Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Pearl Harbor Dye-transfer problems?

This is topic Pearl Harbor Dye-transfer problems? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Jeff Joseph (Member # 511) on 06-24-2001, 06:35 PM:

We saw "Pearl Harbor" in dye-transfer Technicolor yesterday (Saturday). Went to the GCC Sherman Oaks (in Los Angeles). On the can was print number "B-Dye 008". The print does NOT have green cue marks, as it was from a dupe negative, not the camera negative. Stunning color, and wonderful, deep, rich blacks.

The gate was filthy. I discussed it with the projectionist, who said the print, like "Toy Story II" before it, was having "shedding" problems, resulting in dirt in the gate and focus problems. I had been told by Technicolor that this problem had been solved. Has anyone else had this problem with this title?

Jeff Joseph
SabuCat Productions
http://www.sabucat.com http://www.35mmforum.com

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 06-24-2001, 07:01 PM:

Yeah, and there was all this pink "snow" building up inside the projector that smelled like "dead fish", right?

The usual cause of this is that the projector is "scuffing" the film. It can happen in several places, like pad rollers, but the usual cause (in my experience) is that the gate is too tight.

You'll probably find out that the projector in question has always seemed to "run dirty". It's just that IB-Tech prints, being made in a totally different way, are a lot more prone to shedding if the projector is maladjusted like that.
I once had a print of GWTW that shed like crazy. I'm telling you it looked like a snowstorm! A quick adjustment of the gate solved the problem.... mostly. You see, once a print has been scuffed up like that, it's likely to ALWAYS run dirty. It'll do it even if you move the print to another projector. Thus, the next question you should have asked them is whether this print has been exhibinting this behavior for a while or whether it's just starting. The idea is to find out which projector is committing the offence.

The only possible solution would be a nice coating of FilmGuard and lots and lots of run-throughs with the film cleaner. (Which is what you DO when you use FG.) I'd also recommend a through, take-apart cleaning of the projector(s) with a vacuum cleaner as well. (Like I said, that junk that comes off the film really STINKS!)

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Pink, dead fish snowstorm.
Technicolor I.B. print.
Fix the projector!

-Projectionist's Haiku

Posted by Christopher Seo (Member # 7) on 06-25-2001, 02:45 AM:

Ah, I'm glad someone else describes it as "dead fish", because I was beginning to wonder if it was just me. Or if my memory was failing; the only modern dye-transfer prints I've run were two "13th Warriors" a couple years ago. They did stink but they didn't really shed, just left behind a waxy residue. Does anyone know the cause of the smell and whether it's only present when a dye-transfer print sheds?

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 06-25-2001, 11:22 AM:

I don't know what the reason for the smell is, either but when you open the cans somethimes you can smell it too. Must be something about the formulation of the emulsion because it's specially made to absorb the dye.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-25-2001, 12:19 PM:

Rotting fish smell?
http://myweb.veriomail.com/vpweb/news_archives/1997/wrd97001.htm

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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 Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 06-25-2001, 12:31 PM:

Ok, then, so maybe I should go take a shower?