Does anyone know were I can get step-by-step information on how 35mm film is printed. I have visited sites like Technicolor and Deluxe but they are not specific enough.

An excellent book is "Motion Picture Film Processing" by Dominic Case, Focal Press Media Manuals, ISBN 0-240-51243-X, TR886.2, 778.5'32

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

The corporation I work for, requested
that all head projectionist's go to At-Lab to see how our movies are developed.

I suggest you get you company to do the same.

It was eye opening.

I dont want to say anymore than that,
(Iwas not too impressed with the end-of-the-line handling)

Other than At-Lab prints are much better
than anything from Delux or Technocolor

Believe me, being a PROJECTIONIST takes on a whole new meaning. As you get to display
the movie to your audience, and you have final control over light and sound.

At the Labs, it's like making Big Macs, they are going 24/7, at the end of the line they are watching an upside image and winding each real onto bobbins then sealing them in
plastic bags.

How its printed, think of a dark room
at the start with a Vic 8, no thats wrong its much more boring than a projector, save the RED/GREEN/BLUE filters then the film going to another room with vats of chemicals
then (think) Speco platter rollers X 1000 and ten times higher in some sort of a BIG heater box to dry the film.
They also seem to be proud that they can print at 10 times the projected speed.

You know how we hate lab joins, well its because they have to spice it in almost darknest in the lab, and they only have about 15 secs to do the join, thats another reason why lab joins seem to turn up in the centre of the frame.
It is suggested to never cut out a lab join.
Simply put a tape splice over it.

DTS and SRD are safe from problems in the lab. SDDS can be a problem, because it's
on the very edge of the film, it can be exposed before develoment. (ie if someone opens the door, the edge of the film is first
to be destroyed!!!

Oh bugger it. I should have paid more attention on the field trip!!!!!!

The film stock are on 4000' and are Kodak/Eastman, Agfa XT and the two others.

That was a pretty bad description, but I now know I prefer screening the movies than
printing them!!

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The Association of Cinema and Video Laboratories also has a very good "ACVL Handbook" that helps filmmakers understand lab operations:
http://www.acvl.org/manual.htm
http://www.acvl.org

Frankly, I find motion-picture printers to be very interesting high-technology equipment. Here is a typical continuous contact printer used by many labs:

Contact Printer Information

And here is information about processing machines and the ECP-2D print film process:
Processing Machine Design
Print Film Process ECP-2D
------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion