What filter can I use for a B&W shot to look 1950 ish? at DVinfo.net

Art White · September 28th, 2010, 10:44 AM

Good afternoon!
I have CS5. I would like to take a clip, turn it to Black and White and add a filter to make it look a little bit older, like it was shot back in the 50's. Can anyone tell me what effect or filter to use in Premiere or After Effects? I have some experience with both.

Thank you,
Art

Gregory Gesch · September 28th, 2010, 07:08 PM

Hi Art. In AE or Premiere have a try with Tint, Noise (you have to set amount) and Shadow/Highlights. There's also Dust & Scratches (and maybe even create a vignette) if you want to go the whole hog. Hope that helps.

Adam Gold · September 28th, 2010, 07:15 PM

I checked into Dust & Scratches... it's actually designed to remove them, not add them in....

Rob Morse · September 28th, 2010, 07:36 PM

Either use the image filters as mentioned above or invest in Magic Bullet or Boris Continuum

Gregory Gesch · September 28th, 2010, 07:56 PM

Hi Adam, yes you are absolutely right it is designed to remove them but if you add them after the other effects it brings a bit of a soft bloom to the image.That's my story anyway:-)

Adam Gold · September 28th, 2010, 08:03 PM

Yeah, that makes sense.

But that raises an interesting question. I assumed that Art wants it to look old and degraded, but actually many of the older B&W films (especially from the 30s and 40s) were shot on Nitrate stock, which gave this incredible crisp, clear, deep, sharp image. Not degraded or soft at all. So that would require exactly the opposite treatment of what I was first thinking of.

Art White · September 29th, 2010, 12:53 PM

All good things to try. I wanted to practice but I didn't know where to start and what order. I have a scene where employees of a company are drab, malcontent and wearing outdated clothes. By the end, they are happy, productive and modern, like a before and after. These ideas will help visually show the difference, hopefully in a humorous way. I'll play around with these. Thanks for helping!

Art

Robert Turchick · September 29th, 2010, 10:25 PM

Have used Natress plugins for a few years now and there are a lot of great film looks. I find most of them too subtle in a comedic setting but there are a few that are dead on for 8mm film degradation looks. Might fit the bill but not sure if they are available for Adobe as I use them in FCP.
Agree that well-shot 16mm and larger film from the 50's looks fantastic when it's been cared for and properly transferred.

Steve Nelson · September 30th, 2010, 12:28 PM

+1 on Magic Bullet Looks for this. You can add and vary the degree of dust, scratches, spots, gate weave and grain. It can look very close to vintage if you spend some time with it. The trick is not to over do any of these if you want it to look authentic. Along with that though you may wish to play with exposure and filters to emulate the film stock qualities of the day. There was a variety of quality just as is there is today but you can keep it razor sharp like a good film noir crime drama or soften it up and blow out the highlights for something that looks a little more low budget from the era. Lots of fun whatever you choose to do......
If you don't have a lot of this vintage work filed away in your head already just watch a lot and find looks that appeal to you.

Art White · October 1st, 2010, 08:16 AM

Ok.
Robert, I quickly looked but I don't think Natress works with Adobe. Thanks anyway. Steve, at my age, everything stored away in my head is vintage! Looks like it's working with a little bit of noise in Premiere.

Steve Nelson · October 1st, 2010, 10:10 AM

LOL, you're not alone there Art!

Harm Millaard · October 3rd, 2010, 12:55 AM

Have a look here: AnyFX Effects & Transitions for Premiere and Vegas | Pixelan Software

Any FX has a number of presets for different film stock, like various photographic film rolls from Agfa, Fuji and Kodak that allow an easy way to simulate old B&W photos. For $ 29 it is peanuts.

Art White · October 5th, 2010, 02:49 PM

Not bad! and the examples they give are nice too.
Art

Charles W. Hull · October 5th, 2010, 07:24 PM

I hasn't been mentioned yet but Cineform's First Light has some really nice black and white and old film effects. This would be my choice for a project like this.

