Reduction Printing from 35mm

[Alexander Bevardos]

Not sure exactly where this post should go. But I just purchased a 35mm scope feature on 7 2k feet reels. I was wondering if there’s any lab in the states that can do a reduction to 16mm or super 8. Thanks!!

[Juergen Kellermann]

There might not be many - any? - labs left that have a reduction printer for 35mm to Super-8. Other people might have more of an idea what's possible at this point in time. In terms of machinery and film stock. Maybe Andec in Berlin still can do this? But I think your chances are pretty slim.

You also have to keep in mind that this will only give you a silent print. Then you need to get a magnetic soundtrack applied to the new print and get the sound recorded onto the film.

Reduction to 16mm used to be quite common (e.g. for non-theatrical and TV prints) and there used to be printer that would reduce image & optical soundtrack at the same time. But I don't know if there are still working reduction printers like that still in existence (i.e. for image & sound). Reducing only the image only is certainly possible, but then you will have to get a magnetic soundtrack applied and recorded.

In any case, whether it is 16mm or Super-8, it would be a very costly undertaking.

Finally and most importantly, there is the copyright question. No legitimate lab will make you a copy of a film, without the written permission of the studio and copyright holder. And you will not easily get that.

When doing it the traditional way, then a 16mm negative is first struck from a 35mm print (via reduction) and then this 16mm negative is used on a special reduction printer to print on 4x Super-8 film stock (which is 35mm wide) and then was split into 4x Super-8 prints. I think there might have also been 2x Super-8 film stock, as well (which is 16mm wide, of course). I presume there were also printers for creating just 1x Super-8 print from 35mm, but they would be very rare nowadays.

You might be able to avoid the negative, by reducing the 35mm print onto Super-8 reversal film stock, but only, if you find a lab that has a printer to do this.

Sorry to be so negative about this, but the number of film labs worldwide that can do this type of work is very small.

It would probably be easier and cheaper to print it from a digital (blu-ray) source onto Super-8, in Italy. But you still will need to get the sound stripe applied after that and then record the soundtrack.

Or you simply invest in a 35mm projector and play your print this way. That's fun, too. (I have 35mm equipment at home).

[Winbert Hutahaean]

Not sure exactly where this post should go. But I just purchased a 35mm scope feature on 7 2k feet reels. I was wondering if there’s any lab in the states that can do a reduction to 16mm or super 8. Thanks!!

This will be super expensive cost I believe.

If you are not so idealistic on the source, my suggestion is to get 4K BD or BD of the same title and make a 16mm or 8mm copy from this digital source. This is now mainly people doing to project new films on celluloids.

If the source is not available in digital format, that is the different case.

[Dominique De Bast]

You also have to keep in mind that this will only give you a silent print. Then you need to get a magnetic soundtrack applied to the new print and get the sound recorded onto the film.

I thought the soundtrack was printed at the same time at the picture. I was once told the super 8 optical prints were cheaper to make as there was only one reduction operation.

[Juergen Kellermann]

I thought the soundtrack was printed at the same time at the picture. I was once told the super 8 optical prints were cheaper to make as there was only one reduction operation.

Theorhetically. But the problem is to find a lab that has a reduction printer for Super-8 with optical sound in good working condition. You probably won't find that anywhere in the world at the moment.

The question is also did these printer reduce from 16mm or from 35mm. Is it necessary to create a negative or is reduction from a positive print possible?

I haven't heard of any optical sound Super-8 prints having been released during the last years. But please correct me, if I am wrong.

You only hear of new magnetic sound prints being produced, with mag. striping most often provided in Italy.

Besides that, as far as I know, optical sound Super-8 films were only really popular in Japan and used for airline prints. Finding a well-running optical sound projector is also not so easy.

[Dominique De Bast]

Theorhetically. But the problem is to find a lab that has a reduction printer for Super-8 with optical sound in good working condition. You probably won't find that anywhere in the world at the moment.

The question is also did these printer reduce from 16mm or from 35mm. Is it necessary to create a negative or is reduction from a positive print possible?

I haven't heard of any optical sound Super-8 prints having been released during the last years. But please correct me, if I am wrong.

You only hear of new magnetic sound prints being produced, with mag. striping most often provided in Italy.

Besides that, as far as I know, optical sound Super-8 films were only really popular in Japan and used for airline prints. Finding a well-running optical sound projector is also not so easy.

I heard it was directly reduced from 35mm, but that may not be true. Didn't hear, neither of recent super 8 optical sound prints.

Les Grands films classiques, in France, released several features on super 8 with optical sound. I have no idea where their machines went to. Air France also used super 8 optical sound prints in the planes. Their films have the feature, which seems to be unique, of having two tracks : one in French, one in English.

The GS 1200 is capable of running optical sound films, and other makes and model also allows to play those films. In Europe, such projectors are not that rare.

[Alexander Bevardos]

I have seen many 16mm drive in snips that were dupe print from a 35mm positive. I wonder if this would be done with the print I have. But if it is to be pricey for it being a feature. Like you said I might as well invest in 35mm projection equipment.

[Alexander Bevardos]

I’ve also seen Ignacio post about a few new film on 16mm. Like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood for example. Was that one most likely recorded into film from digital?

[Joerg Polzfusz]

Reduction prints to S8 or 16mm can be done in Germany by Andec (at least they used to offer this service - now that they have redesigned their website, I only found blow-ups from S8 or 16mm to 35mm?!)
https://www.andecfilm.de/

On top, for S8 and 16mm there might be up to additional two labs in Italy:
1)
https://m.facebook.com/movieandsoundfirenze/ (their official website is down, but they are still active on Facebook?!)
2)
https://augustuscolor.com/en/sviluppo-e-stampa/ (reduction prints aren’t mentioned on the website anymore, but they used to offer them)

In Belgium, DeJonghe still does reduction prints to 16mm (but not S8):
https://www.postproduction.be/

The Cinecolor Group (South and Central America) also used to do this. But it looks like they have closed all their labs and are now „ditch only“. I only mention them in case I missed something:
https://www.cinecolorgroup.com/

[Alexander Bevardos]

Thank you so much Joerg!! I’ll make sure to reach out and see what my best options are. I appreciate the links as well, very thoughtful!