Can someone give me examples of different film looks?

C

c.g._eads

Veteran
I know nothing about film stocks and ASAs and all that nonsense. I was wondering if someone could name a handful of different looking films and their corresponding film stocks and other relevant information.

I was watching The Ruins, which is a gorgeously shot movie, and I noticed how good everything looked in direct sunlight. I know film looks better than video with direct sunlight, but it still usually looks bad. This movie, however, despite the slight yellow tint, looks great. And it made me think they're using some sort of special film stock to get the look.

Thanks.
 
It is very true that different film stocks have different attributes. I just want to make clear that each film stock does not necessarily yield a certain 'look'. Film stocks are not like settings in magic bullet.

For instance both Kodak 5205 & 5218 were used on The Dark Knight (2008), and Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008).

Film stocks have qualities and limitations, such as latitude, grain, color representation, dynamic range, etc: which can help you get the look you want. Think of film stock like picking out a painters canvas, it's simply the base for which the paint will build upon. The majority of what a film's 'look' is... is found through the process of lighting, filters, processing, and perhaps post tweaking.

With that said, I am in no way demeaning the process of examining film stocks to pick the one which best suites your film. I am just saying don't see The Dark Knight in theaters and say "boy, I want that film look!" and buy 5205 & 5218 on your next film and expect it to make a significant difference.

With that being said:

Kodak, does in fact make some pretty good DVD's which show off their vision2 platform. The one I have is called 'Light and Shadow, in perfect harmony" It has technical information, comparisions and samples from each film stock (5201, 5212, 5217, 5205, 5229, 5218, and all of the corresponding 16mm stocks (72__)... I bet if you shot them an email they would send you one pretty fast.

Also they have just started the new vision 3 platform with so far, one 500 speed film stock. I went to Eastman Kodak Hollywood, and got to see a vision 3 demonstration, and it was terrific. Try and see if they have that on DVD yet. When I was there, they did not.

And as mentioned earlier Fuji has samples too.
 
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c.g._eads said:
I know nothing about film stocks and ASAs and all that nonsense.
Click to expand...

Thats not the way to get a DOP to help you....... ;)

I like 5218. Film stocks do actually, give you a bit of a look, but its not as extreme as what people do in video....

5218 is a nice wide latitude, accurate color film. looks gorgeous... something like ( i think) 7229, is a 250Daylight film, that is a narrower latitiude, much more punchy and contrasty...

they are alll different, with different attributes...
 
As the saying goes, "it's not the stock... it's how you use it". OK, perhaps that's not totally true- as Ryan and Timur have explained, specific stocks do have certain characteristics, but it's far more important to consider how you treat those stocks in camera, development, timing or DI, and printing. All those steps can get complicated, however, and I recommend a starting with a solid foundation of knowledge by first learning the basics of film stock behavior. Namely, stuff like ASA and that 'nonsense'.
 
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