How does it behave on splices? Is it possible to splice film that has been FG'd? Or do you have to remove the FG from the film somehow so the tape will stick?
 

Rory
 

Fail that, you could always buy two media cleaners, but you don't want to go there!
 

Changeovers...yes it will work. I actually DO prefer the cleaners be projector mounted as opposed to rewind table mounted (notice I said "cleaners". Mounting it on the rewind bench is fine and dandy, but you should rewind the film SLOWLY and with as little tension as is required to make a decent wind. This also applies to changeovers running 6000 foot reels. The ideal tension setting is to get yourself a reel fully loaded with film and completely back off on the back-tension. Start the projector and increase the tension just to the point where the reel does not bounce sharply and won't over spill the film upon startup. Then check the tension at the end of the reel. It should still be very light. Unfortunately, this is very difficult to achieve. (If Mr.Guttag is reading, perhaps he could post his expertise procedure for setting tension and maintaining the pads. )

By the way, Mike be sure and pick a major movie that will be around for a long time ("Get Carter" perhaps?) and use that cleaner and FG exclusively on that one print for as long as you have the print for your "demo/trial". As time passes you will truly understand and be able to appreciate what FG does. It will get better every week. Another fun demo is to monitor the error reading of a SRD or SDDS track on it's first run and compare it in that same auditorium a few months later. There is not the slightest wear, regardless of projector. In fact, my Phantom Menace print that I ran an SDDS/QC report on it's first run was worse than when I re-ran that print in that same original auditorium (nothing was done to the SDDS system between the reports as they were all tweeked right before the movie opened). Yes, the error rates IMPROVED after running the film some several hundred times.

As far as setting tension goes....that is relatively easy. There should be just enough tension so the film doesn't bounce when the reel is full. One should avoid reels that have a greater than 3:1 ratio of hub to flange though I have found that running 7" hub with 25" flange work fine as house 6000' reels. Also different clutches have different characteristics so one may have different sweet spots. I generally prefer oil soaked felt clutches over dry or leather clutches for mechanicals. Also some of those that increase tension as the weight on the reel increases are really cool.

The niftiest clutch I have worked with lately has been Kinoton's electronic frictions...they use a feedback system on the power to the torque motors to maintain an even tension from beginning to end of reel regardless of reel size (up to the maximum listed for the particular machine you ordered). You only have to tell it which size you are running for start off so it will start the reel spinning with a presumed reel weight...in any event it seems incredably smooth.

Steve

------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
 

But of course, two would be better...
 

Say you are running a 2 reel feature on 6000 footers and you have 2 floating hub reels and two solid hub reels in the booth to work with. Which type of reel would you feed from and which would you takeup on? I hear differing answers from changeover masters on this one and would be interested in your opinion.

Also, large core 6000 foot reels are a bit hard to come by in typical booths. How much film would you personally feel is "the limit" to pack onto one of those for reel to reel operation given the 4 inch hub and why?

Finally, can you please elaborate on "some of those that increase tension as the weight on the reel increases" clutches that are available on the market? Also, to what degree do you "soak" the felt clutches for optimum operation?

Given the above situation, the floaters go on the take ups. In fact, floating hub reels were originally designed for auto catching take up reels (Check the Goldberg patent).

Onto the next question, the typical house reel uses a 5" hub, not 4" which is a shipping reel. Given the 3:1 ratio, a 15" reel is the largest one should run on a conventional mechanical take up though I haven't had any particular problem with runing up to 24" with floating hubs. Be that as it may, it isn't any harder to get large hub reels than 5" hub reels (I sell em both all the time). The proper tool for the job is the larger hub, period.

On the clutch lubrication...you want me to give away my secrets? ;-) The general rule is the stuffer the pad the lighter the oil....I like to soak my clutches in the oil I am using (like a coffee can or something)...always have a spare set at the ready and change as often as needed. For instance, a Kelmar clutch would only need really light oil and probably not even really soaked. A Century clutch (felt) would be a bit heavier oil, say 10W (don't use those crappy leather ones that are glazed on one side), a AAII clutch I tend to use even heavier oil 80W plus.

As to the self adjusting clutches based on weight. Army/Air Force theatres (AAFES)used/uses them exclusively and Kinoton also has and I believe still can offer them when using larger reels. The basic theory is as the reel gets heavier, it weighs down the spindle assy more and it will grip the clutch tighter (kinda like a Potts/Strong MUT) so that a heavier reel turns with more torque.

Steve
 

If the studios started a don't use this and don't use that policy, any and all forms of film cleaning would quickly come to a halt for fear of being charged. Consequently, the prints in circulation would rapidly become destroyed and unwatchable in no time from theaters worried about being charged and not performing any sort of preventive maintenance on the prints. It wouldn't make sense. By now there are tens of thousands of prints FilmGuarded that have been returned to depots and no one has been charged. I know many of the prints I have returned have been specifically saved for repertory use, but who knows if they have been destroyed by now.
 

I replied with a request to see the ruined print before I sent a thin dime to them, and a copy of a label from a can of Vfilm.

The print left me in vastly better condition than it was in when received. I know. I re-rewound it.

I was never bothered by them again.

To top it off, I started noticing that we were getting better prints for the first time in 5 years!

I gave a FG "box insert" to a local Regal theater rep. They've had 4 brain wraps this week due to static. The heat is on in the theater now.
 

Running a theatre is more like a hobby for me and some of my friends, but I am interested in everything that could improve the shows. In our case the FG treatment would benefit the other 'bigger' theaters more than ours, if we just count the number of runs. If we run the film just 4 times or so, and some other theaters 100s of times, there's a difference. And, if compared to USA for example, here in Finland we don't probably show the same print as many times than you do? So for that reason alone the prints should be usually in rather good condition IF they have been shown properly.

So the need for Film Guarding is not so big here, I think? Our small-town theatre have films at 1-6 months after the release. So when it finally arrives in our theatre, it's already been run for 100s of times at the 'bigger' theaters. I personally think that every print should be Film Guarded BEFORE sending it to any theaters. The distributor company should do this. Then every theatre going to screen the film could benefit of it.

I try to say that after our booth have Film Guarded the print, there's just a couple of other small theaters after us that are going to screen it. So it would be better if the film is FG'd at the first theatre going to show the print to have the full efficiency.
 

1- There is a new projectionist working the booth that had a week for training.

2- The person building prints last Thursday night quit Friday night.

3- One of the platters (a used Potts) has wrapped recently (Big Momma's House)

All of the equipment in the booth is reconditioned. Using Century C's and a bunch of different platters.

I initially was told that it was because the heat is on in the building. This has happened before at least twice this summer due to improper threading.

Personally, after talking to my friend this morning, I think that the wraps are all caused by operator/make-up errors, and a couple of platters in need of some adjustments. I have been in this booth in the past, and have seen one platter that would speed up and slow down allowing the loop to wrap around the platter and almost get caught in the brain before the operator would slow the platter by hand to get things back to normal.

The operator this weekend was blaming the prints for all the problems. The manager doesent seem to think this is the case.

Thank you John Pytlak for the email concerning this problem. I called my friend last night before work and told him what you said. He wants to be in the booth in the worst way, but for now, he is the only employee old enough to serve the beer.

The theater has no media cleaners.

Brad: what do you think of a light spraying on one side of the print after it is made-up on the platter before the first run-through? The manager there has the FG info, and likes what it says.