Rayogramming Notes:

We will be using Kodak 3302 black and white print film. The film stock has a very low asa rating (probably about 3 asa). This is normal for laboratory films. Also, it is sensitive to blue light only (most camera film is ‘panchromatic’ – meaning it is sensitive to all colours of light). This print film is designed for printing from normal black and white negatives, so it doesn’t need to be sensitive to a range of colours. This makes it very useful for our purposes, as it can be handled under any normal photographic safe light. Indeed, you can make your own safe light by putting a red filter over a torch – that sort of thing. This stock is a sort of creamy colour – looks quite different from normal camera film. This film stock only comes on long laboratory length rolls of 2000′, so to get your hands on it, you’ll need to get it from a lab.

What you will need:

Light source (photographic enlarger is a good source of light, but you can use anything, including just a small torch), a timer, texta, masking tape, safe light (red torch will do). Film winders if you have any.

How to do it:

If you have access to a normal photographic enlarger, then this makes a very easy light source to use for rayogramming purposes. In point of fact, any light source will do. It is quite easy and effective to use a small hand held torch and run it along the length of film you want to expose. But we’ll be using an enlarger. One benefit of using an enlarger is that if you focus the beam onto the bench, then the light has hard edges, so there is good demarcation between where you are putting light and where you aren’t. Often an enlarger will have slideable ‘masks’ in the negative carrier. These allow you to easily change the size of the area of film you are going to expose. This means you can make the area of light you are projecting the same size as the object you are rayogramming onto the film.

You will need stretch film out on your bench for exposing with the film emulsion side up. Like almost all film, the emulsion on the 3302 film we will use will be emulsion in. You can tell the emulsion side easily enough however simply by wetting a finger and feeling which of the two sides is sticker, that being the emulsion side.

The film will be supplied on a daylight loading spool – a black metal spool. If you have a pair of film wind arms handy in your dark room, put the spool of film on the left hand side of the enlarger on one of these winders. The winders aren’t important, they just make things a tad easier. If you have a second daylight spool, then you can take the film up on the other side of the enlarger onto that second spool.

The basic procedure is to pull some film off the supply spool and lay it across your exposure bench. Then you place your objects for rayogramming on top of the film, make the exposure, then move the film along in readiness to make another exposure. All this can be done under the safe light of course, so it is fairly easy to do.

Have a texta marker of some kind available so that you can mark the edges of the light beam on the film. You just want to put little dots on the sprocket edge of the film. This way the marks will be out of both the picture and sound track areas of the film. Some enlargers have a red filter under the lens which can be swung in and out of the light path. This red filter acts as a safe light for the enlarger light. With the filter covering the light path, you can safely handle the film under the enlarger, marking where the edges of the beam are. If your enlarger doesn’t have a red filter, then you can easily mark the edges of the light beam on some masking tape stuck to your exposure bench. Then you can turn off the lights, lay the film down, then mark the film from the masking tape marks.

It pays to also tape down the film onto the bench before each exposure with a couple of bits of masking tape. These can simply be pulled off and re-used. After you have made an exposure, you can take off the tape holding down the film, pull off more film, and line up the texta dot you put on the left hand side of the exposure area with the edge of the enlarger beam (or the edge-of-beam mark if working without a red filtered enlarger). This way, your second exposure will line up directly with your first. If you are rayograming discrete objects – ie where the objects don’t come right from edge to edge of the light beam – then a slight overlap of the exposures will give an even smoother transition from exposure to exposure when you watch the film back. To achieve that overlap, simply put the left hand side exposure edge mark from the previous exposure just a bit inside the edge of beam mark, so that you are sure there won’t be a little bit of film that missed out on exposure and will remain white.

Determining correct exposure:

So, how do you go about making your exposures? First you need to work out what the appropriate amount of light is. Actually, with rayogramming, exposure isn’t a terribly precise thing. This is especially true if your object is completely covering the film and is completely opaque. If this is the case, then your object will protect the part of the film it is covering from light regardless of the amount of light thrown at it. With semi-translucent objects, however, exposure needs to be a bit more precise. So what you need to do is make an exposure test. This is easy. Put a piece of film on the bench for exposing with the object you want to rayogram on the film. Cover the piece of film with some card board or the like. Now, reveal about a quarter of the strip of film and expose the film to light for about 5 seconds. Slide the cardboard to reveal another quarter of the strip of film. Expose again for another 5 seconds. The first quarter of the film has now had 2 x 5 seconds of exposure, or 10 seconds. Make two more 5 second exposures in a similar way, each time sliding the cardboard on to reveal fresh film. After processing, your strip of film will show a range of exposures, 5, 10, 15, 20 seconds in this example. You then simply choose the exposure time that gave the best result – ie a good black in the black areas, while still having a nice white silhouettes. What looks best is up to you.

If using an enlarger, the light is being projected through a lens onto your bench. This lens will itself have an iris control to allow control of how much light comes through. I suggest starting with perhaps an initial iris setting of f5.6 or f8. It doesn’t matter what setting you use, as long as you keep the enlarger to that setting. However if your test indicates that even the longest amount of exposure time you used still didn’t produce a result that is dark enough on the film, then simply open the enlarger lens iris up a stop or two (ie to a lower number like f3.5) and repeat the test. Naturally, if your initial test results appear too dark on the film, then adjust the iris in the oposite way and move to a higher f-stop number like f11 or f16. Simple stuff.

