Bipack Systems - Who'S Who?

BIPACK SYSTEMS – WHO’S WHO?
- Duplitized film = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duplitized_film

- Bipack = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipack
- Bipack color = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipack_color
- Cinecolor = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinecolor
Restoration of Motion Picture Film, Paul Read & Mark-Paul Meyer, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2000.
Chapitre 18: Restoration of natural colour film
18.2.2 Nature Colour/Cinecolor type: two-colour analysis on two separate films/two-colour subtractive print on
double-coated toned film (p.197).
Agfa bipack films (no pictures...)

[Timeline of Historical Film Colors] http://zauberklang.ch/filmcolors/timeline-entry/1293/#/
Year 1929
Principle Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack
Invented by (Agfa)
Description:
AGFA BIPACK FILM
The front film is orthochromatic and sensitive, therefore, to green and blue. The rear film is panchromatic and
records red-orange only, there being a red-orange filter on the orthochromatic emulsion. In fact, this is a bipack
of the standard type. The two films, according to the Agfa booklet, Kine-Negativ-Material, are perforated
simultaneously, and the two emulsions are carefully balanced for contrast and speed, the utmost being done to
ensure maximum spectral selectivity. Owing to the high transparency of the front film, and the high speed of the
combined pack, the exposure needed is not greatly in excess of black-and-white. The red-orange filter on the
front film almost entirely eliminates halation due to the reflection of light from the rear film as the blue rays and
green rays are entirely absorbed (to which the front film is sensitive). The orange filter should disappear almost
immediately on immersion in the developer. (Fig. 133.)
The spectral sensitivity is so balanced that it is unnecessary to use any compensating filter when using tungsten
lamps for illumination; while for daylight or arc light the Agfa No. 2 yellow filter can be used to reduce the
preponderance of blue Magenta and violet. Agfa recommend that only cameras equipped with pilot pins should
be used in order to ensure perfect registering when making the colour prints afterwards. This is essential in any
colour process.
The film has been manufactured mainly for two-colour processes. For this purpose Agfa make a double-coated
positive film known as Agfa-Dipo-Film(1). This material can be double-toned by any of the well-known toning and
dye mordanting processes. Such a material is used, for example, by the Spectracolour process.
(Klein, Adrian Bernhard = Cornwell-Clyne (1940): Colour Cinematography. Boston: American Photographic Pub.
Co.. 2nd revised edition, pp. 318-320.)
Secondary Sources
Dr. N. (1937): Mehrschichten-Film. In: Film-Kurier, 27.8.1937, Serie „Farb-Film-Fibel”. (in German) View Quote
Finger, Erhard (1994): Die Filmfabrik Wolfen. Porträt eines traditionsreichen Unternehmens 1909 bis 1994. GÖS-
Gesellschaft für Sanierungsmaßnahmen Wolfen und Thalheim mbH, Filmfabrik Wolfen GmbH i.L., pp. 27-28. View
Quote
Klein, Adrian Bernhard = Cornwell-Clyne (1940): Colour Cinematography. Boston: American Photographic Pub.
Co.. 2nd revised edition, pp. 318-320. View Quote
(1)
Lexikon der Filmbegriffe
http://filmlexikon.uni-kiel.de/index.php?action=lexikon&tag=det&id=7054
Dipo-Film
Auf beiden Seiten des Schichtträgers mit fotografischen Emulsionen beschichtete Positivfilme, die bevorzugt zum
Kopieren von Zweifarbenfilmen eingesetzt wurden. Die Einfärbung der Schichten erfolgte nach dem Beizfarben-
und/oder Tonungsverfahren sowie nach dem Kodachrome-Verfahren. Kopiert wurde nacheinander oder
gleichzeitig für beide Schichten von Farbauszügen, die mit einer Bipack- oder Strahlenteilerkamera
aufgenommenen worden waren.
Die Erfindung des Dipo-Films geht zurück auf E. Lewy (1914) und A. Hernandez-Mejdia. Dipo-Filme wurden von
Agfa, Bauchet (Frankreich), DuPont de Nemours („Dupack“, USA), Gevaert (Belgien) und Kodak (USA) hergestellt.
Die hier benutzte Bezeichnung Dipo-Film geht auf 1929-1939 von Agfa fabrizierte Filme zurück; im
angloamerikanischen Sprachraum hießen solche Filme Duplitized Film Stock oder Double-coated Film.
Artikel zuletzt geändert am 17.01.2012
(Google translator)
Positive films coated on both sides of the film support with photographic emulsions, which were preferably used
for copying two-color films. The coloring of the layers took place by the pickling and/or toning process and by the
Kodachrome method. Copying was carried out sequentially or simultaneously for both layers of color separations
taken with a bipack or beam splitter camera. The invention of the dipo film is based on E. Lewy (1914) and A.
Hernandez-Mejdia. Dipo films were produced by Agfa, Bauchet (France), DuPont de Nemours ("Dupack", USA),
Gevaert (Belgium) and Kodak (USA). The term dipo-film used here refers back to films made by Agfa in 1929-1939;
In the Anglo-American language area such films were called Duplitized Filmstock or Double-coated Film.
WIKIPEDIA Sairandhri (1933 Marathi film) directed by V. Shantaram

It is The first Indian colour film. The film was shot on Agfa B&W 35-mm negative. The release prints were made in
Germany by Bipack colour printing process. [6]
(...)
Shantaram had been impressed by the "technical virtuosity" in films of Pabst, Lang, and Max Ophuls. Sairandhari
was made in colour but for processing Shantaram took it to the UFO studios in Germany .[7][8] However, the
technique failed and the film was released as a Black-and-white production as the colours turned out to be too
garish.[9] The film was stated as the first Indian colour film, the processing was done in Germany. Even though a
good reaction was expected for this colour film - the processing of the negatives was messed up by the lab in
Germany causing the colours to be too garish. The audience rejected the film and it played for less than a week. [6]
[10]
Dipo films were produced by AGFA

BAUCHET (France)
DUPONT DE NEMOURS ("Dupack", USA)
GEVAERT (Belgium)
KODAK (USA)
[In the Anglo-American language area such films were called Duplitized Filmstock or
Double-coated Film]
Ufacolor
Year 1931 – 1940

Principle Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, mordant toning
Invented by Kurt Waschneck (Afifa)
Example:
A documentary about Tunisia: Terre idéale, documentaire sur la Tunisie, entièrement en couleurs (FRA 1937, Jean
Kharski), German title Zwischen Mittelmeer und Sahara. Ein farbiger Bildbericht aus Tunesien.
Credit: By courtesy of Deutsche Kinemathek, Berlin.
https://www.lost-films.eu/films/show/id/4495
Terre idéale
director: Jean Kharski
year: 1937
country: France
history notes: Unidentified Film No. 214
alternative titles: Ohne Titel - Unbekannter Kulturfilm nach dem Blau-Rot Farbverfahren um 1936, Zwischen
Mittelmeer und Sahara. Ein farbiger Bildbericht aus Tunesien.
This film has been identified thanks to contributions from members of the Lost FIlms community.
Film shows the main sights of Tunisia using a two-colour system, possibly Ufacolor.
A harbour: a young Arab man sings in a rowing boat / A ferry docking. / Views of the harbour (Bizerte) / A train
station and a streamlined train (headed in the direction of Sus). Palm trees. The city gates. / Crouching Arabs.
Camels. The open sea. / Characteristic sailboats of Sfax. / Sponges. Fishermen display their catch of squids. /
Tunis. A market. The gates of the city. The historical city centre, a muezzin, a mosque. / A parade. / French and
Tunisian flags. / A palace. / Parade inspection. Dignitaries. His Highness, Achmed Pascha-Bey. / Interior of a train.
An inland trip. / The pilgrimage town of Kairouan. / A muezzin, prayers, a European woman buying a rug. / The
ancient Roman city of Sufetula (today Sbeitla): Ancient ruins, the amphitheatre, Thysdrus (El Djem) / Medenine. /
The oasis town, Tozeur / Saddle trees / Dancing / A caravan.
Jeanpaul Goergen, Deutsche Kinemathek, 24.11.2010
Director of Photography: Albert Duverger
Production Company: Univers Film, Paris
Length: 339m
Format: 35mm, 1.37:1
Picture/Sound: colour, sound
Notes: 'AGFA 387' & 'AGFA 120' (both pointed A's) edgecodes; Two-colour system; No main title; German end-
title & commentary
Source notes
Deutsche Kinemathek - Museum für Film und Fernsehen
COMMENTARY
According to the surviving German censor's permit card (no. 48414 dated 03.06.1938) the original length of the
film was 368 m, the music was by Mohamed Iguerbouchen and "F. Lampe" was responsible for the German
version.
We are looking for as much information as possible about the original French version of this film: the title,
director, year of production, colour system, etc.
Jeanpaul Goergen, Deutsche Kinemathek, 24.11.2010
Thank you for making this information available on this site. It proves once again that the LOST FILMS website is a
very good tool for our purposes. Unfortunately two months ago before this title was posted I preserved this film
for its quality of this two colour process. For me it seems very likely to be improved Ufacolor although other quite
similar processes where there at that time. I am very interested in the german title and would like to get in
contact not only for the censor's permit card but for all other information connected to the print. Our print is 344
m and unfortunately has no main title or credits.
m.wessolowski@filmmuseum.at
Markus Wessolowski, 05.01.2011
Secondary Sources
Alt, Dirk (2011): “Der Farbfilm marschiert!” Frühe Farbfilmverfahren und NS-Propaganda 1933-1945. München: Belleville, on
p. 48 View Quote, on pp. 77–78 View Quote, on pp. 113–114 View Quote, on p. 176 View Quote and on pp. 194–195. (in
German) View Quote
Beyer, Friedemann; Koshofer, Gert; Krüger, Michael (2010): UFA in Farbe. Technik, Politik und Starkult zwischen 1936 und
1945. München: Collection Rolf Heyne, on p. 49 View Quote and on p. 51. (in German) View Quote
Dr. N. (1937a): Ufacolor. In: Film-Kurier. 183, 9.8.1937, Serie “Farb-Film-Fibel”. (in German) View Quote
Dr. N. (1937b): Teerfarben (Anilinfarben). In: Kinotechnische Rundschau. Beilage zu Film-Kurier, 21.8.1937, Serie “Farb-Film-
Fibel”. (in German) View Quote
Finger, Ehrhard (1998a): Die Pioniere des Wolfener Farbfilms. In: Industrie- und Filmmuseum Wolfen e. V. (ed.), Die
Filmfabrik Wolfen. Aus der Geschichte, Heft 2, pp. 16-17. (in German) View Quote
Finger, Ehrhard (1998b): Personalia. Zur Erinnerung an Persönlichkeiten der Filmfabrik. In: Industrie- und Filmmuseum
Wolfen e. V. (ed.), Die Filmfabrik Wolfen. Aus der Geschichte, Heft 2, pp. 63-64. (in German) View Quote
Goergen, Jeanpaul (2010): Rotorange und blaugrün. Das Zweifarbenverfahren Ufacolor 1931-1940. In: Filmblatt, no. 43, pp.
77-92. (in German) View Quote
Koshofer, Gert (1966): Fünfundzwanzig Jahre deutscher Farbenspielfilm. In: Film – Kino – Technik, 20,10, 1966, pp. 259-262,
on p. 259. (in German) View Quote
Pohlmann, G. (1937): Das Ufacolor-Verfahren. In: Kinotechnik, 19, 1937, pp. 125 f. (in German)
+ The Ufa Story: A History of Germany's Greatest Film Company, 1918-1945

