Mia/DIY Film

The fourth thematic project is led by Esther Urlus and takes place in Filmwerkplaats in Rotterdam. Filmwerkplaats is a lab for DIY photochemical (analog) film making.

DAY 1 (3.4. 2019)

Get to know the basics:

• 16 mm film
• print stock vs. camera negative film
• colour vs. B&W
• 24fps
• information of the sound (also on the film)

GAME 1: the CHEMICALS

1. DEVELOPER (we used D97) 2. FIXER

We were given a piece of EXPOSED print stock film (yellowish) and painted on it with developer, fixer or both. Where fixer was applied, the exposed film became clear. Where developer was applied, parts became black (dark). After fixing and rinsing we made short loops and watched them on editing table.

GAME 2: ORGANIC developer

Some plants (especially ones with stronger perfume such as basil, mint, coriander, rosemary etc.) contain quite high percentage of phenol, the compound of developer. Therefore we made our own developer from plants, which is environmentally friendlier.

We soaked cilantro and mint leaves in a solution of water, vitamin C and washing soda for half an hour. The final solution we used as the developer, but we also used the leaves themselves. By placing them on emulsion side of exposed film and pressing them for 30 min with glass plates, parts where the leaves were got developed. We got some kind of contact print which we then had to fix and rinse. Again we stitched the films in loops and projected them. In the process we familiarised ourselves with how the projector works, how to load the film in it and experimented with colour filters.

DAY 2 (4.4. 2019)

EXERCISE 1:

• get to know the BOLEX camera (mechanism, speed - fps, lenses, aperture, etc.)
• how to load film in it

EXERCISE 2:

• measuring the light outside with a lightmeter (we used f 1.8)
• filming with the BOLEX (movement, speed, focus, etc.)

EXERCISE 3:

• transferring film to the precious Russian development tanks
• developing, fixing, rinsing, hanging the film