Processing:

Develop your test using the same procedure you will use for the rest of the film. If you have access to a lomo tank, then you should use that (if you have a lomo, but haven’t used it, read the instructions on using a lomo on the artistfilmworkshop.org web site). If working without a lomo, you can bucket process the film under a safe light. Better still, you could decide to expose the film in short strips – maybe 6 to 10 feet at a time – in an open tray of developer. Use gloves, and keep the film moving in tray, and as far as possible keep it from making contact with itself for too long.

With rayogramming, one generally wants a high contrast result. This means using a high contrast developer. A good one is Kodak D19 which comes in 1 gallon (3.8 litre) bags already to mix up. Alternatively, you can use any developer designed for photographic paper. If you use a negative developer like D76, the results will be low contrast and a bit washed out. Whatever developer time you use, stick to it. I suggest developing for 6 minutes at 20 degrees. Then wash the film for about 2 minutes, or use a stop bath. Then fix the film in any film fixer with a hardener added. As you are working under a safe light, fix for about twice as long as it takes for the film to go from a creamy colour to appearing clear. Wash for 10 or so minutes, rinse with a wetting agent like photoflo if you have it (basically bubble bath that helps the water to dry evenly), then hang the film to dry.

If you have worked using little strips of film 6 to 10 feet in length, you will need to splice your pieces together ready for projection.

Printing:

The results you will have achieved will be of white silhouettes of the objects you rayogrammed in a black field. If you make a print of this film, you will get black silhouettes of your objects in a white field. We can do this printing here at nanolab. If however you are working at home, you can easily make prints yourself using the flat-printing method. This is basically rayogramming your film back onto more film. Here’s how:

Lay unexposed film out on the bench emulsion side up.  Lay your original rayogram ‘negative’ on top of the raw film, this time emulsion side down. Try to line up the sprocket holes on both bits of film (or not depending on what you want!). Now, get yourself a small torch. Put a short tube of cardboard (toilet roll centre is just fine!) on the front of the torch to make a nice narrow controllable beam of light that won’t spill anywhere. Then lower the end of the tube of torch such that it almost makes contact with the films on the bench. Switch the torch on, then move along the film at a moderate speed. It is a good idea to tape the films to the bench before you do this. You might even consider putting some glass over the films to make sure they are firmly pressed together, though you can get away with a lot there. Now process the new film and you have a print. Of course, you will need to do an exposure test for this proceedure as well, more or less in the same way as you did for the rayogramming. Now you can intercut the original ‘negative’ and the new printed ‘positive’!

The weekend of the 25th/26th of June will be the first rayogramming workshops held at nanolab in Daylesford. Places are limited. Email richard@nanolab.com.au to book in. cost is $25 which includes 100′ of 16mm print stock.

What’s a ‘Rayogram’?

The basic principle is very simple; an object of some sort is placed on the film, the film is then exposed to light and then developed.  Areas of film exposed to light turn black with development.  Where the object was on the film blocking the light, no silver develops and thus that area remains clear (or is white when projected).  ‘Rayograming’ in its basic form thus leaves white silhouettes on black film.

That’s the photographic principle.  Applied to motion picture film of course, we have to imagine these silhouettes being formed on very small 16mm film frames rather than on large sheets of photographic paper, and then we have to imagine these small images moving through the projector at 24fps.   The challenge with a motion picture rayogram is to make something beautiful by working with these two factors.

What works well?

The 16mm film frame is 10.4 x 7.5 mm in size.  When rayogramming onto 16mm in the dark room it is usual think in terms of a short length of 16mm being exposed at one time- say a foot – rather than each single frame.   This is in part a practicality (there are 1440 individual frames in one minute of film – imagine how long it would take to expose each one by hand individually!) and in part the essence of the game – what works well when rayogrammed onto a continuous strip of film which is then cut-up into separate frames 24 time a second?  When considering objects to rayogram in this way, obviously it makes sense to think small.  It also makes sense to think in terms of something with recurring patterns.  This is because any one ‘frame’ of film is only on the screen for one 24^th of a second.  That isn’t long.  A recurring fine pattern will enable the rayogrammed image to stay on screen longer than just this one frame.  Rayogramming something with a small recurring pattern will also help with working in development of the motif and the structuring of the film as a whole.  Consider fabric, or glass, or things stuck on acetate, or film – objects with a bit of length to them are good.  Naturally, this is just a suggestion to get you thinking.  A superb rayogrammed 16mm film could well be made where every ‘frame’ is radically different from each other.   You could even make a device to expose just a small amount of film at a time, like a torch with a cardboard tube stuck on the end of it which would only expose a section of film the size of the end of the tube.  This would make it possible to make repeat exposure of a small object quite quickly.  Another factor worth considering is the direction of the light you make the exposure with.  For instance, consider a nail standing on its end on the film.  With light from directly above, the silhouette on the film would be a circular dot at the head of the nail.  Lit from a side, and the shadow of the nail will result in an angled silhouette like, like a sun-dial.  With different directions of light, the changing shadow from the same object will result in different silhouettes.

