US1596809A - Color cinematography - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mg. 17, 1926.

UNITED STATESA'PATENT or FICE.

DANIEL r. GOMSTOOK, OF'BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. ASSIGNOR To TEcimIcoLOR MO- TION PICTURE QORPORATION, 013 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETT A CORPORATION or MAINE.

COLOR CINEMATOGRAPHY. I

Application filed January 8, 1923. Serial No. 611,256.

This invention relates to the art of motion pictures and more particularly to the color branch of the art wherein complemental series of positive images, respectively representing difiterent color aspects of. the scene, are in superposed registry on a single width film.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a method of forming color cinematographic film which affords the advantages of forming the original complemental negatives on a single film (called a multiplex film) and which at the same time-avoids the difiiculties of printing'the final positives from a multiplex film. In one aspect the invention involves mak ing a primary film in the form of a multiplex negative 1 (Fig. 1) in any suitable manner (as'for example according to the disclosure in. prior applications Serial No. 77,237. filed Feb. 9. 1916, Serial No. 415,074, filed October 6. 1920, Serial No. 415,018, filed October 6, 1920, Serial No. 534,055, filed Feb. 4, 1922and Serial No. 544,084, filed March 16. 1922)'and before printing the final positives reproducing on separate secondary films 2 and 3 (Fig. 2) the respective Series of images in such form that the final positives 4 and 5 (Fig.3) maybe printed in a contact ,machine (such as a printer of the black-anctwhite type adjusted for registration sufliciently accurate for 1 color work) and in such form that the reform negative images.

9 ary films are spective series of final positives may be colored in any one of a wide range of methods, indeed any method (using pigment orchemical action or both) by which the coloring is greater or lesser as the exposure is greater or lesser respectively. The secondpreferablv formed by printing directly from the multiplex primary film and then reversing the positive images to By forming the secondary films from relatively slow small grained stock the light scatter which takes place in printing'the final positive film is less than usual when final positive film is printed directlyfrom the original or pri mary negative film. This is particularly important where the final positive film is printed through'the back as for example in making direct relief picture film.

By varying the printing light in forming the secondary films the relative color values of the respective series, as well as the relaout the skilled attention tive intensity'of succeeding sections of each series, may be corrected in making. the secondary films so that in making the many positive reproductions the intensities and color values are made uniform without varying the'printing light each time and withquired. By accurately positioning the images of the secondary films relatively to the sprocket holes or other registering openings in the respective secondary films the registration of the 'complemental final positive images relatively to each other may be effected more easily and accurately than in the case Where the final positive series are printed directly froman Original negative film bearing complemental serlesof negatives, it bemg possible to correct irregularities in the positions of the primary negativesrelatively to their registering openings in making the secondary films as for example by using a projection printer to print the secondary films.

While the present invention is applicable to color cinematography in three or more .colors its application to two-color work will serve for the purpose of illustration. A camera suitable for exposing a two-color negative is disclosed in application 534,055, file-d February 4, 1922. comitantly to print separate films from the two-color negative film is disclosed in ap plication Serial No. 512,399, filed Nov.- 2, 1921, although the respective series of images may if desired be printed Separately in.a printer adapted to print only one seriesj at a time.

thus formedon the secondary films are prefprinted with a constant light intensity.

Thus, insteadv of regulating the light throughout the printing of each positive film A printer adapted conordinarily re- As above stated theposit'ive' images From the foregoing tives such as fast large-grained prises forming primary (about one hundred positive films usually being printed) .it is necessary to regulate the light only throughout a single printing, namely, in printing the secondary films; 7 The present invention is particularly useful in the production of direct relief posidisclosed in application Serial No, 512,202, filed November 2, 1921, where the positive films are exposed through the back and the relatively unexposed portions of the emulsions are etched away leaving the exposed portions in relief, the reliefs being colored and projected in registry or used as matrices for imbibition printing. By employing relatively slow small-grained stock for the secondary films they may be made less light scattering than the original negative; consequently in printing through the backs of the positive films, where light scatter is most destructive of definition due to the separation of the positive emulsion from the negative images by the thickness of the-celluloid-of the positive film, the secondary filinsafiord better definition, other factors being the same, than would the original negative.

it will be evident that when using the method herein disclosed the primary negative is used very little and may be preserved in substantially its initial condition, and that substantially the entire range -of color processes are available for use in coloring the 1 final positives.

1. The art of cinematography which comprises forming primary series of complemental negative images, forming separate secondary negatives from said series respectlvely by a printing process, varying the printing light to compensate for irregularities in the'intensity of the primary series, and printing complemental positive series from said secondary negatives. 1

2. The art of cinematography which comseries of complemental negative images, forming secondary negatives from said primary series respectively by printing from the negatives and reversing the printed images, varying the printing light to compensate for irregularihas in the intensity of the primary series, and printing complemental positive series from said secondary negatives.

3. The art of cinematography which comprises forming complemental series of negative images, forming secondary films from said'series respectively by a printing process, varying the printinglight tocompensate for irregularities in t e intensity of the negative series, photographically printing complemental positive series from said secondary films, and maintaining the printing light substantially constant in. printing the positive-series.

4. The art of cinematography which comprises forming complemental series of negative images, forming secondary negative films from said series respectively by printing from the negative images on separate films and reversing the printed images, and forming a positive film from said secondary negative films with the complemental positive images in registry relative to each other.

5. The art of cinematography which comprisesforming complemental series of negative images concomitantly on the same film.

forming separate secondary films from said series respectively by a printing process, varying the printing light to compensate for irregularities in the intensity of thenegative series and printing complemental positive series from said secondary films.

6'. The art of cinematography which comprises forming complemental series of negative images concomitantly on the same film, forming separate secondary negative films from said series respectively by printing from the negative images and reversing the printed images, and printing complementa positive series from said secondary negative 7. The art of cinematography which comprises forming complemental series of negative images concomitantly onthe same forming separate secondary negative films from said series respectively by printing from the'negative images and reversing the printed images, and forming a positive film from'said secondary negative films with the complemental positive images in registry relative to each other,

8. The art of cinematography which comprisesforming complemental series of negativeimages concomitantly on the same film, forming separate secondary negative films from said series respectively by printing from the negative images and reversing the printed images, varying the printing light to compensate for irregularities in the intensity of the negative series, and forming a positive film from said secondary negative films with the complemental positive images in registry relative to each other.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts,

this twenty-eighth day of December, 1922.

DANIEL F.. COMSTOGK.

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