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ColorTelevisionFilm PrintingPractices

in producing a print from a given black andwhite film negative, a reasonable degree of free-dom is enjoyed insofar as minimum and maxi-mum densities and over-all gamma of thefinished print are concerned. This stems fromthe ability in the printing process to vary theexposure time, the development time and/oreven the developing solution itself.

In the production of color prints, an equalamount of latitude is not available. The maxi-mum or the minimum density of the finishedprint can be regulated by controlling the ex-posure of the print stock, but both densitiescannot be independently determined withoutrunning the hazard of upsetting color tracking.Without getting into the technicalities involved,let it suffice to note that, for all practical' pur-poses, the density range and gamma of the fin-ished print will be largely determined by thecharacteristics of the original negative. Al-though this may not be a desirable state ofaffairs, from a television viewpoint, this is thesituation at the present state of the art.

There are two aspects of color print pro-duction that lend themselves to modification(within certain limit's) during printing, namely,

the correction (a) of over-all density differencesand (b) of small color imbalances. The need forthese corrections may stem from differences invarious runs of a given emulsion, from im-proper exposure of the negative, from outdoorexposures made under changing lighting condi-tions, from some unusual condition existing inthe scene that was photographed and from dif-ferences in processing laboratories. In any event,when all the editing and optical effects havebeen completed and the various scenes havebeen assembled in the order in which they willappear in the final production, the film as awhole is usually reviewed visually by a "timer"in the film laboratory.

The timer's responsibility is twofold. First,he determines the exposure required by eachscene in order to achieve the density uniformitydesired in the final print. Second, he endeavorsto correct for any scene -to -scene differences incolor balance.

It should be recognized that any color correc-tion that is undertaken affects the scene as awhole and not a particular portion of it. Forexample, if facial tones alone are used as thesole criterion for color balancing then otherparts of the set, such as commercial productsand backgrounds, may suffer color distortions.Thus, very little reliance should be placed uponcolor correction of the final print to achieve adesired color balance. Rather, every effortshould be made to produce as correct an origi-nal negative as possible.

It is also important to realize that the eye hasa tremendous ability to adapt to large differ-ences in brightness and color values. Further, itdoes this involuntarily. Inevitably, the bright-ness and predominant hue of a given scene af-fects the observer's judgment of a subsequentscene. Thus, the density and color timing islargely a subjective matter that does not lend it-

self to instrumentation. Also, the final timing ofa scene can only be done precisely when all thescenes are assembled and viewed in the order inwhich they will be presented. From a televisionviewpoint this fact has a twofold implication,neither one of which is particularly palatablefrom a technical standpoint.

First, it is obvious that the timing of printscan be no better than the skill and judgment ofthe timing operator. Second, in television muchof the program material is presented in whatamounts to a random sequence and, thus, thereis no opportunity to achieve correct timing byviewing the prints in their final order of presen-tation. There is a solution to the first problem,namely, to send the work only to those labora-tories that understand television requirementsand who have adequate controls to insure con-sistent work both throughout the working day.as well as day after day. However, there is noequally good solution to the second problem.

The second problem manifests itself particu-larly at station breaks where it becomes neces-sary to handle, one after another, all kinds ofannouncements, commercials and station iden-tification film clips or slides. Although eachpiece of film may, in its own right, be perfectlyacceptable from a color and density viewpoint,when several clips or slides are presented in aparticular order, the end result may be less thanOptimum because of color and brightness adap-tation of the eye. The solution to this dilemmadoes not concern us here since it is basically anoperating problem. It does serve, however, topoint up the fact that no matter what standardsare established for the production of color filmprints, and regardless of how rigorously theyare enforced, subjective judgment will be neces-sary in dealing with the presentation of colorfilm clips or slides in the sequence called for byprogramming needs.

Standard practicesWith the foregoing in mind, and consideringthe current state of the art, the following cri-teria are set forth for the production of colorfilm prints for television use:

Minimum density-The density of the high-lights of the finished print should be as low aspossible consistent with obtaining good fleshtones and retaining significant highlight detail.Glint lights and specular reflection from jewelry.musical instruments and other highly polishedobjects should not be considered as "significant.'highlights in determining highlight density.

