- Association ZebraLab
- Rue de Montbrillant 14
- CH-1201 Genève
- Switzerland
- website
- +41 (0)22 734 69 81
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What is Zebralab ?????
It is a do-it yourself motion picture laboratory run by the members of a registered non profit association. ZebraLab is among the last places where obsolete equipment is maintained in operation, and where the pertaining know-how is honed and transmitted to the newcomers in order to perpetuate it. It is accessible to everyone against affordable rentals rates. And indeed allows everyone to perform their own lab and post production tasks (simple or complicated).
ZebraLab was constituted in’96, following the creation of an European network of independent movie labs. It first moved in a squatted apartment and enabled many to produce their film at very low cost with used and salvaged equipment and a lot of spent energy from the founding core group. All this with a great amount of experimentation freedom in the artistical and practical aspect of their work.
We are know well installed near Geneva’s main train station, in a well suited space, perfect for or present and future needs.
Our know-how and facilities enabled a leap in quality.
MOVIE LAB
As in any proper independent filmmaker’s lab, the users are processing their own film, on 50 feet reels in Super 8 or 16mm format.
Reversible or negative stocks, (positive for prints), are processed in standard chemistries. Most mixes are available ready to use. And as reels processing allows it, there is many push and alternate processes possibilities that no professional lab would consider.
A 16mm contact printer Debrie TCX4 enable positive or negative prints or intermediates.
An optical printer takes care of S8 to 16mm blow ups or any zoom or shifts trickeries.
Kodak stocks are available for sale, please enquire for prices.
PHOTO LAB
The users can process films in 35mm, 2&1/4 120 and 4×5 inches formats, A variety of enlargers with either condensed or diffused light sources is available with fine lenses.
Enlargements can be made in sizes up to 16 by 20 inches. A 20 inches wide RA4 color print processor is also there for those working several consecutive days in a row.
TELECINE
We built our own telecine bench: direct optical without intermediate screens. It accepts any video camera fitted with a sony 2/3 BT4 bayonet lens mount, it can be a DVCAM, a Betacam sp or D, a DVCPRO, a HDCAM or a Viper
It is used with specially transformed projector with softly diffused and stabilized light output. We regularly set up telecine sessions in DV/DVCAM format PAL 4/3 or 16/9 576i at 18fps from S8 or 16 (no Super16)
DIGITALISING
We also offer access to HD formats, 2K or 4K from Super 8 or 16mm in BW color, positive or negative. It is done on an automated optical printer using a DSLR camera. We have a very good results thank to apochromatic duping lenses dedicated to each format.
The RGB files obtained are processed on regular imaging softwares running on regular computers. A very good color grading can be achieved with a non compressed files workflow.
The resulting files allow the mounting of clips suitable for 2K showing or a 35mm 4K film shooting.
EDITING
We have a Super 8 film editing table. We also offer a fully equipped computer editing station.