Subject: Zavada Report Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1998 07:58:04 -0400 From: David Lifton Organization: Frontier GlobalCenter Inc. Newsgroups: alt.assassination.jfk THE ZAVADA REPORT RE THE Z FILM In 1996, the ARRB contacted some top people at Kodak in connection with conducting a study of (what purports to be) the original Zapruder film, plus the two Secret Service copies. I say "purports to be" because many researchers, including myself, entertain serious doubts that it is the camera original; and that issue, in fact, is a major focus of the work that the ARRB asked Kodak to do. The primary work was done by Roland J. Zavada, now retired, but formerly Standards Director for Imaging Technologies. for Eastman Kodak. (His past responsibilities included coordinating the activities of the Consumer Video and Broadcast Telecine Television Evaluation Laboratories. He was also a product engineer on reversal motion picture film, and a principal member of the Kodak team that introduced Kodachrome II, Ektachrome Commerical and Kodachrome Print film; and, also developed the "Super 8" system. The Zavada Report (he titled it "Analysis Selected Photographic Evidence") consists of seven sections and totals (approx) 470 pages. This is not a government-sponsored study as to whether an assassin can be seen hiding behind a fence. Based on my own first reading, this is a serious attempt to bring some first rate talent to bear on the question of whether (a) there are unexplainable anomalies in this film and (b) ---and this is implied, but not spelled out---whether they constitute circumstantial evidence of film forgery. The Zavada Report does not have a set of conclusions, and he does not come down on one side of the issue or another. He just investigates, and reports what he finds. The readers will be the jury. At least, this is the way I read it. As students of this area of the case know, the official story goes like this: Z filmed the motorcade; then went to Kodak and processed his film; then went to Jamieson Film Co in Dallas with his camera original and had 3 copies printed on Ektachrome; and then took his 3 copies back to Kodak where they were processed. Thus, at the end of this procedure, Mr. Z had four film cans---an original plus 3 copies. Then, supposedly, he gave two of the copies to the Secret Service and, the next morning, sold the original (along with his remaining copy---called the "Dallas copy") to Time-Life. Although Zapruder told the press he got $40k for the film (and donated $25k to the family of Tippit), in fact his deal was for $150K, consisting of 6 $25k payments---one that weekend, and then 5 more $25k payments, on the first of each year, out to 1968). So much for background---admittedly oversimplified; now back to the Zavada report. Lurking in the background are these issues: ISSUE 1: Is the original Z film at the Archives---the one that was the subject of a "taking" by the ARRB---really the camera original? ISSUE 2: Are each of the two Secret Service copies at the National Archives actually made from that camera original? What we have here is a very complicated "chain of possession" story, intertwined with some very complex technical issues relating to how the original camera worked, what a "camera original" should look like; and what the copies should look like. Here is the way Zavada organized his work: The first section---23 pages in length---gives Zavada's background, an overview of the project, a table of contents for all the sections; and a table of contents for all the attachments. Then come four sections---labeled "Study 1", "Study 2", "Study 3" and "Study 4" (which are 30, 14, 33, and 55 pp. respectively). These sections deal with the question of how the Jamieson printer that made the Secret Service copies works (and whether there are anomalies in the edge printing); the second two deal with the actual Zapruder camera, and how it works, and whether or not there are anomalies on what purports to be the original at the National Archives. The "objective" of each of these studies---as described by Zavada himself---are: STUDY 1: (30 pp., which includes 8 pp. with color illustrations; close-up color shots of film strips, to show how edge markings work) Objective: Write a technical report on the exact meaning of the edge print and date-code found on the Zapruder films at the National Archives designated as "out of camera" original and the two first-generation Secret Service copies; and, address to the extent possible, what the edge and date codes, and unique numerical codes either punched into the films or photographically copied, reveal about each film's pedigree (Per ARRB request) STUDY 2: (14 pp., which includes 