Maximum density-Since there is a finite con-trast range that can be handled by a color tele-vision system. it is desirable to keep the contrastratio of color prints within reasonable limits(e.g. 45 to 1). However, where the release printis made from a color negative and the minimumdensity is determined as above, the maximumdensity is essentially a function of the densityrange of the original color negative. Thus, it is

more or less meaningless to prescribe both amaximum and a minimum color print densityunless it is possible to completely control thestaging, lighting and photographic processes.

There is one exception to this general situa-tion. In those instances where separation films(corresponding to the red, green and blue com-ponents in the original scene) are prepared, adegree of contrast control in the release printmay be obtained. It should be realized, however,that this control is achieved usually at the ex-pense of changes in color saturation.

Gamma - Over -al I print gamma is a function ofthe inherent characteristics of the negative andthe print stocks and the processing thereof.

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Since, in color, there is only a limited numberof color film stocks available, and since theirprocessing for technical reasons must necessar-ily be standardized, there is little, if anything,that can be done to change the over-all gammaobtainable with present-day color films. Thus,the film laboratory may simply be instructed toprocess color film in accordance with existingstandard procedures for the type of film used.

Incandescent vs. arc lighting balancing-It isstandard practice in this country to balance16mm and 35mm color prints for projectionwith incandescent and arc light sources, respec-tively. Television chains, however, employ in-candescent lighting for both 16mm and 35mmprojection. Thus, everything else being equal, a16mm print (originally balanced for an incan-descent light source) will usually appear "colder"when transmitted over a television system thanwould an identical 35mm print (originally bal-anced for arc light projection).

This situation may be corrected in multi-plexed film chains by the placement of a suit-able filter over either the 16mm or the 35mmprojector lens (yellow in one case, blue in theother). This method of operation is to be pre-ferred to attempting to obtain what is essen-tially a non-standard 35mm color print, namelyone that is balanced for other than arc lighting.A print of this type would require the film proc-essing laboratory to adapt itself to an unfamiliarprocedure and this is not likely to be conduciveto good results. Equally important, the printwould not lend itself to direct projection on ascreen by the usual arc or xenon equipped35mm projector.

Thus, insofar as color balance is concerned,the processing laboratory may be instructed tofollow its normal procedure of balancing 16mmprints for incandescent light and 35 mm prints

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for arc light projection. This will avoid the needfor the film timers to acclimate themselves to anew and unfamiliar procedure.

Special effects-Whenever possible special opti-cal effects (lap dissolves, wipes, montages, etc.)should he made by using the so-called A and Broll method. This procedure eliminates the needfor making a color master positive (or separa-tion master positives) and a color dupe negativefor each special effect. The avoidance of theseextra positive and negative steps eliminates thedegradation that inevitably accompanies anyadditional steps in a reproduction process.

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Report Number E -5220-A July 1965

in making motion pictures for color television,it should be recognized that the requirements offilm for television differ appreciably from thoseof film for theatre projection. For some time tocome color film on television will be viewed inboth color and monochrome, depending uponthe kind of receiver in the viewer's home.. Also,as experienced television film producers havelearned, television film should have a consider-ably lower density range than theatre film. Forthese reasons alone, unless the techniques usedin shooting film for the theatre are modified,the resulting film is not likely to be of optimumquality for television use. On the other hand,if these techniques are modified, they can pro-duce color film for television containing all theartistry, creative expression and novel effectsthat may be desired.

There is one facet of color film productionthat cannot be overstressed, namely, the rela-tive inflexibility of color film developing andprinting processes, as compared to black andwhite film production. This places a great pre-mium on proper staging, lighting, and camerapractices, since errors made in the shootingprocess seldom lend themselves to satisfactory

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correction in the film processing or the televi-sion transmission process. It is for this reasonthat this booklet contains recommendationsconcerning staging, lighting, cameras, film andsound recording. A properly exposed color filmnegative is a prerequisite to good color tele-vision film transmission.

In a field offering as many opportunities fordevelopment as color television, it would beunwise to present these suggestions as final.Nevertheless, they are based on considerableexperience in both the film and television fields.While further experience will doubtless producesome changes, the present recommendationscurrently provide a satisfactory guide to filmingmethods for color television applications.

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StagingThe idiosyncrasies of color television and colorfilm systems require that certain precautions beobserved in staging practices when makingcolor motion pictures for television use. As al-ready indicated, staging (and lighting) practicesmust be designed from the viewpoint of satis-factory reproduction on both color and mono-chrome receivers. The following stagingrecommendations were formulated with theforegoing considerations in mind:

1. In shooting successive scenes at different an-gles and, more particularly, at different times,great care must be taken to see that the colorsof costumes, backgrounds, and make-up areidentical to those photographed in earlier takes.The probabilities of having inconsistencies be-tween takes is much greater when color is used.