Par Klaus Kreimeier
Multicolor
Year 1928 – 1932

Principle Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, duplitized
Invented by (Multicolor)
Description
“In the Multicolor (two-color) subtractive process, two negative films are run simultaneously through any
standard camera with their emulsion surfaces in contact. The front negative is orthochromatic, with the surface
layer dyed orange-red to act as a filter for the image recorded on the rear panchromatic film. Double coated
yellow dyed positive film is used for printing the pair of images in register on opposite sides of the film. The
images are colored by a combined dye toning and chemical toning method and are varnished before projection to
protect them from scratching.”
(Matthews, G.E. (1931): Principles and processes of photography in natural colors. In: The American Annals of
Photography, 1930, pp. 222-235. Repr. in: Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers 16, 1931, pp. 188-
219.)
Original Technical Papers and Primary Sources

“THE MULTICOLOR PROCESS*
[* Presented in the Symposium on Color at the Spring, 1931, Meeting at Holly- wood, Calif.]
RUSSELL M. OTIS**
[** Hughes Development Co., Los Angeles, Calif.]
The Multicolor process for making colored motion pictures belongs to the class of subtractive processes
employing two-color separation. This means that in photographing, the light received by the camera is
separated into two parts the blue and the red components. Each of these components acts on a separate
negative emulsion. Positives are printed from these negatives and are colored, the one printed through the
red-sensitive negative being colored blue and the other one red. These two colored positives are
superimposed in projection so that the light which has passed through one positive is absorbed (or subtracted
from) in passing through the other.
Let us briefly consider how the various colors are reproduced. Assume that a gray object illuminated by white
light will reflect toward the camera such amounts of red and blue light as will produce equal densities on the
two negatives. The positives will then have equal silver densities and, if the color values are properly chosen,
the resulting red and blue when superimposed will absorb equal amounts of the two complementary
components of the projector light, resulting in only a decreased intensity, i. e., gray, on the screen.
If the object to be photographed is not gray, but contains more blue than red, the red-sensitive negative will
be less exposed than the other. The density of the positive printed from this red-sensitive negative will be
greater than the density of the positivc printed through the blue-sensitive negative. Since the positive printed
through the red-sensitive negative is colored blue it is obvious that when superimposed the two positives will
transmit more blue than red light and the screen image will lean toward the blue. If the object to be
photographed reflects more red than blue, the same analysis will show how the red tones are obtained.
It is not always appreciated that a two-color negative separation can result in many more than two colors on
the screen. Most objects do not reflect a sharply defined spectral band but reflect to the camera light which
affects both negatives to some degree. Hence a multitude of colors can be reproduced by making all possible
combinations of red and blue densities. Thus many shades of blue, green, orange, red, and all the grays from
white to black are obtained on the screen. What has been said thus far applies to all two-color subtractive
processes, but the methods by which these results are obtained in practice vary greatly. The process used by
Multicolor will now be described.
The separation of the two spectral regions in photographing is effected by the so-called bi-pack method. A
special film with an orthochromatic emulsion and a standard panchromatic film are placed emulsion to
emulsion, with the orthochromatic emulsion nearer the lens, and are run through the camera together. Blue
or green light will expose the orthochromatic emulsion, but orange or red will not expose it due to the fact
that this emulsion is not sensitive to orange or red. On top of the orthochromatic emulsion, on the side nearer
the panchromatic film, is a layer of gelatin bearing a dye which passes only yellow, orange, and red light. By
this means, the panchromatic emulsion, which is sensitive to all light, is permitted to record the yellow and
red portions of the picture. showing the regions of the spectrum recorded on the two negatives are shown in
Fig. 1.
The camera used in photographing Multicolor pictures may be any camera employed for black-and-white
work provided that a Multicolor double magazine for carrying the two negatives be used and that some
special machine work be done to permit the camera to accommodate the two films and secure good contact
between them. On the Mitchell camera a new pressure plate with four rollers is in- stalled to insure good
contact between the films and a shim is placed in front of the ground glass to make the ground glass plane
coincide with the plane of emulsions when two films are used. This camera can then be used at any time for
taking black-and-white pictures by simply removing the shim in front of the ground glass. On the Bell &
Howell camera the pins on the back pressure plate are increased to eleven in number to insure contact, and
0.006 inch is removed from the aperture plate to make the emulsions come in the same plane as when
previously only one film was used. In photographing, a No. 86 Wratten filter is used for daylight shots but is
not used when the set is illuminated by incandescent lamps.
The prime requirement for good color balance over a wide range of exposure is that the gamma of the two
negatives be the same and that the toe and shoulder of the H & D curve for one negative come at substantially
the same points along the exposure axis as the toe and shoulder of the curve for the other negative. If the
gamma of the two negatives is not the same it is possible to get a gray of only one density on the screen. If the
H & D curves for the two negatives are displaced from one another so that the positions of the toes or
shoulders of the curves do not coincide along the exposure axis, the efficient exposure range is narrowed to
that between the toe of one curve and the shoulder of the other. In this process two negatives can be
developed in the same time and in the same solution, and the success attained in meeting these requirements
is demonstrated by Fig. 2.
Rather than try to correct in the laboratory for improper exposure of the negatives, the illumination on the
set is measured with a photometer. If the proper exposure is obtained it is possible to develop the negatives
alike, print them with the same light, and develop the positive to a prescribed gamma, making the laboratory
process nearly automatic. Generally, however, the printing lights are determined in the case of each scene by
colored cinex strips. The determination of correct printing lights is one of the most critical operations in the
laboratory process because it determines the relative density of the positive images, which in turn, fixes the
color balance. A picture can be anything from an icy blue to a warm red, depending upon the choice of
printing lights, and it is therefore essential that the man making the choice be equipped with facilities which
enable him, when viewing cinex strips, to see the same thing that will afterward appear on the screen.
In printing, the two negatives go through the printer together, with a positive film between them. The
positive film carries an emulsion on each side of the film support so that each positive emulsion is in contact
with its negative emulsion. The two positive images are printed simultaneously by light coming from each
side through one negative. The positive emulsions are blue-sensitive and carry a yellow dye to prevent light
from one side exposing both emulsions. With the highest light used in printing, there is no exposure of the
emulsion on the opposite side. The yellow dye washes out in the development process.
The main problem in printing is one of obtaining good registration, which can be obtained by using adequate
mechanical devices. The shrinkage of the films, and worse yet, unequal shrinkage, is one of the greatest
difficulties. Unequal shrinkage has been considerably reduced by employing negatives which are made at the
same time on base from the same batch.
The positive is developed by machine to a prescribed gamma which has been determined by the condition
that the contrast of grays in the picture shall be the same as that of the grays in the subject photographed.
After fixing and drying, the film is then placed in the coloring machine.
The first operation of this machine is to apply a blue iron tone to one side of the film. Neglecting the washes,
the film is then immersed in red toning solution which tones the image on the other side, leaving the blue
image unaffected. This red uranium tone serves also as a mordant for a dye which next follows and which
adds brilliance to the red image. The film is then passed through hypo after which it is washed, dried, and
varnished. This varnish greatly increases the life of the print, which is now ready for the projector.
The problem of the colored soundtrack deserves mention. There is only one sound negative, so sound is
printed on only one side of the positive, resulting in a colored track. A blue track has been found far superior
to a red one. In variable density recording the blue track differs from the black-and-white track in the
increased contrast of the blue over the black track before toning. Moreover, the relation between the response
of a photoelectric cell to the transmission of the blue track and of the black before it is toned is not linear.
The situation is further complicated by the recent introduction of the caesium photoelectric cell which gives a
result different from that of the potassium photoelectric cell when used to reproduce a colored sound track.
The potassium cell is sensitive only to blue light, whereas the caesium cell responds also to red light. The
effect with a black-and- white sound track is simply that the caesium cell reproduces with greater volume
than the potassium cell. But when used with a colored track, the relation between the blue density and the
black density is entirely different for the two cells, resulting in not only a difference in volume but generally a
difference in quality as well.
A study of the sensitometry of the blue track and recording tests made with it, however, have demonstrated
that excellent results can be obtained with both types of cell if the sound negative is correctly exposed and if
the remainder of the processing is properly done. It is particularly fortunate that the normal development of
sound negative to a gamma of about 0.5 is still found to be the most suitable when the sound positive is toned
blue.
The essential property of a good sound record is that there exists a linear relation between the transmission
of the positive as viewed by a photoelectric cell and the exposure of the negative. Fig. 3 shows this relation for
the Multicolor blue track as seen by both caesium and potassium photoelectric cells.”
(Otis, Russell M. (1931): The multicolor process. In: Journal of the Society of the Motion Picture
Engineers 17, 1931, pp. 5-10.)
Secondary Sources
pp. 43–44 View Quote, on p. 48 View Quote and on p. 75. (in German) View Quote
Cornwell-Clyne, Adrian (= Adrian Klein) (1951): Colour Cinematography. London: Chapman & Hall, pp. 338-339. View Quote
D’haeyere, Hilde (2013): Technicolor – Multicolor – Sennett-Color. Natural Color Processes in Mack Sennett Comedies 1926-
1931. In: Brown, Simon; Street, Sarah; Watkins, Liz): Color and the Moving Image. History, Theory, Aesthetics, Archive. New
York, London: Routledge, pp. 23-36, on pp. 29–31. View Quote
Layton, James; Pierce, David (2015): The Dawn of Technicolor. Rochester: George Eastman House, on pp. 228–229. View
Quote
Matthews, G.E. (1931): Principles and Processes of Photography in Natural Colors. In: The American Annals of Photography,
1930, pp. 222-235. Repr. in: Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers, 16, 1931, pp. 188-219. View Quote
Nowotny, Robert A. (1983): The Way of All Flesh Tones. A History of Color Motion Picture Processes, 1895-1929. New York:
Garland Pub., pp. 192-195. View Quote
Ryan, Roderick T. (1977): A History of Motion Picture Color Technology. London: Focal Press, pp 100-102. View Quote
Society of Motion Picture Engineers (1930): Report of Color Committee. In: Journal of the Society of Motion Picture
Engineers, 15, Nov. 1930, pp. 721-724, on p. 721. View Quote
Society of Motion Picture Engineers (1930): Report. Progress in the Motion Picture Industry. In: Journal of the Society of
Motion Picture Engineers, 15, December 1930, pp. 791–793, on p. 792. View Quote
Society of Motion Picture Engineers (1931): Progress Report. Color Cinematography. In: Journal of the Society of Motion
Picture Engineers, 17, July 1931, pp. 99–101, on p. 100. View Quote
Films
The Great Gabbo (sequences) (US 1929, James Cruze) 2
The Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 (sequences) (US 1929, David Butler)
Hell’s Angels (sequences) (US 1930, Howard Hughes) 2
Good News (sequences) (US 1930, Nick Grinde)
The Hawk (released 1936 as The Phantom of Santa Fe) (US 1931, Jacques Jaccard) 2
Tex Takes a Holiday (US 1932, Alan James) 2
Stepping Ahead1
1
Society of Motion Picture Engineers (1931): Progress Report. Color Cinematography. In: Journal of the Society of
Motion Picture Engineers, 17, July 1931, pp. 99–101, on p. 100. View Quote
2
Alt, Dirk (2011): “Der Farbfilm marschiert!” Frühe Farbfilmverfahren und NS-Propaganda 1933-1945. München:
Belleville, on pp. 43–44. (in German) View Quote
Patents
E.P. 339,323 (Triggs, William Warren; filed June 4, 1929; Dec. 4, 1930) - Download PDF
E.P. 360,819 (Multicolr Films Incorporated; filed May 27, 1930; granted Oct. 27, 1931) - Download PDF
E.P. 376,514 (Multicolor Ltd.; filed July 28, 1931; granted July 14, 1932) - Download PDF
E.P. 384,334 (Multicolor Ltd.; filed June 4, 1931; granted Dec. 5, 1932) - Download PDF
U.S.P. 1,897,369 (Crespinel, William T./Fairall, Harry K.; filed Aug. 17, 1927; granted Feb. 14, 1933) - Download
PDF
Prizma II
Year 1919 – 1923

