Video & Film Solutions
Quality • Performance • Innovation
Video & Film Solutions © 2014 • 5800 Arundel Avenue • Rockville, MD 20852 • 301 770-9155
Background: Background: When films are printed, the film printer varies the amount of red, green and blue light which is transmitted through the original to the stock. The light values range from 0 - 50 for each R, G and B. Each printer light is 0.025 log exposure. (So a stop is 12 lights. 0.025 x 12 = 0.3 ). A film timer looks at the film on the analyzer. Then, the analyzer processes the film and the user enters printer lights to display a picture of what the resulting film will look like. Basically the transfer curve of the film stock to be printed to is digitally replicated and the film image is processed against this curve. The analyzer then outputs a paper tape, file or here a 2D barcode, to be kept with the film and entered into the printer controls when printing.
Motion Picture Film Analyzer
The film analyzer in use.
(Click picture to enlarge)
Problem: Many fIlm analyzers are aging. Many were flying spot scanners and the CRTs have gone dark and soft and the PMTs have lost sensitivity. There are not many on the market as film printing has dropped. This one does a lot of work prints so film volume requires it to be efficient. The analyzer had no system for recording FCCs or RGB lights, a pen and paper were used.
Solution: A complete digital imaging package for a Hazeltine film analyzer. A RGB LED light source combined with CCD sensor makes for a high quality image and results. Original imaging parts were removed. A complete custom software suite was developed allowing for saving of projects, multiple film memories, still store, 2D Barcode and many of the FCC and RGB mark manipulations. User interface including buttons, encoders, keyboard and film encoders are brought into the computer. GPU hardware realtime processing does all image manipulation. The images are then displayed on an HD broadcast monitor. 2D barcodes are produced to interact with the printers.