How Does an Optical Printer Work?

Introduction

An optical printer is a devise that consists of at least one film projector that is mechanically connected to a movie camera. Optical printers allow filmmakers to re-photograph more than one strip of film. Optical printers are designed to create the special effects you see in movies, and are used in restoring and copying older film material. The optical effects that come from an optical printer include fade-ins, fade-outs, slow motion, dissolves and matte work. Matte work is used in filmmaking to combine at least two image elements into a final image.

Function

An optical printer works because it consists of a camera that is pointed directly at a projector, lens to lens. One lens runs an existing piece of film through a projector, and then it is re-photographed with the camera. A filmmaker then can manipulate the image as it is photographed. The projector and camera are controlled, so that the images can be re-sized and put together. Filmmakers are able to add and subtract frames, or composite images from different films and edit them into one final master filmstrip.

Animation

Animators can use an optical printer to create special effects, such as merging hand-drawn cartoon images with live-action images. Animators use the same principals as filmmakers to combine these two worlds. Animators are continuing to find new and fascinating ways to incorporate this devise into their work.