Principle Subtractive 2 color: Toning on double coated film
Invented by William van Doren Kelley (Prizma Company)

Kelley, William Van Doren (1919): Adding Color to Motion. In: Transactions of the Society of Motion Picture
Engineers, 8, April 1919, pp. 76–79. (PDF)
Secondary Sources
pp. 41–42. (in German) View Quote
Brown, Simon (2012): Technical Appendix. In: Sarah Street: Colour Films in Britain. The Negotiation of Innovation 1900-55.
Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 259-287, on pp. 279-280. View Quote
Cherchi Usai, Paolo (2000): Silent Cinema. London: BFI, p. 36 . View Quote
Fenton, Alfred (1926): Retrospect in Color. Color Motion Photography from the Inception to Date. In: Motion Picture
Director, (Hollywood Cal.) 3, Nov. 1926, pp. 19-21, 72, on pp. 19 ff. View Quote
Klein, Adrian Bernhard = Cornwell-Clyne (1940): Colour Cinematography. Boston: American Photographic Pub. Co., 2nd
revised edition, p. 19. View Quote
Li, Bin (2013): On the Prizma Colour System. (Master Thesis) Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam. Download.
Nowotny, Robert A. (1983): The Way of All Flesh Tones. A History of Color Motion Picture Processes, 1895-1929. New York:
Garland Pub., pp. 167-185. View Quote
Ryan, Roderick T. (1977): A History of Motion Picture Color Technology. London: Focal Press, pp. 91-94. View Quote
Talbot, Frederick A. (1923): Moving Pictures. Philadelphia: Lippincott 1923, pp. 354 ff. View Quote
Films
First feature film entirely in color:
The Glorious Adventure (GB 1921, J. Stuart Blackton)
Kilauea: The Hawaiian Volcano (US 1918, Prizma)

Our Navy (US 1918, George A. Dorsey)
Memories (short, US 1919, Prizma)
Out of the Sea (US 1919, Prizma)
Glacier Park (US 1919, Prizma)
Kiddies (US 1919, Prizma)
Old Faithful (US 1919, Prizma)
Birds and Flowers (US 1919, Prizma)
China (US 1919, Prizma)
Skyland (US 1919, Prizma)
Everywhere with Prizma (short, US 1919, Prizma)
Hawaii (US 1919, Prizma)
The Orange (US 1919, Prizma)
Trout (US 1919, Prizma)
Canoe and Campfire (US 1919, Prizma)
Here and There (US 1919, Prizma)
Lure of Alaska (US 1919, Leonard S. Sugden)
Bird Island (US 1919, Prizma)
A Prizma Color Visit to Catalina (US 1919, Prizma)
The Land of the Great Spirit (US 1919, Prizma)
Alaska Revelations (US 1919, Prizma)
Model Girls (US 1919, Prizma)
The Apache Trail (US 1919, Prizma)
Ape Man Island (1920)
Bali the Unknown (1920)
Heidi A.K.A. Heidi of the Alps (US 1920, Frederick A. Thomson)
Way Up Yonder (US 1920, Prizma)
In Nippon (US 1920, Prizma)
The Cost of Carelessness (US 1920, Prizma)
Marimba Land (US 1920, Prizma)
Hagopian, the Rug Maker (US 1920, Prizma)
Beautiful Things (US 1920, Prizma)
In School Days (US 1920, Prizma)
Nippon (US 1921, Prizma)
Seeing the Unseen (US 1921, Prizma)
Away Dull Care (US 1921, Prizma)
Magic Gems (US 1921, Prizma)
Ruins of Angkor (US 1921, Prizma)
Sunbeams (US 1921, Prizma)
A Little Love Nest (US 1921, Prizma)
So This Is London (US 1921, Prizma)
Japan (US 1921, Prizma)
Dawning (US 1921, Prizma)
The Sacred City of the Desert (US 1921, Prizma)
An Afternoon with Nanki San (US 1921, Prizma)
Butterflies (US 1921, Prizma)
Gardens of Normandy (US 1921, Prizma)
Neighbor Nelly (US 1921, Prizma)
Bali, the Unknown (US 1921, Prizma)
The Message of the Flowers (US 1921, Prizma)
Artists’ Paradise (US 1921, Prizma)
Beauty (US 1921, Prizma)
Comedy Review (US 1921, Prizma)
Danse du ventre (US 1921, Prizma)
Deer Hunting (US 1921, Prizma)
Feathers (US 1921, Prizma)
If (US 1921, Prizma)
Niagara (US 1921, Prizma)
On the Trek US 1921, Prizma)
Poor Butterfly (US 1921, Prizma)
Rheims (US 1921, Prizma)
Royal Family of Swaziland (US 1921, Prizma)
She Blows (US 1921, Prizma)
Sunshine Gatherers (US 1921, Prizma)
Sweetest Story Ever Told (US 1921, Prizma)
The Little Match Girl (US 1921, Prizma)
Troubille (US 1921, Prizma)
Victory Parade (US 1921, Prizma)
Where Poppies Bloom (US 1921, Prizma)
The Making of a Man (US 1922, Prizma)
Shades of Noah (US 1922, Prizma)
Old Glory (US 1922, Prizma)
Time (US 1922, Prizma)
‘I Know a Garden’ (US 1922, Prizma)
The Impi (US 1922, Prizma)
Bird Dogs Afield (US 1922, Prizma)
Wonderful Water (US 1922, Prizma)
Fashion Hints (US 1922, Prizma)
Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Its Inspiration (US 1922, Prizma)
Algeria the Ancient (US 1922, Prizma)
The Unselfish Shell (US 1922, Prizma)
The Glorious Dead (US 1922, Prizma)
Cape of Good Hope (US 1922, Prizma)
Teddy in Glacier Land (US 1922, Prizma)
The Sno-Birds (US 1922, Prizma)
From the Land of the Incas (US 1923, Prizma)
Oases of the Sahara (US 1923, Prizma)
A Palace of Kings (US 1923, Prizma)
The Dahlia (US 1923, Prizma)
The Virgin Queen (GB 1923, J. Stuart Blackton)
Torquay (US 1923, Prizma)
According to Simon Brown (2012): Technical Appendix: Prizmacolor. In: Street, Sarah: Colour Films in Britain. The
Negotiation of Innovation 1900-55. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 280:
Vanity Fair (1923)

Flames of Passion (1923, sequences)
Pagliacci (1923, sequences)
Dunning, Carroll H. (1922–23): Color photography in 1922. In: Film Daily Yearbook of Motion Pictures 1922-1923,
p. 171.
Patents
U.S.P. 1,259,411 (Kelley, William van Doren; filed July 26, 1917; granted Mar. 12, 1918) - Download PDF
U.S.P. 1,278,161 (Kelley, William van Doren; filed Feb. 7, 1916; granted Sept. 10, 1918) - Download PDF
U.S.P. 1,278,162 (Kelley, William van Doren; filed Feb. 8, 1917; granted Sept. 10, 1918) - Download PDF
U.S.P. 1,337,775 (Kelley, William van Doren; filed July 8, 1918; granted Apr. 20, 1920) - Download PDF
U.S.P. 1,411,968 (Kelley, William van Doren; filed Apr. 25, 1918; granted Apr. 4, 1922) - Download PDF
U.S.P. 1,431,309 (Dunning, Carroll H./Kelley, William van Doren; filed Feb. 10, 1919; granted Oct. 10, 1922) -
Download PDF
Restoration
Read, Paul; Meyer, Mark-Paul (2000): Notes on Restoring Subtractive Two-Colour Process Prints. In: Paul Read
and Mark-Paul Meyer: Restoration of Motion Picture Film, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, pp. 310-313. View
Quote
Read, Paul (2009): Synthetic Dyes and Their Origins. In: Film History, 21.1, pp. 9-46, on pp. 16-19. View Quote
Brown, Simon; Street, Sarah; Watkins, Liz (2013): Colour Adventures with Prizma and Claude Friese-Greene in the
1920s. In: British Colour Cinema. Practices and Theories. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 22-36, on pp. 22-32.
“The story of color must include something of the annals of Prizma and similar processes, more familiar to the motion
picture audiences of today than Kinemacolor.
From an early chapter of the story of Biograph the name of William Van Doren Kelley may be recalled. Kelley, after
leaving Biograph, went into the general field of invention and evolved a winking electric light for signs, which occupied
his attention some years. In 1912, after an absence of nearly a decade, he comes into motion picture affairs again. Kelley,
working in his experimental shop back of a garage in Hoboken, N. J., had turned again to the motion picture. He had a
notion that there would be a wider market and a safer commercial future for color pictures if the color could be actually
put into the film instead of depending on the operator’s manipulation of a projection machine equipped with color
filters. From this idea evolved a process, complicated and delicate, which promised success. One day, while pondering his
problems, Kelley was strolling Broadway when he encountered E. B. Koopman. the same Koopman who figured in that
primeval period of the motion picture when the K. M. C. D. syndicate was organized to grow into Biograph. To Koopman,
Kelley unfolded his ideas. Once again Koopman was aflame with a promotional idea.
Down in Wall Street, where he had gone to promote Biograph, Koopman found backers for the Kelley process and
Prizma, Inc., was born. Approximately $600,000 went into the concern by the time its commercial history began with
the showing of pictures of Kilauaue’s Lake of Fire, the old Hawaiian volcano classic, on the Rivoli theatre’s anniversary
program, on Broadway in 1918.
In 1921, Prizma’s most pretentious product came forth in J. Stuart Blackton’s THE G LORIOUS A DVENTURE , with Lady
Diana Manners in the leading role, a success abroad and something less than that on the American market but that is
another story.
THE final verdict on the Prizma process, and the many similar ones, including Technicolor, Colorcraft and others, is yet
to be returned.
Natural color on the screen has many skeptics, some who are aggressively opposed and a majority who are indifferent,
among the makers of motion pictures.
The color-in-the-film processes of which Prizma was the first and perhaps the best example, were well calculated to
command attention in the time when the cost of projection equipment was an important factor to the theatre.
Kinemacolor with its special projection equipment, found this an obstacle. But with today’s theatres costing from a
quarter of a million up into multiples of millions, the special machines required for the original projection process would
be considered a casual and incidental investment. This fact may considerably influence the future history of color. And
the history of color has just begun.”
Cinecolor
Year 1932 – 1950
Principle Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, duplitized film
Invented by William T. Crespinel (Cinecolor Corporation)

