An internegative is a

motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

film duplicate. It is the color counterpart to an

interpositive 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 more accurate color ...

, in which a low-contrast color image is used as the positive between an

original camera negative The original camera negative (OCN) is the film in a traditional film-based movie 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 size of a roll v ...

and a duplicate negative. After a film is shot, the original negatives—taken directly from the camera equipment—are

edited Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...

into correct sequence and printed onto fresh stock as a cohesive film, creating an

print used for

color timing Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associa ...

. From the interpositive,

answer print An answer print is 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. Answer prin ...

s, which include the color-corrected imagery and a properly synced sound track, are made. Once approved by the studio, the final answer print is made into an internegative used for striking copies that will be delivered to theaters for viewing.

Overview

Internegatives are the workhorses of the

film industry The film industry or motion picture industry comprises the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking, i.e., film production companies, film studios, cinematography, animation, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post ...

. They are made on exactly the same stock as interpositives. The film processes usually go from one polarity to another, that is: # The

camera operator A camera operator, or depending on the context cameraman or camerawoman, is a professional operator of a film camera or video camera as part of a film crew. The term "cameraman" does not imply that a male is performing the task. In filmmaking ...

shoots a positive image and the film ends up as a negative. # The original negative is printed onto stock that comes out as an interpositive. Often, two interpositives were made, one to be archived and one to continue through the process. # The interpositive is color timed (to balance the scenes) into the internegative. # The internegative makes the positive

release print A release print is a copy of a film that is provided to a movie theater for exhibition. Definitions Release prints are not to be confused with other types of prints used in the photochemical post-production process: * Rush prints, or dailies, ...

. When an internegative wears out during printing, a new internegative is made from the interpositive and release printing resumes. There are some

films A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

(

reversal film In photography, reversal film or slide film is a type of photographic film that produces a positive image on a transparent base. Instead of negatives and prints, reversal film is processed to produce transparencies or diapositives (abbreviate ...

) that can go from positive to positive or negative to negative but are not used very often. Each time the original camera negative, the only image source, is run through the printing machine, there is a hazard that the film could be damaged. Printing release prints from the composited camera negative was common until about 1969. Thereafter, most printing was done from internegatives which were made from an interpositive. Prints are still being made from the composited camera negative. Usually such a print run is limited to a few prints. These are sometimes called "showprints" (a DeLuxe trademark), or, more generally, "EKs" (after Eastman Kodak), and are generally reserved for the producer and for exhibition in first-run engagements. Other exhibitors will almost always receive conventional prints made from internegatives. For quality and safety reasons, video transfers are almost always made from an interpositive. An internegative is a less desirable alternative. On rare occasions, the composited camera negative may be used for video transfers, but it will have to be carefully retimed for color/density. Where a color-reversal intermediate was used, a positive-to-positive color process could be achieved. However, its use was limited, often giving unsatisfactory color reproduction, and restricted to 16mm. With very few exceptions, 35mm has utilized a negative-to-positive process.

References

External links

National Film Preservation Board

The Film Foundation

{{refend Film and video technology