posted 12-23-2003 01:08 PM                       

quote:

---

REEL REVIEW

After the answer print is finalized, the printing laboratory is ready to manufacture release prints. The two main release print manufactures in the United States are Technicolor in North Hollywood, and Deluxe in Hollywood, California. Deluxe also has a facility in Toronto, Canada, and there are several Technicolor locations outside the US, including London and Rome. On average, TAP reviews the picture and soundtrack of approximately 600 reels per month. At an average of 20 minutes per reel, that is about 200 hours a month, or over eight 24-hour days.

TAP's reel reviewers have a wide range of experience, including editing, post production supervision, and motion picture lab work. The average experience is 7 years, and two reel reviewers have been with TAP since the program's inception.

TAP samples release print reels at the lab, grading them A, B, C, and Reject. An "A" grade reel is perfect, including built-in problems approved on the internegative. A "B" grade reel has minor negative or positive dirt. A and B grade reels can be set aside for select release prints. Some customers have special screenings or certain geographical areas where they want select quality release prints.

"C" grade reel defects include:

o A moderate amount of negative and positive dirt

o Mild developer rubs (yellow streaks in the dark part of the image)

o Splices (clean and well-made, with no more of a minor pop in the sound track)

o Minor color or density shifts from what was approved on the answer print

C grade reels may be acceptable for general release, but not select release areas

Rejects:

Reject Picture (RP). Multiple combinations of C grade problems, e.g., excessive negative and positive dirt or scratches, splices with color shifts and/or loud pops in the sound track, and color or density shifts greater than what was approved in the answer print.

Reject Sound (RS). Any reel with a sound problem, including digital dropouts or failures.

The grading process takes into consideration where on the image the defect shows up -- a blob of dirt on the main character's face is more serious than over a background. The longer a defect lasts, the more severe the effect on the grade. Any problem that draws attention to itself and draws the audience out of the film gets a reject or C grade. Reels with clean splices, for example, get a C grade, automatically.

A customer that uses TAP extensively will have statistically valid, detailed quality information on how the film labs perform film by film, as well as by year by year.

---