How to Make Homemade 35mm Redscale Film!!
by ofrayray in Craft > Photography
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How to Make Homemade 35mm Redscale Film!!
This is my first instructable, so go easy on me. This is a DIY way to make your own Redscale 35mm film at home and with just a few items. It takes around 15 minutes total to make a roll, and can be even shorter once you get the hang of it. For those who do not know what Redscale film is, well..., it's a type of film that creates a red tint to the entire picture, thus creating a really cool shot. There are several brands to buy, most notably and conspicuously, Lomography. I was going to buy some myself, but once I realized what it was, I knew I could make some on my own with various film I had lying around. And what makes it different? Well, it's basically just flipped over film, or film that is shot with the usual back(what you see when loading your camera) getting hit by the light/image first rather than last. How is that done? Well, that's what I'm going to show you...you flip it.
What you need:
1) An empty canister of film, complete. If you develop your own B&W, you'll have plenty. If not, just ask your film place for one.
2) A full roll of new C-41 print film(feeder), the higher the speed the better because you'll be shooting 4 stops down. So 1600 should be shot at...100iso. Using a roll of 200 or 400 is kind of tough unless you're shooting in really bright light. Average light, use at least 800iso.
3) Scissors
4) Tape
5) (optional) a Rollei infrared dual container,
6) Darkness. If you don't have a dual container, you'll need to get the film into a completely dark spot, I go under my covers since I do not have a lightbag
7) A screwdriver if you are using the container, otherwise you'll just turn the empty canister by hand. I do that most of the time and especially in the end so that I can feel when I reach empty on the feeder roll.
8) Sharpie. You have to write what type of film this is, right?
So, to start, undo the empty canister so that the bottom comes off and the spindle comes out. Take the leader from the fresh new roll and trim it to center, about an inch or so long and a 1/4 wide. Insert the trimmed part of the fresh feeder film in the center of the old spindle and wind it so that the film is flush with the old spindle. Tape it down very well. You don't want it coming undone at the end of your roll. Once you have it secured, turn the empty soon-to-be Redscale spindle so that it begins to take up the new film. Slide the canister over the spindle to make sure you are turning the correct way. You want the tan side of the film facing the outside of the roll, opposite from how the feeder roll looks. Once you know you're rolling the correct way, either put it in the dual canister and keep turning, or go under your covers or lightbag and continue to turn until the feeder roll no longer feeds. When you're done, the once empty canister will be full and the once full canister will be empty. Once your old roll is full, you can venture out to the light of your work place. Keep the two rolls next to each other, then gently pull your new roll away from its feeder(or yank it). The film from the feeder roll, or the now empty roll is attached to its spindle and you must separate the two. If you don't want to yank it, just cut it. SAVE THIS ROLL!! because it can then become another Redscale homemade roll. Once the the feeder is cut, you will expose a little film, but such is the case when you have a new roll anyway since loading a camera does expose a little film that could've been used. You'll want to have about an inch or so of film to cut, in an arc, so that it looks like new rolls do. Just remember that all you've done is rolled a new roll of film and it will and should look like a new roll, except the tan part will now be on the opposite side of where it usually is when you load a camera.
Once you've loaded the camera, there are a few things you'll want to know. Stop your camera down 4 stops from the iso of the original film. You can shoot at two stops or three stops as well, but for best results, go four. Try using a 80b filter to really light up the green in your shots. A polarizer, with an 80b is cool too. Try a Red filter, or a yellow, or a green. Anything you want. But please remember to set your camera iso however many stops down. Adding filters will necessitate more light. Also however many exposures are listed, be safe and take away about two. This is because you exposed the latter couple shots in the feeder roll by making them the beginning of this roll. Shoot a 36 exp at 34 or 24 at 22. When you're shooting and you reach number 22 or 34 or even 10, you can still shoot til the end(where you hope you taped your film really well), but it's likely those shots are spent. If you advance your film and it comes undone, and this can happen, don't freak, just keep the camera back closed until you can get under the covers or in a light bag. You should be able to feel the end of the roll and all you have to do is gently roll it back up so that it can go back into the canister or stick the thread into the spindle and rewind it like you did in the beginning. As long as it doesn't see light and you can get it in a portable container, you should be ok. Tell your developing person that you've got tape inside the roll since their auto machines don't always like tape. Most of all, just have fun. Use expired film and cheap stuff as well. This film is for arts sake, so there are no mistakes!!