September 28th, 2010, 10:44 AM	#1
Art White Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lansing, Michigan Posts: 185	What filter can I use for a B&W shot to look 1950 ish? Good afternoon! I have CS5. I would like to take a clip, turn it to Black and White and add a filter to make it look a little bit older, like it was shot back in the 50's. Can anyone tell me what effect or filter to use in Premiere or After Effects? I have some experience with both. Thank you, Art

September 28th, 2010, 07:15 PM	#3
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	I checked into Dust & Scratches... it's actually designed to remove them, not add them in.... __________________ "It can only be attributable to human error... This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error."

September 28th, 2010, 08:03 PM	#6
Adam Gold Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Woodinville, WA USA Posts: 3,467	Yeah, that makes sense. But that raises an interesting question. I assumed that Art wants it to look old and degraded, but actually many of the older B&W films (especially from the 30s and 40s) were shot on Nitrate stock, which gave this incredible crisp, clear, deep, sharp image. Not degraded or soft at all. So that would require exactly the opposite treatment of what I was first thinking of. __________________ "It can only be attributable to human error... This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error."

September 29th, 2010, 10:25 PM	#8
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	Have used Natress plugins for a few years now and there are a lot of great film looks. I find most of them too subtle in a comedic setting but there are a few that are dead on for 8mm film degradation looks. Might fit the bill but not sure if they are available for Adobe as I use them in FCP. Agree that well-shot 16mm and larger film from the 50's looks fantastic when it's been cared for and properly transferred. __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

September 28th, 2010, 07:08 PM	#2
Gregory Gesch Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 114	Hi Art. In AE or Premiere have a try with Tint, Noise (you have to set amount) and Shadow/Highlights. There's also Dust & Scratches (and maybe even create a vignette) if you want to go the whole hog. Hope that helps.

September 28th, 2010, 07:36 PM	#4
Rob Morse Major Player Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 427	Either use the image filters as mentioned above or invest in Magic Bullet or Boris Continuum

September 28th, 2010, 07:56 PM	#5
Gregory Gesch Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 114	Hi Adam, yes you are absolutely right it is designed to remove them but if you add them after the other effects it brings a bit of a soft bloom to the image.That's my story anyway:-)

September 29th, 2010, 12:53 PM	#7
Art White Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lansing, Michigan Posts: 185	All good things to try. I wanted to practice but I didn't know where to start and what order. I have a scene where employees of a company are drab, malcontent and wearing outdated clothes. By the end, they are happy, productive and modern, like a before and after. These ideas will help visually show the difference, hopefully in a humorous way. I'll play around with these. Thanks for helping! Art

September 30th, 2010, 12:28 PM	#9
Steve Nelson Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Monument, CO Posts: 109	+1 on Magic Bullet Looks for this. You can add and vary the degree of dust, scratches, spots, gate weave and grain. It can look very close to vintage if you spend some time with it. The trick is not to over do any of these if you want it to look authentic. Along with that though you may wish to play with exposure and filters to emulate the film stock qualities of the day. There was a variety of quality just as is there is today but you can keep it razor sharp like a good film noir crime drama or soften it up and blow out the highlights for something that looks a little more low budget from the era. Lots of fun whatever you choose to do...... If you don't have a lot of this vintage work filed away in your head already just watch a lot and find looks that appeal to you.

October 1st, 2010, 08:16 AM	#10
Art White Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lansing, Michigan Posts: 185	Ok. Robert, I quickly looked but I don't think Natress works with Adobe. Thanks anyway. Steve, at my age, everything stored away in my head is vintage! Looks like it's working with a little bit of noise in Premiere.

October 1st, 2010, 10:10 AM	#11
Steve Nelson Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Monument, CO Posts: 109	LOL, you're not alone there Art!

October 3rd, 2010, 12:55 AM	#12
Harm Millaard Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands Posts: 1,832	Have a look here: AnyFX Effects & Transitions for Premiere and Vegas \| Pixelan Software Any FX has a number of presets for different film stock, like various photographic film rolls from Agfa, Fuji and Kodak that allow an easy way to simulate old B&W photos. For $ 29 it is peanuts.

October 5th, 2010, 02:49 PM	#13
Art White Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lansing, Michigan Posts: 185	Not bad! and the examples they give are nice too. Art

October 5th, 2010, 07:24 PM	#14
Charles W. Hull Major Player Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Canyon Country, CA Posts: 445	I hasn't been mentioned yet but Cineform's First Light has some really nice black and white and old film effects. This would be my choice for a project like this.