8mm Forum: How Did They Subtitle Silent 8mm ?

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Topic: How Did They Subtitle Silent 8mm ?

Brad Kimball
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1171
From: Highland Mills, NY USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 16, 2011 05:18 PM

I've always wondered how subtitles were applied to the old 8mm silent digests.

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Ricky Daniels
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 587
From: London & Kent UK
Registered: Jul 2003

posted May 18, 2011 04:26 AM

Brad,

Probably using method 1 or 2 below...

'In Print' (hard) subtitles can be created in several ways...

1. Use a subtitle negative that is "bi-pack" printed to hold back exposure from the lettered area.

2. Optically printed or output (e.g., laser film recorder) onto the printing negative.

3. Wax-etch or chemical-etch method: The processed print is coated with a thin layer of wax, then the subtitles are embossed into each wax-coated frame. The film is then put into a strong bleach, that bleaches out the film emulsion in the title areas. The wax is then removed using a solvent.

4. Laser subtitles: a powerful laser "writes" the titles onto each frame of a processed print. The print is then rewashed to remove the charred debris from the titles.

The wax-etch and laser subtitling methods usually remove the emulsion, so the subtitles are at a slightly different focus plain than the actual picture image.

Modern cinema subtitles can be 'soft' subtitles i.e. subtitles projected over the film image and therefore the same print can be used for both subtitled and non-subtitled screnings (e.g. DTS CSS - Cinema Subtitling System, Dolby Screentalk).

Rick [Smile]

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Brad Kimball
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1171
From: Highland Mills, NY USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted June 12, 2011 10:04 PM

Thanks, Ricky. I imagine laser technology probably wasn't available back in the 60s/70s or, if it was, it probably would not have been too cost-effective when the digests were created. I always suspected they probably etched the sub-titles onto a plate of glass occasionally with a black border at the bottom and then re-filmed the positive print through the glass creating the effect. I can't imagine the vendors would have had the $ to optically print titles directly onto the negatives. I could be wrong.

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