Where might we go with this project?

Initially, rayogramming produces white silhouettes on black film.  Make a print of this film and you get black silhouettes on white (well clear) film.  A finished film could be a mix of both of these (or a print made from both ‘polarities’ of the same or different material).  It would be possible to add colour by filing in white silhouettes with ink or dye.  When rayogramming flat subjects, it is possible to lay more than one layer on the film at a time.  This way, light will only reach the film where it misses both layers of objects.  You could also repeatedly rayogram onto the same piece of film. This way, the white silhouette you created would be a ‘difference’ silhouette, like having just the overlapping section of two overlapping circles in a venn diagram.  One could print several rayogrammed silhouettes onto the same piece of finished film, making a double rayogram where the rhythm or shapes of the two silhouettes interfere with each other.   Rayogramming directly onto film also puts image into the optical sound track area of the film.  Depending on the image, this can make interesting sounds that can be an integral part of the film.  Widely spaced images make a simple ‘pop’ sound, whereas images with fine details make more of a hum, the closer together, the higher the pitch.  Alternatively you could conceive of the film with a separate sound track played on disc or printed on the film.  Rayogrammed films naturally tend to the abstract.  However it is not inconceivable that a carefully conceived rayogrammed film could have a symbolic and poetic, or even a narrative component.    Just what people produce and how far they go with it will be up to them.  I would like to imagine that with a little planning we can achieve more than the usual rayogram workshop which typically ends with a single length of film of white silhouettes of a string of random objects not particularly well suited to watching at 24fps.  I’d like to imagine that some people will want to take their idea to a fully realized and finished film!

How should we go about this?

A good way to cut to the chase would be to discuss your ideas about possible objects and techniques for rayogramming in advance.  I think this means being generous with your ideas and letting us all know and all give feedback as to how well it might work.  This way, it should be possible to get the most out of your initial rayogramming experiment.  Initial rayogramming workshops will be held at nanolab in Daylesford.  This will be in groups of 2 for two or three hours at a time.  It may be that some of you will only take your experiment this far.  However given the few materials needed to do rayogramming, it would be easy for some of you to do more work on your films at home.  All you would need is a darkenable room (and night usually takes care of that!) a torch for exposure, and a torch with a red filter (like red cellophane) for a safe light.  You could then rayogram at home, and post the film up to nanolab for development.  Of course, you could also develop at home – either using a Lomo tank if you have one or can get access, or using a bucket (under a red safelight this is very easy – and working in short lengths it’s even easier).  At each stage, nanolab is prepared to make a telecine of the film which would then be put on-line to share work-in-progress results.  Printing or editing if desired would also be available at nano in Daylesford on a one-at-a-time basis.

So to begin, the thing to consider is just what might rayogram well onto 16mm film projected at 24 fps and what development possibilities this rayogrammed motif might offer.  This may not all come together at once – playing with the tools and seeing some initial results is usually necessary to work it up into a film – but start thinking in this direction and let us know your thoughts!

The Rayogram Research Project is our workshop project for the next part of the year.  If you want to get involved, email info@artistfilmworkshop.org   Initial cost will be $25 which will include 100′ of 16mm film stock to rayogram onto.  Further stock and printing will be available at additional cost.

Tape Projects presents
Artist Film Workshop open screening #3

The first AFW open screening for 2011 is coming!

March 24, 7.30pm at our usual venue:

TAPE Project Space
1/81 Bouverie Street
Carlton (on the city edge)

It’s an open screening and so this means
>> BRING YOUR FILMS! <<

… standard 8, super 8, 16 all supported (and other film formats by request).

And we’ll also be looking at:

• Films by dada-ist visual poet and super 8 filmmaker Pete Spence and partner Norma Pearse.
• Films by the AFW optical sound workshop artists.

Start time is 7.30pm. Entry is free.

“thanks for a great space and an excellent workshop, I had a ball. Thanks for all your patience, advice and for making the experience accessible. It was a pleasure meeting [the] other participants. I will be in for future workshops.”

This AFW practical film workshop is for artists interested in working the boundary between sound and image.

Bring up to 2:30min of audio, which could be one long piece or a series of short ones (eg. intended as loops). You’ll be recording this audio onto 16mm film using an optical recording process, and you’ll then learn how to hand-process your film.

Once your film is processed you’ll be working on it directly by drawing, painting, collaging or scratching to produce animation timed directly to your sound.

This workshop is useful for artists working with sound, animation, audiovisual installation or performance.

The workshop takes place over two full days:

Dates: Sat 11 & Sun 12 Dec 2010
Location: Brunswick, Melbourne Australia
Start: 10am each day

Cost for the 2 days is $45 total, which is the price of 100ft of 16mm film, processing chemistry and all the materials and tools you need.

We look forward to seeing you there!

An open performance night with Infinite Decimals, expanded cinema loops by AFW workshop participants, and the Superflux collective from France.