Crespinel, William T. (1933): As to Cinecolor. In: American Cinematographer, 14, pp. 355, 380-381.
“During the past year, the field of natural-color cinematography has broadened appreciably. There has been a renewed
interest in color on the part of producers, and side by side with this renewal of interest, mere than a few advances in the
various phases of color-cinematography. These advances have been largely in the way of improvements of photographic
and laboratory technique, and they give assurance not only of better technique, and consequently better color, but of a
more consistent, commercial product.
During this period, a new process of color-cinematography, known as “Cinecolor,” has been placed on the market. It
combines a number of well established features with several new and – to this writer, at least – advantageous methods of
detailed procedure.
It is well known that present natural-color processes are divisible into two classes: the familiar “filter-method,” in which,
by one means or another, two or more separate images are made through suitable filters, and later recombined in the
printing process, and dyed, to form a single colored image; and the “bi-pack method,” using two films – an
Orthochromatic emulsion incorporating a red filter analagous to the Wratten 23-A, and a standard Panchromatic film;
these two are run through the camera with their emulsion sides in contact, and the “red-Ortho” nearest the lens, thereby
securing two color-separation negatives perfect registration, which can be recombined in printing. The former method is
undoubtedly superior in the degree of control allowed by the many possible filter-combinations, but it is often subject to
fringing, or imperfect registration. The latter usually allows of less photographic control, though a great deal may be
done by balanced processing of the two negatives; but it ensures perfect registration, and often greater speed.
Cinecolor utilizes either of these methods, depending upon the nature of the subject. For the straight run of Production
negative, the bipack method is employed, while for special work, such as cartoons, the filter method may be used.
Obviously, the filter method cannot be employed for action negatives unless a special camera, having twin lenses or
suitable prisms (“beam-splitters”) to allow the Pair of images to be photographed simultaneously, is used. But in
cartoons, there is no physical action between the pair of exposures, and therefore filters of the rotating type may be used,
either before or behind the camera lens. By this method, unusual effects can be obtained because of the great number of
filters and combinations of filters available.
Essentially, Cinecolor is a two-color, subtractive process, synthetizing the colored image from two separation-negatives
representing, respectively, the blue-green and orange-red components. For production work, as has been said, the bipack
method is used, while for cartoon and title work, the filter method is preferable. Neither of these methods is new; the
advantages of the process are to be found, instead, in certain operative improvements in photography and processing.
In photography, perhaps the outstanding feature of the process is the fact that a systematic method of exposure-
determination is employed. Cinematographers who have had the greatest experience in natural-color cinematography
will themselves be the first to admit that in such work, the customary method – reliance upon the individual’s experience
and judgment of light and reflective values – is far from perfection. Therefore, in the operation of the Cinecolor process,
we have attempted to replace this somewhat inconstant factor with some more nearly scientific method. The method
chosen is the one described by A. M. Gundelfinger and J. W. Stafford in the journal of the Franklin Institute (Vol. 215,
No. 1, January, 1933). Essentially, this consists of the use of a gray chart, of known density and reflective value, which is
held in front of the subject before making a scene. The brightness of this chart is measured by photometric means, and
the factor thus obtained is translated into specific photographic terms by reference to a special nomographic chart. In
this connection, the new photoelectric photometric exposure-meters should, if suitably calibrated, simplify this
procedure very appreciably.
The usual method of photographing a developing-test is also eliminated. A gamma strip is made of each negative
emulsion used; this is developed, and densitometric readings made. From this reading, the developing-time for the
emulsion is calculated. Thus, providing the above-mentioned method of exposure-determination is used in
photographing, a perfect negative will result. This system has been found to be so accurate that only one positive test is
needed to determine printing density, although there may be any number of different camera set-ups. The positive test,
incidentally, can well be made of a test-strip of the exposure chart, for even though this chart is monochromatic (gray),
one may be sure that when it reproduces properly, as to tone and density, the colored portions of a correctly exposed and
developed negative will likewise be satisfactory. This method, while a marked contribution to black-and white
photography, is of especial importance to color – especially bipack, for the reason that when using eye-judgment in
developing the two negatives, it is a simple matter to ruin the possibilities of obtaining balanced color positives by
incorrect developing of either the back or front negatives, or both.
In using the filter method, the balance between the complementary pairs of negatives is obtained by balancing the filters,
and by varying the camera shutter to each filter; the negative is, of course, developed as a whole, being on a single strip
of film. In bipack developing two negatives being separate, different developing periods can be employed to obtain
balanced negatives.
In making color positives, one has to consider making prints which will yield the greatest range of color values possible;
with a two-color process, of course, the color-combinations are divided into two parts: in this case, those representing
the orange-red end and the blue-green end of the spectrum colors. The Cinecolor laboratory employs double-coated or
“duplitized” positive film, and special dyes and printing methods whereby densities ranging from yellow to deep red, and
from the palest blue through into green are obtainable. With this combination, together with correctly exposed and
developed negatives, a truly remarkable range of color value is possible – in some instances being truly as close to three-
color results as is conceivable with a two-color system.
In addition, the laboratory has incorporated something of an innovation in its processing machine, which not only
develops, but also colors the film at a single operation, on a single machine. It is a well known fact that silver images on a
positive film will vary as to density with the varying temperatures of the drying compartment. This variation is negligible
as far as black-and-white films are concerned, but when the film has to be colored, it is of considerable importance, since
the color-values are a function of the density of the print. Combining the processes of positive development and coloring
into a single operation reduces this hazard materially, while also reducing the difficulties of handling, exposure to air
and dirt, etc. This, naturally, reduces the operations of producing a color-positive to the two operations, printing and
processing; the print is made in the accustomed manner, the film is placed in the processing machine, and in remarkably
short time it may be removed, developed, colored, dried, and ready for projection.”
Films
Cartoons:
Honeymoon Hotel (Warner Bros. ‘Merrie Melodie’, 1934)
Beauty and the Beast (Warner Bros. ‘Merrie Melodie’, 1934
Poor Cinderella (Dave Fleischer, 1934)
Little Dutch Mill (Dave Fleischer, 1934)
An Elephant Never Forgets (Dave Fleischer, 1934)
Feature films:
Gentleman from Arizona (Earl Haley, Monogram, 1939/1940),
The Moon and Sixpence ([color sequence] United Artists, 1942)
Series of shorts made at Fox:

India the Goddess (L. C. Thaw, 1942)
Gateway to Asia (L. C. Thaw, 1942)
Valley of Blossoms (L. C. Thaw, 1942)
Royal Araby (L. C. Thaw, 1942)
Turkey Opens the Door (1942)
Two-colour reissues of three-colour Technicolor films (1943):

Becky Sharp (1935)
Dancing Pirate (1936)
A Star is Born (1937)
Nothing Sacred (1937)
Feature Films:
Asi se Quiere en Jalisco (MX 1944)
China Poblana (MX 1944)
The Adventures of Pinocchio (MX 1944)
The Enchanted Forest (Producers Releasing Corp., 1945)
Song of Old Wyoming (Producers Releasing Corp., 1945)
Northwest Trail (Screen Guild, 1945)
Gallant Bess (MGM, 1946)
Caravan Trail (PRC, 1946)
Colorado Serenede (PRC, 1946)
Death Valley (Screen Guild, 1946)
God’s Country (Screen Guild, 1946)
The Michigan Kid (Universal, 1946)
Romance of the West (PRC, 1946)
Wild West (PRC, 1946)
Adventure Island (Paramount, 1947)
Curley (United Artists, 1947)
Scared to Death (Screen Guild, 1947)
Vigilantes Return (Universal, 1947)
Here Comes Trouble (Hal Roach, 1948)
Who Killed Doc Robbin (Hal Roach, 1948)
television series
Yosemite (Screen Guild)
Trail to Alaska (Monogram)
Twin Sombreros (Columbia)
Wild Fire (Screen Guild)
Invaders from Mars (1953)
Kansas Pacific (1953)
Sabre Jet (1953
Trucolor 2 color (pas d’images...)
Year 1947
Principle Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, double-coated with dye couplers
Invented by (Consolidated Film Industries)
Description
“By the 1940s, most of the two-colour subtractive processes, apart from Cinecolor, were obsolete. The
widespread use of the high-quality Technicolor process showed up the serious deficiencies in the simpler
methods. The only significant new process using two-colour reproduction to appear after the Second World War
was Consolidated Film Industries’ Trucolor method, used in 1946 for Out California Way and for a number of
other films, mostly second features. Bipack negatives were used to make prints on double-coated film, the
emulsions of which contained colour couplers. These were substances which reacted with the products of the
development
process to form a coloured dye, in the position of, and in proportion to, the silver image. By development in a
colour-forming developer, the two dye images were formed simultaneously, and the silver image was bleached
away to leave transparent dye images. After 1950, Trucolor used the modern colour films, and by 1954 the two-
colour process was obsolete and the last printing service was closed down.”
(Coe, Brian (1981): The History of Movie Photography. Westfield, N.J.: Eastview Editions, p. 129.)

