Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Odd Messages in Film Cans

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Posted by Alan Dallas (Member # 2537) on 06-15-2005, 04:24 AM:

I love surprises. But when I open a film can and see written in black marker:
"Help me!! I'm lost in a film distro werehouse!"

Then under it in red marker:
"Don't MOVE! Help is on the way!"

I can't help but laugh.
I was reminded of that message when I popped open a can with Mr. & Mrs. Smith this last Thurs and saw again written in black marker:
"AMC sucks ass!"
and in smaller writing underneath:
"Who's the idiot that hired you?"

Anyone else find cryptic writtings inside film cans?

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 06-15-2005, 08:05 AM:

Years ago, I received a print of "Dagora, The Space Monster." The can was labeled "Dagnabbit, the Space Rabbit." Inside the can, someone had written: I sat thru this print for 2 weeks. Sorry if you have to do the same.

Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 06-15-2005, 09:49 AM:

I actually write in all the cans that I have a movie in that I've either tore down or built.

I usually draw a crappy looking robot and date it. Once, I put my old email address and someone from a theater in Indiana emailed me back.

Funny note, when we got Lords of Dogtown last week, it came in a canister with one of my robots in it and was dated 3/04. Small world.

Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 06-15-2005, 10:59 AM:

I got a print once where someone wrote inside the cans, "Hey, Technicolor, you cheap bastards, send us some decent friggin' reels next time!!"

Posted by Dieter Depypere (Member # 3184) on 06-15-2005, 11:33 AM:

Long ago, I got a reel (I think reel IV) where someone left a wearning "ATTENTION THIS REEL IS TAIL UP!"
In fact the reel was head up...

Someone might not be able to differ between head and tail or something?

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 06-15-2005, 12:05 PM:

"Sacbs suck!"

Underneat that was written:

"Only if you pick them!"

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-15-2005, 01:54 PM:

I remember, with the 10 inch cans that the cartoons came in that all of us would write in those cans were we were at and date when we wrote the notes inside. Kinda like a "travelling address book" and a history book at the same time.

Then we would write our local numbers in these cans as well.

-Monte

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-15-2005, 02:27 PM:

I wrote SPLIT REELS SUCK! in quite a few cans during TES's black-reel days.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-15-2005, 02:44 PM:

I've seen "SAVE COPPER DRIPPINGS" [for the Will Rogers Foundation] stickers occasionally, as well as union stickers ("call for competent projectionists" or "vote ____ for business agent").

Otherwise, it's been pretty boring--not much more than theatre names and dates. Prints that go on the festival circuit often have inspection reports from various festivals ("Hill Top Productions" is a popular one--they have swanky multipart carbonless forms), and sometimes include festival programs as well. I will often stick my own inspection reports in between the film and the flange of the first reel, or throw them in the can for R1 when the print ships on cores.

Posted by Jason Miller (Member # 2341) on 06-15-2005, 08:06 PM:

quote:
"Sacbs suck!"

Underneat that was written:

"Only if you pick them!"

Holy Cow... I have seen that one too!

I also remember seeing an unused band-aid in a can. Im not sure if that was accidental or fore-shadowing because I cut myself on the second can when I tried to open it.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 06-15-2005, 11:26 PM:

It was probably the same can! [Big Grin]

The damn thing looked like it was older than Moses!

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-16-2005, 01:10 AM:

quote: Scott Norwood
I've seen "SAVE COPPER DRIPPINGS"....

I managed to save a few of these copper labels in the cans, For during WW-2, the copper on the carbons was thinner than the standard thickness. Plus, any metal during the war was recyclable, and copper was the most valuable metal. Lot of these labels were designated for the war effort.

Now, what's really rare nowdays to see is the yellow diamond on the side of the cans with the black words "CAUTION" - meaning that this can contained nitrate film. When safety started to come out, there were also a label mentioning the contents of safety film.

Then FOX had their labels as well for magnetic only and magnetic/optical "narrow sprocket" (fox-sprocket) 35mm film.