What you need:
1) An empty canister of film, complete. If you develop your own B&W, you'll have plenty. If not, just ask your film place for one.
2) A full roll of new C-41 print film(feeder), the higher the speed the better because you'll be shooting 4 stops down. So 1600 should be shot at...100iso. Using a roll of 200 or 400 is kind of tough unless you're shooting in really bright light. Average light, use at least 800iso.
3) Scissors
4) Tape
5) (optional) a Rollei infrared dual container,
6) Darkness. If you don't have a dual container, you'll need to get the film into a completely dark spot, I go under my covers since I do not have a lightbag
7) A screwdriver if you are using the container, otherwise you'll just turn the empty canister by hand. I do that most of the time and especially in the end so that I can feel when I reach empty on the feeder roll.
8) Sharpie. You have to write what type of film this is, right?
So, to start, undo the empty canister so that the bottom comes off and the spindle comes out. Take the leader from the fresh new roll and trim it to center, about an inch or so long and a 1/4 wide. Insert the trimmed part of the fresh feeder film in the center of the old spindle and wind it so that the film is flush with the old spindle. Tape it down very well. You don't want it coming undone at the end of your roll. Once you have it secured, turn the empty soon-to-be Redscale spindle so that it begins to take up the new film. Slide the canister over the spindle to make sure you are turning the correct way. You want the tan side of the film facing the outside of the roll, opposite from how the feeder roll looks. Once you know you're rolling the correct way, either put it in the dual canister and keep turning, or go under your covers or lightbag and continue to turn until the feeder roll no longer feeds. When you're done, the once empty canister will be full and the once full canister will be empty. Once your old roll is full, you can venture out to the light of your work place. Keep the two rolls next to each other, then gently pull your new roll away from its feeder(or yank it). The film from the feeder roll, or the now empty roll is attached to its spindle and you must separate the two. If you don't want to yank it, just cut it. SAVE THIS ROLL!! because it can then become another Redscale homemade roll. Once the the feeder is cut, you will expose a little film, but such is the case when you have a new roll anyway since loading a camera does expose a little film that could've been used. You'll want to have about an inch or so of film to cut, in an arc, so that it looks like new rolls do. Just remember that all you've done is rolled a new roll of film and it will and should look like a new roll, except the tan part will now be on the opposite side of where it usually is when you load a camera.
Once you've loaded the camera, there are a few things you'll want to know. Stop your camera down 4 stops from the iso of the original film. You can shoot at two stops or three stops as well, but for best results, go four. Try using a 80b filter to really light up the green in your shots. A polarizer, with an 80b is cool too. Try a Red filter, or a yellow, or a green. Anything you want. But please remember to set your camera iso however many stops down. Adding filters will necessitate more light. Also however many exposures are listed, be safe and take away about two. This is because you exposed the latter couple shots in the feeder roll by making them the beginning of this roll. Shoot a 36 exp at 34 or 24 at 22. When you're shooting and you reach number 22 or 34 or even 10, you can still shoot til the end(where you hope you taped your film really well), but it's likely those shots are spent. If you advance your film and it comes undone, and this can happen, don't freak, just keep the camera back closed until you can get under the covers or in a light bag. You should be able to feel the end of the roll and all you have to do is gently roll it back up so that it can go back into the canister or stick the thread into the spindle and rewind it like you did in the beginning. As long as it doesn't see light and you can get it in a portable container, you should be ok. Tell your developing person that you've got tape inside the roll since their auto machines don't always like tape. Most of all, just have fun. Use expired film and cheap stuff as well. This film is for arts sake, so there are no mistakes!!