2. Skin tones of a performer's shoulders, arms orother exposed skin should match facial make-up.In addition, an effort should be made to reducethe relatively wide differences in flesh tones thatare normally encountered, excepting, of course,where differences are obviously intended.

3. Make-up should be specifically chosen for theproduction of pleasing skin tones with the colorfilm stocks currently in use. Panchromatic make-up, often used for black and white photography,is generally unsuitable for color photography.

4. Costumes and backgrounds of the same hueor luminance* as flesh tones result in loss of per-spective, particularly on monochrome receivers;

For the benefit of the non -technical reader, "luminance- mayhe considered it term for the brightness of any object seen bythe camera. It depends on the reflectance of the object and theamount of illumination, e.g. dark overcoat in bright light ora white cloth in dint light could both have low luminance.

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the performers will not stand out from the back-ground of the picture.

5. Backgrounds low in color saturation, mattesurfaced and of medium luminance will helpavoid reflection of colored light onto otherparts of the scene being photographed with con-sequent color contamination. In addition, suchbackgrounds provide better contrast betweenforeground and background objects as seen onboth color and monochrome receivers.

6. Subject -to -background luminance ratioslower than 11/2 to 1 will destroy all illusion ofdepth, particularly for monochrome viewers.

7. Busy backgrounds, long shots, small detail,suffer even more in the color television systemthan they do in black and white. It is recom-mended that they be used sparingly and pri-marily to establish locales and then only forshort periods of time.

8. High luminance, highly saturated yellows(i.e., "very bright" yellows) should be avoidedsince, under some circumstances, they can createtransmission problems in the television system.

9. Close-ups should be emphasized and all essen-tial action maintained within the "safe action"area as defined by SMPTE Recommended Prac-tice RP -13. Titles should be maintained withinthe safe title area as defined by SMPTE Recom-mended Practice RP -8.

10. Areas in each scene corresponding to refer-ence white and reference black are very helpfulfrom a video transmission viewpoint. This objec-tive can be accomplished by including, in fullyilluminated areas, neutral materials having re-flectances of say 60% and 3%, respectively.

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LightingAs is well known, the hue, saturation and lumi-nance (brightness) of any surface depends notonly upon the reflectance characteristics of thesurface itself, but also upon the nature of thelight striking the surface. Whereas in mono-chrome photography the color of the light hasonly secondary effects on gray -tone rendition,in color photography variations in the color ofthe illumination can seriously affect the fidelityof color reproduction. Thus, particular atten-tion must be paid to the color of lighting sources.

Effective lighting is a valuable aid in preserv-ing an illusion of three -dimensionality on a two-dimensional viewing surface. Where the finalresult is viewed only in color, color contrastsmay be relied upon to achieve the desired result.However, in television, where monochromeviewing of color film is also involved, considera-tion must also be given to achieving perspectivewith luminance (brightness) contrasts alone.

Finally, since both color film and color tele-vision systems can accommodate only a finitecontrast range, it is important that measurablefactors (light levels, set and costume reflectance,film exposure, etc.) be accurately determinedand precisely maintained within the proper op-erating range in order to insure satisfactory andconsistent results. Such latitude as is availableshould be relied upon to offset normal varia-tions in shooting and processing rather than topermit careless work.

1. Color temperature of all lighting sourcesshould be checked and maintained at the speci-fied value (usually 3200°K) for color film in-tended for indoor shooting. Light sourcesshould have a smooth spectral distribution (i.e.,incandescent lamps and color -corrected arcsshould be used).

2. Light sources of different types may be inter-mixed provided they have similar energy distri-bution spectrums and are color corrected towithin 100°K of the standard value. Variationsbeyond the !OD' limit result in noticeable colorshifts as the subject is viewed from differentangles or moves from under one light source toanother. Relatively little use can be made ofdimmers to control the brightness of incandes-cent lamps.

3. Light sources for background illuminationneed not be balanced so precisely provided noobjects whose colors are familiar to the viewersare included in the background.

