LAB POLICIES
By submitting an order and/or sending film to The Negative Space the client agrees to the following…
Film processing is currently being supplied by trusted 3rd party partner labs, however we are actively working on setting up machines to bring more services in-house. Until then, The Negative Space is not liable for any damage caused in transit to and from our partners, nor for any damage caused while being handled by our partners
For process+scan 16mm and 35mm there is a 100ft minimum per format / type / process. This is not charged per roll however so multiple rolls adding up to 100ft is fine. However, keep in mind that black and white and color are different types and negative and reversal are different types / processes when calculating this minimum
Prep and clean is necessary before scanning. If your scan-only project arrives without sufficient leader there will be a $3 per roll cleaning charge. This cleaning charge is built into the process+scan prices
ALL requested force processing (push or pull) must be clearly marked on canisters and detailed in the additional information field. Additional charges apply. Super8 is +$10/roll per stop with a $30 minimum. 16mm is $0.06/ft per stop with a $50 minimum
The client must inform The Negative Space of all camera issues such as jams, torn perforations, unspooling, decoring, etc. because any breakage can ruin other client films as well. Any breakage in the processor will result in the client being charged a $250 damage and rethreading fee. Any damaged film must be clearly marked on the can or box as “DAMAGED”. Damaged film often requires sections to be removed prior to processing if the lab deems it unable to be processed. We reserve the right to remove these sections when necessary as this is required to ensure safe development for your film and for others’
The Negative Space is not liable for any damage sustained during shipping or processing. Processing damage usually only happens due to camera issues (torn perforations, etc.) causing complications in the processor.
All critical communication must be done via email. Phone calls, texts, instagram messages, etc. are all acceptable forms of communication for talking shop, quick questions, etc. but any changes to an order must be made via email
All scheduled and rushed orders must be communicated ahead of time (before the film arrives at the lab) and they are subject to approval by the lab manager. An order cannot be changed midway to be rushed
All invoices are to be paid, all services are billable and final. Invoices are due on receipt and considered late after 10 days. Late invoices are subject to additional fees
The Negative Space will never censor or destroy your footage based on content. However, please be mindful that our lab is a comitted to being a hate free zone
The client is responsible for the checking for all invoices, links, and communication. Please keep an eye on your spam folder
All download links are available for 5-7 days. Footage is kept on offline storage for 30 days following the date of scanning (for log footage), or color correction / rendering
If a job is marked as “No Return,” the original materials will be recycled and/or disposed of after 60 days without exception
All listed turnaround times are estimations but may vary depending on current workload or needs of the project (such as color correction or setup time). A project requires special handling this may add a couple days to this estimation, for example for experimental or hand processed film
Estimated turnaround times are:
Scan-only of newly shot material: 1-4 business days (normal operational hours are weekdays and excludes holidays). Special handling and setup may add 1-2 days
Process+scan of newly shot 16/35 color negative: 1-2 weeks from date of arrival
Process+scan of newly shot Super8, ektachrome, black and white, etc.: about 3 weeks from date of arrival but can be longer until the new processor is online
Archival film requiring inspection: 3-4 weeks
Archival home movies: currently waitlisted, inquire about waitlist!
In addition, by submitting an order and/or sending film to The Negative space the client agrees to understand the following…
We are a small film lab, run by and for artists. Our services include only scan-only or process+scan services. We cannot currently supply process-only services because we cannot sustain this small lab and our pricing structure without also providing scanning at this time. We appreciate the understanding.
We are only able to respond to occasional requests for order updates via email. Repeated requests may be ignored because constantly responding to such requests usually delays work overall. As a small lab we only have so much time in the day!
Expired film stock occasionally has issues during remjet removal due to its age. After processing and cleaning, if any remjet still remains this represents our best efforts at removing it. There are no “redos” or refunds if the remaining remjet is not to the client’s liking.
The client’s film is run along with many other client films. This is normal practice for a motion picture lab.
There is nothing in the processing machinery that can result in blank footage. If the client’s footage turns out blank, this represents our best efforts at developing your film and blank footage is only possible to have resulted in the camera. There are no “redos” or refunds if your footage is blank.