Film light determiners

The film light determiner , or light determiner for short , is a specialist who adjusts individual film scenes to brightness, color and contrast depending on the desired mood. Beginning around the year 2000, the job description was largely replaced by the colorist , who works using digital intermediates and no longer with chemistry and mechanics.

Like the light determinator, the colorist gives film images photographic cohesion according to the cameraman or director's ideas .

As before, the light determinator is responsible for the amount of light with which a film negative is to be copied in the production of films (duplicates, samples, intermediate negatives, film copies (positives)) in a copier or film laboratory . This can be specified for each setting and is necessary so that films have a constant density and the desired color balance ( color correction ). This work area is also increasingly being replaced, as modern cinemas are increasingly not projecting by film in order to show feature films, but digitally in accordance with the DCI cinema standard .

Similar to the former typesetter, who made text ready for printing with hot type and was then replaced by DTP , the job description is increasingly being displaced by digital working methods.

activity

The work of the film light determinator is necessary because never all recordings for a film are perfectly exposed and developed on all materials, i.e. they show factual and measurable deviations. Many images are overexposed or underexposed, so the amount of light has to be adjusted to create a satisfactory copy.

The film light determiner is also in demand in the case of subjective deviations, i.e. when the intentions of those responsible such as the camera manager (DoP) are to be taken into account. Example: The scene under a bridge should be darker than it was planned. In another place, less contrast is desired. With color film , the balance of colors must also be taken into account, as the scene under the bridge might turn out to be too blue.

technology

With additive color mixing , the colors are created by mixing the three light colors red , green and blue .

With subtractive color mixing , the colors are created by mixing the complementary colors of the light colors: purple , blue-green and yellow .

A first device for the electronic representation of the intended image was presented in 1957. It came from the Hazeltine Company on Long Island , New York. However, this "analyzer" is misused as a simulator . Despite subjective coordination, the fact remains that the light determiner, after the cameraman has left, often has to program everything by one or two points (steps) differently than discussed. There is an insurmountable rift between the additively generated image on the electric monitor and the later subtractive image of the cinema projection. The experienced light determiner knows that.

The light (determination) can be so simple that the copyist looks through a film on the light box and turns the lamp dimmer for the positive "pi-mal wrist". In the most extreme case, however, it can also become so complicated that thousands of values ​​for red-green-blue arise in several copying processes. With the requirement for invisible gluing points for the CinemaScope , Techniscope or 16 mm image or film formats and very short consecutive or overlapping panels, the original is mounted in two to six strips. Memorizing the copy lights for even one tape bordered on superhuman achievement. Coded punched tapes and computers are used today for data management.

Film light determiners find fulfillment in black and white film . With suitable positive material, significantly more contrast can be achieved in the projection than with the color film, which tends to require compensation. To distinguish the character of the picture with contrasts and gray values ​​can be handicraft that serves the art of film .

“Negatives are electronically converted into positive color images. The light determiner corrects the color deviations to be observed with the color value regulators (appropriate for the scene and subject) until a satisfactory color image is produced on the screen. The vote is therefore purely subjective. The correction values ​​ultimately set are saved in a punched tape via the outgoing digital signals. At the same time, a light label can be printed out using a printer. The punched tape is used to control the light of the copier. […] Today, […] all phase images of the reel are counted electronically, whereby the image to which the switching is to take place with its image number at the time of switching corresponds to the number stored on the control strip.

In the last few years of subtractive color copying, experienced color light determinators determined both the color filter combination and the aperture size visually according to the negative, also according to the strongly orange-brown veiled negative (by no means 'complementary') colors of masked color negative films. The accuracy was amazing, because every color filter choice is connected with a change in the copy luminous flux and with it a correction of the aperture. "

Job description

The light determiner is responsible for the brightness and color design of the film.

On the basis of the first test shots before the actual start of shooting or based on the samples , they discuss the character and appearance of the black and white or color copy with the cameraman and the director. Using the camera negative, you determine the different color and brightness values ​​of each individual setting at your workplace and enter them into the computer. The analyzer simulates the brightness and color corrections possible when copying. The light determinants pass this data on to the copier. You discuss the first positive, the so-called zero copy , with the cameramen and the director, and correct unsatisfactory values. This work process is repeated for the next positive, the correction copies. You present the copies to the customer and are responsible for the acceptance.

Personal requirements

Exceptional ability to recognize and process colors and gray values; rapid understanding; Sociability; pronounced sense of cleanliness and precise work; technical understanding.

Professional requirements

Good general knowledge on an artistic level; elementary phototechnical and photophysical basic knowledge; Completed training as a photo laboratory assistant or film copy maker . Foreign language skills are advantageous because of the international clientele.

Vocational training

Light determinants are trained in film printing plants.

working conditions

Light determinants work permanently in a film copier or film laboratory. But you can also work as a freelancer if you have the necessary experience. In Switzerland in particular, there are seldom vacancies due to the market situation.

literature

• Thomas Geser (editor): Professions in film . Published by the “Zurich for Film” association and the Swiss Association for Careers Advice. Zurich 1991, pp. 128–129.

References and comments

1. ^ Hazeltine Company in the English language Wikipedia
2. ^ Hilmar Mehnert: The image in film and television. VEB Fotokinoverlag, Leipzig 1986, ISBN 3-7311-0016-9 .