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Topic: I really need to start splicing head and tail leaders back on the prints

Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 11-12-2002 09:49 AM

I'm going to have to agree with Steve here (gasp!), having a seperate power cord on the Strong MUT is a definate plus. When I'm building up a print I usually have the other MUT plugged in and set up near the platter I'm building on. If I come to a reel that's tails up I can rewind it on the extra mut while a reel is being built onto the platter. A real time saver.

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Daniel Boisson
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 157
From: Buffalo, NY, USA
Registered: Oct 2001

posted 11-12-2002 12:43 PM

Frank, we never had any supplier, the head projectionist just buys it a hardware store I presume.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 11-12-2002 01:49 PM

How do you do your inspection Dustin? A MUT is an awful lousy way to do the job.

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 11-12-2002 01:57 PM

Inspection? *cynical laugh* As if I have time for imspection. You try cleaning twelve theatres, loading the projectors, and building prints at the same time.

What sort of inspection are you talking about anyway? When dealing with release prints about the only things you are going to run into are lab splices and possible lab defects. Its easier to find lab defects when you screen the movie and we don't remove lab splices. So, I suppose even if I did have the time I'm not sure if I'd do an 'inspection,' at least for release prints.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 11-12-2002 02:08 PM

quote:
"Inspection? *cynical laugh* As if I have time for imspection. You try cleaning twelve theatres, loading the projectors, and building prints at the same time."

Sorry to hear that. I forget how cheap some places can be with their presentation...the very thing that brings the customers to the theater in the first place.

The most aggravating thing I keep running across with brand new prints is white lab tape ramdonly thrown into the film roll. I don't know who or how or why, but it happens all the time and it would easily cause the film to jump a sprocket and cause damage.

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 11-12-2002 02:16 PM

I've never run into the white tape thing. I'd think you could see that as a dark flash on the screen, like when you use opaque splicing tape. Even if you can't see it on screen, we've never had the film jump the sprockets because of that. Not saying you're lying, just that I've been lucky so far.

I'd also like to make it clear that I do inspect prints if they come from another theatre. I spent several hours repairing splices in a print of 'Haloween' that we ran for just six showings. Several hours of my own time, btw (don't you just love salary?).

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John Pytlak
Film God

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

posted 11-12-2002 02:58 PM

If there is undeveloped emulsion (opaque purple color) under the tape, the tape was on the print film before processing. If there is an image under the tape, the tape got on the print at process machine take-off, inspection projection, "positive assembly", or at the film exchange.

Sometimes, tape may be used to reinforce an ultrasonic lab splice if the operator is unsure it is reliable enough to go through the printer and processing machine, and doesn't have time to redo the splice as the raw stock feeds into the printer elevator. These splices are normally removed during positive assembly or inspection.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: here Kodak Website

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 11-12-2002 03:01 PM

There has always been an image under the tape. The tape peels off effortlessly too, but it frequently blocks the sprocket holes. The worst offender of this is Deluxe Hollywood, but I have seen it on other lab's prints on occasion.

This shouldn't be happening at the film exchange, as it is wound into the roll and the exchanges don't bother to unwind the rolls anymore.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-12-2002 03:42 PM

I ran into the "white tape thing" with a trailer recently. Can't remember the title. It looked two film ends were just randomly taped together in the lab. Maybe it was supposed to be a lab splice that got overlooked somehow? The image was dark and discolored on both sides of the tape too, and it would have definitely caused trouble if it ran thru the machine.

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John Pytlak
Film God

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

posted 11-12-2002 04:05 PM

Mike wrote: "The image was dark and discolored on both sides of the tape too, and it would have definitely caused trouble if it ran thru the machine."

Discoloration under or around the tape usually indicates the tape was on the raw stock. Probably a tape-reinforced splice before printing or processing that should normally have been removed.

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