10 pp. of color; includes color Nix, Muchmore) Objective: Analyze the 35mm "blow-up" motion picture prints and determine to the fullest extent possible when they were printed, and on what film product, and the vintage of the print and/or print-through of the intermediate stock. (Per ARRB request) STUDY 3: (33 pp.; which includes 7 pp. of color; includes some color film strip showing previously unpublished "family" scenes) OBJECTIVE: Our goal is to analyze the printing characteristics of the copies of the Zapruder "out-of-camera" original film made by the Jamieson Film company 11/22/63, and to document, to the best of our ability, how these copies were produced. STUDY 4: (55 pp.; which includes 10 pp. with color; no Z frames; just photos illustrating how the claw on the camera works) Objective: Conduct film tests using a Model 414 PD Bell & Howell Zoomatic Director Series camera to determine whether the recognized anomalies in the Zapruder film theoretically attributed to claw flare, claw shadow, development turbidity, first frame inertial effect, and the design of the photo-electric cell [these are the "innocent explanations" for some of the oddities observed on what purports to be the camera original"---dsl] are borne out by actual tests with film---i.e., create a "control" against which to compare the film identified in e Archives as the "out-of-camera original." Subsequently, write a report evaluating the likely meaning of similarities and/or differences observed between the newly created "control" film and the film in the archives designated as the "out-of-camera original". (Per ARRB) In summary: To provide a thorough understanding of the specific image capture characteristics of the camera used by Mr. A. Zapruder to film the assassination of president Kennedy in 1963. END QUOTE Next come four "Attachments" (or appendices) containing all kinds of useful documentation from how the camera works, how an optical printer works; correspondence between Zavada and the ARRB; correspondence between Zavada and other technical people (e.g., Moses Weitzman). These Attachments are titled: ATTACHMENT FOR STUDY 1: Edge Print Analysis of the Zapruder Original Movie Film and Secret Service Copes (78 pp.) Very interesting correspondence and ARRB memos, including a wonderful first person account of the processing of Z's film at Kodak, by the fellow who ran the lab. ATTACHMENT FOR STUDY 2: Edge Print Analysis and Supporting Technical Information of two 35mm films provided to the ARRB by Robert Groden (17pp.) (Analysis of films provided under oath by Robert Groden, and Zavada's attempts to deal with Groden's claims that this is all he had, and its vintage was 1972/73). ATTACHMENT FOR STUDY 3: Initial Motion Picture Printing of the Zapruder 8 mm Original Movie Film (101 pp.) ("everything you ever wanted to know about the printer that made the two Secret Service copies. . . ") Attachment FOR STUDY 4: Bell & Howell Director Series 414PD 8mm Movie Camera (118 pp.) ("everything you ever wanted to know about the Z camera...") A word about color: Each of the four main sections of the report has certain color reproductions (some from hitherto unprinted frames of the Z film ---e.g. the "family" scenes, which were on "side 1"). These color graphics are of extremely high quality, and quite beautiful to behold. Often, an entire "strip" of film is printed, to illustrate a point about edge printing. This report is primary source material for anyone who is a serious student of the authenticity question regarding the Z film. I'm going to iquire about having my copy reproduced. I think that to make copies, including the color, and the shipping, will be about $40. (Please note: with regards to this post: all page counts are approx.) If anyone is interested, please let me know by emailing me at (note: the address which follows is NOT the address of this notice): dlifton@compuserve.com I'm interested in knowing how many people would be interested in obtaining copies of this item. To expedite matters: if anyone wants to send me a check, send it to me care of: B.E. Video 11500 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 400 Los Angeles, CA 90064 Mark the envelope "Z film report". I won't cash any checks until I know for sure that I'm going forward with this project. Although I had entertained the idea of ignoring the pages with color, they add so much to the report I believe they should be included. This is a preliminary judgement, and subject to change. ( I have not ruled out the possibility of doing a straight black and white copy, and then adding the color pages as an addition for those who want them. David Lifton (again please note: reply only to dlifton@compuserve.com)