1. Has anybody done this before and what's your experience?

2. What is the best way (presentation wise) to run two prints (maybe an intermission clock) using one projector/platter? I'm thinking 1st feature and header of intermission clock,re-thread with clock spliced to second feature. This is assuming it can't fit on one deck.

Thanks,
Chris
 

I was a junior projectionist at a 6-plex which was running Gandhi. The powers that be insisted that the movie was too long to fit on one platter so, at the end of reel 5, they just spliced in a generic "Intermission" tag and we re-started the movie at Reel 6 after a 15 minute break. I suggested that the movie really could fit on one platter and that would eliminate a) having to thread and start the projector as often and b) the possibility that someone would start the wrong half at any given time. My suggestion was ignored because a) they figured nobody could sit through a movie that long without needing a bathroom break and b) they thought they could sell more popcorn during the intermission.

So, just to prove my point, I wound the start of "part two" around "part one" when I threaded up the machine. I wound it on there tight enough that it held, even without taping the two ends together. Then (with a little uncertainty) I watched as the movie played and, indeed, the whole thing fit confortably on one platter. Then, when I played part one again, it would just end and leave part two behind on the platter in this big loop. Those were some nice, smooth platters. There was never any hint that the movie would slide off the platter... and it never did.

Nobody else ever loaded the film on one platter the way I did. But we never had any trouble with starting the wrong half of the movie when I set it up that way. I did the same thing with double features so that nobody would start the wrong film (and not realize it until after 15 minutes of trailers were over). But I had to be cautious when both movies were long ones.
 

If you 'need' to do it, such as a drive-in I don't see a problem with it but the operator had better know what (s)he's doing in case of trouble.

PS: I just visited one of my theatres that has Christie "Mini-Winds". I don't know if this was added by somebody else, or if they came that way, but they have a metal "guard rail" on them...

There are holes drilled around the perimeter of the deck and there are pins that go down into them. I bet there's no way in hell you'll ever throw a print off those babies!
 

By the way, for people using that technique Greg described above to prevent people from threading the wrong feature, a Bevanpoo does in fact work quite nicely as a guarantee measure to prevent print sliding by placing it in the brain to prevent the feed arm from passing farther than around 50% speed. (Note: tip not for use on all platter models, like SPECOs and Strongs.)

Greg, remember though your double length test was performed back in the good ol' days of acetate film. Life was much easier back then. With acetate static was never an issue, payout was smoother and you could double up 2 prints on a horribly timed platter without problems.

Ideally, I'd have the first feature by itself on a deck, changeover to an intermission clock on my carbon machine, and have the 2nd and 3rd feature spliced together on the third deck. This way, I never had to leave the screen (one of my drive-in pet peeves... the show must go on). If we needed a second intermission, that was easily inserted via the second machine, followed by a jab of the stop button on the first.

Sometimes, the lengths of the movies would necessitate my splicing the first two movies together, and putting the third on a deck by itself. If this happened, I'd leave off the first reel of the third movie, so I could run it on the carbon machine. This would give me time to rethread the platter, without leaving the screen. Intermission was still run on the carbon machine, because it kept that reel easily accessible. I could change trailers at the manager's whim, right on up till the time it had to run.

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Better Projection Pays!
 

Is it to run non-stop? If not, why not just put a stop cue on the film and have the projectionist flip the lens when the projector is restarted?
 

Aaron

I never had a problem. I usually only did it with short features --- but I loved it. Two full programs: Leader, 3 trailers, the feature; Leader, 3 trailers and a feature, all spliced together.

We would either set the automation to Intermission so when the cue was read after the 1st feature's credits the system would shut off. OR we'd just run upstairs and stop it, and motor through the leader until it was at a proper starting point.

THE ONLY DRAWBACK - If nobody shows up for the first movie, you have to run it anyway just to get to the second movie. (Quite often during those times, nobody would show up for either movie, and because you had to play the 2nd movie to get back to the first movie, you had to run TWO shows for nobody.)

BUT IT'S NICE TO SAY I'VE DONE IT THOUGH.

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Scott D. Neff
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www.cinema-west.com
 

Intermission clocks and ads and trailers between each feature. Four feet of black is inserted for a lens change to scope or widescreen.

This way there is always a spare platter available for making up the next weeks programme - this is essential with a 7 day a week, year round operation.

Check out a photo at :
www.drive-insdownunder.com.au/projectionbooths/coburgbox.htm

David