I learned this valuable tid-bit here at Film-Tech!
 

quote:

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One side.

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Put it on the base side, not the emulsion side, so that when it must be peeled off it doesn't take the emulsion with it.
 

I was taught by and old-school union guy to always ship films out tails-up. That way, the next brother can inspect each reel as he loads it onto his house reels, leaving them heads-up for the show.

This applies to platters, too, if you load it onto 6000' ft. reels as you inspect it, (3-2-1) and load the first reel onto the platter while inspecting 6-5-4.

It seems a lot of undisciplined folks tear down straight off the platter, leaving the film heads-up (and, by the way, not taking off their cues, etc.).

Of course, I'm preaching to the choir here.

Other thoughts/theories?... ... ...
 

It just would take to much time!!
 

Of course, stuck in the dark ages with EPRAD Simple-Swords, I can build up and tear down whichever way it comes and inspect in on the built-in make-up table.

I hate these things less and less, the more I use them.
 

I don't know anyone who doesn't break down directly onto shipping reels -- except some of you on this forum. 90% of the films we get (usually about 3-5 weeks after the break) are already trashed by large-city idiots anyway, so I can't possibly harm them any further by going directly onto shipping reels. At least I tape down the film-ends with a NEW piece of tape before shipping them out!
 

I like doing that because we can run the arc's at 6.5K instead of 4K because the carbons burn up faster at the higher wattage. When running 20min reels, this isn't a problem because we can change them out after 40 minutes. We've got to lower the wattage in order to make them last for an hour, like when we get a feature in that's going to stay with us a while, it's built up.

When we build up a print, Tails out is better though because like previously mentioned, it can be inspected as it goes onto the 6K reel. Most of the prints we recieve are heads out. This is good if we get a print in late, then it's just a matter of throwing it up on the projector, and running it!

So, I'm undecided on this case! It just ends up that the print is wound opposite to the way you'd like when you get it in! (kinda like the traffic lights always being out of sync in this town!)
 

And regarding those crappy reels Tech sends: From now on, when I break down a print and the reel is busted/cracked/etc., I wind that reel's film onto a core, then place the can with the broken reel out for them. I made a note (made 30 copies) that says; reel broke, blah, blah, would damage film so I didn't use it, but here it is, so you know I didn't steal it, etc. I don't mean to make life hard for the next guy, but someone (at Tech) has to get the message.

I got a 3-er shipping case the other day that looked way past retirement. Inside the cover was written; "Start 1975 off right! Vote for Lee Rosen for shop steward."
 

If they come in good condition, I save them and put them back onto the reels. It's typically about a 50/50 chance with Technicolor as to their condition.
 

In Canada (Ontario at least) the bands are placed on the reels by the provincial film review board to indentify that the film has been rated and approved for showing. My understanding is that we are required to keep the bands and put them back on the film before shipping. If not, I would cerimonialy burn them in the alley behind the theatre every friday night as an offering to the film gods.

As to the heads / tails debate, if reels come tails up, I make up and inspect at the bench. If they come heads up, I make up at the platter, I just run it slower and do my inspection as it goes. Really it doesn't bother me which way they come in, as long as all the reels in a particular feature are the same. Nothing will ruin your day like a five reel feature that has reels 1,3,5 heads up and reels 2,4 tails up. Someone out there must go to a lot of work to ship a film like this, and I really wish they wouldn't.

Cheers

Films should always be shipped tails out with their paper bands properly installed.

As others have stated, tails out allows for any receiving house to inspect the film onto house reels for either platter or changeover showings. Tails out winding also typically has the emulsion in for better focus stability.

The paper bands allow for keeping the ends of the reels from coming loose without using any form of tape that typically oozes it's adhesive onto the film. I can't believe this is such a big deal for anybody.

Steve
 

I think in regards to tape, most people on this forum already use white artist's tape or something similar and not that cheap K-mart masking tape.
 

As far as focus stability, I never had any problem with a film, but trailers, that's another issue! Now if we can get those trailers off of those 1" cores and onto something a bit larger, like they used to do, that would solve that problem!

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Scott

 

Um, er, well,... Say, how about those Yankees!

White artist's tape is about $5 a roll around here. And with the way we go through it, can't justify the cost.