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Is it better to clean as much tape off then splice it rather than cutting frames for a good splice?

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ABSOLUTELY! It's criminal to just cut back in from the last splice!!!!!

Look under the Tips sectopn of this site for more info on proper print building procedures.

and welcome aboard!

-Aaron
 

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Posted by Mathew Molloy (Member # 666) on 02-10-2003, 01:10 AM:
 
If there's tape goo left over on the frame it can be removed with a touch of lighter fluid applied with a soft cloth. Lighter Fluid works well for cleaning splicers as well.

However, since the introduction of Filmguard, I've been using that for those jobs.
 

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Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 02-10-2003, 09:54 AM:
 
"Film Done Right" does everything possible to preserve continuity and not lose frames. Carefully peel off tape splices and remove any sticky adhesive with a solvent-based film cleaner. Resplice the correct leaders on with a pin-registered splicer and high quality splicing tape.
 

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Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 02-10-2003, 11:26 AM:
 
If you get a reel with the leaders properly re-attached (singled sided splice with clear tape) it is actually easier and faster to peel the tape off than it is to make a new cut. I generaly deal with virgin prints so I don't have a lot of experience with second run. From what I am told, however, most prints don't come like that. Usually masking tape is used to re-attach the leaders and that's where the goo comes from. As stated before, lighter fluid works well for cleaning the splices. Filmgaurd is better but whether or not you can afford it on your budget might be a problem.

For a greater understanding of how removing frames from the ends of reels can affect your presentation see the thread ID Frames Affect on Sound. It should be close to the top of the first page in this forum.
 

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Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 02-10-2003, 08:30 PM:
 
Indeed, this has been argued endlessly in other threads including the recent one about affect on sound. In a nutshell, the argument against is the sound disruption (moreso than picture) on a poorly edited film. The argument in favor of leaving a single frame with the leader is the positive ID it provides the next person to ensure that the leader is on the correct reel.

Either way, it's decision made by the first person building the print to a platter or giant reel system. But never never never more than a single frame and if you're building a print that has had the leaders cut off before you should clean off any old tape or tape residue (not to mention masking tape) and not remove any additional frames except in the case where there is physical damage.

Some of the awful things you will see if you're working with prints that have been, as Steve Guttag likes to say, "previously enjoyed" are ones where the first builder made their cut half a dozen frames or so into the film. Or prints that have been built many times and each person made a new cut one frame over from the prior guy, because they are too lazy to peel splicing tape. You can remove and toss the collection of single frames as those are of no use to anyone (well, maybe eBay!). But please don't do more damage yourself!

And then there are those who cut off a fade out or fade in because they can't see the framelines. NO NO NO! If you can't see the frameline well tough you're just going to have to hold it up against some leader or sit there and count off 4 perforation intervals. No excuse to cut just out of shear laziness. And finally there are the folks whose idea of breaking down the film involves winding til a shipping reel is full and cutting at any old place. Strictly speaking if the next run is also on a platter the show will run ok but heaven forbid if a reel gets mangled and replacement ordered for then the print will either be missing some footage or some will be duplicated. Not to mention the confusion it will cause someone looking at ID frames (if any) on the leaders and wondering why they don't match.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 02-10-2003, 08:54 PM:
 
Hi Christopher

Welcome aboard! I was just wondering what sort of films you are running there? What sort of projector?

Good luck with the new 'job'.
 

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Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 02-11-2003, 07:56 AM:
 
If you cut out frames of picture or sound, it's gone from that print forever. If everyone does it every time the film is spliced, those cuts add up. "Film Done Right" preserves continuity.

Cutting a film with anything other than a pin-registered splicer blade on the frameline will normally require discarding at least two frames.
 

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Posted by John Spooner (Member # 1565) on 02-11-2003, 09:17 AM:
 
Dear Christopher, welcome aboard as the other people have stated. Besides not losing frames at the head (start) of each spool, also take care not to lose frames unnecessarily at the foot (end) of each reel. This is to prevent eventual loss of the change-over cues which are still used by quite a few cinemas who use spools or change-over systems.
Nothing looks worse than cues scratched or gouged onto the print.
Regards. John Spooner. South Australia.
 

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Posted by Christopher Dreiling (Member # 1596) on 02-11-2003, 01:29 PM:
 

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Welcome aboard! I was just wondering what sort of films you are running there? What sort of projector?

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Aren't all those films you listed Mono anyway?

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I only project for the film history class. Current movies are shown during the week that take advantage of this new fangled stereo.

The 35 of Vertigo is in DTS. I was happy to receive a new print. I watched it twice, just to make sure it ran ok.
 

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Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 02-12-2003, 06:44 AM:
 
Christopher: Please give some more details about your school's theatre. How many seats? What size screen? Can you play any of the digital sound formats? What specific sound equipment?

Since you evidently show a print only a few times, why did they decide to install a platter rather than use changeovers?
 

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Posted by Christopher Dreiling (Member # 1596) on 02-19-2003, 03:30 PM:
 
Details

Theater is a school lecture hall with sloped seating for about 100. Screen perforated roll up type and is about 12x20 feet.
Projectors are 44 feet from screen and there are two Simplex XLs.
Sound Equipment is Ultra Stereo JS-200 cinema processor and Ultra Stereo DSP-60 cinema processor.

I am not sure why the platter is used rather than the change over, but it may have something to do with inexperienced student projectionist.
 

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Posted by Tim Sherman (Member # 569) on 02-19-2003, 07:56 PM:
 
I just wish more theaters would start using quality splicing tape like neumade. Trying to get a cheap piece of tape off gets frustrating after awhile when it just keeps tearing, and then you have to clean the frame with lighter fluid to get off all the residue. I never have a problem though using good quality tape.
 

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