How does pre-flashing negative film alter the look?

[Michael Weinheim]

For Fight Club they pre-flashed (I believe also called pre-fogged) the film stock, intended for exterior night shots, at 5%.

What does pre-flashing, in this case 5%, exactly do to the final image? Does it only raise blacks, everything in unison or specific parts of the final exposure?
What does it do to colors, saturation and contrast overall?

Furthermore: when emulating this with digital cameras, does it include tweaks when shooting (other than maybe exposing for more stops below middle grey) or could/would it all be done in post?

 

[Rajneesh Kassin]

It's not necessary any more -- we already have that range in digital to give them anything they want from the film scan.

If you shot on negative, and if you processed the negative, and if you color-timed the project totally photochemically, and if you only printed on film... then it would make a difference. But realistically, I think every film lab in the world in 2025 would try to talk you out of it.

Note that both Arri and Panavision had methods for flashing during filming as well. It did lower contrast to a point, but (speaking as a longtime Technicolor employee), we kind of shrugged and said, "it's a couple of points less contrast, but we can already do this in dailies."

More details on Cinematography.com:

Film Flashing, what is it and how do you do it?

Hey everyone, I was wondering what film flashing was and how to do it. Is it in the processing. Thanks

cinematography.com

 

[Michael Weinheim]

Thanks. In the linked video they did something similar with a photo camera and it gives a lot more shadow detail while more or less retaining the mids and highs (especially -2 stops).

I am sure this is a different process than pre-flashing in the lab, though. I don't want to pre-flash film myself but am more interested in what exactly it does to blacks, contrast, colors and saturation when done like Cronenweth did for Fight Club.

Are you saying it likely didn't do much, if anything, at all?

 

[Michael Weinheim]

More details on Cinematography.com:

Film Flashing, what is it and how do you do it?

Hey everyone, I was wondering what film flashing was and how to do it. Is it in the processing. Thanks

cinematography.com

Thanks. Mullen describes it as:

A fogged/flashed image has lighter blacks, lower contrast, softer colors. (...) flashing maybe only brings out another half-stop of detail in the shadows at the most, after that, you're just milking the blacks up.

I'm curious what he means with 'softer colors'. I'd guess muted/desaturated but that's precisely the small changes I'd lik to know more about if anyone has insight.

 

[Rajneesh Kassin]

I'm curious what he means with 'softer colors'. I'd guess muted/desaturated but that's precisely the small changes I'd lik to know more about if anyone has insight.

Again: what are you hoping to achieve that you can't already get digitally? Flashing was a very real thing 30 or 40 years ago. In 2025... not so much. Are you completely timing and releasing on film?

I would strongly urge you to shoot tests and also seek out the advice of the DPs on Cinematography.com before you commit to this process. David Mullen is very present on social media and a tremendous resource to students and others.

 

[Tony Sal]

Thanks. Mullen describes it as:



I'm curious what he means with 'softer colors'. I'd guess muted/desaturated but that's precisely the small changes I'd lik to know more about if anyone has insight.

Michael,

Reach out to David Mullen ASC via his instagram or visit his website where you can contact him via email per the "contact me" link on his home page.

David is very helpful and receptive to passing on his wealth of experience and knowledge to others.

 

[Michael Weinheim]

Again: what are you hoping to achieve that you can't already get digitally?

Nothing. I am asking these questions because I am curious about the process, it's intentions and the real world changes coming from it.
It's a general interest in the differences between uncontrollable aspects of analog processes vs fully controllable in digital. My interest does not just include filmmaking but e.g. audio as well. I don't plan on pre-flashing film, as I wrote in a prior post.

 

[Giles Sherwood]

Interesting. I didn't know they selectively flashed on Fight Club--IIRC they also did bleach bypass on the whole thing (not sure if it was the neg or the print) so maybe they also flashed the night sequences just to dial back the extra contrast/blacks? In any case, Fight Club doesn't really have a flashed look as I think of it.

Vilmos Zsigmond, who flashed his negs on McCabe & Mrs. Miller and The Long Goodbye, has a whole section in the ASC-published book Reflections: Twenty-one Cinematographers at Work where he compares the effects of using fill light, flashing, and on-set smoke in order to manipulate the film image. I can't remember if he gets super granular into pre/post flashing though.

 

[Rajneesh Kassin]

Interesting. I didn't know they selectively flashed on Fight Club--IIRC they also did bleach bypass on the whole thing (not sure if it was the neg or the print) so maybe they also flashed the night sequences just to dial back the extra contrast/blacks? In any case, Fight Club doesn't really have a flashed look as I think of it.

The DP on Fight Club was Jeff Cronenweth, and the movie was shot more than 25 years ago. Unless you're screening a print, whatever you're looking at is most likely on video (DVD, Blu-ray, 4K streaming, whatever), so the color decisions were made in the color room. Fincher is an extremely hands-on director, so my guess is he called all the shots there. They may have bypassed the lab timing and done their own thing completely in video.

Here's an article and interview with Cronenweth about his work on the film:

Beyond The Frame: Fight Club

"I couldn't think of a better movie to do as my first feature than Fight Club," said Jeff Cronenweth, ASC of his experience of working with director…

theasc.com

Again, whatever advantages/disadvantages they had with flashing (pre- or post-) don't mean nearly as much in an all-digital world.