“THE TRUCOLOR PROCESS
By ROE FLEET
WHEN the practicability of a 35 mm. color process is advanced, there are numerous vitally important factors to be taken
into consideration. Of the hundreds of so-called color processes announced and projected during the past three decades
with resultant losses of millions to public and private investors, only a handful have survived to provide commercially
successful color film prints.
Processing of a color film method requires unlimited combined resources in capital, engineering and chemical research
and direction, equipment, and trained technicians. The negative must be suitable exposed, but more important – the
particular system must be capable of turning out uniform release prints without too great an expense in the laboratory
and preventing excessive loss of stock in the printing procedure.
Consolidated Film Industries division of Republic Pictures Corporation has been processing a two color system for many
years under the trade name of Magnacolor. By this method, which has generally been accepted for two-color systems, a
double-coated positive film is exposed in either side through the appropriate component of a bi-pack negative, and
developed to a low gamma in an ordinary black-and-white developing solution. This step is followed by fixation in a
combined hardening and fixing bath. Next, the positive film is floated on an iodine solution so that the silver image in
the emulsion facing downward is converted to transparent silver iodide.
After various washings and clearing baths, the entire film is submerged in a bath of basic dyes which have the property of
mordanting to the silver iodide image only. Further prolonged washings and clearings follow, after which the film is
submerged in an iron toning solution which converts the unchanged silver image into the well known blue tone. This
type of process was decidedly complex, with great number of progressive steps required, and print uniformity a general
problem.
Miller Develops New Procedure
With the technical and engineering experts of Consolidated cognizant of the limitations of the Magnacolor type of
process, research was conducted on a more simplified procedure. Mr. Arthur J. Miller, now general manager of the Fort
Lee, New Jersey, plant of Consolidated – about seven years ago – conceived the idea of a non-color-sensitive emulsion
containing color couplers in place of the ordinary double-coated positive which required the applicating of subsequent
coloring agents to black and white images.
Following a long series of experiments and research, the color-coupler emulsion system was developed to a point where
it gained the enthusiastic approval and support of Herbert J. Yates, president of Republic Pictures, who authorized
placing of an initial order for 12,000,000 feet of Trucolor raw stock with Eastman Kodak – the stock to be manufactured
in accordance with detailed specifications furnished by Miller.
Resources Accentuate Development
The widespread financial, production and laboratory resources of Consolidated Film Industries and Republic Pictures
were made available for the long process of testing and improving the Trucolor system. Without that combination of
resources under the direct guidance and control of Yates, it is doubtful that the Trucolor process could have been
brought to the point of production practicability in less than double the time actually consumed. Yates provided the huge
amount of capital required to bring the process to the production line; the laboratory staff of engineers and chemical
experts devised simplified procedure for printing and developing the color prints; and the production and technical
resources of Republic studios were dovetailed into the proposition to provide suitable tests under actual production
conditions.
Production Camera Technique
In photographing Trucolor, the regulation N. C. Mitchell camera – with a few minor adjustments to provide for the use of
bi-pack negatives – is used. Lenses and other camera accessories are the same as for standard black-and-white shooting.
High intensity arces with Y1 filters, and incandescents with Macbeth filter at normal key or effect lighting; are utilized
for interiors. Background projection can be used to the same extent at monotone.
For exteriors, the motion picture cameraman is not restricted to any particular type of natural lighting, but correct
exposure and well-balanced negatives are necessary to insure good color rendition. From experience, it is stated that
exteriors are handled practically the same as for black-and-white, and booster lights are used for lighting faces, with
reflectors employed for back and background lighting.
Negative Development Simple
The exposed bi-pack negatives are immersed in a single developer bath which brings out the appropriate colors directly.
A standard negative developing machine to specified time-gamma standards is used. The red dye of the front negative is
removed in a sodium hydrosulphite bath as part of the same operation. Printer light tests of each negative provide
preselection of proper printing exposure for each scene; and allow for 24 different printer lights.
Printing Machine
Trucolor printing machine consists essentially of a printing head for each of the bi-pack negatives with an individual
printer lamp, relay rack, control strip, and stop-motion unit for the matte boxes. Trucolor positive film is printed with
the red image on one surface and the blue image on the other. After leaving the red gate, the raw stock takes a half twist
and proceeds through the blue gate, where the blue image is exposed on the opposite surface of the film. A tungsten
filament lamp is used as light source for each head, and exposure value is controlled through a relay arrangement by the
control strip.
The processing machine is a top drive unit with one sprocket per shaft. Two developing tanks, a hypo tank and wash tank
are located in the dark room section of the processing unit; while bleach, wash, hypo and final wash tanks – together
with the track treatment unit – are in the white light end of the machine. Trucolor prints remain in the wet section for 45
minutes, while later drying time totals about 20 minutes.
Taking advantage of various technical improvements available, Trucolor prints use non-inflammable stock; the Dubray-
Howell perforation; and the Eastman protective coating on both sides of the finished prints for greater wearability and
service in the theatres.
Trucolor Advantages
Important improvements of the Trucolor method in contrast to the double-coated prints of regulation bi-pack – as
outlined by an official of Republic – include: simplicity and speed in processing; excellent luminosity on the screen;
retention of negative image sharpness without loss; automatic print uniformity; and unimpaired sound reproduction.
Further, the color rendition is pleasing for the general theatre audience. However, being a two-component process, it is
not possible to reproduce all of the colors faithfully, or to the extent that can be accomplished with a three-color method.
Some colors – such as red, blue, brown, light greens, pink, and silver – reproduce almost perfectly; while others – such
as yellow and purple – are distorted. But careful planning of sets and costumes can obtain the most value in color from
the process with limited distortions. Flesh tones are particularly successful in the Trucolor system.
Production at Republic Studios
With both emulsions and the Trucolor method being constantly improved, and with specially trained technicians only
available at Republic studios at this time, all productions made in Trucolor will have to be photographed at the Republic
studios. However, although Republic will produce and release a number of its own features in the Trucolor system, the
other producers will not necessarily have to use the distributing facilities of Republic. Cost of prints in Trucolor is
competitive with other present color methods, but Republic executives point out that production negative costs can be
materially lowered with Trucolor, and medium priced features can have the advantages of color photography which has
been generally denied such pictures.
Release prints can be supplied rapidly, and on the same schedule as regulation black-and-white prints, just as soon as
the master print is okayed by the producer. As the two-color Trucolor method progresses with continual improvements
in quality of color values, the Consolidated and Republic engineers expect that the addition of the third color will
eventuate.”
(Fleet, Roe (1948): The Trucolor Process. In: American Cinematographer,March, 1948, pp. 79 and
101.)
Films
Hell’s Fire (US [no additional information available])
Out California Way (US 1946, Lesley Selander)
Fullcolor (pas d’images...)
Year 1942 – 1948

Principle Subtractive 2 colors: Bi-pack, duplitized film
Invented by L. S. Trimble (Trimble Laboratories)
Secondary Sources
Cornwell-Clyne, Adrian (1951): Colour Cinematography. London: Chapman & Hall, p. 333.
“(Product of the Trimble Laboratories, Inc., Hollywood, California.)
Two-colour (three-colour also claimed) subtractive process.
Camera.—Normal. Bipack, employing standard accessories; or 16-mm. standard equipment.
Negative Film Stock.—Eastman bi-pack, it is presumed, or 35-mm. separation negatives optically enlarged from 16-mm.
Kodachrome originals. Two of the three-strip negatives of a beam-splitter Technicolor record have also been employed. 1
Printing.—Duplitized Eastman Type 5509 is used. Toned one side to Prussian Blue. Other side dye-toned. The flotation
method is said to be employed for surface application of the toning solutions.
1
Viz., the bipack pair of Eastman three-strip material.”
Limbacher (1969): Four Aspects of the Film. A History of the Development of Color, Sound, 3-D and Widescreen
Films and Their Contribution to the Art of the Motion Picture. New York: Brussel & Brussel 1969, pp. 54.
“Fullcolor fared slightly better than Americolor by actually presenting several commercial pictures, although producing
none. The process, different from most other methods, was designed to make prints of older color systems for theatrical
release. Known as a “dry lab,” Fullcolor successfully made prints of an early Technicolor film, THE GOLDWYN FOLLIES ,
for reissue in 1947. The process also was used for the United Artists picture, THE A NGRY GOD and Clyde Elliott’s short
subject, B ANNISTER B ABY LAND.”
Ryan, Roderick T. (1977): A History of Motion Picture Color Technology. London: Focal Press, pp. 106-108.
“The Fullcolor Process was a subtractive color process for making motion picture release prints invented in 1942 by L. S.
Trimble. 38 Either two- or three-color prints could be made depending on the system used for the original photography.
During the period 1942 to 1948 the process was used for several commercial films and low budget feature pictures. In
1947 it was used for the reissue of the Technicolor feature T HE GOLDWYN F OLLIES . Fullcolor prints were also made of the
United Artists picture, THE A NGRY GOD. 39
Prints made by the Fullcolor process were made on duplitized positive film. When making three-color prints the blue and
the green separation negatives were printed simultaneously on opposite sides of the print film. After this first exposure
the print film was developed in a conventional black and white positive developer. This was followed by a wash and a
four minute immersion in a potassium dichromate bleach which according to Trimble functioned as a chemical seal. Next
the film was washed and dried.
The print was then ready for its second printing. The sound track was printed through an ultraviolet filter and the red
separation negative was printed through the blue separation negative and the yellow record. In order that this printing
operation could be carried out successfully the blue separation negative and the yellow positive must have matched
gammas so that combined they acted as neutral density. After exposure the cyan record printed from the red separation
negative was developed in a conventional black and white positive developer. This was followed by a wash then
immersion in a ferricyanide bleach which converted the metallic silver image, produced by development of the red
separation negative exposure, to ferric ferrocyanide and silver ferrocyanide. The images produced by exposure from the
blue and green negatives were left unaffected. The print then received another wash and was immersed in a solution of
sodium thiosulfate and sodium sulfite for five minutes, then the film was immersed in an iodide mordant which did not
affect the ferric ferrocyanide image. This was followed by a wash and clearing in a 5% solution of sodium bisulfite. Next
the side containing the exposure from the green separation negative was floated face down on the surface of a bath of
Rhodamine dye producing a magenta dye image. Then the film was washed and squeegeed and the side containing the
exposure from the blue separation negative was floated face down on the surface of a bath of Auramine dye. This was
followed by a final wash and dry. 40
REFERENCES
38
USP 2396726.
39
LIMBACHER, J. L., “A Historical Study of the Color Motion Picture,” Dearborn, Michigan, 1963, p. 17.
(Mimeographed.)
40
USP 2396726.”
Films
The Goldwyn Follies (US 1947 [reissue], George Marshall)
The Angry God (US 1948, Van Campen Heilner)
Bannister Baby Land (Clyde Elliott [short film, no additional information available])
Patents
U.S.P. 2,396,726 (Trimble, Lyne S.; filed Feb. 23, 1942; granted Mar. 19, 1946) - PDF
Brewster
Year 1930
Principle Subtractive 2 or 3 color: Perforated mirror as beam-splitter, duplitized film
Invented by Percy Douglas Brewster (Brewster Color Film Corp)
Description
“The Brewster Process.
(U.S.P. 1,752,477. 1930-)
Camera. – P. D. Brewster, an American inventor, who was one of the first to apply the bipack system to colour
cinematography, has a number of patents to his credit covering various cameras and printing machines. In E.P.
130,002, a camera is described for the production of two-colour films in which the usual arrangement is adopted
of two gates at right angles to each other, and a prism cube with cemented reflecting face half-silvered, and
disposed at 450 to the axis of the beam. In U.S.P. 1,752,477, the prism is replaced by a rotating mirror (Fig. 93).
The following description of the latest type of Brewster camera appears in the Photographic Journal (Vol. LXXV,
August 1935, p. 455) :
Brewster’s suggestion was that the light should be divided up between three separate negatives, each of which
should receive light from the whole of the lens. The way in which that was done was to make use of metallic
mirrors, rather like propellers, disposed at right angles to each other. Dr. Spencer (who presided at the meeting of
the Royal Photographic Society at which the Brewster process was demonstrated, April 12, 1935) sketched the
design on the blackboard, pointing out that if one ” propeller ” was spun round on its axis light would be reflected
from the vanes on to the film at right angles to the entering beam, and when the propeller had made one
complete revolution the whole of one image would be completed. As, however, the vanes had apertures between
them, light would be transmitted at the same time to the rear image. If at an angle to the first propeller a second
were placed, the period of revolution of which was so arranged that the two would cross each other’s path when
revolving without interfering with each other, as soon as one vane of the first reflector moved out of the way a
vane of the second reflector could cross the path just left, and so the image was obtained with one complete
revolution of the vane. It would be appreciated what a high precision job it had to be. An absolutely steady
picture had to be cast on each of the three frames, which meant that the mirrors must be finely worked surfaces,
finely disposed.
In adopting this type of camera Brewster has avoided the defects of bipack. All three negatives will be of
maximum definition – a very great advantage indeed. The film shown on the occasion referred to above was
admirable for freedom from halation, and for excellent definition of distant detail.
Printing. – The method at present employed by Brewster seems to be as follows: double-coated positive film is
printed on one side with the red filter negative, and on the other side with the green filter negative. The
development of these is carried to a low gamma, and exposure is light. These two images are converted into silver
iodide and dyed with basic dyes; a process originally invented by A. Traube (D.R.P. 187,289, 1905). The side
printed with the red filter negative is dye-toned subtractive primary blue, the side printed with the green filter
negative is dye-toned subtractive primary magenta. The remaining yellow component is printed on top of the
dye-toned image by imbibition from a relief matrix film made in the customary manner by developing with a
tanning developer such as pyro, or pyro and adurol. The unhardened gelatine is dissolved away with hot water
after development. Such a method is elaborate and must be somewhat difficult to control both as to registration
and colour balance.
The following description has recently been published:

