A method of making a patterned film, comprising: providing a first film (110, 210, 310, 510, 710, 810, 820, 830) which comprises a group of interior layers, the group of interior layers comprising layers composed of polymeric materials and having differing refractive indices arranged to selectively reflect light by constructive or destructive interference at interfaces between adjacent layers to provide a first reflective characteristic, wherein at least some of the layers of said group of interior layers are birefringent in at least one zone of the film, and wherein the first film also has a first absorption characteristic suitable to, upon exposure to a first radiant beam (112, 722, 722a) including a first wavelength of incident light, absorptively heat a portion (724, 724a) of the first film by an amount sufficient to change the first reflective characteristic to a second reflective characteristic by a change in birefringence; providing a second film (116, 122) having a first detectable characteristic changeable to a different second detectable characteristic upon exposure to second wavelength of incident light, said wavelength being different from the first wavelength of incident light; wherein the detectable characteristic is selected from the group consisting of optical, electrical, mechanical and chemical characteristics, and combinations thereof; directing a first radiant beam (112, 722, 77a) comprising the first wavelength of incident light at a second zone (110b, 216, 520, 524, 814, 824, 834) rather than a first zone (110a, 110c, 212, 522, 812, 822, 832) of the first film to absorptively heat a portion (724, 724a) of the first film to change a birefringence of at least some of the interior layers in the second zone and change the first reflective characteristic to a second different reflective characteristic in the second zone so as to convert the first film to a patterned mask that includes zone(s) that reflects light at the second wavelength of incident light and zone(s) that transmits light at the second wavelength of incident light; and patterning with the patterned mask a second radiant beam (118, 124) of incident light comprising the second wavelength of incident light to form a patterned second radiant beam, and directing the patterned second radiant beam at the second film to change the first detectable characteristic to the second detectable characteristic at selected portions of the second film. providing a first film (110, 210, 310, 510, 710, 810, 820, 830) which comprises a group of interior layers, the group of interior layers comprising layers composed of polymeric materials and having differing refractive indices arranged to selectively reflect light by constructive or destructive interference at interfaces between adjacent layers to provide a first reflective characteristic, wherein at least some of the layers of said group of interior layers are birefringent in at least one zone of the film, and wherein the first film also has a first absorption characteristic suitable to, upon exposure to a first radiant beam (112, 722, 722a) including a first wavelength of incident light, absorptively heat a portion (724, 724a) of the first film by an amount sufficient to change the first reflective characteristic to a second reflective characteristic by a change in birefringence; providing a second film (116, 122) having a first detectable characteristic changeable to a different second detectable characteristic upon exposure to second wavelength of incident light, said wavelength being different from the first wavelength of incident light; wherein the detectable characteristic is selected from the group consisting of optical, electrical, mechanical and chemical characteristics, and combinations thereof; directing a first radiant beam (112, 722, 77a) comprising the first wavelength of incident light at a second zone (110b, 216, 520, 524, 814, 824, 834) rather than a first zone (110a, 110c, 212, 522, 812, 822, 832) of the first film to absorptively heat a portion (724, 724a) of the first film to change a birefringence of at least some of the interior layers in the second zone and change the first reflective characteristic to a second different reflective characteristic in the second zone so as to convert the first film to a patterned mask that includes zone(s) that reflects light at the second wavelength of incident light and zone(s) that transmits light at the second wavelength of incident light; and patterning with the patterned mask a second radiant beam (118, 124) of incident light comprising the second wavelength of incident light to form a patterned second radiant beam, and directing the patterned second radiant beam at the second film to change the first detectable characteristic to the second detectable characteristic at selected portions of the second film.