4. Ideally, key -plus -fill to fill -light ratios in thevicinity of 2 to 1 and absolute key -light levelsof at least 400 foot-candles should be main-tained for currently available color films. Largerratios may be used sparingly to obtain desiredeffects, and are, of course, encountered in out-door shooting. They are likely to result in verycontrasty pictures when the film is viewed on acolor television system. Lower absolute lightlevels may produce too shallow a depth of field.

5. Fill -light for outdoor shooting must matchthe color temperature of the natural light (which,for full sunlight plus skylight, approximates5900°K).

6. Uniformity of lighting in the playing area isessential (except where special pictorial effectsare desired). Small variations in illuminationcan result in exaggerated deviations in the fidel-ity of reproduction as seen over a televisionsystem.

7. Flat lighting, although easy to use, results ina lack of modeling and destroys the sense of

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space between objects, particularly whenviewed over a monochrome television system.

8. Specular lighting (as compared to diffuselighting) enhances image sharpness and high-light detail.

9. High key lighting (i.e., high average lumi-nance) of a scene results in the most consistent-ly satisfactory or pleasing color reproduction.Low key lighting (i.e., low average luminance)is less predictable in color and sometimes resultsin a muddy reproduction.

10. Subject contrast as determined by a spot -brightness meter should not exceed 30 to 1.This value is in keeping with the capabilitiesof the present-day color television system andtakes into consideration the print -throughgamma (approximately 1.5) of present-daycolor film systems.

11. Exact reproducibility of lighting, both as tolighting ratios, color temperatures and directionof light are essential to reduce to a minimumshot -to -shot and scene -to -scene variations.Accurate and reliable incident -light and spot -brightness meters are recommended, the for-mer for setting lighting levels and the latter tocontrol contrast. Detailed lighting plans of theentire shooting area are also recommended.

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CamerasThe performance of a motion picture cameracannot be as readily checked as can that of atelevision camera. The television camera maybe trained on a test chart and its performancedetermined immediately by measurement or ob.servation. The motion picture camera, on theother hand, can only be checked by exposingtest film and having it processed. This is unfor-tunate since, despite their relative simplicity,motion picture cameras often develop faultsthat adversely affect the end result.

The camera checks outlined below are un-doubtedly standard operating procedure for theprofessional cameraman who has worked withcolor film. They are, however, reiterated for thebenefit of those who may not realize how smalla latitude for error is permitted by color film.The need for carefully checking the perform-ance of a camera and its associated lenses underactual operating conditions cannot be over-emphasized.

1. Complete focusing tests should be run on allcameras and with all lenses. Since, at best, thedepth of field is limited, the distance calibrationof all lenses in all cameras should be accuratelyknown.

2. The accuracy of the range finder or visual fo-cusing attachment, if used, should also be deter-mined.

3. The accuracy of the viewfinder and the exist-ence of any parallax errors should also be deter-mined, particularly since many close-ups arelikely to be involved.

4. The safe title and safe action areas as defined,respectively, by the sm PTE Recommended Prac-

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tices RP -8 and RP -13 should be indicated clear-ly by the viewfinder.

5. The flatness of the field of all lenses shouldbe checked as a function of aperture. No reli-ance should be placed upon a lens simply be-cause it bears a prominent name.

6. The depth of field of the equipment in useshould be accurately ascertained. Where a fol-low -focus arrangement is not available, it maybe necessary to raise the lighting level and re-duce the aperture until an adequate depth offield is obtained to cover the action.

7. Jump or weave should be eliminated in allcameras in use. The skill and precision withwhich a particular camera is built and sub-sequently maintained largely determines theperfection of its performance. No relianceshould be placed upon a camera simply becauseit was made by a well-known manufacturer.

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FilmWhere program material from color motionpicture film is intended to be comparable inquality to that obtainable from a color tele-vision camera, 35mm film should be used. Forbroadcasting stations not equipped to handle35mm film, reduction prints from 35mm origi-nals should be provided. This recommendationis made to achieve optimum quality for the16mm print. Although it is possible to makereasonably satisfactory prints from 16mm origi-nals (e.g. Ektachrome 7255), they will usuallyevidence more grain and less resolution thanreduction prints from 35mm color negatives.

More important, 35mm film is recommendedbecause most productions require optical ef-fects (lap dissolves, wipes, montages, etc.). Thisrequires the use of color master positives andcolor dupe negatives. The degradation in qual-ity when 16mm film is used for this purpose isgenerally unacceptable for serious color tele-vision applications.

1. Color Negative Film (e.g. EK5251) is capa-ble of producing 35mm original negatives fromwhich satisfactory prints for color television usecan be obtained.

