Case Study: Prano Bailey's Debut Film Censor

Cinelab Film & Digital provides digital imaging services, 35mm film processing, 2K scanning, film dailies and grading.

Prano Bailey-Bond debut feature film, CENSOR, had its world premiere at the Sundance Film and Cannes Film. The psychological horror movie received rave reviews and huge acclaim. Bailey-Bond directed the feature that she also wrote with Anthony Jenkins.

Dop Annika Summerson shot on 35mm, framing the action in 2.39:1 aspect ratio, using ARRICAM LT and ST cameras and vintage Canon K35 lenses. Film stock was Kodak Vision3 500T 5219, with Kodak Vision3 250D 5207 used for day exterior scenes.

Censor was always planned as a film shoot and was part of Prano’s initial pitch for the funding.

Annika Summerson:

"There’s just something about film, isn’t there, that helps you not only enter a believable period movie but also invites you into a world of escapism and fantasy too. There is automatic poetry in the filmed image that digital just does not have unless you are very careful to avoid that. It’s partly the unique texture of the film grain, partly the way the emulsion produces colour. Film is also kind and forgiving. I had some first-day nerves, but when I saw the initial dailies that Paul Dean had tended so well to, I quickly felt really safe and secure about shooting on film, and knew I did not have to worry about exposure for the rest of the shoot. Film gave us a distinctive look straight out of the camera – the look we intended – and that’s what I love about shooting on celluloid.”

Feature Film Services provided by Cinelab Film & Digital: Digital Imaging Services, Film Processing 93,000ft Super 35mm 3-perf Stocks, Scanity HDR 2K ‘scan once’ workflow. Paul Dean Head of Scanning and Grading, was the Film Dailies Colourist.