The red and blue negatives are printed on to two sides of a double-coated positive film. The images are bleached
out to invisible silver iodide images, and are toned with basic dyes, to pink and blue. The pink side is then coated
with another emulsion, which is exposed to the green negative record and correspondingly tinted by a new
process which is not being divulged until further patents have been granted. Basic dyes are said to give an
advantage over the acid dyes used by Technicolor.
Remarks. – This printing system would not prove very practicable for commercial work, and it is difficult to see
how such an elaborate processing sequence could compete with Gasparcolor or Technicolor.
(Klein, Adrian Bernhard = Cornwell-Clyne (1940): Colour Cinematography. Boston: American Photographic Pub.
Co.. 2nd revised edition, pp. 225-227.)

Brewster, P.D.; Miller, Palmer (1931): Three Color Subtractive Cinematography. In: Journal of the Society of
Motion Picture Engineers, Jan. 1931, pp. 49-56.
“THREE COLOR SUBTRACTIVE CINEMATOGRAPHY*
P. D. BREWSTER AND PALMER MILLER**
Summary. It is suggested that the most promising line of development of the three-color camera will involve use of three films
sensitized primarily for light of different colors, and that a lens of 50 mm. focus and f/2 speed will be used in connection with twin
revolving bladed mirrors for splitting the light from the lens. The requirement of the positive print will be met by means of a
transparent dye mordant that will at least retain the size and outlines of the negative grain to produce the necessary definition.
It seemed to the writers that a general outline of the problems confronting those engaged in trying to improve three color
subtractive pictures might be of interest to the members of the Society. Up to the present only two color subtractive
pictures have been shown, and while great improvements have been made in two color subtractive cinematography, these
pictures only seem to stress more greatly the need for a three-color process. It is apparent that color cinematography will
never be generally demanded by the public until it can portray colors with a reasonable degree of accuracy. The problem
is divided into two parts: first, the design of the camera, and second, the chemistry and the development of the
mechanisms necessary to produce a three-color film adapted for use in any theater without changes in the projection
apparatus. It is generally conceded that any practical color camera must make its color separations simultaneously to
avoid intolerable flashes or fringes of color around moving objects and that all three separations must be made from the
same viewpoint; otherwise, it would be impossible to register or superimpose the several component color images in the
positive.
Accepting the limitations of a camera for making simultaneous separations from the same viewpoint, the next step is to
inquire into the requirements of lenses with regard to focal length and speed. Under sound studio conditions where
tungsten light is very largely in use, and where an excessive amount of light cannot be used on account of the incident
heat and strain on the actor’s eyes, it is necessary to use the fastest possible lens having good color correction. The
limiting aperture at the present time is ƒ/2.
The great size of some of the sets used in the studios, and the limited floor space of sound stages, make it essential that
the color camera be adapted to use a wide angle lens of not over 50 mm. focus, though 40 mm. would be still better. At
the same time the beam splitting system must permit the use of lenses of from 100 mm. to 150 mm. focal length for
making simultaneous close-ups and semi-close-ups in connection with a 50 mm. camera shooting long shots. This is a
very difficult requirement for both the 50 mm. and 150 mm. lenses for several reasons. In a 50 mm. camera it is very
difficult to get a double beam splitter (adapted to reflect two images and transmit one) in the small lengths of 33 or 35
mm. between the rear vertex of the lens and the focal plane; while in the case of the 150 mm. ƒ/2 lens the cone of light
leaving the rear vertex is nearly 75 mm. in diameter, which very greatly increases the size of the beam splitter if no light
is to be lost.
Where two or three matched lenses are used, it is necessary to have a beam splitter in front of these lenses to reflect the
light rays received from one point into the separate lenses, and where one lens is employed the splitter must be behind to
divide the light rays projected from the single lens into three groups. We believe this can be done only in two ways; either
by a series of glass prisms, or by means of a highly polished mirror revolving at an angle to the lens and in the path of
light rays. This mirror consists of a disk having a number of slots in it so that one portion of the light rays is transmitted
through these slots or openings, and after passing through a suitable filter, is recorded as one of the separations; the
portion of the light rays which strikes the polished surface of the blades is reflected through another filter to form the
second separation; a second mirror revolving at right angles to the first is used for making the third separation. The
mirror usually has three blades and makes at least two revolutions for each exposure so that each frame is exposed three
or four times. These repeated exposures have proven to give exactly the same effect on the screen as simultaneous
exposure of the different color separations. 1
The glass prism system has the advantage of extending, in effect, the extremely important distance between the rear
vertex of the lens and the focal plane in proportion to the index of refraction of the glass used. It also has the advantage
of cheapness when compared with the revolving mirrors, while the size of the driving mechanism of the camera is
reduced thereby preventing noise and reducing the size of the camera.
The revolving mirror system has the advantage of not having to transmit the light through glass, which results in a loss of
light, but what is more important, a possible loss of definition near the edges of the picture if the glass path is too long.
Most important of all, it is possible with a revolving mirror system to make three color separations on three separate
films from a 50 mm. ƒ/2 lens, without adding any lenses to the standard objective to increase the light path between the
rear vertex and the focal plane.
The decision as to whether to use one, two, or three films for recording the color separations depends not only on the
camera design, but also on the study of the relative efficiency of panchromatic film exposed through three filters in
comparison with that of two or three separate films sensitized for the region in the spectrum which they are to record.
Color separations are usually made on panchromatic emulsions by photographing through the Wratten filter No. 25 for
the red, No. 57A or 58 for the green, and 49A, 49, and 49B for the blue. Transmission curves for these filters taken from
the Eastman filter chart and illustrated in Fig. 1 show that No. 25 is nearly an ideal filter for the red. It transmits light of
its own color, red, with high efficiency and then cuts off the other colors abruptly. None of the green filters are nearly as
perfect they transmit blue-green and green fairly well, but cut well into the orange by a long slope, with a possible
average efficiency in the very important yellow green region of 30% or 40%. This critical region which largely controls
the true color rendering of flesh and foliage is also harmed by the low sensitivity of panchromatic film at this point.
The blue filters 49A, 49, and 49B are even less efficient; their total over-all efficiency being only 0.7%, 0.5%, and 0.3%,
respectively, and of their most favorable colors they transmit only 42%, 26%, and 15%. They cut off practically all
exposure in the violet and record solely in true blue region, while the sloping cut transmits some of the blue-green which
should not be recorded by the blue separation. The lack of efficiency of these filters is due to inherent qualities common
to all dyes of these colors and cannot be improved. In fact, we have found Wratten filters to be of very high efficiency,
and were it possible to have filters in the blue and green as good as the red No. 25, which hypothetical filters are
represented by the dotted lines, they would be satisfactory.
By using three separate films for the color separation, it is possible to use an old type of non-color sensitive negative for
the blue separation. The sensitiveness of this type of emulsion stops almost exactly at the ideal point, naturally recording
the violet as well as all of the blue. Not having to use a filter, its speed is many times greater than if it were necessary to
use an inefficient type of blue filter with panchromatic film. Advantage can be taken of this fact by reflecting only a small
portion (possibly 10% to 15%) of the light rays received from the lens to form the blue separation.
In case of the green separation, the use of separately sensitized films is even more important, for we then are able to
obtain an emulsion which records the green and yellow-green very evenly, middle tones in the picture substantially
correctly. The film exposed to the red light will develop the highest contrast or gamma, and the blue the lowest, for a
given time in the developer. For example, if the middle tones were correct one might have red highlights and blue deep
shadows.
By determining in advance the gamma curves of the separate films for light of the three primary colors, it is possible to
time the development of these films so that they will produce three negatives of equal gamma, or contrast range, from
which correct positive prints can be made.
In our opinion, the requirements in the positive for each of the component images of the three color film are: definition,
transparency, gradation and hue.
Definition, especially for the blue-green and magenta images, is a matter of extreme importance. In our experience, it is
necessary to retain the outlines and size of the negative image grain on the screen in order to maintain proper sharpness.
Anything less than this produces a soft effect which, although very desirable for certain effects, is objectionable for long
shots.
Transparency throughout the entire color range is absolutely essential. Three color cinematography requires the exact
blending of all colors, and frequently needs a small percentage of one primary mixed with the other two to obtain the
exact shade. It is essential that each of these primaries, whether in heavy or light shades, shall be absolutely transparent
and not have the heavy tones blocked up by a residual silver or mordanted image. The ideal component image would bee
like a color filter, pure color embedded in the gelatin.
Finally we come to the hue and gradation of the color images. We again have the same difficulty in securing dyes that
approximate the ideal as noted in the case of the filters.
The ideal requirements of the three color dyes are that each should transmit as nearly as possible 100% of the light of the
two of the three primary colors and its heavier densities absorb entirely light of the other primary color.