2. Color Print Film (e.g. EK5385) is capable ofproducing satisfactory 35mm release prints forcolor television use.

3. Color Print Film (e.g. EK7385) is capable ofproducing satisfactory 16mm release printsfrom 35mm color dupe negatives (e.g. EK5253)which, in turn, may be made from 35mm col-or intermediate master positives (e.g. alsoEK5253). Alternately, with a loss of quality,the 16mm release prints can be made from a16mm color dupe negative (e.g. EK7253).

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4. Color reduction prints usually tend to be-come more contrasty than prints made from theoriginal negative. Thus, particular care shouldbe taken to maintain the over-all contrast rangewithin acceptable limits. This can only be doneby careful control of both staging and lighting.

5. Reversal Print Film (e.g. Kodachrome 7387)has been used successfully where only a few16mm prints are required from a low contrastoriginal (e.g. Ektachrome 7255). This practice,however, presents matching problems when itbecomes necessary to integrate stock shots andcommercials or other announcements made ona different film stock.

6. Exposure tests of the particular batch of filmto be used in a given production should bemade under actual operating conditions. Thisshould include the lighting, the cameras, thelenses and the processing laboratory that willhandle the work.

7. In critical work each job should be treated asif it were the first since changes can occur in thefilm because of improper storage conditions,cameras can develop troubles, and lenses canbecome damaged.

8. A contrast range of 45 to 1 should be used asa target for the final print. Since the color print-ing process does not lend itself to control ofcontrast, this means that the luminance con-trast on the set should not exceed 30 to 1 asdiscussed previously.

9. The density of the highlights on the finishedprints should be as low as possible consistentwith obtaining good facial tones and retainingdetail in the significant highlights. Glint lightsand specular reflection from jewelry, musical

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instruments and other highly polished objectsshould not be considered as "significant" high-lights in determining highlight density.

10. Jump and weave introduced by poor print-ing machines should be guarded against by criti-cally sampling release prints delivered by theprocessing laboratory.

11. Prints should be carefully color corrected bythe processing laboratory to obtain consistencyof facial tones and of over-all color balance. Insome instances, a degree of compensation forcolor inaccuracies may be obtained in the tele-vision system. It is not feasible, however, tomake scene -to -scene color adjustments duringfilm transmission.

12. Where exact color reproduction is essential,such as for packages and trademarks of well-known products, photographic tests should bemade and observed on a color television system.

SoundThe sound track that accompanies a color mo-tion picture is just as important as the pictureportion of the print. Trite as this observationmay seem, preoccupation with the picturephotography has sometimes been detrimentalto the sound recording operation. Since, in tele-vision broadcasting, a motion picture presenta-tion often follows or precedes a live product,the audience can make direct comparison oflive and recorded sound. Whether this compari-son is made consciously or not, the results arenot likely to be favorable to film unless thesound track is of the highest quality. Althoughthis direct comparison is commonplace in tele-vision, it is a test which few theatre -type filmshave to face. The following practices, thoughknown to most producers, are sometimes over-looked by others.

1. Minimum cross -modulation distortion, maxi-mum signal-to-noise ratio and adequate fre-quency range should be the objective of thesound recording work.

2. Violent changes in peak sound levels shouldbe avoided. Television listeners object to thewide range of peak sound levels that apparentlyfind acceptance in the theatre.

3. Sound recording tests, accompanied withsensitometer strips, should be made with theequipment and the processing laboratory thatwill handle the final work. All subsequent workshould be tagged with such test strips.

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SummaryThe successful shooting of film for color tele-vision requires full appreciation of the differ-ences between the requirements for viewingdirectly on a motion picture screen and forviewing on a television system. Once these dif-ferences are understood, experienced personnelshould have no difficulty with the mechanics ofproducing color film tailored to the needs of thecolor television system. The recommendationscovering staging, lighting, camera, film andsound recording practices set forth in the fore-going paragraphs represent good starting pointsfrom which deviation may be made after exten-sive testing and field experience indicate thedesirability of doing so.

Finally, one non -technical subject warrantscomment: the temptation to over -do color inthe "novelty" stage. Experienced producerswarn against over -emphasis of color merely forcolor's sake-the use of a riot of color whichdetracts from the play, the performers or thecommercial product. There are no technicalaids that can be substituted for actual experi-ence, good judgment, artistic skill and properorganization. A reasonable share of these ingre-dients is required in the production of film forcolor television use.

