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Topic: Technicolor Lurkers

Jason Black
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1723
From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-14-2002 07:39 PM

Just as the tails of all incoming prints are labeled with the pertinent info, so are the leaders as they are taped in place.

We use Permacel tape and black sharpies. Can't hit it off the top of my head (now anyway) but what distributor uses the small laser printed labels to attach the leader to itself, as the paper style "reel-bands" do?

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 08-14-2002 08:04 PM

I've gotten soooo many reels with bands that have NO STRING at all...that's right...just the little button thingie. But string or no string -- the bands go into the trash.

We use Permacel tape and Sharpie markers also...oh, yeah...and white cotton gloves, too.

But did I miss a memo? The bands are gone? Going soon? What's the story?

~Manny (There's always room for Manny!)

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John Pytlak
Film God

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

posted 08-14-2002 09:06 PM

I recall that the cardboard bands were originally quite stiff, helping to keep the flanges of the shipping reel from crushing or folding the edges of the film. They also offered protection to the outer laps of the roll, and provided additional identification to supplement what was printed on the leaders. If the bands are in good condition, they should be used and not tossed. Replace the string if the grommet still is there, rather than using tape.

I agree with Brad that tapes that leave a sticky residue should NOT be used on film. 1-inch wide drafting or artists tape is suitable for stickdown and labeling. NEVER masking, electrical, or duct tape.
http://www.paperpeople.co.uk/3madhesivetapes.html
http://www.artstuff.net/artists_tapes.htm
http://www.artsuppliesonline.com/catalog.cfm?cata_id=5945
http://www.artsuppliesonline.com/catalog.cfm?cata_id=4514

------------------
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: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

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Peter Kerchinsky
Master Film Handler

Posts: 326
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 08-14-2002 09:49 PM

Mike in Montana
I have to disagree with you that someone does not replace the bands and Technicolor just puts on blank bands. We've got several brand new, never been run before, prints with blank bands. I say this because the excess string is taped down and there are no tears on the bands.
I believe Technicolor people are just plain lazy and for some reason or other, don't label the reel bands.
I always send the bands back with the prints. As has been stated here before, it protects the print from those crappy cans.
Those cans are a whole new subject and won't go there now.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

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

posted 08-15-2002 12:27 AM

Peter, you are correct, I've gotten prints that way too.

But...

I think what happens is, some studios tell TES to put bands on their films, and some do not. If a film that's supposed to be banded arrives back at the depot with no bands, they will put the blank ones on.

Brand new prints arriving unlabeled, I attribute to just plain laziness at TES.

I remember the good ol' days when the bands were thick almost-cardboard paper, with a sturdy tie-down, and nice thick string, with the title and reel number rubber stamped or (sometimes) hand written on each band! And no tape anywhere. Getting a string-less band was rare in those days, at least for us.

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-15-2002 12:27 AM

Peter, I am not so sure about the source of the replacement bands. If TES sends new bands, they are probably just out of the box. Maybe TES might expect the receiver of the bands to write the information on them.

It is just like getting a new door or fender for your car. The stock color is black.....you have to have it painted to match your car.

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Thomas Procyk
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1842
From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 08-15-2002 01:14 PM

I have seen the thick bands everyone is speaking of. When we had our Summer Kid's Fest with incredibly old prints, I opened the can for our print of "Here Come The Littles" (1985 if I am not mistaken) and there they were: Thick carboard, all information on them, nicely wound, in the cans, WITH THE STRINGS!! On a 15 year old print. Compare that with the cheap bands now which fall apart and disappear after they hit the first theater.

=TMP=

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Steve Kraus
Film God

Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 08-15-2002 06:15 PM

My policy used to be that if the bands didn't have string I wouldn't reuse them (I didn't toss them; just put them back in the cans) figuring that if I have to tape it down I might as well just tape the film end down (which I do anyway). Over time that has evolved because I've come to the conclusion that the tape holding the band together does so more reliably than tape holding the film end down. So I do reapply them, string or no string. I presume they are manufactured with strings so I don't know who is out there cutting them off.

There is a problem with TES' most recent bands that the grommet breaks off far too easily.

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Kara J. McVay
Film Handler

Posts: 95
From: Delaware, OH
Registered: May 2002

posted 09-23-2002 08:09 AM

Found this thread and thought it would be a great place to vent my anger at masking tape.

What is up with using making tape to put the heads and tails on when the movie is broken down????? I still like to use my rewind bench to check every inch of the film before I put it on the platters, when masking tape is used to put the tail on it causes a huge mess at the end of each reel, because the empty reel is spinng fast and the masking tape lets loose and the tail get all crumpled up in the rewinder

I also remember the thick cardboard bands that were on the film in the "good old days". It is awful to have the sides of the film all bent because of the crappy reels.

I feel better now, rant over.

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"That's a chip up the nose, Ken" Fish Called Wanda

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

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

posted 09-23-2002 11:31 AM

I feel your pain. We had a print of "Road to Perdition" on which the heads and tails were attached with at least 6 inches of masking tape. It was the cheap crap that won't peel off without leaving sticky residue all over the place, so I was forced to cut 3 or 4 frames off both ends of each reel.

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Brad Haven
Master Film Handler

Posts: 300
From: fremantle, West Australia
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 09-23-2002 11:48 AM

Using masking tape to join the leader and tail back on is unforgivable, thankfully i've never seen it happen!
An old manager of mine once asked me if i could start using selotape instead of splicing tape on all splicing, i said no, of course!

Has anyone ever tried to work out an average amount of splices that you can get out of a roll of splice tape, it would be interesting to know how much a splice costs?

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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 09-23-2002 01:14 PM

>>It was the cheap crap that won't peel off without leaving sticky residue all over the place, so I was forced to cut 3 or 4 frames off both ends of each reel.<<

Film-Guard removes the residue very easily. You shouldn't have to cut up prints because of gooey tape residues (masking, duct, and splicing)...

-Aaron

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James R. Hammonds, Jr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 931
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 09-23-2002 07:30 PM

<<Using masking tape to join the leader and tail back on is unforgivable>>

I think its forgivable if its a past sin.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 09-24-2002 06:39 PM

Most of the reel bands I receive have no string and have lots of different kinds of tape all over them. Into the trash they go. I use the Permacel tape and it rocks. When I use tape on the labels, I ALWAYS write down the reel number so it is obvious to anyone who either breaks down the film or opens the cans after to identify which reel is which. I don't write "head" or "tail" as that should just be obvious. I also don't write soundtrack formats as that should be obvious as well. Just the reel number.

I remember several years ago when just about every print I received came with the brown "almost cardboard" bands. Those were great. The string was always there, it was very secure and they were easy to deal with. I loved 'em. These white Technicolor bands are the only bands I see anymore, and they suck. I really don't know how much protection a reel band can give... it's just a thin piece of paper. That's like putting a cloth cover over your prints at night and expecting it to protect the prints from falling objects. Also, the sides of the film are still exposed whether you have reel bands or not. Uh oh. I don't think that having reel bands or not is a life or death situation.

But I would be happy if the brown bands made a comeback, because they were faster and easier to use than tape.

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Gordon Hedges III
Jealous of everyone not me

Posts: 212
From: Severn, MD
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 09-24-2002 07:09 PM

Back to the subject of this forum... Technicolor and other technicians do lurk within this site. But they are not really entitled to voice their opinion without the consent of the company. But if you do happen to come across a lurker, they can definitely give you some interesting info and feedback.

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