Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Dumb Q: Film Inspection, How do you do it?

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Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 04-02-2000, 10:49 PM:

Ok, I've heard you guys talk about it, and we actually have premade forms for it on our "paper shelf," but how do you go about it? I understand its a visual inspection of the film, but do you inspect every inch of film? That would take forever? What is the method for this.

I apologize for this really dumb question, but no one ever taught me this so I have no way of knowing how to do it.

Posted by Andrew D'Vrey (Member # 285) on 04-03-2000, 12:27 AM:

This is how I do it. Other's at my theater have their own ways. And I know other theaters and projectionists have their ways as well.

Obviously, no, you don't inspect the print frame by frame. That, as you put it so well, would take forever.

When I get a print in, first I check to see what condition it is sent to me in. Are their plastic bands on the cannister locks that say "Sealed"? Are there paper bands around the individual reals with unbroken stickers holding the string? Are there stickers holding the film head or tail to the reel that are unbroken. This can give you an idea if you are receiving a new or used print. But even if everything looks untouched, I still check the print.

I have a light setup under my rewind table where I build prints. Since I sit on a stool, this gives me better backlighting that the Kemlar table inspection light.

New Print:

If I am fairly sure it is a new print, I start with the first reel slowly and verify it is clean and free of artifacts (dirt, scratches, fingerprints, etc.). Then I will do several other stops in mid sections of the reel for the same things.

I hold the film between my fingers at the edges to feel for lab splices. If the lab splice is in the middle of a frame, I always take it out and re-splice it with clear tape. Holding the print also lets you check for torn sprockets.

I also look for the very rare under developed or over developed portions of the print. On occasion you will get this. I'll usually stop at any parts of the print that are completely clear or completely black. Especially all clear scenes. I also look to see if the soundtrack gets washed out or blacked out. If a print is over or under developed it wouldn't just effect the frame. As I said before, this is VERY rare and I've only seen one in my entire career.

Used Print:

On used prints I check the first reel frame by frame for about the first ten feet or so, depending on if I find problems. Remember, small scratches can look huge on a big screen so look carefully.

If you find a scratch, see how long it goes. If it starts at the begining of a reel and ends at the tail of that reel and is not seen on any others the are a couple things you can assume. 1. The print was scratched by someone running changeovers. 2. The lab scratched the print (more likely if it is a new print). It is very rare people running platters will scratch a print precisely head to tail on exactly one reel. I had this happen with my copy of Magnolia. It was determined to be a lab scratch.

If it is scratched head to tail on all reels, likely it was abused by someone with platters. In this case I call whomever distributed the print and tell them to fine the hell out of the previous user and send me another print, or replacement reels for those that are damaged.

Another things about scratches. Besides the formentioned way to presume a scratch was made by the lab, remember this. Labs never develop consecutive reels (1-2-3-)...it is always reels (1-4-7) or something like that. Therefore, if a scratch continues onto a consecutive reel, rule out the lab.

If there are problems, I always inspect the rest of the print at a very low speed. If there are, say, one or two very bad frames I may remove them. But never take a chunck of film out of a print. Notify the distributor.

I also look for any splices the previous operators may have put in. I check the frame sequences and the analog soundtrack to see if they may have took a big chunck out.

And I look for cues lazy operators may have left on at breakdown.

Also, we try and have someone pre-screen it (preferably a projectionists who knows what to look for).

If there are big problems, always notify the distributor immediately so you are not fined for them.

It's all second nature now, I really don't think about it anymore so I may have left out a step or two, but that should get you started.

------------------
"And the monkey flips the switch."
- Major Don West, "Lost In Space"

Andrew D'Vrey
IATSE Local 219

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 04-03-2000, 08:58 AM:

I rewind all the film on the bench trhough gloved fingers.
I have a light in the bench .
We use a form that we grade between 1-5 each reel under headings of
Scratchs
Colour
Perf Damage
Splices
Head Piece
Tail Piece
C/O cues
A copy gets faxed to the boss before the first show and if there is damage to the distributor and a copy goes in the film can as advice to the next poor soul who gets it

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 04-03-2000, 10:10 AM:

Thanks for your help guys. We get almost exclusivley new prints so this is probably a reason we have never done pre-build inspections. I'll try to make this a priority though. Doing post-tear down inspections though is something we should do and I will try to implement this this very week.

