After a film is shot, the original negatives—taken directly from the camera equipment—are edited into correct sequence and printed onto fresh stock as a cohesive film, creating an interpositive print used for color timing.
From the interpositive, answer prints, which include the color-corrected imagery and a properly synced sound track, are made.
Once approved by the studio, the final answer print is made into an internegative used for striking copies that will be delivered to theaters for viewing.
Each time the original camera negative, the only image source, is run through the printing machine, there is a hazard that the film could be damaged.
On rare occasions, the composited camera negative may be used for video transfers, but it will have to be carefully retimed for color/density.