Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Filmgaurd

This is topic Filmgaurd in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 07-01-2004, 06:23 AM:

I just wanted to say that we finally were able to purchase a Kelmar cleaner, brackets, and Filmguard. We went from no film cleaning to this setup, and OH MY GOD is there a difference. I can literally see the difference on the first pass.

Now my question: I work at an 8 screen, but we only have one Kelmar unit (mounting brackets on all 8 screens). Is it best to run the cleaner on one machine for an entire day, then switch it to the next and run it for the whole day, etc. Or should we rotate more often, less often? Also, do you recommend changing the media once a week if rotating every day, or should we switch the media each time we change screens? I could try various methods and see what works best, but I thought I'd see if anyone else had already done the comparisons.

Thanks in advance.

Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 07-01-2004, 11:17 AM:

Generally you need two passes initially to get the filmgaurd to work. the first pass coats thh film, but does not clean it. The second pass will do the actual cleaning. Then once a week after that should be sufficient unless you have alot of dut in your booth.

Posted by Thomas Dieter (Member # 2507) on 07-01-2004, 12:01 PM:

I would have to say that if you just got the FilmGuard, and you want to use it, with all the dust and everything that a print can pick up going through the projector, use the film guard on it two times a day on each print like William said here until you have gotten all the projectors clean. All the shaving can be picked back up from the projector dependent on how clean you keep it.

I know that when I started at the theatre company that I'm at now, I don't think that the FilmGuard was run at all on the one screen, and very little on the three screen.

Here is what I like to do. Usually with the media pads you get a cardboard roller for the center. With the FilmGuard bottle, you get usually 3 black plastic rollers. I refer to these as the "Rewind Rollers." The Rewind Rollers lock into place with each other, allowing you to turn the roller without touching the media(not that there is any problem doing that). Take and place your media on the take up side of the cleaning device, and put one of the Rewind Rollers on the feed out side. Then take and tape the media to the Rewind Roller, and rewind it. When you rewind the media, you will see how well, it is going to wrap on the take up. If you got it just right, it will wrap real nice and neat, making it look like it did when it was delivered, or it will take it up and weave from side to side. It's hard to get it just right, but no one's perfect.

After you run your print through, rewind it again to run it through the second time. You can continue this until you have done your entire booth. Dependent on who clean it looks, you might change them out now, but after that, you should be able to use the media pads for almost a month considering you aren't using them every day, but using them once a week on each print.

Now here is a few questions of my own, when you receive a brand new print such as lets say Spider-Man 2. Is it suggested that you run the FilmGuard on the print for the preview? Also, how much FilmGuard do you put on to the media pads? When I was first shown, we placed the media pads in the bags they came in, and sprayed about 10 to 12 shots of FG in the bag, and let them sit (sealed) until we need to use them. Then when we put them on the cleaner, we put enough FG until it looked like it might drip off the pads (it never did, but it looked like it). When it came to show time, you could see the FG on the screen in the light scenes, and it looked like water on the screen.

What is the best suggestion for running the FG on print that you just built, and are about to preview?

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 07-01-2004, 12:51 PM:

Rotate it to a different house each day. We have 3 kelar units for 15 screens, and thats what we do.

Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 07-01-2004, 12:55 PM:

I always run the preview through Filmgaurd and the 1st two shows the next day. Then rotate the cleaners out to holdover prints. I have 3 film cleaners for my 10 screen, so all prints have been cleaned by 1st show on Saturday Morning.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-01-2004, 02:31 PM:

The instruction sheet with each kit is 4 pages long and is intentionally very detailed. It already addresses these questions on obtaining the best result. Please check it and then let us know if there are any questions not answered there.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 07-01-2004, 02:49 PM:

Hmmmmm...
I have cleaners on all my screens, so I don't have to move them around...
... pretty much like my digital systems [evil]