Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: A budding entrepeneur...

This is topic A budding entrepeneur... in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 02-18-2001, 02:12 AM:

...if that's spelt right

Click here and take a look. I think he may be on to something...
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1409512769

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"It's not the years, honey...it's the mileage". Indiana Jones

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 02-18-2001, 05:18 AM:

Wow! $7.50 for 8 inches of 70mm print film leader. I think Kodak is in the wrong business. We sell 70mm print film for only about $0.18 (18 cents) per foot!

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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 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Posted by Stefan Scholz (Member # 147) on 02-18-2001, 05:57 AM:

John,
swap profession.
I was unlucky to give away film pieces. I did not know, they might be valuable.

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 02-18-2001, 06:53 AM:

Have you also noticed the guy who sells "sets" of 25-60 film "cels" from "actual 35mm feature movies". He's got a pile of 'em on there. Sells 'em for $15.00 plus per "set". All of them very "rare", as they're from "actual movies". Little doubt they're really cut from trailers. Instead of selling a trailer to someone who wants to run it for a few bucks, try and sell it as "memorabilia" $15bucks a yard. Don't see many bidding though.......

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 02-18-2001, 09:35 PM:

Imagine what a few frames of 'Fantasia 2000' would bring in.

Just kidding...

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"It's not the years, honey...it's the mileage". Indiana Jones

Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 02-18-2001, 11:45 PM:

Yeah, I've heard of people trying to sell a few frames cut from a trailer. In the meantime I can't pay people to take trailers off my hands! I've had to actually send them back to the studios now for the ones who provide return postage. The guy who was there before me used to just throw 'em in the dumpster

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 02-19-2001, 02:05 AM:

If they provide the return label, I send them back. If they don't, in the dumpster they go.

Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 02-19-2001, 02:37 AM:

F**K !!
I gave 100 feet of Imax to a local school last week. At my reckoning I just lost $1000,just about enough money to get drunk on if you drink Budweiser

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 02-19-2001, 06:13 AM:

If you aren't required to return trailers, they should be kept as a good supply of film for training new operators, and for testing equipment changes. For example, it's always a good idea to run a long loop of a trailer with lots of dark scenes a few hundred times to be sure a lamphouse isn't causing heat damage if lamp alignment or focus have been changed. Old trailers can serve as impromptu threadup and runout leader, as long as you are careful not to accidently show them.

Posted by Paul Cunningham (Member # 501) on 02-19-2001, 06:50 AM:

Jesse and Dustin
I cant believe you guys just throw trailers in the bin.
I will gladly pay postage and handling for any spare ones you have.

Cheers Paul

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 02-19-2001, 08:26 AM:

More creative uses for old trailers:

- to get clear leader, unroll some junk film and soak it overnight in bleach; then rinse it in a solution of Kodak Photo-Flo (available at camera stores) and water and dry with a squeegie (sp?)

- to get rid of trailers, find one or more local independent second-run theatres and offer them your old trailers (and posters, etc.)

- keep the trailers in case a film is reissued or might come back as a midnight show or late run
- put an ad in "Big Reel" (magazine with classified ads for film collectors) offering the old trailers for free to anyone who will pick them up. (I can't imagine that there would be an ethical or legal problem with _giving_ _away_ this sort of thing)
Personally, I hold onto all kinds of trailers...I'm a pack rat and don't throw anything (especially film) away unless it's in unrunnable condition...

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 02-19-2001, 10:29 AM:

Scott is correct: hypochlorite laundry bleach will decolor the dyes, and eventually dissolve off the gelatin emulsion to make clear leader. Suitable for short lengths, but kind of hard to do long lengths in a bathtub full of dilute bleach. Be sure to rinse well, and use the Kodak Photo-Flo before drying to avoid water spotting. Be careful to wear chemical-resistant gloves and safety goggles, and not splash yourself or your clothes with the bleach.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 02-19-2001, 01:56 PM:

To explain:
Once I sent back a box full of trailers that didn't have the pre-paid label, hitting the ole petty cash for over $20. The next day, we get a call from the district office asking what the $20 in postage from the day before was for (our reports are computerized, so they see them the very next day). After some explanation, I got a lecture about unescessary expenses. Lesson learned.

As far as making test loops etc from trailers, we have a lot of those. I also have a large collection of trailers that I saved, but when you have a dozen What Lies Beneath trailers, there's no point in saving every one of them.

Paul, I'll email a list to you of what I have, getting ready to 'clean house' again. Could you use them though? They'll have the green MPAA rating band on them.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 02-19-2001, 04:40 PM:

I've soaked off the emulsion from a few trailers. I used them to make new HEADS and TAILS for all the films we used to get that didn't have any.

I used a Sharpie marker to write the title and "other" information on it.

Also, old trailers make good test film for when you want to do things like test out your interlock system... or if you know film is getting scratched but you can't figure it out. (Sacrifice the old trailers instead of the good print)

Don't forget about "science experiments"... mechanical strength testing... resistance to chemicals... flamability testing... etc.
I know it sounds wierd but HOW are you going to "learn" about handling film well if you don't find out how film reacts when you handle it badly? It's kinda' like when you take your car out to an empty parking lot during the first snowstorm of the year to "practice winter driving".

Posted by Paul Cunningham (Member # 501) on 02-19-2001, 05:29 PM:

Dustin,
Yes I certainly would be glad and thanks for the offer. I would just cut off the MPAA tag and put on Australian ones.

Paul

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-21-2001, 09:34 PM:

Dick,
Be careful with that Budwieser. It'll make you allot more than drunk.
Mark @ GTS

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 02-25-2001, 12:14 AM:

I don't think it can get any worse than this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1412651853

At least this makes the idiots trying to sucker off 'Episode I' trailers for $900 look semi-legit.

-Aaron

Posted by Stefan Scholz (Member # 147) on 02-25-2001, 04:12 AM:

Wow, that's a real bargain. At least 30ft. of film - only $99.....

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 02-25-2001, 08:10 PM:

Anybody want my SW:Ep-1 Trailer? I'll even charge you half price!... Bids start at $450. That's a real BARGAIN!