American Cinematographer - September 1990 - 16

imi-am
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in learning about the techniques and
materials used during the silent film era.
In general I am interested in any informa¬
tion on tinting and toning 16mm film that

originally shot in black and white.
Any related publications that you could
refer me to would be greatly appreciated.
Patricia Small, Bloomington, Indiana

was

-

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A# Tintimethods
ng and toni
ng are thecolor
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est

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856

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to motion

picture films. Tinting is accom¬
plished by applying one or more colors to
the celluloid itself; toning is the bathing
of the entire film in a color which imparts
the same black and white value of that
color to each image on the film.
Tinting and toning were widely
used for release prints of silent pictures.
Most often, the colored print stocks avail¬
able from Agfa, Eastman or Dupont were

employed. Hand coloring was used for
special applications. The processes be¬
came stymied in 1928-30 because the
colored stock interfered with optical
soundtracks. In 1930 new colored stocks
introduced which circumvented this

were

problem, but by then there was little
demand for tints and tones. Methods of

tinting

are:

1. Application of liquid dyes

to black and white film after it has been

developed. 2. Use of pre-colored stock. 3.
Applying colors by hand or by stenciling.
Toning is accomplished by vari¬
ous processes in which silver particles on
film are replaced by metallic compounds
or dyes. Tinting and toning can be com¬
bined for

two-color effect.
Broken Blossoms has been de¬

a

scribed as having many colors on the re¬
lease print which were "an integral part
of the whole; gentle rose hues, savage
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reds, rich blues for the night scenes, and
other tones matching every mood and
nuance. Audiences that see this film in its
rare public viewings today almost invari¬
ably see a black and white print, which is
tantamount to seeing but a pale shadow
of what the film originally was."
Tinting and toning is a rare art
these days, most often used in certain still
photography applications. Most modern
motion picture film laboratories would
probably recommend a less expensive
alternative: that you shoot color stock,
print in black and white, and have the lab
make the necessary adjustments during
processing. For a more traditional ap¬

proach, inquiries at a local still lab may
prove helpful. (Consulted for this answer
was ASC associate member George
Turner.)
▲
American Cinematographer - September 1990

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