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Reels, the Runway and a Revival: Running Europe’s Most Comprehensive Film Lab

21/05/2018
Post Production
Slough, UK
258
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Cinelab London founders John Mahtani and Adrian Bull expose the secrets behind the modern successful film business
Only five years ago, people would have said you would be mad to invest in a business that processed motion picture film. Yet in 2013, Adrian Bull and John Mahtani bought a film lab with an eye to create a full-service film facility… But the pair certainly weren’t mad. Despite the dip in popularity in the early 2010s, film has steadily been rising back to popularity ever since.

In 2018, the pair’s trust in the quality and durability of the medium is paying off in droves. In 2017, some of the world’s most highly anticipated feature films have passed through the lab including Star Wars VIII, Phantom Thread and Mission Impossible 6. 

Currently, Cinelab is the only comprehensive film processing lab in the UK and the only film lab in the world processing all four formats – Super 8mm, 16mm, 35mm and 65mm. Wanting to know more about this film renaissance, we sit down with Adrian and John to find out what’s new for the classic medium and how Cinelab has come to be such a driving force in film…


“Originally the lab was purely photochemical - focused on developing negatives and creating 35mm prints,” explains Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, John Mahtani, “We have since developed a complete digital solution around the photochemical process including telecine, sound sync, film scanning, digital grading, restoration and film recording.”

In the past year, Cinelab has also opened a digital grading suite which is set to host some incredibly exclusive guests in the coming months. “We can’t reveal who will be attending in the suite just yet but we’re very excited at some of the projects we’ve got coming in.” Says John. “Over the past five years we’ve also been lucky enough to bring together a team of people who are highly passionate about film and the craft involved in processing and finessing it.”

One of the notably impressive short form projects to be remastered by Cinelab recently, using their film digital scanning equipment, is Oasis’ promo D’You Know What I Mean. To celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the release of Oasis’ 1997 album 'Be Here Now’, the band went back into the studio to re-master and re-release the album.  In conjunction with the re-release, Directors Dom & Nic who originally shot the promo ‘D'You Know What I Mean?' in 1997, approached Cinelab London and The Mill to re-master the video in 2k resolution. They tell us over 30,000ft of 35mm film was scanned by Cinelab in order to recreate the video and the results are astonishing.


Oasis – D’You Know What I Mean - HD Remaster 

Oasis – D’You Know What I Mean - Original Film 

“The great thing about film is that it stores images in incredible quality and resolution and, as technology progresses, more of that detail can be unlocked. Whilst video has many great qualities, it is somewhat restricted to the era of technology in which it was produced. This Oasis video is testament to the power of what’s stored on film.” Says Founder and Managing Director, Adrian Bull

Another film feast for the eyes is Sophie Fiennes’ feature documentary, Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami. The director worked with Cinelab to convert all of the DVcam footage for the intimate feature doc of the cult star. The team also tested, processed and scanned 16mm film for a one-off indoor concert. 


Over the past few years some of the biggest names in film have stepped forward to support the revival of film. Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino, Judd Apatow and JJ Abrams are amongst many who have supported Kodak’s decision to keep producing celluloid film. 

“It’s not really a surprise that so many directors are standing behind film.” Adds Adrian “Film has been around for over 100 years. It’s a tangible medium that people like to work with because of its look and feel. Right now, the market is demanding 4K and HDR - film can provide that whilst still retaining a unique look, resolution and latitude that film-makers love to work with.”

Cinelab is also strategically placed to service the world’s film clients.  John explains that during the last five years the number of labs across the world have reduced from 130 to just 30, so being close to an airport was a major consideration in their business model.  Conveniently located by Heathrow and only 20 minutes from the centre of London, they have the world at their fingertips.

“We can get reels straight off the runway and into the lab,” Says John, “We have received work from over 40 countries and from every continent in the world.  Being close to Heathrow gives us excellent access and our location is critical to how we serve a wider client base geographically.”

The film revival doesn’t stop at feature-length film and TV directors.  Many of the advertising industry’s top directors and production companies are also standing behind the medium.  Cinelab have seen a 10-fold increase in the number of commercials shot on film processed by them, in the past three years.  In 2017 it worked on over 150 commercials. John and Adrian tell us already that numbers have increased in 2018.  Big recent commercials to have been processed at Cinelab include Nike’s ‘Nothing Beats a Londoner’ which was shot on 16mm and processed in late 2017. “This truly was an epic three-minute commercial which stars a host of celebrities” comments John. 


NIKE 'Nothing Beats a Londoner'

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