In Fig. 2 Curve C shows the transmission of a heavy step in a magenta “H & D” strip and curves A and B the lighter steps.
This dye passes nearly all the blue and red but no green. Figs. 3 and 4 show the blue-green and yellow curves for the
same densities. In order to obtain a good black it is necessary that each of the three colors absorb practically all light of
one of the other primaries, and it is equally important that each in their lighter gradations pass practically equal
quantities of the corresponding primary in order to obtain good greys, as is seen by the opening of the filter in the lighter
steps. With the three dyes shown equal densities of the three superimposed yield a grey.
*
Presented at the Fall Meeting, October, 1930, New York, N. Y.
**
Brewster Color Film Corp., Newark, N. J.
1
U. S. Patent No. 1,752,477.”
Secondary Sources
Brown, Simon (2012): Technical Appendix. In: Sarah Street: Colour Films in Britain. The Negotiation of Innovation
1900-55. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 259-287, on pp. 264-265.
“Brewstercolor (c. 1912-35)
Two/three-colour subtractive process
Brewstercolor was not a great commercial success, but is nevertheless significant because it was involved in two
important firsts in the history of colour on film. Percy Douglas Brewster developed his process in the USA in the early
1910s, registering a number of British and French patents as his system evolved. The process used a camera with a beam
splitter that split the light through red and green filters and through a double gate and recorded the two images on two
negatives running parallel. The negatives were then printed onto double-coated stock, the red image on one side and the
green on the other. The red image was then dyed green, and the green image was dyed red.
By 1915 Brewster had set up the Brewster Film Corporation at 147 Broadway in New York but there is very little
information to suggest that the process achieved wide commercial success. It evidently did manage some measure of
commercial exploitation because in 1920 American animator John Randolph Bray, whose company Bray Pictures
Corporation had recently struck a distribution deal with Sam Goldwyn, used Brewstercolor to produced the first full-
colour cartoon, T HE DEBUT OF T HOMAS K ATT (1920, also known as THOMAS CAT). Despite good results the process was
deemed too expensive and Bray never used it again.
In the 1930s Brewstercolor was modified into a three-colour system. It used the same principles as before, red and green,
with yellow being added chemically. For the three-colour version the camera had rotating mirrors which split the light
and directed it onto three separate negatives. The negatives were printed onto double-coated stock with the red and
green exposures dye-toned to cyan and magenta. The yellow record was added using dye imbibition. A relief image was
made which was dyed, and the dye was transferred by being brought into contact with the final print. The three-colour
version was demonstrated to the Colour Society of the Royal Photographic Society on 12 April 1935. One of the films
shown was L ET ’S LOOK AT LONDON while the second was scenes taken at Shepherd’s Bush. L ET ’S LOOK AT LONDON had
apparently been previously screened to the society since the Cinematograph Weekly described the print as a considerable
improvement on the previous copy. It contained footage of the Limehouse Pool, the changing of the guard, a cabaret
show at Grosvenor House and a mannequin parade, and was the first three-colour film shot in Britain. The scenes were
shot in the summer of 1934 and processed in America. Both films were made by the commercial film production
company Revelation Films under their managing director Stanley Neal, Revelation Films having been founded in 1934.
At this point Revelation Films and Brewstercolor seemed poised for success. Immediately after the trade show Revelation
were commissioned to make twelve films using the Brewstercolor process, while Warner Bros, picked up the US
distribution rights to L ETS L OOK AT L ONDON. In addition, Charles A. Cochran, chairman of Revelation Films, went to
America to purchase three more Brewstercolor cameras. At the same time Neal hired legendary American animator Ub
Iwerks to supervise the animated shorts.
Yet the cost of three-colour Brewstercolor was high, effectively doubling the average budget of a Revelation film from
£1,850 to £3,500. Brewstercolor and Revelation’s ambitious projects came to nothing, and after 1935 no more was heard
of Brewstercolor.
Filmography
BARNUM WAS W RONG (1930)
MENDELSSOHN ’ S S PRING S ONG (1931)
LET’ S L OOK AT L ONDON (1935)
SEE H OW THEY WON (1935)
Further reading
Coe, Brian, The History of Movie Photography (London: Ash & Grant, 1981), pp. 131-2.
The Commercial Film, February 1935, p. 12.
The Commercial Film, April 1935, p. 1.
Cornwell-Clyne, Adrian, Colour Cinematography (London: Chapman & Hall, 3rd edn, 1951), pp. 23-5, 410-12.
Crafton, Donald, Before Mickey: The Animated Film 1898-1928(Massachusetts: MIT Press, 1984), pp. 160-1.
Ryan, Roderick T., A History of Motion Picture Colour Technology (New York: Focal Press, 1977), pp. 72-5.”
Klein, Adrian Bernhard = Cornwell-Clyne (1940): Colour Cinematography. Boston: American Photographic Pub.
Co., 2nd revised edition, pp. 225-227.
“The Brewster Process.
(U.S.P. 1,752,477. 1930-)
Camera. – P. D. Brewster, an American inventor, who was one of the first to apply the bipack system to colour
cinematography, has a number of patents to his credit covering various cameras and printing machines. In E.P. 130,002,
a camera is described for the production of two-colour films in which the usual arrangement is adopted of two gates at
right angles to each other, and a prism cube with cemented reflecting face half-silvered, and disposed at 450 to the axis
of the beam. In U.S.P. 1,752,477, the prism is replaced by a rotating mirror (Fig. 93).
The following description of the latest type of Brewster camera appears in the Photographic Journal (Vol. LXXV, August
1935, p. 455) :
Brewster’s suggestion was that the light should be divided up between three separate negatives, each of which should receive light
from the whole of the lens. The way in which that was done was to make use of metallic mirrors, rather like propellers, disposed at
right angles to each other. Dr. Spencer (who presided at the meeting of the Royal Photographic Society at which the Brewster
process was demonstrated, April 12, 1935) sketched the design on the blackboard, pointing out that if one ” propeller ” was spun
round on its axis light would be reflected from the vanes on to the film at right angles to the entering beam, and when the propeller
had made one complete revolution the whole of one image would be completed. As, however, the vanes had apertures between
them, light would be transmitted at the same time to the rear image. If at an angle to the first propeller a second were placed, the
period of revolution of which was so arranged that the two would cross each other’s path when revolving without interfering with
each other, as soon as one vane of the first reflector moved out of the way a vane of the second reflector could cross the path just
left, and so the image was obtained with one complete revolution of the vane. It would be appreciated what a high precision job it
had to be. An absolutely steady picture had to be cast on each of the three frames, which meant that the mirrors must be finely
worked surfaces, finely disposed.
In adopting this type of camera Brewster has avoided the defects of bipack. All three negatives will be of maximum
definition – a very great advantage indeed. The film shown on the occasion referred to above was admirable for freedom
from halation, and for excellent definition of distant detail.
Printing. – The method at present employed by Brewster seems to be as follows: double-coated positive film is printed
on one side with the red filter negative, and on the other side with the green filter negative. The development of these is
carried to a low gamma, and exposure is light. These two images are converted into silver iodide and dyed with basic
dyes; a process originally invented by A. Traube (D.R.P. 187,289, 1905). The side printed with the red filter negative is
dye-toned subtractive primary blue, the side printed with the green filter negative is dye-toned subtractive primary
magenta. The remaining yellow component is printed on top of the dye-toned image by imbibition from a relief matrix
film made in the customary manner by developing with a tanning developer such as pyro, or pyro and adurol. The
unhardened gelatine is dissolved away with hot water after development. Such a method is elaborate and must be
somewhat difficult to control both as to registration and colour balance.
The following description has recently been published:
The red and blue negatives are printed on to two sides of a double-coated positive film. The images are bleached out to invisible
silver iodide images, and are toned with basic dyes, to pink and blue. The pink side is then coated with another emulsion, which is
exposed to the green negative record and correspondingly tinted by a new process which is not being divulged until further patents
have been granted. Basic dyes are said to give an advantage over the acid dyes used by Technicolor.
Remarks. – This printing system would not prove very practicable for commercial work, and it is difficult to see how such
an elaborate processing sequence could compete with Gasparcolor or Technicolor.
See Brewster, P. D., “Three-Color-Subtractive Cinematography,” Jour. Soc. Mot. Pict. Eng., 16, (Jan. 1931), No. 1, p. 49. ”
Ryan, Roderick T. (1977): A History of Motion Picture Color Technology. London: Focal Press, pp. 72-75. - Quote
Patents
E.P. 450,673 (Brewster, Percy Douglas; filed Oct. 20, 1934; granted July 20, 1936) - PDF
U.S.P. 2,070,222 (Brewster, Percy Douglas; filed June 5, 1933; granted Feb. 9, 1937) – PDF
Hirlicolor
Year 1936
Principle Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack
Invented by George Hirlimann
Secondary Sources
Films and Their Contribution to the Art of the Motion Picture. New York: Brussel & Brussel, pp. 43–44.
“The emergence of Hirlicolor in the middle 1930’s gave the smaller film companies a chance to produce color films.
Named after film producer George Hirliman, the process was used for a series of pictures at the Grand National Studios
in CAPTAIN CALAMITY, DEVIL ON HORSEBACK andYOU’RE IN THE LEGION NOW and at Republic Studios
in THE BOLD CABELLERO in the late 1930’s. The Hirlicolor process was also used for low-budget Spanish films. Soon
after these films were made, the Hirligraph Laboratories were sold to Consolidated Film Industries, Inc., and Hirlicolor
disappeared temporarily only to reappear a few years later under the title of ‘Magnacolor. 101
101
Cornwell-CIyne, Color Cinematography pp. 412-413.”
Films
Captain Calamity ([US 1936] Grand National Studios)
Devil on Horseback ([US 1936] Grand National Studios)
You’re in the Legion now ([US 1936] Grand National Studios)
The bold Caballero ([US 1936] Republic Studios)
Chromart Simplex
Year 1950
Principle Subtractive 2 color: Chromogenic monopack
Invented by Hans von Fraunhofer (Anglo-American Colour Photographic Industries)

