Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Need a little help with cues...

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Posted by Michael D'Agostino (Member # 3312) on 08-10-2005, 08:54 PM:

I have a pretty stupid question I was hoping you guys could help me with. I work with Simplex projectors with an optical failsafe and proximity cue detector. I am unsure exactly where the three cues go on the film. The first one to open the dowser and dim the lights goes somewhere on the leader but I'm not sure how far or which side (soundtrack or non-soundtrack) and the last two at the end, one goes in the beginning of the credits and one at the blue screen, but again I'm not sure how far or which side. Any help would be really appreciated.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-10-2005, 09:10 PM:

To get an answer, you're going to have to give more information, such as what kind of automation you have. We have the same kind of detector and the same projector, but those two things have nothing to do with what your automation does.

On our machine here, the "lights down" cue goes on both sides of the film; the "lights to mid" cue goes on the soundtrack side, and the "show end" cue goes on the outside. You might try those on an old trailer reel and see if they work. But your mileage may vary -- some automations can be set to do different things with different cue placements.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-10-2005, 11:02 PM:

In addition to needing to know precisely the model of your automation and cue detector, it would also be helpful to know what theater chain you work for. For instance, if you said you worked for a Cinemark, all of their locations are set up to cue the prints identically.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-11-2005, 12:34 AM:

You've got the FP-350 assembly from STRONG attached to the bottom of our Simplexes. This unit (normally) uses 3 cues - 1inch of tin tape folded over before feature start (after the trailers), one tape when credits start, and one tape placed in the middle of the ratings tag.

When you hit the "Start" button (which is cue zero), machine takes off, lamp strikes, dowser opens after 7seconds, and lights should go down to half-light during prevues. When the first cue (feature cue) goes through, lights down full. When the second cue hits (credit cue)
lights come up half. Then the third cue (end of show cue) goes through, dowser drops, Non-sync switches over, and machine will stop with tail lead runs though everything.

This is a basic timer/cue based operation.

All cues are placed soundtrack side of the film. Some take a 1 inch and lay it across the sprockets next to soundtrack and punch out the tape with the splicer. Some just fold the tape over lengthwise, (like I do) the 3/4inch on that soundtrack side - in between sprocket holes and punch with the splicer so the holes aren't covered with the tintape. And to make it more secure, I draw a piece of tape across the tin so it would wear out and not peel off due to age, for tape will crack and age after time.

Course, this is the cue setup with the STRONG CNA-100 and 200 automations (and also the older STRONG SPA-7 and the CPA-10s).

It'll vary with what form of automation you have.

-Monte