As a seasoned movie enthusiast with a deep appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into every frame, I can confidently say that Viktória Sovák is a true gem in the world of film post-production. Her extensive experience spanning from the full analog era to the advent of born-digital movies makes her an authority in the field.
Victoria Sovak, who now leads post-production house NFI Filmlab in Hungary and boasts a portfolio including Venice Film Festival contenders like “The Brutalist” and “Maria”, as well as forthcoming projects from Ildiko Enyedi, director of the Oscar-nominated film “On Body and Soul,” and Laszlo Nemes, director of the Academy Award-winning film “Son of Saul”, has shared insights about their work with EbMaster. This work spans over six decades.
Sovák, appointed as the managing director of NFI Filmlab in February, boasts a career history that spans top-tier European film labs. This includes stints at Laboratoires Éclair in France, L’immagine Ritrovata in Italy, and Hiventy/Transperfect also in France.
“For the entire span from the era of pure analog films to the emergence of digitally born movies, she made it a point to familiarize herself with all work processes, equipment, and software. She possesses extensive experience in virtually every aspect of film post-production, encompassing film processing, negative editing, traditional color grading, transition to digital, and digital delivery.”
Sovák has contributed to the field of film digitization and preservation as well. Over the last four years, she was an integral part of the PSNA project led by France’s ECPAD, which aimed at digitizing and analog preservation of roughly 4,500 nitrate films. In her role as a project manager, she oversaw the planning and establishment of the project’s workflow, monitored technical aspects, and even trained technicians from various departments to meet the project’s requirements.
As stated by Sovák, NFI Filmlab stands as the “most comprehensive and most seasoned film lab in Central Europe.” It offers both traditional analog and an extensive array of digital film post-production solutions.
NFI Filmlab stands out among a limited number of European facilities, offering comprehensive analog post-production services. These include traditional cutting with negatives, along with processing for both black-and-white and colored films.
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It’s quite common for a contented producer to endorse or suggest the lab’s services to others after a positive experience.
“Maria” and “The Brutalist” were introduced to Hungary by the Hungarian production service company Pioneer, which suggested NFI Filmlab based on their previous successful collaborations. Processing the negatives of four-time Oscar winner “Poor Things” was also a significant selling point.
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“For the movie titled ‘The Brutalist’, the processing details included 87,039 meters of 35mm color film. This involved full negative processing and digital conversion of the analog footage, which required two months of preparatory work, including tests, and was filmed over 34 days. A total of ten NFI Filmlab professionals participated in this project.”
A Personal Movie Review of “The Brutalist”
Sovák points out that directors often employ various film formats for distinct visual impacts. For instance, 16mm offers a grittier, aged look due to increased grain, while bleach bypass creates a significantly darker image. The toughest task is managing these simultaneously, requiring different treatment techniques.
Last year, NFI Filmlab embarked on the modernization of their analog lab. “We established a brand new, high-tech processing space and began utilizing three new processing units manufactured by Photomec U.K., the world’s foremost company,” Sovák explains. “The new processing units are adaptable for creating both color and black & white, 16mm and 35mm negatives. The new machines are more contemporary, more ecologically friendly, and more effective than the earlier ones, and they fully conform to Kodak’s technical specifications: such machines are used at the Kodak Film Lab at Pinewood Studios in London.
“Our recent investment caters to both the current demands of movies being filmed and the development of old and new slide films. These advanced machinery not only support the resurgence of slide films but also aid in the long-term preservation of archival films.”
As a keen observer, I’m thrilled about the arrival of our latest processing machines. This upgrade doesn’t just stop at the machines; it encompasses an entire modernization of our chemical supply. The brand-new mixing room for chemicals and cutting-edge technology we now possess are not only meeting today’s standards for sustainability and environmental protection, but they’re also helping us to lower costs. Remarkably, this transformation ensures that the exceptional quality in film processing we’ve always been known for remains unchanged.
“The new machinery provides a wider range of precision adjustment options. It can reach depths of up to 900 meters and even 1,300 meters for color film processing within an hour.”
Numerous filmmakers persist in using 35mm and 70mm film, while analog technology is undergoing a revival in major studio productions such as Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things.” This trend extends to independent films like Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist.” In simpler terms, many filmmakers are still choosing to use film instead of digital technology, especially for significant productions, and this is also being seen in smaller, independent projects.
During a recent conversation with EbMaster, Corbet shared his perspective: “35mm film stock offers a more authentic portrayal of the colors intended by directors, colorists, and engineers. It provides the most accurate representation of the film in its final form. There’s improved definition and clearer separation between foreground and background, giving an illusion that the image is jumping out from the screen.”
Sovák says: “We believe that we have to perpetuate analog technology. The challenge is, first of all, that analog machines are becoming obsolete and it’s more and more difficult to repair them.
“While we recognize that the new machinery can’t handle the tasks independently, it’s equally important for us to preserve our expertise. At NFI Filmlab, we are committed to educating our team members and passing on their skills to the upcoming crop of professionals.”
The NFI Filmlab and NFI Film Archive are embarking on an initiative to safeguard analog films: a comprehensive digitization project involving the archive’s extensive collection, with a focus on nitrate films. Additionally, they plan to create new analog recordings of films whose original copies have already degraded. Furthermore, restored films will be recorded onto 35mm film, ensuring their preservation for future audiences.
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2024-09-03 17:49