Recreate That 'Euphoria' Film Look with This New Euphoric 100 Film Stock

(UPDATE: Euphoric 100 is now back in stock!)

I need to preface this entire article by saying that I’m not an expert in the world of analog photography. Like many, I picked up my first 35mm camera during the pandemic and have been what can be described as an amateur Instagram photographer—at best.

However, with a background in filmmaking and video production, which I can describe myself as “functional, if not at least a bit knowledgeable,” I can say that experimenting with analog photography has been a very fun way to learn about film and celluloid processing.

Yet, even with my limited experience, I have to hold in a bit of a scoff to learn about this new Euphoria-inspired film stock being released. It just seems a bit… silly.

But then again, so does spending roughly $50 on film and processing and scanning fees to take the same photos of windmills in Amsterdam as a billion other tourists. So who am I to judge?

Regardless of your feelings, though, Atlanta Film Co has just released its new Euphoric 100, a brand new color reversal motion picture film stock inspired by the Emmy Award-winning HBO show Euphoria.

And here’s why you should actually consider checking it out.

EKTACHROME and the Euphoria Effect

While we can’t solely credit the popular HBO teen drama show Euphoria as the be-all-end-all of grainy cinematic looks, it’s undeniable that with the show’s popularity that this specific style has been influential on a new generational audience.

Season two of Euphoria, in particular, made the stylistic shift from shooting with the large-format digital cameras (Alexa 65's with ARRI Prime DNA lenses) in season one to shooting entirely on Kodak's unique EKTACHROME 5294 format, reconstituted specifically for the show. The team also shot on KODAK VISION3 500T Color Negative Film 5219.

You can read more about the entire process here. Suffice it to say, season two certainly leaned into a specific look that has many eager to learn how to recreate on their own.

Enter Euphoric 100

This is where we get this brilliant marketing decision from Atlanta Film Co to release its own Euphoric 100 film stock. Hand-rolled into standard 35mm canisters, Euphoric 100 is actually just Ektachrome 100D and offers the same high-contrast and high-saturation look which you’ll find in Euphoria.

Having shot a few rolls of Ektachrome 100D in the past, I can say that it’s a bit of a tricky film to shoot with as it requires quite a bit of daylight (5500K) or bright tungsten lights with some daylight balancing filters.

However, where Ektachrome 100D really shines is with fair and neutral skin tones, which contrast starkly against any dark and moody backdrops (like many a scene from Euphoria season two).

Why You Should Give It a Try

Ultimately, film photography might not be more than a hobby for most film and video folks. It’s nice to bring a 35mm camera on a camping trip or to a party simply because it’s a lot easier to lug around than a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K with a gimbal, shotgun mic, and lighting kit. Shooting photos on film will also force you to slow down. This can help you better understand how you compose your shots, how you spend your time framing, and help you see things you might not have been able to see on a monitor. 

It also can be a great way to learn a bit more about how analog processing works, both for stills and film. In particular, this Euphoric 100 requires E-6 processing, which results in a positive image that then needs to be cross-processed using ECN-2 to turn the image into a negative with the desired contrast and grain.

With this cross-processing, you can learn quite a bit about how different skin tones, ISOs, and compositional elements can actually play out in real filmmaking. And while there are fewer and fewer opportunities to work on projects with real analog film, the looks are indeed so desirable that those chances will undoubtedly come.

And if you have a strong understanding of these different film stocks and looks, and can be a very helpful knowledge base to draw from on set. Or, at the very least, a fun hobby to continue to impress your friends on Instagram.

Where to Buy Euphoric 100

You can pre-order Euphoric 100 from Atlanta Film Co for $13.49 per 36-exposure roll. The company also offers both E-6 and ECN-2 cross-processing options, as well as the option to get your color-corrected scans sent your way for an additional cost. Or if you're feeling super adventurous, you can make your own by buying a 400-ft roll from B&H and re-spooling it into 35mm photography canisters. 

Kodak Ektachrome 100D 5294 (35mm, 400' Roll)

• ISO 100 Film for Daylight Illumination
• Enhanced Color Saturation Performance
• Neutral Gray Scale
• Accurate Skin Tone Reproduction
• Can Be Projected
• U Core

400-ft

$649.95

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