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ReferencesCBS Color Television Staging and Lighting Practices,R. S. O'Brien, Journal of SMOTE, Vol. 63, No. 2, p. 41(August 1954).

Color Television Film Shooting Practices, W. B. Lodgeand H. A. Chinn, Journal of SMPTE, Vol. 63, No. 6,p. 230 (December 1954).

Elements of Color in Professional Motion Pictures,Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers,New York, 1957.

Safe Title Area for TV Transmission, RecommendedPractice RP -8, Journal of SMPTE, Vol. 70, No. 7, p. 541(July 1961).

Safe Action Area for TV Transmission, RecommendedPractice RP -13, Journal of SMPTE, Vol. 72, No. 6, p. 953(December 1963).

Considerations in Color Film Production for ColorTelevision, John M. Waner, Journal of SMPTE, Vol. 73,No. 5, p. 411 (May 1964).

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Report Number E -5220-B July 1965

ColorTelevisionFilm EvaluationPractices

CBS Television Network Engineering Department

The direct screening of color film to assay thetechnical quality of its reproduction over acolor television system is not an easy task. Notonly must the person doing the screening bearin mind the peculiarities of the color televisionsystem, but he must also consider the appear-ance of the program material when viewed ona monochrome television receiver. Since thesejudgments are largely subjective, the necessaryskill can best be developed by practice. Suchpractice should include an initial screening andsystematic rating of the film followed by a view-ing of the film over a television system and onboth monochrome and color monitors (or re-ceivers) to check the ratings. Because of itssubjective nature some will readily develop ascreening skill while others will find it verydifficult, if not impossible, to acquire an accept-able degree of proficiency.

Obviously, normal color vision is a prerequi-site to becoming a good judge of color film qual-ity as seen over a television system. Some 8%of the male population (roughly one out oftwelve) have color vision which is distinctly dif-ferent from that of the normal observer. Accord-ingly, it is important that all persons engaged

in, or responsible for, color film judgments bechecked for normality of color vision.

Furthermore, it is important to evaluatecolor film under proper viewing conditions. Forexample. it is standard laboratory practice tocolor balance 16mm film for projection with anincandescent light source. But 35mm film is nor-mally balanced for arc (or xenon) light projec-tion. Accordingly, 16mm and 35mm color filmshould be reviewed with incandescent and arc(or xenon) projectors, respectively*.

If color film is viewed with other than theintended light source, color values are distorted.For instance, a 16mm film viewed with a xenonlight source is likely to appear too blue or "cold."Similarly, a 35mm film viewed with an incan-descent source usually appears too yellow or"warm.- Thus, judgments of the color balanceof films made under such circumstances can beerroneous. It is also important that the projec-tion room screen not add any coloration of itsown. This may happen if, because of age, thesurface of the screen departs materially from aneutral color.

This booklet has been prepared as an intro-duction to the problem of evaluating color filmfor television. Among other things it discussesthe various characteristics that are important tomaking a judgment of technical film qualityfrom a color television viewpoint. The variousitems are presented in an approximate order ofimportance and include: (a) scene lighting. (b)contrast, (c) skin tones, (d) picture sharpness,(e) color fidelity, and (f) general conditions.Finally, but by no means least, sound qualityshould be rated.

*I3oth the I6mm and the 35mm film projectors used on televisionfilm chains normally use incandescent light sources. This doesnot, however, invalidate the foregoing. In properly set-up tele-vision film chains suitable compemation is made for the factthat 35mm film is projected with an incandescent rather thanarc (or xenon) light source.

Scene Lighting- The most consistently satisfactory and pleasing

reproduction on a color television system is ob-tained from scenes that employ high key light-ing. The lighting of a scene is defined as "highkey" when the average luminance is high (e.g.,a scene with a minimum of deep shadows). Re-production of scenes employing low key light-

- ing (low average luminance), on the other hand,is less predictable and sometimes results in asomewhat muddy appearance of the colors andin rather obscure monochrome reproduction.Thus, in reviewing film for color television, par-

- ticular attention should be paid to low keyscenes since these are likely to be troublesomewhen transmitted over a color television system.

It is recognized, of course, that low key light-ing is often essential to establishing the mood

- for a scene. Short sequences that employ lowkey lighting can generally be used without dis-tracting seriously from the quality of the repro-

_duction over a color television system. On theother hand, if an entire play is photographedwith low key lighting, extra care must be takento insure that the result, as seen on a television

- system, will contain enough visual informationto be meaningful both as seen on color and on

- monochrome receivers.

