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Topic: projectionists nightmare

John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 08-14-2000 10:50 AM

I like the take-up rings that Xetron uses, because they lock in the wider position, and tend not to fall out, unlike the older Potts or Christies. Although, they started to use thinner material on their newer rings, and the damn things will just pop open when flexed a little.

I made a wedge-like thing I jammed in the split on a Christie ring one time. I guess you could make a bar of some kind to keep the tension on a Potts-type ring.

Maybe they should make a (locking) take-up ring with a flange around the top to help keep it from falling through?

When we move prints, it's always on a sheet of masionite. (sp?)

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Peter Schulze
Film Handler

Posts: 3
From: Southern CT, USA
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 08-14-2000 12:40 PM

I wouldn't even dare move a print without clamps or plywood. I moved "The Patriot" by myself using clamps and carrying it vertically from one cinema to the next and had no problems. We have Strong platters too. No real problem yet with lack of tightness. Thank goodness, 'cause I'd hate to miss my bedtime

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Tom Kroening
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 214
From: Janesville, WI USA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 08-14-2000 01:29 PM

I havn't dropped a print yet but I've come close. The theatre I used to work at had the older strong platters (the ones with switches) and they wound the prints extremely tight. The theatre I work at now has a few Strong platters that are about 2 years old. They can't even wind tight at buildup let alone just runing a show. Clamps are great for holding prints together, but they are also great for scratching the platters. I don't see why no one has thought of a hard plastic clamp. *shrug*

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 08-14-2000 02:25 PM

Tom:

I still favor winding the print onto a doughnut-shaped platter disk (e.g. the new Kelmar antistatic mat or the one from Stuart AV) or the Goldberg platter reel, and then using TWO people to carry the print between platters.

Using clamps requires care to not scratch the platter surface or nick the edges of the print, as you try to slip the clamp onto the print.

Using nothing to support the print roll while moving it is like Russian Roulette --- 5 times out of 6 you can get away with it. The other time you'll have a big mess on the floor .

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-14-2000 02:32 PM

What's the best way to move a given print between two (presumably friendly) theatres? In the past, I have used the "6000' reel" method, which works fine especially if you plan to run the print off of the 6000' reels (it doesn't reduce the need for inspection, of course), but would probably be cumbersome for platter houses. Does anyone just take up a print onto a cookie sheet and throw (well, not literally...) the whole thing into someone's car?

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Rory Burke
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 181
From: Burbank, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 08-14-2000 02:34 PM

Ahhhh yes!.....I remember the 8:00p.m. Saturday, opening weekend, showing of Independence day as a projectionist a few years back. We the other guy on duty who never listened sure learned his lesson that night. I must admit that the mess that resulted from a dropped print was attrocios. JUST let the print fall when it does!! NEVER try to catch and try and keep the film intact as it unravells in your hands. Let it get to the floor asap and be still. The least amount of time that transpires between you dropping it and it hitting the floor is better. The projectionist whom was working and tried to move the movie for the interlock session by himself learned a big one that night!

RORY

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 08-14-2000 03:28 PM

When moving a print between theaters, most of the recipients always want it on large reels...but they're never willing to send any over and I find it is difficult to get mine back. One theater was so insistent (and quite rude about it) that the print NOT be broken down to shipping reels and since they failed to send over their reels (they had quite a collection of large reels with various other theater's writing on them), I broke the entire movie down (5 reels) onto a core...and they actually loved it! From that point on, that theater actually specifically requested prints be sent over that way. It sure saved me a lot of time on Thursdays, so hey if that's the way they want it, no problem!

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Dave Cutler
Master Film Handler

Posts: 277
From: Centennial, CO
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 08-14-2000 03:55 PM

If a print is going to another theatre I will always break it down to shipping reels. If the other theatre wants it on 6000' reels then they need to supply me with enough to put the print on. I will not send them away with my 6000's, as I know I would never see them again.

If I am sending it to another AMC I will ask them if they just want to move it as is or if they want it on shipping reels. This only works if the person picking the print up has a large enough trunk for the print to fit into all built up though. Works well with SUV's, as you can even strap the print down so it can't slide around during transport.

