The best idea to come out of this discussion is to splice a "reference frame" into the body of the leader. I believe this would be done by the film editor/negative cutter, and not the laboratory. It's worth re-introducing at the SMPTE Projection (P3) and Lab Practices (L6) committees. There also was once an attempt to have a SMPTE Recommended Practice to write the film title and reel number on the edge of the sound negative about 10 feet (3 metres) into the body of each reel, and print it through with the printer edgelight. Unfortunately, this is impractical today, because SDDS occupies that area of the print.

FWIW, the discoloration sometimes seen in the first frame of picture may be due to changing the printer lights (color balance) between the TAPE setting needed for the leader, and that for the first scene. If the color change cue is at the splice, the printer may take a frame to actually change the color balance to the correct one for the scene. Obviously, if the first/last frame is off-color, it should not be shown.

I'm laughing a bit, because (although it sounds harsh), that is _exactly_ what I am doing.

While printing a reference frame in the leader is a good idea, how long would it take to get it through P3 and L6 committees (rhetorical question)? And studios haven't exactly shown a big interest in helping theaters (I will mention one thing: "ELR's.") So, who says they would change? In fact, with studios pushing e-projection, maybe it would be in their best interest not to help too much. I know I sound like Mr. Cranky, but I really feel theaters need help with hundreds of little things like this *now* and are not getting it.

-"There also was once an attempt to have a SMPTE Recommended Practice to write the film title and reel number <snip> Unfortunately, this is impractical today, because SDDS occupies that area of the print."

Could they simply do something like draw, say, 3 slashes (for reel 3) about 2 feet in on the print, in between the sprocket holes on the non-soundtrack side? There's nothing there. It could be done at both ends (the emulsion would tell you if it's the head of 3 or tails.)

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Better Projection Pays!

Do the books give details, or it is a cursory kind of explaination? You know what I mean: I'm hoping for some exact description of what "happens" at the c/o, and how to deal with specific cases.

As most of you know, Dolby now prints a Dolby "Double D" trademark at the center of the Dolby Digital data matrix between each perforation. It may be possible to program the Dolby sound camera to expose a tiny reel number at some repeat interval (e.g., once every 24 frames). That way, any print with Dolby Digital track could be viewed under a magnifier, and the reel number would be printed in every 96th perforation (24 frames X 4 perfs = 96). (You'll still have 95 perfs that have the Dolby trademark).

I'll check with Ioan Allen of Dolby to see if this is feasible. Perhaps one of the Dolby participants in Film-Tech Forum could let us know if this might work? Can I be listed as inventor in the Dolby patent?

Actually, I've never seen how the Dolby image gets printed. Is the camera controlled by a regular PC? (Easier to re-program to insert reel numbers) or is it a dedicated device, with it's own electronics (harder to re-program.) What is the source (I'm guessing there's only one digital source, which is simply copied to the analog track normally.)

The only drawback to this that I can think of is that it would still just be something someone would check when there is a question and not be blatantly obvious like the cutoff ID frame. If there was to be a new laboratory standard then printing a check frame into the leader would be the way to go. The SMTPE leader already accomodates them as they could be placed at the CF location.

Just as it may be possible for Dolby to encode a reel number where they print their trademark "Double D" in the Dolby Digital data, perhaps SDDS could do likewise in their track bits. I'll check with Al Barton or Dan Taylor at Sony to see if it's feasible.