We do not have "split reels" for each reel. We have a different type of can you have. Our can contain just the reel that has to be placed on the makeup table. All reels has to be placed on the same makeup platter, so it is not possibile for me to mark the "fill line".

Daryl,
I agree with you. But what about if the STOP signal comes suddenly with no warning?

I mean: I know that the platter takes some time to slow down but if I do not have a mark on the edge of the print I'll never know when to stop it!

It isn't simple...

If we think we will have a problem finding a splice, such as on a print that has a bunch of splices in it, we take a black Sharpie marker and color in the edges of the splice between the sprocket holes and the edge of the film where the SDDS track would be. This is done ON the splicing tape, of course, so that when the tape is removed the inks goes along with it.

He has virtually NO problem breaking down prints. It takes him about an hour to break down a print. He almost never misses a splice by more than a few feet. Mind you, he's only been working for us since the beginning of the school year. I guarantee, by the end of the year, he'll be down to 30-45 minutes and STILL doing it right.

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* In the interest of naming names, one consistent user of these markers is Classic Cinemas Elk Grove. I don't know if it's a company-wide practice but I often get prints from that venue as they do a lot of trade screenings there. The old 2 screen Elk Grove had one side set up for changeover for that express purpose although I don't think they knew how to run that way.

Anyone have any thoughts on whether this is a good or bad idea on non-SDDS prints? And idea if SDDS will balk at one of the tracks being tinted?

As for feeling for the splice -- that works well for first run prints, but us poor rep houses often get prints that can have a dozen splices around the joint, it does become important to be able to distinguish the correct splice to break. I have gotten prints were the joint was pulled apart but at the wrong splice so you wind up with the change-over cues either on the head of the next reel or you have footage after the cues that belong to the next reel.

When I do make up 6000ft reels (not often), I had been using white grease pencil on film edge -- not on the sprocket hole edge on the face of the film, but the actual thin edge of the film, i.e., making a visible circle when looking at the reel from the side. It is easily seen and it doesn't hurt the film, but most importantly, with a little film cleaner in a cotten pad, it comes off almost instantly. Then again, I sometimes wonder if it isn't better to leave it on so that the next guy doesn't have to re-apply anything more agressive....like white shoe polish.

I think the combination of a red line in the outer sprocket area on non-SDDS prints and the white grease pencil on the rim of the film roll should be enough for even a blind projectionist to make easy breakdowns.

Frank

As for the grease pencil, well I won't even go there.

Daryl

quote:

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"He claims that since SDDS has duel tracks, he could still put it on one side and the processor would just use the other side, if it even needed to"

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Also, if someone was breaking down at high speed and did not slow the platter down as the splice was approaching and instead opted for a hard brake, they wouldn't be working there long. I have never seen a platter MUT brake that did not cinch scratch the film. (The possible exception being the current line of Kinoton platters, which I hear do a nice job, but I haven't had the chance to play with one yet.)

Before SDDS came around, I never understood why the labs couldn't put a dark colored strip on the outboard edge for reels 1, 4, 7, 10, etc and a dark colored strip on the inboard edge for reels 2, 5, 8, 11, etc and dark colored strips on both edges for reels 3, 6, 9, 12, etc. It would be GREAT edge coding. If the strips could be made in different colors, then that would truly provide positive identification.

When I was working in my old one-screen theater, I've never mark the print with anything.
Now the rythm of the job is a bit faster and I must found a faster way to break down the film without damaging it.

Previously I breakdown a film on a Kinoton platter, no problem with it because

1. I saw the reel change by colour's change (the light in the booth was different. Perhaps Neon light is better to see the reel change?)
2. Kinoton platter slow down very fast and if you miss the splice, you had just to switch a button and the platter started rotating in the other way.

With CNR you have to

1. Re-engage the motor
2. Push "STOP" on the rewind bench
3. Wait few seconds
4. Switch to "build"
5. Push "START"

Find the splice SLOWLY (otherwise you'll have to make the above list again twice).

Then perform the same list upside-down.

Moreover, While the platter is completely free to spin, it is VERY simple to drop film in the floor because you pull the print a bit from the rewind bench and when you raise your eyes there are meters of print on the floor while the platter is still slowly rotating...

More, you speak about slow the platter down when the splice approach... Did you ever tried with a CNR?
You cannot slow down a CNR... slowly! The included Brake is useless, it takes hundreds of meters to stop the platter and usually the rewind bench stops itself faster than the platter, causing the print on the platter... dropping on the floor.
Ok, I can stop it using my hands but do you agree with me that it is not practical?

Brad, The Fill Line will be the best but I've already stated that in Italy cans are different from yours! We receive the reel in this way:

(pls sorry for the bad quality)

and so it is impossible to mark the fill line since each reel are rewindes on the same platter.

Brad, believe me, I would like to found an accettable solution, compatible with the multiplex life and with the "film done right".
Unfortunately CNR are, IMHO, just child's toys, with Kinoton I would not have these kind of problem.

Oh, just for fun: I know a friend of mine that has 14 CNR to project films, and ONE Kinoton.... to breakdown films!!!!

Any suggestion will be appreciated.

I'll allow Splice Mark tape for reel joins nowadays. It is red, only 19mm wide and wont drop the digitals out. It also doesn't have a line to flash the screen. It is also available in 16mm wide (1.5 perfs on either side of the frame line) and even 8mm wide for the real daring. IMAX uses 8mm wide tape but they also use a zig-zag cut to prevent flexing at the join.

Steve

I recall that Deluxe Laboratories did offer the service of color coding the edge of each reel. They used the normal edgelight in the printer to print a different color along the edge of each reel. As you note, this was before SDDS claimed that area of release prints.

Long ago, labs sometimes printed the reel number (or letter) and an incrementing footage number on the printing negative, which was printed onto every print using the printer edgelight. Theatres and film exchanges could positively identify the reel number, and determine how much film was cut out at any splice. Even the numbers could be color coded for each reel by using the appropriate color filters in the printer edgelight.

For example, if the edgeprint went from C-1023 to C-1035 at a splice, it was the third reel, and 12 feet of film is missing.

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