-Monte

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 06-16-2005, 02:12 AM:

"Please return your dts discs"
underneath that:
"Fuck you"

"Please return your dts discs"
underneath that:
"Only if you return my soul"

Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 06-16-2005, 09:43 AM:

One of my fellow employees reminded me of one that we got about 2 years ago, it read; "Do you like boobs alot?"

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-16-2005, 03:07 PM:

You'd see the occasional:

Walsh IA President

...and then there was one I used to see a LOT of:

Who is this guy, Billy Arden?

Nope, never found out who he was, but he must have stamped cans in the midwest for 50 years.
My brother and I each had rubber stamps made with our names and theatres on them:

Robert Reed
Sky-Vue Drive-In Theatre
Winchester, KY

Timothy Reed
Kentucky Theatre
Lexington, KY

For many years, we stamped every can we got - cartoons and all. I doubt if any of those old cans are still out there (pre-TES and pre-plastic,) but you never know.

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 06-16-2005, 03:27 PM:

In the 80's I used to sign inside the cans with the date and the feature title that was in the cans. Then put big black 'X' marks on the sides and back of the cans (so one could see 'my' cans among several in one place... I got many of my 80's cans back, some even well into the late 90's before the demise of NFS! [Smile]

-Aaron

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-16-2005, 09:27 PM:

Course, then there were those cans (and still some are still around) that had the studio names stamped close to the area of the handle. But, if one finds an really old Goldberg/Film Metal Box can in decent shape, towards the middle and towards the outer edge was the date/year stamped into the metal of the cans. I've seen cans dated back into the 30's like this.

Also, when the Goldberg/Film Metal Box sheet metal reels were the shipping reels, they, themselves also had date/year stamps on these as well.

I also used to use some sort of scratch markings on cans to see if they return back to the theatre where I worked at from NFS.

Gee, just think - "Titanic" was one of the last prints to come from NFS, for NFS bellied up in early 1998 to be absorbed into the ETS market.

-Monte

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-16-2005, 09:46 PM:

Probably 65% of the cans I got carried those studio imprints from the 30s and 40s, Monte. They were built to last. Very heavy duty.

Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 06-20-2005, 10:39 PM:

quote:
I got a print once where someone wrote inside the cans, "Hey, Technicolor, you cheap bastards, send us some decent friggin' reels next time!!"

I am pissing myself over here!

Posted by Dieter Depypere (Member # 3184) on 06-21-2005, 03:29 AM:

Some projectionist of Kino Bodensdorf (now) always sticks a paper to the can of reel one. It says to handle the print carefully (no homemade cues, proper slices etc.). Not odd indeed, but odd in relation to the need of sticking that note to a print.

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 06-21-2005, 11:09 AM:

If I get a print that's particularly trashed and can't get a replacement I'll usually stick a copy of my film inspection in the can so the next guy has some warning as to splices, etc. if he even bothers to read it.

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 07-07-2005, 05:24 AM:

quote: Allison Parsons
I usually draw a crappy looking robot and date it.

What do they look like? I got this in one of our "kids fest" cans for SpongeBob.

Posted by Dan Bouvier (Member # 2655) on 07-09-2005, 06:49 PM:

On a can for "Party in Fresno..."

"DAVE STEIN GREB
Can Suck My...
-the projection objection"

So, if you're reading this, sorry Dave...

Posted by Emma Tomiak (Member # 1862) on 07-13-2005, 04:14 PM:

Found this set of initials inside my cans of "Rugrats: The Movie". Anyone recognize them?

Posted by Emma Tomiak (Member # 1862) on 09-02-2005, 03:41 PM:

Hey, I found a robot too!

Posted by Mary Cosgrove (Member # 2095) on 09-03-2005, 01:46 AM:

"AMC sucks ass!"

HAHAHA! I think I used to work with the person who wrote that....I vagually recall someone writing that in a can one morning doing build up at my first theater. I can't remeber who it was, but am fairly certain he doesn't work with the company any more. Wow, that was so long ago.

