6.6 What is an `interpositive'? An `internegative'? (Film Laboratories)
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This article is from the rec.arts.movies.tech FAQ, by Scott E. Norwood snorwood@nyx.nyx.net with numerous contributions by others.
6.6 What is an `interpositive'? An `internegative'? (Film Laboratories)
Large print runs (like the 1500-2500-print orders for today's feature
films) are potentially damaging to the valuable camera negatives, and
so most theatrical prints are made from `intermediate' films. Some
image quality is lost in the process, however. The process generally
goes as follows: The A, B, and C (if necessary) rolls, are all printed
onto an interpositive, which has lower contrast than ordinary
release-print stock (contrast builds up in the internegative and
release print stages). This interpositive is then printed onto one or
more internegatives, which is/are then used (along with a separate
soundtrack negative, containing optical tracks and any digital
tracks/timecode that might be used for that particular film) to print
theatrical prints. If foreign distribution is expected, the C roll
(containing titles) is sometimes printed separately on its own
interpositive, and then both interpositives are printed onto the
internegative(s). This allows for different versions of a film's
titles, which can be made in different languages for foreign prints;
subtitles for foreign prints can also be added by splicing them into
the `title' interpositive.
Note that prints made from internegatives must be run through the
printer only once, as the internegative contains all of the elements
(A/B/C rolls, optical track) necessary for the print, whereas
original- negative prints must be run through the printer at least
three times. Thus, prints made from internegatives are about 1/3 less
expensive than original- negative prints.
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