I triple check my threading, spin the projector motor immediately before pressing its power button, and I give the platter disks a gentle push. I've never had a problem except for one back in 1985. I was new to the Christie projector of that day. Somehow, two or three times, I threaded so that on startup the gate popped open. But there was no damage, not even stretched mylar, so there was no need for triacetate's breakaway ability.

One note on spinning the projector motor and the platter disks. This both makes those motors and drive trains last longer and it acts as another check on my threading. If something's wrong, I will spot it more quickly in the process of doing these things.

The trick to getting a perfect show start is simply total concentration. If someone tries to interrupt me, I simply answer them like a zombie. They just can't get into my mental space. Now if only I had this ability when it comes to one of the administrators I have to deal with!

I like how indestructable mylar is for leaders. A film festival we hosted left us some of their extra. This stuff looks like it put in some time on a dance floor, a rodeo arena, or someone's driveway, and it still runs smoothly thru the projector. But mylar vibrates very differently from film. I "tune" my loops. If I am working a projector I don't know, I run shows with loops of different sizes to find the exact position that is the smoothest. Of course, you can never judge that by the mylar!

As for comments on tails, you all are not kidding. I'm the manager-operator for a small art house and we get the whole gamut of film conditions. I've seen a catalog's worth of strange things. It seems to me there's a fifty percent chance if something weird is wrong in a print, it's wrong somewhere between the middle of the credits and the last sprocket hole. But all I do is check whatever's on the print.