gauge film format typically used for home movies and experimental films. Differs from Regular 8mm in two ways: slightly larger image and small perforations.
Element Type
A/B/C Roll Originals: Edited originals with alternating shots between the rolls. Individual rolls use leader between each shot. The rolls are printed together to make a master reel.
Answer Print: The first synced print made from negative picture and audio elements. Answer prints must be approved before moving to the release print. Unless the first answer print comes out perfectly, there will be slight variations with each new answer print - which could be related to color correcting, syncing of sound, or other audio-visual discrepancies.
Camera Original: Unedited camera rolls.
Color Reversal Intermediate (CRI): A black and orange-based color duplicating stock with a positive image.
Cut Original: Original negative or reversal footage edited to comprise a completed work. Also known as edited original.
Dupe Negative: A black and white negative made from an original or master used to make prints.
Fine Grain Master: A black and white duplicating stock with a positive image.
Internegative: An orange-based color negative stock. Internegatives are secondary negatives typically made from original elements.
Interpositive: An orange-based duplicating stock with a positive image.
Magnetic Track: A sound master/original element. Can either be a full coat track where a magnetic coating covers the entire film or magnetic stripes with small gaps of clear film between them.
Negative: Duplicating film stock that is used to make positive prints and elements. This includes camera originals, internegatives, and duplicate negatives.
Optical Track Negative: An original or master sound element on negative stock. Only contains an optical soundtrack.
Optical Track Positive: An original or master sound element on positive stock. Only contains an optical soundtrack.
Out-takes: Original footage that is excluded from a finished film. Can consist of entire camera rolls, sections of camera rolls, or built up reels of segments that have been removed from original camera footage.
Positive: A film polarity that is made from a negative. Can be identified by two markers: a normal looking image and the edges of the film are clear.
Release Print: Prints made for distribution or screening after Answer Prints have been approved.
Reversal: Common film polarity for Regular 8mm, Super 8mm, and 16mm. Most easily identified by being black on the edges rather than clear. Reversal stocks contain positive images after being developed but can also be used as a duplicating stock. Reversal originals can be used to make internegatives or dupe negatives.
Trims: Short snips of film taken off originals, prints, etc.
Work Print: A positive print (on silent stock) that is used in the editing process and not considered a complete element. Shots are normally spliced together with tape.
Film Inspection
Acetate: A film base made of cellulose acetate. Also known as safety film because it does not contain the same flammable properties of nitrate film. Acetate was introduced ca 1909. Chemical properties of acetate film can cause decay unique to this film base such as acetate decay/vinegar syndrome.
Acetate Decay: A form of chemical decay that makes film brittle and shrunken. Can be detected with A/D strips or if the film is emitting a vinegar-esque smell. Acetate decay can contaminate other acetate-based films if a bad film is stored closely to good films over time.
Base: A smooth, flat surface underneath the emulsion and binder of the film. The base appears as shiny whereas the emulsion has a duller look.
Blow-up: When a smaller gauge is duplicated onto a larger gauge. Ex: Super 8mm reversal original to 16mm color internegative.
Color Fade: Certain stocks lose color over time. Fading on positive stock can turn pink or magenta, while reversal fading looks bluish or purplish.
Date Code: A code on film stock indicating when the film stock was manufactured. Common on Kodak stock.
Emulsion: A gelatin-based material on top of the film strip where the image is printed. Can be identified by knowing the wind or by inspection. When shining a light you will be able to see a texture to the image. Damage to the emulsion can result in image loss.
Emulsion Orientation/Wind: Describes the orientation of the film reel. For single perforation film stock, if winding from head to tail with emulsion out, perforations on the bottom means it is B-Wind. Perforations on top mean it is A-Wind/emulsion in. For double perforation stock, the image will be reversed for B-Wind/emulsion out. A good way to test is to look for any text or credits in the frame. The text will be flipped on the emulsion side but read normal/left to right on the base side. Processed camera rolls are always B-Wind. The wind will change with each generation change.
Magnetic Soundtrack (stripe): A thin strip of magnetic tape which contains a film’s soundtrack. Found most commonly on Super 8mm film, but can also be the soundtrack for 16mm film.
Nitrate: Nitrocellulose film base that was introduced in the late 1890s and was most commonly produced during the silent era. Nitrate is highly flammable and went out of use by 1951. Identification of nitrate film is easy to identify, as “Nitrate” is printed on the edge of the film near the date codes.
Optical Soundtracks: The most common form of sound on 16mm and 35mm prints. Optical soundtracks are printed into the film at one of the edges. There are two types of optical soundtracks
Variable Area
Variable Density
Polyester: A film base made from polyester. Polyester is thinner and stronger than acetate. Polyester stock became the industry standard in the 1990s and is ideal for long-term storage. Acetate decay does not affect polyester-based films. Polyester stock can only be spliced together by tape or ultra-sonic splices. Cement splices do not hold for polyester-based film.
Reduction: When a film element or print is duplicated to a smaller gauge: A 35mm internegative to 16mm print.