David Mullen is on Facebook literally every day and I have no doubt would be glad to discuss the details of film flashing with you.

 

[Michael Weinheim]

so maybe they also flashed the night sequences just to dial back the extra contrast/blacks?

That was the intention as I understand, yes.
"Reflections: Twenty-one Cinematographers at Work " is available on the Internet Archive, will check it out, thanks.

Again, whatever advantages/disadvantages they had with flashing (pre- or post-) don't mean nearly as much in an all-digital world.

Again, this is not about what could/should be done, I am simply interested in the old processes. I already reached out to David but am happy to hear any experiences.

 

[Giles Sherwood]

The DP on Fight Club was Jeff Cronenweth, and the movie was shot more than 25 years ago. Unless you're screening a print, whatever you're looking at is most likely on video (DVD, Blu-ray, 4K streaming, whatever), so the color decisions were made in the color room. Fincher is an extremely hands-on director, so my guess is he called all the shots there. They may have bypassed the lab timing and done their own thing completely in video.

Yes

 

[Hoit Dee]

Interesting use case of flashing

 

[Michael Weinheim]

That is so cool, thanks Hoit!

 

[Tony Sal]

That is so cool, thanks Hoit!

Michael,

Check out the Colortone OFX now available in Resolve V20.1 release build.

Colortone is discussed in this video starting at the 12:44 mark.

 

[Michael Weinheim]

Tony, thank you so much, I would have missed that!

What's interesting is that there is pretty heavy diffusion involved in the OFX - I was not aware that this is a trait of pre flashing nor have I heard anyone mention it? Is it really an emulation of a Panaflasher like she says in the video? Will definitely play around with it just for fun.

EDIT: regardless, I've been playing some time and find the Colortone OFX to be a really good look development tool.

 

[Hook Stowers]

ColorTone Diffuser was heavily influenced by working with Blake McClure who just wrapped a series for HBO where he was using a "ColorCon" filter (https://www.camtec.tv/new-specialty/camtec-color-con-4x5) with 3-4 URSA Cine 17K cameras as the main cameras. The ColorCon uses a diffusion filter (of the DPs choice) as part of the effect. In the plugin version it is optional. Some of the presets in there directly copy some of the dailies looks using the real filter he had for the show.

 

[Rajneesh Kassin]

What's interesting is that there is pretty heavy diffusion involved in the OFX - I was not aware that this is a trait of pre flashing nor have I heard anyone mention it? Is it really an emulation of a Panaflasher like she says in the video? Will definitely play around with it just for fun.

Yes, all the pre-flashing methods for film cameras (I seem to recall both Arri and Panavision had systems) basically reduced contrast on the negative, which added a diffuse effect, mainly to the shadows. My memory is that this was discovered when a camera got into a big light beam, which somehow spilled back into the negative. They realized, "if we could just control this light, we might make the image usable."

ColorTone Diffuser in Resolve 20.1 is not exactly the same thing, but it does produce some interesting effects. It's amazing how many digital diffusing plug-ins are available now -- I've almost lost track of how many there are these days. I think there's at least 3 or 4:

Scatter:

Scatter · Physically accurate diffusion. For DaVinci Resolve.

Accurately reproduce the effects of real optical diffusion filters on digital cinema footage.

videovillage.co

Kromatika DigiDiff:

DigiDiff | Diffusion Plugin for Resolve

DigiDiff is a professional digital diffusion plugin for DaVinci Resolve, bringing high-quality diffusion control to your post-production workflow. Features: DiffDesigner - Design custom diffusion profiles and save custom presets DiffBoost - Amplify your diffusion Diffusion Tint - Use either CCT...

www.kromatica.co

FilmConvert Hazy:

FilmConvert Hazy - FilmConvert

Film Stock Emulation Plugins

www.filmconvert.com

Greyscale Labs Nano:

Nano | Digital Volumetric Diffusion

Evolutionary Cinematic Post Produciton Tools.

greyscalelabs.com

BorisFX and Sapphire also have their own diffusion/glow filters.

 

[Michael Weinheim]

ColorTone Diffuser was heavily influenced by working with Blake McClure who just wrapped a series for HBO where he was using a "ColorCon" filter (https://www.camtec.tv/new-specialty/camtec-color-con-4x5) with 3-4 URSA Cine 17K cameras as the main cameras. The ColorCon uses a diffusion filter (of the DPs choice) as part of the effect. In the plugin version it is optional. Some of the presets in there directly copy some of the dailies looks using the real filter he had for the show.

Hook, great to hear from you on the ColorTone OFX. Some super interesting background info, thank you!

I quickly got a look out of it that rivals my favourites, with Image Adjustments and Tone Lights there's a lot more going on than just diffusion, I love it so far, great work!

 

[Hook Stowers]

Glad you've found it useful!

 

[Michael Most]

Michael,

Reach out to David Mullen ASC via his instagram or visit his website where you can contact him via email per the "contact me" link on his home page.

David is very helpful and receptive to passing on his wealth of experience and knowledge to others.

David is one of the most knowledgeable cinematographers around in general, but particularly when it comes to film and photochemical processes and finishing techniques (not to mention a great guy, one of my favorite people). I would suggest watching his work on "Northfork." That picture is a master class on exactly what you're asking.