ABSTRACT
Basically, a lab takes your exposed negative and develops the film in a series of chemical baths. The lab then prepares the negative for postproduction, either by making a positive copy on inexpensive film stock (known as the one-light or the work print) if it is to be edited on film, or, if the film is to be edited on computer, cleans and prepares the negative for telecine. When your film has finished post-production (editing) the lab will take the edit points decided on by your editor (edit decision list, or EDL) and cut the negative in exactly the same places as the edit list, and then make another positive copy against which all the edit points are double checked, to produce the answer print.
