ORWO Film Test
I believe we put together a superb team to undertake this effort. The key players had conducted film stock tests numerous times when camera departments regularly practiced this procedure. It feels great to relive the experience! Motion Picture film is not dead; it has become filmmaking's 'oil-based paint. The medium now has more pigments to choose from!
On March 1st, 2023, my team tested two 35mm new color-negative stocks originating from the German film manufacturer ORWO. ORWO is a 114 year old company and brand. Founded in Wolfen, in 1909; as an off-shoot of the AGFA film company. For more info click here: https://www.orwo.wtf/about
The team ran comprehensive tests using 2 x 35mm AATON Penelope cameras with matching primes. The two new film emulsions were exposed side-by-side with Eastman 5219 500T. View test here:
We utilized precision color charts, live models, window light along with artificial light, varying textures, and a Color Gamut Calibration Array. This enables us to assemble an in-depth report detailing the characteristics of the new emulsions. In addition, the results of the exposure wedge tests will be used to interpolate color curve data points.
Personally, I do not see much resemblance to the AGFA XT320 in the 2 NC color stocks. XT320 was an 80s film design, it had finer grain than either of the new NC color stocks. These new emulsions have a RETRO look. They have a chromogenic trace of color films produced in the 1970s. Resembling but does not have the exact look of Eastman 5254 pushed by one to one and a half stops. Think Edgy, Panic at Needle Park, and Taxi Driver. The DNA of these new emulsions resembles the Agfacolor Neu of the late 1930s, given, let's say, half a century of evolution in continued development.
Agfacolor-Neu was also manufactured in the US by Agfa Ansco of Binghampton, NY, of which the origin of the formula most likely came from Filmfabrik Wolfen. (Color Committee (1937): The New Agfacolor Process. In: Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers, May 1937, pp. 561-562.)