Posted by Cory Isemann (Member # 2517) on 09-03-2005, 03:47 PM:

Post deleted.

[ 11-19-2006, 07:47 PM: Message edited by: Cory Isemann ]

Posted by Andrew Duggan (Member # 1302) on 09-07-2005, 06:42 AM:

I've seen that robot too! That's awesome.

There was a period in the winter of '01 when the booth was so slow and boring that all of my outgoing prints had a sheet of looseleaf with a very childish scribbled recreation of the old "Hang In There" upsidedown cat poster enclosed. I should really get back into that habit...

Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 09-07-2005, 09:17 AM:

THAT's MY ROBOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEA!! Wow, I now feel like the past 4 or so years of drawing that wasn't a complete waste of time haha. Around 2000/2001, I did use to draw a rectangle with a 'Z?' in it. So if anyone finds that, I would definitely be amazed!!

Posted by Brian Hogan (Member # 940) on 09-07-2005, 08:21 PM:

and for my one hundredth post id like to point out that cans are an extreme rarity here in new zealand. 99.9% of all reels are delivered via cardboard box(es) and wound onto hubs or cores. i miss those beat up cans and crap plastic reels [Frown]

Posted by Robert Harrison (Member # 3202) on 09-09-2005, 03:13 PM:

A while back, enclosed with a Disney print was the obligatory note stating that no rolling stock advertising should be shown with the feature. Someone had scribbled on the note, "God forbid anyone other than Michael Eisner should make a buck!"

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 07-09-2009, 04:54 AM:

It has been 1398 days since the last post.

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 07-09-2009, 04:54 AM:

Sorry to rehash this old thread, but I came across one again:

quote: Allison Parsons

I usually draw a crappy looking robot and date it.

this one was in one of the cans for Ice Age 3:

Posted by Tristan Lane (Member # 1169) on 07-09-2009, 07:33 PM:

I've seen a can with a robot like that too.

Allison, It looks like you've made your mark on the industry [Big Grin]

Posted by Craig Duncanson (Member # 4956) on 08-05-2009, 05:25 PM:

I'll need to look more closely at the boxes now, although we get big red or blue flat boxes now, and on occasion card board, our 2 GI Joes were in cardboard

Posted by Ed Alvarado (Member # 2760) on 08-05-2009, 07:17 PM:

haha NICE EMMA you found my name MOK thanks that brings back memories.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 08-06-2009, 07:55 AM:

Okay, I'll ask. How do you get "MOK" from Ed Alvarado?

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 08-06-2009, 10:20 AM:

For years I used to see "Boycott Hoyts, Hoyts exploits" in cans.

This was from one of the longest running industrial disputes in Australia's history. The union also had stickers made that said the same thing. Hoyts were once Australia's largest and most prestigeous theatre chain.......times have changed!

Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 08-06-2009, 11:41 AM:

I've found at least 4 or 5 robots over the years.

My favorite message was this, which I found in THE SANTA CLAUSE 2:

Posted by Michael McGovern (Member # 4807) on 08-07-2009, 10:05 PM:

I always get a kick out of seeing messages scrawled onto the film cans giving details about secret union meetings from the 1960's.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 08-08-2009, 08:25 AM:

This is especially funny when you realize that each production is billed for NEW FILM REELS & CANS.

Some of these cans say "RKO Radio Pictures!!" Louis

Posted by Jarret Chessell (Member # 5077) on 08-31-2009, 12:46 AM:

found this in a can the other week

Posted by Jonathan Althaus (Member # 5042) on 09-12-2009, 03:03 PM:

In a GI Joe can found a "Capital Film Exchange" sticker. Looks pretty old. Also, a robot dated 4-05 in a Halloween 2 can.

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 09-13-2009, 11:19 AM:

A Message From Mickey Found In A Shipper...

Posted by Matthew Rick (Member # 5435) on 10-04-2009, 09:47 PM:

You know, it just makes me sad that D-Cinema doesn't have any of this.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-04-2009, 10:06 PM:

Hmm..we could start something for the next generation of "digital cinema server operators" - leave our epitaphs in those orange, yellow and 'mini fox boxes' that contains the HD's..

