Workshop Registration

Hand Processing Black and White Film

In this introduction to photochemical image-making, hand processing and darkroom practices you will understand how light energy and chemistry work to create images. In the darkroom, you'll expose photograms on short clips of high contrast black & white film stock, rendering them as both negative and reversal (positive) images. We'll then expose longer strips in a 16mm Bolex camera and process them in buckets and a Lomo tank. Various developers and chemical manipulation techniques will be introduced so you'll understand how fun darkroom processing is and how it can render a huge variety of looks to the same shot. To finish, we'll splice together your work and screen it on a 16mm projector.

This workshop includes all film, darkroom chemistry, and supplies for use during the workshop. The Camera Theory workshop is recommended as a prerequisite. This workshop is recommended as a companion to the Super 8 Filmmaking Intensive​, Bolex, Arri SRII 16mm and Aaton XTR Prod Super 16mm Cameras, Darkroom Play with 16mm Colour Film and Hand Processing Colour Film workshops.

Sat 16 August 2025, 10 am - 6 pm   
(Registration deadline is Fri 15 August 6:00 pm)

Instructor: Sandy McLennan

Sandy McLennan loves wandering just outside his darkroom door with cameras and sound recorders. Hand-processing and printing motion pictures via chemistry and chance reveals memory of personal and state-of-the-world emotions. Specializing in Double 8mm and 16mm print film, he often includes audio improvised from location field recordings, self-talk and the physical sound of assembling. He leads workshops giving the experience of slow-hand time and revelation. He has received production and travel grants from Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council.



Location: 1137 Dupont Street, Toronto, Ontario M6H 2A3
Category: Creative Practises
Maximum Capacity: 4
8 hours of instruction $150 /member$175 /nonmember
Registration opens
Tue 20 May at 10am