Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Cutting trailers properly

This is topic Cutting trailers properly in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Patrick de Groot (Member # 858) on 04-10-2004, 06:35 AM:

A question about this "tip"
Is the inner filmstrip in the picture above the text
"Set the film on your rewind table's auto-stop roller and wind directly to a trailer core. This method provides the absolute least amount of wear to the print during handling. Alternatively, if your theater does not have one of these auto-stop roller assemblies, a roller can be placed on the supply shaft to achieve the same effect. "
taped down so it doesn't fall on the ground? I can imagine it would be a horrible mess if the film falls apart when it lays on that roller...

In the theatre where we use non-rewinds we do it this way:
We thread the film from platter to spool and cut the film with a scissor on a marker filmstrip right after the commercials (or trailers). The we grap the film comming out of the projector and thread it to the takeup platter. The projector isn't stopped in the process (when everything goes ok...)

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 04-10-2004, 09:16 AM:

The we grap the film comming out of the projector and thread it to the takeup platter.

And you're able to do this without adding any dirt or scratches? Okay.

Posted by Dan Lyons (Member # 1454) on 04-10-2004, 02:50 PM:

quote:
We thread the film from platter to spool and cut the film with a scissor

so what are you saying? From this post, it seems to me that your theatre doesn't have a rewind bench, or a splicer?!?

What the hell is going on here?! In the past week there have been tons of mindless and off the wall posts popping up, and often in the wrong forums. I'm sick of it!
Please people, when you post, do a search first, then if it is necessary to post, make it clear and concise.

danny

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-10-2004, 03:45 PM:

quote:
cut the film with a scissor

This thread should be retitled, "Cutting trailers improperly."

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-10-2004, 06:06 PM:

I think I see another moderator about to climb on board. [Wink]

Posted by Patrick de Groot (Member # 858) on 04-11-2004, 06:12 AM:

Jezus!
Just relax. We do this with prints that run wednesday evening. And we do it because it is the efficients way to do it.The theater won't like the idea to spend time for breaking up trailers/commercials after the film finishes playing...
And offcourse we have a (manual) rewind bench (and a makeup table to/from the platter) otherwise we wouldn't be able to break up the commercials/trailers of the spool...
You didn't hear me say its the best method (its not) however its the way we do this and its not for me to say what to do. If done right the film doesn't touch the ground. Just grap the film in the air and thread it gently to the takeup platter. However, I have seen scratches in the beginning of a film and thats not a good thing...
I have searched the board and not found an answer to this question, it seems to me that the film will fall apart if you rewind it like the way on that picture. It probably will not however, because it is in the tip section!

btw a scissor is the best method to do this because the projector is RUNNING. Another way to do it would be to find the splice and tear it apart with your hands.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 04-11-2004, 10:50 AM:

Don't come here expecting to get advice on how to mutilate your prints in the interests of saving a few minutes. Are you cutting apart the feature film reels on the fly as well?

It is possible to run a film and have it back in the shipping cases and the projectionist out the door 1 minute after show end. It's called running with 2 projectors and changeovers and anyone who is under such time constraints that they would mangle the film to get out the door 5 minutes sooner ought to be provided the necessary equipment. Otherwise the proper amount of time needs to be allotted.

Now a general comment. Blame for this sort of crap is always placed with management. But it really originates with the operators. How would management even know stunts of this sort were possible unless it was done first by the operator who then boasted about it when seen walking out unexpectedly early. If they'd simply said this is how long it takes with a platter period these demands could not be placed on them later on.

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 04-11-2004, 11:46 AM:

quote:
You didn't hear me say its the best method

quote:
btw a scissor is the best method to do this because the projector is RUNNING.

The best method is whatever doesnt damage the film.

quote:
However, I have seen scratches in the beginning of a film

That doesnt sound like the best method to me.

Since you dont have time to tear them down properly...just throw them away. I dont reuse trailers at all. If they wanted it on then they should have got it to me on time.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 04-11-2004, 12:12 PM:

you know if they are that purticular about saving time then why don't you do this. Prior to the last showing remove all the trailers and ads and resplice the leader to the beginning of the feature. If you have to leave one trailer on there so you at least can say you ran a trailer. There are ways to break them down after removing them and it does not involve throwing them on the floor. [Smile]

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 04-11-2004, 01:41 PM:

As I have said many times before, make-up and breakdown of prints and trailers IS NOT A RACE. Never has been and never will be.

I deplore shortcuts to save time. That's when accidents happen.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-11-2004, 06:52 PM:

In platter houses, I always pull the trailers off the print before the last show (I then rewind them using Brad's method). This gives extra time to break down the trailers and as an added bonus also allows the show to end a few minutes earlier. At the 6-plex, trailers often need to come off outgoing prints and go on new prints, so this is the only way that all trailer changes could be completed in one night.

Posted by Patrick de Groot (Member # 858) on 04-12-2004, 07:10 AM:

quote:
In platter houses, I always pull the trailers off the print before the last show

But if you show commercials won't it be against the "rules" to not show them during the last show of the week?
To come back to my question: if I understand correctly: the film isn't taped down anywhere. Correct?

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 04-12-2004, 11:32 AM:

You cut the film with SCISSORS?!! You do this while the projector is running? So you mean that the primary function of the projectionist and the prime directive of your booth is to get out as soon as possible regardless of how badly film is mutilated or what unprofessional practices are used? What happens in that theatre that proper film handling techiques are thrown to the wind? Is the booth equipped with some automatic lock-down mechanism that slams the booth door closed at a certain time and if the projectionist is not out by that time (which seems to be one second after the last frame rolls through the projector), he's locked in there all night long? Is THAT why the booth is being run with total disregard for the proper care of the print? Expediency isn't a virtue nor is it the same as efficency. More times than not, it equals mediocrity.

Just because your theatre has been doing it this way for however many years doesn't make it the correct way. Bad habits creep into booth routines all the time and if someone doesn't correct them, they can become standard operating procedures. It is great that you are looking through this forum to get tips on the proper way of doing things. Do what to you can to correct the practice by suggesting the right way to whoever is in charge above you; but don't look for excuses to justify or perpetuate the distructive practice.

If the people running your theatre are not at all concerned that what the projectionists in their booth are doing is damaging prints just to get out of the booth a few minutes early, then the question really should be, why are they in the theatre business in the first place! They definately should be outed in the "You Suck" section if they are not interested in your attempts to correct bad booth practice. Perhaps they would be better at running a fast food franchise, although one can only imagine what health violations they would engender just so that they could close a few minutes early every night.