Bracey-Gibbon, J. (1949): Gevaert Colour Processes. In: The Photographic Journal, 89A, pp. 285-288, on p.228.
“The Gevaert-Chromart Process. This is a much improved Bicolor process, available in 35mm and 16mm negative and
positive for professional use, which has been produced in conjunction with Anglo-American Photographic Industries Ltd.
This material requires less light than is necessary for other colour processes and produces a colour rendering which for a
two or bi-colour system can truly be described as amazing.”
Secondary Sources
Cornwell-Clyne, Adrian (1951): Colour Cinematography. London: Chapman & Hall, pp. 752-756. View Quote
“Classification. — Two- or three-colour negative-positive multilayer process, the emulsion layers incorporating non-
diffusing colour couplers.
Camera. — Normal.
Projection. — Normal.
Printing. — Normal, with suitable means for grading for colour.
Processing. — With minor modifications said to be similar to the processing of Agfacolor motion picture film.
General Description
This process is based upon the patents of Hans von Fraunhofer, a Hungarian subject residing in England. Two
“processes” have been described. A two-colour version called the “Simplex” process, and three-colour negative-positive
materials called the “Chromart Tricolor” process.
Structure
The two-colour process consists of a two-layer negative material of unorthodox design.
For the positive print a three-layer material is used of unorthodox structure. The top layer is red sensitized (no green
sensitizing) and contains a yellow coupler, the middle layer is also red sensitized (no green sensitizing) and contains a
magenta coupler. The bottom layer is green sensitized (ortho) and contains a cyan coupler. For control the printing fight
is filtered with a yellow (minus-blue) filter which may be varied in density. Thus mainly red and green light emanates
from the magenta and cyan layers of the original record with more or less active blue light transmitted depending upon
the density of the yellow filter. Other compensating filters may be combined with the yellow filter.
It is claimed that the higher blue speed of the top layer permits a certain amount of control over the layers preferentially
printed in the three-layer material to the extent of describing the result as “two and a half” colour. (See Technichrome
and Cinecolor.)
For the yellow printing filters, Ilford filters 101-110 are employed.
“Chromart Tricolor” Negative-Positive Process
The three-colour negative-positive process announced by the company as shortly to become available has the following
characteristics. The negative is a tripack of unconventional design of which the top layer can be stripped. This layer is
blue sensitive and contains no colour coupler.
The positive material to be mated with this negative has the following construction:
Negative Processing Procedure

The blue sensitive stripping layer is developed, fixed, washed and dried without the solutions having penetrated to the
layers lying below the plastic interlayer which is presumed to be impermeable. It is possible to make a positive duplicate
print from the silver image now present in the top layer only by means of infra-red light, a positive stock sensitive to
infra-red naturally being used. After this “lavender” has been made this top layer negative can be dispensed with by
stripping and scrapping it. The original film carrier now bears the second and third layers only and these are colour
developed as a two-layer material to magenta and cyan respectively.
We have now achieved the following: We are in possession of a black-and-white positive duplicate representing the blue
separation, and an original two-layer colour negative representing the green and red separation. It is the intention of the
inventor that these two films shall comprise the original “master negatives.” The next stage is to proceed to make a first
generation black-and-white duplicate negative from the ” lavender,” and then proceed to duplicate the two-layer colour
negative upon a special positive duping material.
Colour Positive Master Duplicating Material
Structure:
A print is made on this material which yields an intermediate colour positive. From this colour positive a new duplicate
colour negative is made on a material of similar structure to the positive master dupe but having the required contrast
characteristics to yield a satisfactory colour negative.
Release Colour Positive
This film is a three-layer material having the following unorthodox structure. The top layer is red sensitive, without
green sensitizing, and contains a magenta colour coupler; the middle layer is ortho sensitized and contains a cyan colour
coupler. Next in order comes the usual colloidal silver yellow filter, and the bottom layer is blue sensitive only and
contains a yellow colour coupler.
Structure:
The duplicate two-layer colour negative is used to print the upper two layers and the black-and-white duplicate negative
is printed upon the opposite side of the stock through the film base, a blue filter being employed to restrict the printing
light strictly to the blue region of the spectrum.
Eliminating the duplication stages, the synthesis and analysis would turn out to be as follows:
Processing
Processing of the proposed negative and positive Chromart “Tricolor” negative material will be similar to the “Simplex”
two-colour negative and positive. The inventor claims that duplicate colour negatives can be made of superior quality to
other colour negative-positive processes, but no evidence in support of this claim has been presented to the industry at
the date of writing.
Remarks
It is impossible at present to comment upon the advantages or disadvantages of these unusual multilayer films since at
the time of writing too little work has been demonstrated to enable any reliable conclusion to be drawn. There would
seem to be no reason why the “Simplex” process should, not be capable of acceptable two-colour prints, but it is doubtful
whether the claim of the sponsors of this process that “the process produces considerably better results than any of the
bipack processes now in commercial use” can, in fact, be upheld.”
Films and Their Contribution to the Art of the Motion Picture. New York: Brussel & Brussel 1969, pp. 66-67. View
Quote
Russian two-color system
Year 1931
Principle Subtractive two color
Invented by Nikolai Agokos, Fedor Provorov and Pavel Mershin (Scientific Research Film and Photo Institute
NIKFI)
Secondary Sources
Mayorov, Nikolai (2012): Soviet Colours. Translated by Birgit Beumers. In: Studies in Russian & Soviet Cinema, 6:2,
pp. 241–255.
“In February 1931 the Soviet industry began to develop the two-coloured
subtractive method at the Laboratory of Colour Images at the Scientific
Research Film and Photo Institute (NIKFI) under the direction of Nikolai
Agokos, Fedor Provorov and Pavel Mershin; in November 1931 they completed
their tests on a new two-colour method of creating films.
In the Soviet Union the two-colour process involved a set of Agfa Bipack
films (the front orthochromatic, the back panchromatic) and a Debrie or Bell &
Howell camera. After the processing, the blue-green and red-orange colourseparated
negatives were printed onto a double-coated Agfa Dipofilm; then
one side of the Dipofilm was tinted in red-orange, the other in blue-green.
However, in comparison to foreign methods, in the Soviet two-colour method
the scarce and expensive chemical uranyl nitrate for toning red-orange was
replaced with another, cheaper and suppler domestic product, which gave a
rich colour scale.
The pioneers of Soviet colour cinema developed a recipe, still unknown in
the West, for the intensification of the red and blue colour on any of the sides
of Dipofilm, enabling them to correct the images and eliminate any processing
mistakes. Moreover, some types of attenuators were developed, which
produced flexible and malleable two-colour films on which shades of colours
could be changed to varying degrees.”
Alfacolour/Alfacolor (pas d’images...)
Year 1950
Principle Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, duplitized film
Invented by (Alfa Photographic Laboratories)
Secondary Sources
Cornwell-Clyne, Adrian (1951): Colour Cinematography. London: Chapman & Hall, p. 756.
“Classification. — Two-colour process.
Camera. — Normal, equipped with suitable pressure plate and bipack magazine. Negative Film Stock. — Gevaert Bipack
Film is used.
Printing. — “Duplitized” positive made by Gevaert, namely, coated on front and rear of film support. Obviously,
registering pin step-by-step printing machines must be employed.
Processing. — By surface colour development. The orange-red colour development is carried out by a successive use of
magenta and yellow colour developers. The sound track is printed on the cyan side. This track is claimed to give normal
results with the standard phototubes. This must mean that the cyan dye is an efficient red absorber. The definition is
good and the volume level is said to be only slightly lower than that given by a silver track.”
Chemicolor/Ufacolor in GB
Year 1932
Principle Subtractive 2 color: Bi-pack, mordant toning
Example:
Pagliacci (GB 1936, Karl Grune) is one of the few feature films shot on Ufacolor or its foreign brands.
Credit: Courtesy of BFI National Archive.
Description
“Chemicolor was the name under which the German Ufacolor Process was marketed in Britain. Ufacolor was also
marketed under the name Spectracolor. The process used Agfa bipack negatives loaded with the emulsion sides
facing and separated by a colour filter. The negatives were printed onto double-coated film and toned with
complementary colours. The process was formally demonstrated on 27 August 1936 at Elstree Studios. About
1,200 feet of film was screened, mostly outdoor subjects of European tours and indoor costume shots.”
(Brown, Simon (2012): Technical Appendix: Chemicolor. In: Street, Sarah: Colour Films in Britain. The Negotiation
of Innovation 1900-55. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 265-266.)
Secondary Sources
Brown, Simon (2012): Technical Appendix. In: Sarah Street: Colour Films in Britain. The Negotiation of Innovation
1900-55. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 259-287, on pp. 265-266.
“Chemicolor (1936-39)
Two-colour subtractive process
Chemicoior was the name under which the German Ufacolor Process was marketed in Britain. Ufacolor was also
marketed under the name Spectracolor. The process used Agfa bipack negatives loaded with the emulsion sides facing
and separated by a colour filter. The negatives were printed onto double-coated film and toned with complementary
colours. The process was formally demonstrated on 27 August 1936 at Elstree Studios. About 1,200 feet of film was
screened, mostly outdoor subjects of European tours and indoor costume shots.
At the time of the demonstration, Austrian director Karl Grune, who had left Germany in 1931 and settled in Britain, was
using Chemicolor in a film of the opera P AGLIACCI for Capitol Films, under managing director Max Schach. Grune was
the managing director of British Chemicolor, which was, along with Capitol Films, part of the Schach Group. Evidently
Grune and Schach had been testing the process because in April or May of 1936 Grune went to America with colour film
of P AGLIACCI and persuaded William Fox to come out of retirement as an executive director of British Chemicolor to help
with the development and commercial exploitation of the process.
Chemicolor was sold in part on its simplicity. The process only required 10-12 per cent more light than black-and-white
film for shooting and, before the first demonstration, in July, 6,000 feet of Chemicolor film was shown in cinemas
around the country to show that no additional light was required in projection. It was announced that colour prints could
be ready for the screen in two days and that producing large numbers of release prints was unproblematic. Further
reports stated that make-up tests showed that women needed less make-up than for black-and-white film, and men no
make up at all. Any camera could be used ‘adapted only by a special device’, while any cameraman could achieve perfect
results after a little experimenting with the process.
PAGLIACCI, starring celebrated singer Richard Tauber, was released in 1936 with Chemicolor sections. Though the film
was well received little more was heard about Chemicolor and British Chemicolor was in receivership by 1939, possibly
due to the increasing concern over Germany and German companies operating in the UK in the run up to World War II.
Filmography
PAGLIACCI (1936)
Further reading
Coe, Brian, The History of Movie Photography (London: Ash & Grant, 1981), p. 129
Cornwell-Clyne, Adrian, Colour Cinematography (London-Chapman & Hall, 3rd edn, 1951), p. 331.
Kinematograph Weekly, 30 July 1936, p. 1.
Toda’s Cinema, 24 August 1936, p. 4.
Today’s Cinema, 28 August 1936, p. 2.
Today’s Cinema, 7 October 1936, p. xiv.
Today’s Cinema, 20 May 1937, p. 1.
Limbacher, James L., Four Aspects of the Film; A History of the Development of Color, Sound, 3-D and Wide-screen Films and
their Contribution to the Art of the Motion Picture (New York: Brussel and Brussel, 1968), p. 40.
Low, Rachael, Film Making in 1930s Britain (London: Allen and Unwin, 1985), p. 107.”
Coe, Brian (1981): The History of Movie Photography. Westfield, N.J.: Eastview Editions, p. 129. - Quote
Koshofer, Gert (1966): Fünfundzwanzig Jahre deutscher Farbenspielfilm. In: Film – Kino – Technik, 20,10, 1966,
pp. 259-262, on p. 259. (in German) - Quote

Bipack Systems - Who'S Who?

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BIPACK SYSTEMS – WHO’S WHO?

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