OK, it makes no difference what side you use with SDDS, but I have noticed Dolby digital tracks failing where the soundtrack side has been heavily edge-marked and heard increased distortion on variable area analogue sound. So that is one of two reasons why I mount prints track down.

The other is that our projection boxes have split-unit air conditioners which dehumidify the air as well as cool it. This results in very low humidity in the boxes (so low in fact that my mouth starts to feel dry after working in one for an hour or so) and so after 2-3 days the prints start to take on a noticeable positive curl (as described by John P).

I have taken on board Joe's point about the emulsion catching the platter surface on take-up and scratching, and Brad's point about the risk of damage during start-up, but I still believe that the potential problems caused by distorting the stock in such low humidity are a greater risk.

I do agree totally with Randy that you have to standardise on one method of mounting and lacing up, and then stick to it. Once people start doing their own thing it vastly increases the chance of someone making a mistake which causes a presentation cock-up (e.g. lacing the projector back to front).

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Ok for clarification to anyone else (like me and the couple of others that emailed me just now) who had this terminology backwards:

The picture above represents a piece of film as viewed lengthwise as it lays on a flat surface with the emulsion side up. This is POSITIVE CURL.

The picture above represents a piece of film as viewed lengthwise as it lays on a flat surface with the emulsion side up. This is NEGATIVE CURL.

"Positive" and "negative" curl is just defined that way. Neither is "bad" or "worse". (Quoted from John Pytlak)

So my statement should read "I have never seen a polyester print with a negative curl". Acetate base film is of course, a completely different ballgame.

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At 21 degrees, you must wear woolen mittens and mukluks when you handle film up north across Lake Ontario.

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Of course in a camera, the emulsion of the negative faces the camera lens. When an emulsion-to-emulsion contact print is made of the negative, the image is flipped, such that the print emulsion must now face AWAY from the lens to project properly. Even when a duplicate negative is used to make the release prints, the normal negative ---> interpositive ---> duplicate negative ---> release print printing system maintains the correct print orientation.

Here is a link to some really good Kodak information about printing and film systems:
http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/support/h1/printing.shtml

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35mm and 70mm theatrical prints normally have the emulsion face AWAY from the projector lens. Some IMAX 3D prints may have emulsion to the lens.