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Mike Jones
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 108
From: Birmingham, MI, USA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 08-19-2000 02:51 PM

Here's a tip for thrown prints or dropped prints. When you have to put them back together in a hurry.

1st: get assistance from another person

2nd: throw any non-salvageable film on the floor. Its useless to you if you cant make heads or tails of it. (that was supposed to be funny.)

3rd: start unwinding where ever the film makes the most sense.

4th: when your film gets too twisted, splice it off at a frame. Use pieces of masking tape, place one on either side of the splice with a number or letter on it.

5th: any splice that doesn't match up with another, tape it to the wall for later reference.

6th: wind all the film back onto a ring using the numbered pieces of film to keep you organized.

Finially, This may not be the best way to put a print back together. It may make your print dirty since its all over the floor. But, this is the method i use the most and it works very well for me. I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me, but that's their problem.

P.S. We've got "Surge" at our theatre, and just drank a whole lot, so if this doesn't make perfect sense, its cause i cant keep still. ahhh!

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Shane Pena
Film Handler

Posts: 12
From: Show Low, AZ, USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 08-19-2000 03:38 PM

I agree with you Mike, when we were taking private ryan down (9 reels), for some reason there was no ring in it and of course soon after the table reached a decent speed, I stood in horror as the print wobbled for a split second, I tried to catch the film before it glided off the tables. What a mess 9 huge reels can make!

We put it back together pretty much the same way Mike wrote. It took two guys, 4 hours and lots of splicing.

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Dave Cutler
Master Film Handler

Posts: 277
From: Centennial, CO
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 08-19-2000 04:02 PM

Why would you ever even attempt to tear a print down without a center ring? Of course it's gonna fly on to the floor. If there is no ring motor it through the projector to get it on a ring. Why would you remove a center ring on a print that is going to be torn down in the first place?

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Shane Pena
Film Handler

Posts: 12
From: Show Low, AZ, USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 08-19-2000 05:30 PM

well like I told my boss at the time, thats not my idea of taking a movie apart. It was dimly lit in the booth and I was DAMN sure there was a ring in there because I was the last one to lace that movie. But some damn fool took it out to use it on another film without telling me, God knows why when we have spare rings on the wall....

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Dave Cutler
Master Film Handler

Posts: 277
From: Centennial, CO
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 08-19-2000 05:40 PM

I see said the blind man to the deaf woman.

Unfortunately many booths aren't bright enough to guarantee safe film handling. I have seen booths that actually have a seperate room for film handling. Brightly lit with a Buildup Table, MUT and a spare platter. I thought that was a cool idea.

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John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 08-19-2000 10:37 PM

I was working one time when a print got dropped on the floor. (Usher tried to move it without telling me.) When a print dropped, it doesn't always get completely tangled. Sometimes you can see where a whole reel or two are still "intact."

One idea I had was to get a large, clean garbage bag and slide as much of the print into it as I could (actually, I could see two sections that were still intact, so I cut those sections out and placed them aside.) Then pick up each section and place it in one of those large (55 gal) garbage buckets with wheels on it. Usually, you can find an end and untangle it such that you can start to pull the film out. It will start to twist as you pull it out, but is not tangled.

Have another person spin the garbage bucket around and around in a circle to untwist the film as it gets pulled it out and you take it up on a reel or platter.

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Kevin Crawford
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 207
From: Sacramento, CA, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 08-19-2000 11:11 PM

My favorite to this day is going the Century theatre down the street to pick up a print. I get to the theatre, with film clamps, the manager calls the operator. The operator takes me to the right booth. Then proceeds to take out the ring and trailers. When he is done he asks me why I am standing there with my mouth open and a pale face. I had to clamp the film, let it go oblong and quickly walk it to my truck.

After that incident I took an old Potts ring, took off the attaching knob so that the ring would expand to fit even a Christie sized ring. To date that has saved me 6 times, when picking up prints from Century and UA houses. For some reason, these people don't think that it is difficult to play a film that is oblong on a platter.

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