Thanks again.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 04-03-2000, 11:54 AM:

Print inspection on the rewind bench as outlined by Andrew and Gordon should always be done. Keep a print log with your observations, to document any problems. If you find a minor problem (e.g., bad lab splice), correct it. If you find a serious problem (e.g., bad scratches on a new print, no soundtrack application, sync problem), report it immediately and ask for a replacement reel.

As I've suggested in previous postings, theatres should offer free admission to technically saavy "film buffs" to attend one of the first screenings of a print and report any problems. Theatres could use a subjective evaluation form much like that used by Lucasfilm Theatre Alignment Program (TAP) inspectors. By actually watching and listening to the entire movie early in its run, you can find and fix problems that aren't easily caught during print inspection on the rewind bench (e.g., sound sync, erratic sound defaults).

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 04-03-2000, 02:06 PM:

Agreed, always check on the rewind bench. What I do is take a piece of cotton cloth and soak it in film guard, then press it against both sides of the film with my fore and middle fingers. I can feel any irregularities pass through and then make a mental note of where it was. Then I make a second pass but at a very slow speed so that I can locate the problem and make whatever repair may be needed. It also cleans an ENOURMOUS amount of gunk and mud and dirt off of the print before we put it on the platter for its first run. Because its only one reel, there isnt much worry of the cloth drying out.

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"If it's not worth doing, I have allready been there and done it"

Posted by Lance C. McFetridge (Member # 95) on 04-03-2000, 02:23 PM:

Where can we get the form that John mentioned? It would be easier to use this form than to try to reivent the wheel.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 04-03-2000, 03:15 PM:

In addition to the Lucasfilm Theatre Alignment Program (TAP) evaluation form (you will have to ask them if you can copy and use it, since it is copyrighted), you can use the form I developed for the SMPTE Theatre Quality Evaluation Program. It was published in the July 1983 SMPTE Journal, Volume 92, page 755. It was a program I developed for SMPTE members to voluntarily evaluate theatre presentation quality. It formed the basis for much of what has become the TAP program.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-03-2000, 04:28 PM:

Here is a form Gordon sent me that he uses.
Click here to download. Microsoft Excel format.

Whenever I find the one I used to use, I'll post it here also.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 04-03-2000, 04:50 PM:

Please note that we use this form for all formats that include 15/70 5/70 4/35 and even 16mm that is why we allowed for so many reels and some other features. Also the record of audio level is handy when bringing something back

Posted by Reeve Byrne (Member # 295) on 04-04-2000, 01:28 AM:

Het Dustin I read that you never inspected reels because they were new? Even if they are new you should atleast check for lab splices. Even if you get then from another theater sometimes they miss them. I recived a print from another theater (they had done a sneak) and while I was looking at it I saw a lab splice that they should have caught and removed. Some people have no respect and don't care where the print goes when they're done with it.

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"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 04-04-2000, 07:30 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Dustin Mitchell:
We get almost exclusivley new prints so this is probably a reason we have never done pre-build inspections. I'll try to make this a priority though.

Um, I never did film inspection becuase I did not know why you should do them or how, now I will, as stated above.

Just out of curiosity, why should lab splices be removed? I will take your word for it, but I'd kind of like to know.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-04-2000, 08:53 AM:

Lab splices should be removed for several reasons:

- they're out of frame 1/4 of the time and look bad on screen
- unless carefully "blooped," they make a nasty "pop" in the optical track
- they're sometimes poorly made and can fall apart over time (though they're usually pretty good)

I'm not opposed to leaving lab splices alone _if_ they're on the frameline, strongly made, and properly blooped. Otherwise, I'd remove them.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 04-04-2000, 09:41 AM:

Why inspect new prints. Labs scratch prints as well. If you don't document it before you show it your theatre is responsible if the next guy complains about the damage.