The Picscan Film Leader System has been extensively tested over 600 days of shooting, in five different countries and dozens of Telecine Facilities and is ideal for any digital intermediate or transmission format, film-out, HI-DEF, Digital / Analog, NTSC or PAL etc,
Test
We shot twelve test scenes which contained a number of difficult variants. Face tones under exposed, over-exposed, with color shifts, different levels of SFX smoke and various filters including Promists and Enchanters & even the classic 'Day For Night'.
The footage was processed 'normal' and delivered to a couple of different telecines for transfer without Picscan reference. A second run was then transfer with the standard Picscan set-up, ( Gamma at 40 base+fog at 1% above Zero).
The leaders were produced at the time of the test shoot using the same stock and at the manufacture's exposure index.
The separate Digital Intermediates were then combined as split screens comparing the uncontrolled then the Picscan guided tests and are displayed here as unaltered frames from those D.I.s. Telecine machines have no base line zero settings so some variation is not surprising and is clearly revealed in the first telecine pass.
The second pass with the Picscan Leader offers stable reference to the colorist to set up to the base standard and control tone, coloration and black level to produce the result in the display. In one instant there were no Picscan staff present during the transfer, the standard set-up was actually phoned in.
Yes,
there is a diagonal split though the center but if you can't see it.. 'then we must except some of the responsibility'.
Shot Set-up
Studio Group.
Set-up:Face tone normal no color, pure black background with naked lamp and light Harrison diffusion.
Exterior Day for Night.
Setup: Tungsten balanced stock, UV filter, and 1.5 stop down no color correction. No lighting or fill.
Studio Jeep Scene.
Setup: Studio shot face tone 1 stop down with half CTO fill and full CTO as back sun light with extremely light fog filter.
This system has been developed not just for DP's, or telecine colorists, but for BOTH. A system equally accessible to the creative people of the motion picture industry and digital imaging.
Quick Pack
Picscan FLS offers free facilities in the form of single sheet set-up for camera & telecine personal plus the LabelMaker software for the easy production of a color coded identification label for the Picscan Charts. These sheets and LabelMaker are always available so the 1st AC can get things started and to let the Colorist, Editor & Post-Production Supervisor know your using Picscan FLS.
Clear Example of the Veracity of the Picscan FLS Architecture
The stability generated with the Picscan Film Leader System has a total on flow from Camera, Telecine, Post-Production to Film-Out.
Easy Set-up
Charts are shot in pre-production under ideal conditions using principal photography stock at the chosen exposure index and processing and needs only to be executed once,,, that's it, done, no gray cards on set, just straight into shooting. Framing alignment is integrated within the Picscan Leader and stays with the system right through to titling and film-out.
Once the camera department has produced the Picscan Leaders the telecine colorist can then access data from the negative to do a final fine tune of the machine to balance high-light, gamma and photographic black level (base+fog), as well as the indicated framing format(s). Together, DP and colorist view the leaders and test shots to set the ideal gamma (γ) value (virtual printer light). Reference to the Picscan Leader allows the colorist to then accurately reproduce, in the digital intermediate, the lighting, exposure, coloration or camera filters used by the DP in principal photography. This simple procedure will reproduce an accurate color and exposure balance and allows feed-back though dailies to the Director of Photography, while enabling the colorist to assess a problem or variation in any aspect of the process.
Product Quality
The Picscan Chart Set is a hand finished folder containing two charts hinged for easy alignment. The inks used are to extremely fine tolerances, printed on archival stock which is mounted on a moisture resistant base that remains stable under intended lighting levels. Surfaces are coated for protection and to assist in the absorption of infrared and Ultra-Violet wavelengths. The Chart Set is protected by a vinyl sleeve and has been sized to fit neatly into the lid of a Pelican meter case. More on the Picscan FLS product.
Documentation & Free Downloads
Each purchase comes with a full 'User Guide' pdf download. Also included with the file are Quick Sheets for camera set-up, Quick Guides for telecine, editors, and post-production supervisors. These Quick Sheets are free to download along with the LabelMaker software for producing a color-coded label for the ‘AR’ chart with framing format and production identification.
Features of Picscan FLS for Telecine.
Picscan FLS represents a smooth stable access to the negative's full dynamic range for telecine. The Picscan Leader is produced in pre production under perfect conditions. It eliminates the less than useful gray card and displays a perfect 'footprint' of the negative, and is held by telecine for exclusive set-up for the named production.
The System is designed to display color layers of the film as densities, and their conversion to RGB without the distortion of color chips, allowing the coloration of the scene to be revealed, including camera filtration, lighting, creative exposure and processing preferences.
The 18% gray becomes the systems constant reference. Regardless of the director of photographys choice of exposure index, or forced/pulled processing, the gamma can now be used to preset face tones or render the look of the transfers, lifting or dropping according to the DP and colorists determination. In addition there are six other engineered gray steps to assist in eliminating any shift in RGB tracking.
The Picscan Film Leader System is exclusive to the production, so carries with it the inherent properties of the negatives emulsion and processing characteristics. The leaders black reference can then be set by telecine at a constant 1% above standard system black level as it represents 'base plus fog' and therefore should not vary from that density.
Main Picscan FLS Features
Cinematographers / Telecine / Production:
Eliminates scene by scene gray cards from the set completely.
Will display photography relative to exposure, processing, camera filters, and lighting, with no loss of subtle diffusion or on set smoke / fog.
Timing becomes easier as the Digital Intermediate is consistent with day to day transfers.
Framing is included and also notates additional formats for future extraction.
Additive telecine values can be combined with Picscan to produce a unique look for a show, which can be applied consistently during daily transfer.
Telecine friendly with easy alignment and set-up.
Provides confident reference to camera negative characteristic.
Preferred telecine gamma set-up for ‘print density’ (virtual printer light).