ContrastThere are four kinds of picture contrast thatmust be given consideration in evaluating colormotion picture films for television applications.These are (a) color contrast, (b) monochrome orbrightness contrast, (c) subject -to -backgroundcontrast and (d) over-all contrast range.

When viewing a scene in color there is a nat-ural tendency to confuse color contrast withbrightness contrast. Although two juxtaposed

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contrasting colors (e.g., red and blue) may ap-pear visually to be widely different in brightness,this effect is largely a matter of color contrastand not an actual brightness difference. Whentranslated into terms of gray, as on a mono-chrome television receiver, the two colors mayappear as the same shade of gray. Many in-stances have been encountered where sceneswith beautifully contrasting colors have ap-peared on monochrome receivers in only twoor three shades of gray.

Considerable experience must be acquired toaccurately judge the brightness or monochromecontrast of scenes that are being screened incolor. A "viewing glass" (a neutral density filterwith a few per cent transmission) can be ofassistance in making this judgment. In addition,screeners should be given the opportunity tocheck and sharpen their judgments by viewingsample films on both color and monochrometelevision systems.

In general, color contrasts that appear pleas-ing as seen on the screen will reproduce wellover a color television system. They may not,however, reproduce in exactly the same way onthe television system as on the screen. Thisstems, in part, from the fact that color films canreproduce saturated colors only at low bright-ness levels. A color television system, on theother hand, produces saturated colors only atrelatively high brightness levels unless viewingtakes place in total darkness. These differencesdo not, in general, distract from the productionof pleasing pictures on a color television systemwhere the original film as seen on a screen issatisfactory from a color contrast standpoint.

Brightness contrast, on the other hand, re-quires careful scrutiny to insure satisfactory re-ception of color transmissions on monochromereceivers. Adequate brightness contrast is par-ticularly important to insure that foreground

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subjects stand out from backgrounds as viewedon a monochrome television system. If suffi-cient brightness separation is not present, allillusion of depth is destroyed. This is an areawhere contrasts may be very satisfactory, asseen on a color receiver, but may be entirelyinadequate or even non-existent as seen on amonochrome receiver.

The over-all contrast range of color film (ra-tio of significant highlights to significant shad-ows) is also very important since the televisionsystem can only handle a finite range of some-thing less than 50 to 1. Motion picture film pro-duced specifically for the theatre is quite likelyto have an over-all contrast range considerablyin excess of this value. This is particularly truewhere 16mm prints have been made from35mm originals. At the present state of the art,the duplicating steps necessary to produce thereduction prints inevitably increases the con-trast range. In many instances it has been foundthat 16mm reduction prints from theatrical filmwas quite unsuitable for television use becauseof the excessive contrast.

Skin TonesIn real life the facial skin tones of people covera very wide gamut as can be observed by look-ing at any representative group. On the screen,on the other hand, a very wide variation in com-plexion tones can appear unnatural and discon-certing. Reasonable uniformity of flesh tonesfrom person -to -person is therefore desirable.

Even more important is the uniformity offacial tones of a given person from scene -to -

scene. Assuming the make-up, lighting andphotographic departments have done their jobsright, scene -to -scene uniformity is largely in thehands of the color timer in the film processinglaboratory. Scene -to -scene differences in facial

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tones must be believable, such as would be occa-sioned by moving from an artificially illumi-nated indoor set to a sunlit outdoor scene.

Picture SharpnessAt best, the capabilities of 16mm film leavesomething to be desired insofar as making fulluse of the capabilities of the television systemare concerned. Thus, 16mm motion pictureprints that do not exhibit their full capabilitiesin terms of picture sharpness are not generallyacceptable for television purposes. The problemis more critical with 16mm film than with 35mmfilm for two reasons. First, the smaller format in-herently results in less resolution. Second, 16mmprints are often reduced from 35mm originalswith the degradation that occurs, to a greater orlesser degree, in any duplicating process. Wherepicture quality comparable to that obtainablefrom live television cameras is desired, the useof 35mm film is indicated.

In observing picture sharpness, attentionshould be paid to both the sharpness of the keysubject and to the uniformity of the sharpnessthroughout the picture area (i.e., flatness offield). In this latter determination due allow-ance must be made for photographic effectsthat were deliberately sought by the use of spe-cial lenses or by the use of lens apertures thatproduced a shallow depth of field.

