AboutChris Bushman Expertise I`ve been involved in the technical aspects of the motion picture industry for the past 35 years. In 2007 I received a Scientific/Technical Academy Award for my contribution to archival film preservation.
Experience Currently, I manage a small motion picture film laboratory in Hollywood, California. I have broad experience in many technical aspects of the motion picture business. I have worked as an animation cameraman, production manager, optical printing foreman, still photographer, color timer, sensitometry control foreman, video engineer, customer service foreman, analytical chemist, director of quality control.
Member, Society of Motion Picture/Television Engineers http://www.smpte.org/ - Member, American Radio Relay League http://www.arrl.org/ - Member, Quarter Century Wireless Assn. http://www.lockport-ny.com/radio.htm - President, Zen Nippon Airinkai, So Cal Chapter http://home.earthlink.net/~filmlabrat/ - Member, Maltose Falcons Homebrewing Society http://www.westval.com/mfalcons/ - Alumni, American Brewers' Guild http://www.abgbrew.com/
Expert: Chris Bushman Date: 12/24/2007 Subject: Colourized Version
Question Hello Chris.
I've just watched the colourized version of the greatest Christmas film ever, "Scrooge" 1951. The colours were rather subdued, so was the film colourized by modern technology to look as it would have done had it been released in colour in 1951. Or was it made that way 56 years ago and re-released as a colour version, if you se what I mean ? Is it possible for a film to be filmed in black and white and be "turned into" colour.
Hope this makes sense.
Thanks
Answer Well, Mark, the film was shot in black & white and the version that you watched was a computer colorized version that "turned it into color".
If it was shot in color in 1951, the colors would have been exaggerated and saturated because the only really successful color system at the time was Technicolor three strip. The Wizard of OZ is a good example.
Trying to add color to a BW film is a tough challenge. It is always a compromise. The subdued look you describe is intentional. If you gently colorize, then any color errors are minimized. Generally, not every element of every scene has color added, so the pastel look keeps it from looking too strange.
