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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Author
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Topic: How do I deal with prints that arrive and aren't on reels?
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John Hawkinson
Film God
Posts: 2273
From: Cambridge, MA, USA
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 04-29-2006 02:04 PM
Stephen, those 1" plastic sleeves are sometimes called "trailer cores," and they are the way trailers are distributed in the US. They're compact and cheap, and the core set is not a big deal for polyester, particular trailers.
The correct tool to use them with is a "trailer flange," which is a flange (frequently 5", sometimes greater diameter) with a 1" hub and a keyslot (usually two) for the trailer core.
In the event that you lack one, or if the trailer core has been damaged (fractured/crushed, say; or squeezed such that it won't fit on the flange), don't use your finger! Just use a cheap throwaway ball-point pen (or other available shaft). Yeah, the trailer will wobble a bit, but go slow and it'll be fine. Of course this doesn't help putting the trailer back on, but that's rarely so important.
I believe there exist flanges that can accept these positively keyed sleeves as well as the usual negatively-keyed cores (a springloaded key and a slot, perhaps?). Steve Guttag has mentioned them, I think, and Goldberg brothers makes them.
We also have a Neumade flange which has the keyslots and a threaded hole with a brass screw. You can use the screw in a core's keyway, or you can unscrew the screw and use it the flange for cores. But generally we just use a dedicated trailer flange for the negatively keyed sleeves on trailers, and a larger trailer flange for cores (and split reels for longer material on cores, like actual features).
Oh, I guess sometimes we use 5/16"-to-1" adapters for small lengths of film on cores. These are aluminum frobs with a 5/16" keyed bore and a 1" OD that fits the core, along with a postive key. They're fine for taking the film off a core, but not so good for winding it on, unless you use a tightwind, and even then a flange or split reel is better.
--jhawk
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Stephen Furley
Film God
Posts: 3059
From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England
Registered: May 2002
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posted 04-30-2006 04:28 AM
John,
Sounds like what you call a flange is the same thing that we call a plate. We tend to use the word 'flange' for the sides of a normal spool. There would't be much point in the small 5" ones here, because a larger one would be needed for the features, and could be used for trailers as well. I've not seen one that can take the sort of reversed key on the very small trailer core, but since I've only ever seen one of those, there hasn't been any need for it in the past. The one core of this type that I have seen was only about three weeks ago; whether they are going to be used in future, I don't know. The new trailers that I saw yesterday were split about 50/50 between normal 2" plastic cores and cardboard ones.
The plate I was using yesterday is quite large, it would take 4000 feet of triacetate film, but I have seen even larger ones; typical ones take 2000 - 3000 feet of triacetate, which is what was in general use when they were designed. I don't think they've started making them smaller since polyester was introduced, and of course, most of those in use pre-date the general use of polyester prints in cinemas anyway. These are what a typical British cinema would use on a rewind benck, either for windig onto 2k spools, or for making up onto 6k ones, either for projection, or for later transfer to a tower. Places which don't have a bench, just a projector and a tower, which tend to be multi-purpose venues which run film from time to time rather than dedicated cinemas, have to make up on the tower directly from the cores; for this a split reel is generally used.
I've never run film on a platter, but I have seen them in cinemas I have visited. I din't think I've ever seen a print being made up on one, but most or the make-up tables I've seen seem to have a horizontal plate on top to take a core, rather than the side-mounted spool that you seem to have over there. This seems to suggest that British cinemas that use platters make up directly onto them, rather than making up onto 6k spools on the bench first, as is normal practice with towers, except for venues that don't have a bench. As I said, I've never actually seen this done, would anybody over here that uses platters care to comment on this?
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Charles Greenlee
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 801
From: Savannah, Ga, U.S.
Registered: Jun 2006
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posted 07-02-2006 03:26 AM
Yes yes, we get those darned cans all the time, usually beat up to the point that they dont want to close, or won't open, or the key (that fints into the angled slot) won't fit properly, and the wire handle hurts to cary the fool thing with. We also get some heavy plastic cases that hold about 4 reels, nice handles, and stackable too, but the hinges are poorly designed, and getting them to close fully, and latch, can be a challenge at times. Lastly, we also have a corrugated plastic box they come in. It usually can hold an entire movie, plus trailers, plus DTS disc. It's handle sucks, especially when it breaks. And because it's all in one big box, my 130lb self is challenged to carry it.
On that note, we had one of those big old corrugated plastic boxes show up one time. Label said something like 6 on 1. Basically 6 reels in 1 container. Yeah, it was 6 reels alright, at least 6 reels worth of film, no reels, except for 2, which were destroyed. The film wasn't even wound on itself anymore, just a big knot, wiht peices of plastic reel floating around. Was supposed to be that print's first run too. Had to make do, ETS wouldn't send a new print, said "there are none available". Took all day to manually, unknot and roll onto our house reels. Had to sweep, and mop the floors because we needed to just dump the box out. Then they tried to fine us because of "damage to reels and missing reels" and "damage to film, repair splices made" Yeah, we had to cut some of the knots out, but saved every inch of film, and used clear tape to put it together. And we notified them of its knotted state when we got it to begin with.
We also had some come in regular cardboard boxes that looked like they had been played hockey with, and taped, and played with again. The reels were trashed, but their hubs were ok, and the prints didn't come unwound, so it wasn't too bad. Had to supply the box to return it in, the old one had had it, film was hanging out when it got to us.
Oh, and that tiny plastic spool, with the strip on the inside, is what our trailers usually come on. We have an adaptor that fits our build table which consists of a CD sized plate (flange), and a hub peice designed to slide over the post on the table, it has a keyway matching that in the inside of the spools. It is keyed slightly under it's base so it will engage at the base of the post, but you must remove the drive pin.
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