Interpositive
Encyclopedia
An interpositive, intermediate positive, IP or master positive is an orange-based motion picture film
with a positive image made from the edited camera negative
. The orange base provides special color characteristics that allow for more accurate color reproduction than if the IP had a clear base, as in print films.
From a traditional photographic perspective, an interpositive is essentially a negative processed in a positive process. An original negative is exposed to film in-where the film is processed creating a like image, 'a negative', in a positive process, an interpositive.
Photographers that create photographic art by 'contact printing'; i.e. Platinum, AZO, need to create interpositives to create large negatives. The final art work is the size of the contact negative produced. Interpositives are also the best means of archiving or copying old image libraries. Reversal B&W processing can also be achieved by various kits and published recipes.
The interpositive is made after the answer print
has been approved. All lights
and opticals from the answer print are repeated when striking the interpositive, and once the IP exists, the original negative can be vaulted.
The interpositive is printed with a "wet gate", contact print that has been done in "liquid", and historically has had only one purpose, namely, to be the element that is used to make the internegative
.
It is sometimes referred to as a Protection IP, which is a good term since the only time the IP is touched is on the occasion of making the first or a replacement internegative. Since interpositives are used so rarely, they are usually the film element that is in the best condition of all the film elements.
Interpositives are usually element of choice for film-to-tape transfers for several reasons:
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
with a positive image made from the edited camera negative
Original camera negative
The original camera negative is the film in a motion picture camera which captures the original image. This is the film from which all other copies will be made. It is known as raw stock prior to exposure....
. The orange base provides special color characteristics that allow for more accurate color reproduction than if the IP had a clear base, as in print films.
From a traditional photographic perspective, an interpositive is essentially a negative processed in a positive process. An original negative is exposed to film in-where the film is processed creating a like image, 'a negative', in a positive process, an interpositive.
Photographers that create photographic art by 'contact printing'; i.e. Platinum, AZO, need to create interpositives to create large negatives. The final art work is the size of the contact negative produced. Interpositives are also the best means of archiving or copying old image libraries. Reversal B&W processing can also be achieved by various kits and published recipes.
The interpositive is made after the answer print
Answer print
Answer print refers to the first version of a given motion picture that is printed to film after color correction on an interpositive. It is also the first version of the movie printed to film with the sound properly synced to the picture....
has been approved. All lights
Color grading
Color grading or colour painting, is the process of altering and enhancing the color of a motion picture, video image, or still image either electronically, photo-chemically or digitally. The photo-chemical process is also referred to as color timing and is typically performed at a photographic...
and opticals from the answer print are repeated when striking the interpositive, and once the IP exists, the original negative can be vaulted.
The interpositive is printed with a "wet gate", contact print that has been done in "liquid", and historically has had only one purpose, namely, to be the element that is used to make the internegative
Internegative
An internegative is a motion picture film duplicate. It is the color counterpart to an interpositive, in which a low-contrast color image is used as the positive between an original camera negative and a duplicate negative....
.
It is sometimes referred to as a Protection IP, which is a good term since the only time the IP is touched is on the occasion of making the first or a replacement internegative. Since interpositives are used so rarely, they are usually the film element that is in the best condition of all the film elements.
Interpositives are usually element of choice for film-to-tape transfers for several reasons:
- They are usually in better physical condition than the other film elements. The original camera negative is often checkerboarded on several rolls, or may be chemically unstable if stored improperly.
- They are very low-contrast and therefore help to preserve shadow detail.
- Scratches or dirt on the IP appear as black defects on the transfer, which are generally less objectionable than white defects, which would be the case if the camera negative or internegative were used.