Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Changeovers with ONE projector.

This is topic Changeovers with ONE projector. in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Daniel Alt (Member # 2303) on 03-28-2004, 10:10 AM:

So Friday night, CWRU film society showing of "Big Fish". A diode has blown on the rectifier of projector #1, so we're running on on machine.

The scene actually sorta remembled one of them NASCAR pit crew thingies. Two projectionists, one at the controls, the other standing behind the projector holding the next reel. Open the doors ahead of time, as soon as the second cue dot hits, person number one shuts the dowser, kills the sound, rips the payout reel off, and ducks just in time not to get clocked by person number two throwing the next reel on. Person number two then ducks just in time to catch the finished reel being thrown to her (not literally) by person number one. Once they get rid of it, they have to try not to get stepped on while putting on the take up reel while the other projectionist is busy threading.

A friend of mine was in the booth laughing herself silly watching us do this. At least we're on 5000' reels, so we only had to do it twice per show. And I got to pull out the cheezy 70s vintage "intermission" snipe that we've never used since I've been there.

Anyone else have any fun horror stories like this?

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 03-28-2004, 10:26 AM:

Sort of.

Posted here (about 2/3 down the page)

Posted by Marin Zorica (Member # 1716) on 03-29-2004, 08:44 AM:

Projection films with one projector??????

Not I never saw this, but here some people actually run cinemas with only one projector!!!!!!!!, the reasons are all kinds but you can actually run two rels with only one projector, I was working it this way and is working fine!!!.

This is how:

on first rell you flip lat ten meters of film and when you projectioning that rell 10 meters before film liques you have the two tapes one runing in projector and other that is flipped is runing out, that what is runing out you take and conect with begun of next rell, that 10 meters(20 meters because film is fliped) give you about 36 seconds to connect film with second rell, take out first rell and put second rell to projector and that is all.

If you interested in this i can explain you with more detail, before my english is not quite good so if you don't understend all say and i will try to explain you corectly.

Posted by Daniel Alt (Member # 2303) on 03-29-2004, 10:59 AM:

36 seconds to make a splice and get the payout reel up? That's quite brave, especially with Estar stock. I don't think we quite had the nerve to try that approach.

Also, how do you break the splice and replace the takeup reel at the bottom while the projector is still running?

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 03-29-2004, 01:26 PM:

If you had your own mint condition print of your very favorite film would you subject it to this? No? Then don't do it to someone else's print either.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 03-29-2004, 04:04 PM:

I agree with Steve. No way you can do this without causing some damage to the print. [Frown]

"Film Done Right" would tell the audience you lost a projector, and to please be patient as you changed reels, offering a refund if this was unacceptable.

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 03-29-2004, 04:11 PM:

Like the guy that would lay 6000' reels on the platter on the final screening. At half way he would break the splice & transfer take-up to another deck. I just don't have the balls to attempt this.

Posted by Daniel Alt (Member # 2303) on 03-29-2004, 06:38 PM:

I don't know if you were saying "don't do that" to me, the other guy, or both, but don't get me wrong. We were hurrying, but I exaggerated a little bit for comic effect. ( a bad habit of mine) At no point were we actually risking damaging the print.

Posted by Warren Smyth (Member # 1838) on 03-29-2004, 06:42 PM:

Five thousand foot reels with a short break of a few seconds between reels was the norm over here in the fifties when two strip 3D ran. Twin projectors were synchronized to run the left and right prints similaneously so changeovers were not possible. I believe there was often competition between the two projectionists to see who could thread up and change carbon trims the quicker.

Posted by Daniel Alt (Member # 2303) on 03-30-2004, 06:38 AM:

Carbon trims? Thank god we didn't have to worry about THAT as well. Although I suppose if we had a third projectionist on hand, they could have handled that whilst the other two changed the film.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 03-30-2004, 07:06 AM:

When I run shows with one 35mm Holmes, my viewers are happy to have a beer/bathroom break every 20 minutes. Thats running a 5-6 reel feature.

Dont think I could survive running a 12-13 reel ditty...

Posted by Marin Zorica (Member # 1716) on 03-31-2004, 04:50 AM:

Ok maybe this is a little bit complicated i supposed, but i know a operaters who work with this method even with carbon arcs!!!!!!!.

But this is quite simple thing, and film is vell cared. But ok You must saw this in action, don't think i say the people buy one projector only and work with this because they save money for projector and saw, but in emergency or cinemas with only one projector(i know a couple of them) this method is very interesting, don't you think??

Also are someone knows are carbon arcs producing now??, just wondering.