Finally, films in which close-ups are empha-sized reproduce more satisfactorily than thosewith broad panoramic views. Thus, for televi-sion applications, it is desirable that there be aminimum of scenes containing small detail.

Color FidelityIn reviewing color film for color fidelity, threeaspects deserve attention, viz., (a) fidelity of

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familiar objects, (b) uniformity of color fromscene -to -scene and (c) over-all color balance.

In some instances very bright yellows andhighly saturated reds may cause some problemsin exact duplication. The problem is not of suf-ficient magnitude, however, to cause concernunless precise color reproduction is essential,such as for packages and trademarks of well-known products. In these instances observationover a color television system is indicated.

Uniformity of color of costumes, stage prop-erties and backgrounds should be maintainedfrom scene -to -scene, just as with facial skintones. Not infrequently, shifts in color will beobserved as the color timer in the processinglaboratory endeavors to maintain uniform fleshtones. If carried too far, these general colorshifts can be disconcerting and, under any cir-cumstances, they are undesirable.

Sometimes in an effort to achieve acceptableflesh tones during the color timing process inthe film laboratory, the over-all color balancewill be distorted to the extent that it is no longerrealistic. Prints of this type may have an un-desirable over-all hue or color tinge in somescenes and not in others. These shifts in colorcan be annoying to the viewer.

General ConditionsOn occasion (and more so in the case of 16mmthan for 35mm film), film grain will manifestitself to the extent that it becomes objection-able. Film grain that is objectionable as seenon direct screening will, in general, be equallyor even more objectionable as seen over thetelevision system.

Similarly, improperly handled film can ac-quire abrasions, scratches, finger prints, watermarks and other damage. If sufficiently exten-sive, a new or different print is indicated.

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Sound QualityIn order to avoid becoming immersed in thestory line, it is sometimes advisable to reviewfilms without reproducing the accompanyingaudio channel. On the other hand, preoccupa-tion with the picture should not cause one tooverlook the sound quality.

Poor sound quality, especially where the dia-logue is important to the plot, makes the viewermore critical of the picture, whether he is con-scious of the fact or not. This stems from theviewer's closer scrutiny of the speaker's lips todiscern the words he is saying. Thus a film withmarginal picture quality might be passable in apinch if it has good sound quality. However, amarginal picture combined with marginalsound is usually ample grounds for rejection.

The usual three attributes of sound qualityshould be observed. These are tonal range,sound distortion, and background noise level.

SummaryThe ideal way of reviewing color motion pic-ture film for its technical quality from a colortelevision standpoint is to view the film over atelevision system. Because of the relatively largeamount of equipment and personnel necessaryto do so (together with the attendant cost), thisis not a practical approach to the problemwhere large quantities of film are involved.Alternately, with training and experience, manycan develop the skill necessary to appraise colorfilm by direct screening. This is a talent thatmust be acquired through reference to what isseen on the direct screen and on both color andmonochrome monitors or receivers.

The attributes that require review include:general nature of the scene lighting, color andbrightness contrasts, subject -to -background

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contrast, over-all contrast range, uniformity offacial skin tones, picture sharpness and flatnessof field, color fidelity of familiar objects, uni-formity of color from scene -to -scene, over-allcolor balance, general physical condition of thefilm, and sound quality.

A rating sheet, such as illustrated herewith,provides a disciplined approach to evaluatingcolor film for television applications. In addi-tion, it provides a record of each appraisal forsubsequent reference. The headings and sub-headings suggested are keyed to the topics dis-cussed in this booklet.

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Color Film Evaluation

Title: Date: Scene or reel

1. Scene contentHigh key (1) vs. low key (4)*

2. Contrasta. Color

b. Monochrome

c. Subject -to -background

d. Contrast range

3. Skin tonesa. Person -to -person

b. Scene -to -scene

4. Picture sharpnessa. Key subject

b. Flatness of field

5. Color fidelitya. Fidelity of familiar objects

b. Uniformity (scene -to -scene)

c. Over-all color balance

6. General conditionsa. Grain

b. Abrasions and other damage

7. Sound qualitya. Tonal range

b. Sound distortion

c. Background noise

*Rating scale: 1-excellent, 2-good, 3-fair, 4-poor

Report Number E -5220-C July 1965

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