| by Steve Westerlund |
t all started when my Dad sent away for a Reg. 8 daylight tank and chemicals from Superior Bulk out of Chicago in 1965. My brother and I were into making war films with the neighborhood kids and documentaries about the animals on the Wisconsin farm we were living on. We would then process the films ourselves and make some popcorn for the bid show that same night. Many years later as a film student at U.W.-Milwaukee I continued to "bucket process" both Super 8 and 16mm films.
After a few years of making more traditional narrative and documentary films, I found myself wanting to work on more abstract and personal projects, so I've returned to hand processing. So if you are interested in doing some of your own hand processing here are a few basics to get you started.
irst the processing container: this can be a real home processor like the Morse G3 Developing Tank or Superior Super-8 Daylight Tank (I've found both of these at garage sales or Goodwills) or it can be a dishpan or bucket (but you will have to process in total darkness then) or a metal photography developing tank which is what I like to use these days.
Next the chemistry: although expensive, I have found the smaller "hobby" type kits work well for runse under 10 rolls of film. They are made by Kodak, Beseler and Unicolor for the E-6 slide process and the C-41 negative process. The larger kits are more cost effective but the chemistry will go bad after a couple of weeks so unless you have a lot of film to do, get the small ones. Also, I prefer the Rapid E-6 kit because it takes less time to process with less steps than the Kodak E-6 preocess does.
ow the process: with the S8 Ektachromes you need to remove the anti-halation backing before you process. This is done by removing the film from the cartridge in total darkness into a bucket with at least 1/2 Gal. of water with 2 or 3 tablespoons of Sodium Carbonate. Then pull the film through a sponge or cloth into a bucket with fresh water. Next, place the film into the processing tank or developing can. I recommend you follow directions from the chemistry for the first roll of film you do and after analyzing your results change the process as needed. As you use the chemicals you will need to process your film longer or at a higher temperature as per the chart in the instructions.
After the film has been processed the hard part is to hang up 50 or more feet of film around your bathroom or wherever to air dry and later to get the knots out as you roll it up on a reel. If you want to solarize your film, start by flashing it 1/2 way through the first developer for about 2-5 seconds with a small flashlight then finishing development. I have also developed B/W with T-max positive kits for B/W reversal films. One more thing: as always when working with photochemicals use gloves and masks and be sure the ventilation is good. If you have any questions or comments please write me at steviewest@aol.com or send me a video copy of your work to MMAAC, 2388 University Ave., St. Paul, MN 55114. I would love to see it and I'll send you a video of mine if you would like . For more information on my hand processed and other films please visit me at Steve's Web Page. Happy Processing!
ditor's note: Steve Westerlund, Film Instructor at MMAAC contributed this article as soon as I told him that my classified ads in #13 asking for help were real. THANKS, STEVE! I reprint his instructions for enjoyment and experimentation; I cannot endorse his methods as I have never tried his "recipe."
Two thoughts: To reduce scratches, open the S8 carttridge fully (best with a real cartridge opener, a hard-to-find item) or press in the pressure plate and pull the film carefully down, not out. Disregard this advice if scratches are part of your desired aesthetic (in fact, for more, pull out). Never use a hair dryer or other hot air source to speed up drying as drying it too hot will curl or shrink or worse, destroy your film. Let it air dry. Have fun, play safe.Toni Treadway, ed.
B and T's Little Film Notebook no. 14