-Monte

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-05-2009, 03:06 AM:

quote: Matthew Rick
You know, it just makes me sad that D-Cinema doesn't have any of this.

Yes it does. Disney just sent out an email explaining to delete enough old movies from your server's hard drive to make extra room to be able to load the Toy Story 1 & 2 double feature.

Ummmmmm, DUH!
[Roll Eyes]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-05-2009, 11:24 AM:

You mean, the D-systems don't do that automatically? (Delete the oldest content)

You'd think there would be a way you could "mark" something so it wouldn't get deleted, but other than that the system should just kick out the old material on its own. If that's not happening, why not?

Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 10-05-2009, 11:38 AM:

quote:
this one was in one of the cans for Ice Age 3:

Yup, again that is mine. I'm waiting for someone to find one of my nasty notes I've written about the state of the print I recieved. I think I've only wrote a few of them over the years. Robot is always included in those.

Maybe someone could lift up the foam in the HD cans and write something. hmmmm

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 10-05-2009, 12:33 PM:

Just like deleting old programs, something always gets left behind. I did a disk clean up before installing the toy stories on our Doremi we have been using since march 2007. This is the first time this has been done since no one advised us of needing to do this. I found over 40 gigs of unassociated files that I deleted off.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-05-2009, 01:41 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
If that's not happening, why not?

Since the server is still a computer with HD's - not to show any intelligence, just depends on the I/O from the user.

Yet, can you think what mess there can be if the server decides to think and accidently deletes a file that is still in use between playdates?

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-05-2009, 06:32 PM:

quote: Monte L Fullmer
Hmm..we could start something for the next generation of "digital cinema server operators" - leave our epitaphs in those orange, yellow and 'mini fox boxes' that contains the HD's..

I suggest that Film-Techers who run digital should start putting notes in the HD cans saying "This print is scratched! Please take out of service!" and see how long before it gets mentioned in Boxoffice. [Big Grin]

Posted by Wayne Keyser (Member # 2420) on 10-05-2009, 08:04 PM:

"Hmm..we could start something for the next generation of "digital cinema server operators" - leave our epitaphs in those orange, yellow and 'mini fox boxes' that contains the HD's..-Monte"

You could try a big note, with pictures/symbols: "Please re-attach loose pixels to the head and tail of every HD."

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-05-2009, 08:16 PM:

Let's get worse now: "please don't rewind after last showing/injesting - ship print tails out!" [Big Grin]

Posted by Ed Alvarado (Member # 2760) on 06-30-2010, 05:45 AM:

Okay, I'll ask. How do you get "MOK" from Ed Alvarado?

lol sorry for the long wait! ok well MoK is an old very old name i used in the graffiti community. and then it went from gaming and when i was building movies and tearing down i just started to tag film cans for giggles and i never thought anybody would ever post it online and it just boggles my mind dude. but yeah MoK is not from my actual name.

Posted by Andy Frodsham (Member # 4061) on 07-03-2010, 01:01 PM:

I'm sure it won't be too long before the Distributors work out some way of attaching 'Read Me' files onto those hard discs! Imagine what gems and nuggets of information one may discover there???!!

Posted by Don Sneed (Member # 955) on 07-07-2010, 02:40 PM:

When I was a projectionist in the early 70's I once wrote in 1973 in a film can (I was the first for that can) Don Sneed Sr. "73" Galveston Texas, 10-years later I got the same can again that must had 50 names, their high school names, & the yr they grad....with all the thousands of cans out there, what are the chances of recieving the same can again with your name in i, I thought how cool is that!!!

Posted by Jonathan Smith (Member # 5609) on 07-07-2010, 05:35 PM:

Congratulations on starting a trend, Don, of can vandalism! [Razz]

I actually want to get some sort of stamp made with name, union logo, and maybe hand-write what the print was in the can and year.