8mm Forum: Grading film prints

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Topic: Grading film prints

Nigel Higgins
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 543
From: Saffron walden.united kingdom
Registered: Jun 2014

posted September 25, 2014 02:29 PM

Just a question for a new topic but just wondered how people go about grading super 8mm films.as i when we say a film is a/b etc when does it become so ,eg one line/2 a splice etc and what about if the film is grainy as printed that way does that make it a bad copy or ok as was made like that ,only asking because i think there is probably a few differences to what some would grade prints to others if any of that makes sense .

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

posted September 25, 2014 02:40 PM

I find everyone's grading of film differs, the one I try to use as a decent "standard" grading guage is that formerly used by Derann.

At the end on the day an "A" print can only ever be as good as when it was new, therefore if the print is slightly grainy but looks and sounds very very similar to when it was purchased brand new, in my book that is still an "A" condition print of that particular film. Under these same conditions, Derann would have also graded it as an "A".

[ September 26, 2014, 04:03 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Nigel Higgins
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 543
From: Saffron walden.united kingdom
Registered: Jun 2014

posted September 25, 2014 02:51 PM

Yes andrew seems the best way ,its difficult now as nearly all films sold now are used ,and the thing is its a bit hit and miss with alot of stuff turning up on ebay from non collectors as dont have a clue what selling ,not saying thats all but some ,ive been quite lucky with most of the stuff ive brought to be honest .but yes agree to be a grade a print should be as good as new .

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

posted September 25, 2014 03:12 PM

For features, always accept the word "almost" nowadays Nigel,is my experience on nearly all recent purchases given that most must have been printed at the very least 5 years ago nowadays.

I don't suppose any of us can expect that in that amount of time, films being sold now, have only ever been screened once or twice.

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted September 26, 2014 11:56 AM

I agree with Andrew on that, and Derann was exceptional with they're grading, even to a fault. I bought many used prints from them that they graded "B", saying there was slight color fade, but I'd get it and I didn't see any.

I think they did that just to make sure that the customer ...

1. Wouldn't be immediately disappointed
2. The customer would actually be quite pleased.

... and I certainly was. Never had a bad sale off of their used film list! Sheesh! Was there anything that Derann DIDN'T do right? [Smile]

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted September 28, 2014 03:45 AM

Still checking the mountain of recently purchased films. Worked today on an 800' 16mm travel film "This Must Be London".

The label on the can included the words, "Technicolor. Mint Print. £45."

But what a seller from an unknown previous time obviously thought was mint does seem to be a slight con for a film convention visitor.

1) Being Technicolor the colours are still wonderful but the film throughout has the usual old Technicolor warp.
2) I lost count of the cement joins in the film.
3) Some slight scratching at times which hopefully won't be too intrusive on the screen.

A mint print? No. The label didn't look too old and as all the joins were cement it's almost sure that they were all there when the print was offered for sale.

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Maurice

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