Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Black Leader Film

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

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=008086

Posted by Ian Bailey (Member # 1752) on 06-20-2006, 02:57 AM:

Who makes the best Black Leader Film and where can it be purchased?
Down here all I can get is some VERY brittle stuff that is crap and expensive!!
Cheers
Ian

Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 06-20-2006, 05:18 AM:

When I asked for black leader that is not mylar with frame lines (which show on screen at my location), all I get is a "HUH?". It plays fine, but the white frame lines are impossible to get rid of (they are VERY thick). My supplier (apparently) doesn't know about a solid black leader.

Posted by Nick Scott (Member # 2850) on 06-20-2006, 05:29 AM:

Hi Ian
I get mine from atlab in sydney they have a few different types. Theres one that is like an acetate type film and a soild polyester both are very good.

Posted by Ian Bailey (Member # 1752) on 06-20-2006, 05:52 AM:

Hi Nick
I get the crap brittle stuff from Atlab also.Didn't know they had different types.The best I've seen is Kodak but have not found a supplier as yet.I'll give Atlab a call tomorrow and see what they have got.
Cheers

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-20-2006, 06:52 AM:

Here is a link to the leader materials that can be ordered from Kodak FPC:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products/supply/index.jhtml?id=0.1.4.18&lc=en

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/products/supply/leader.jhtml?id=0.1.4.18.6&lc=en

quote:
Supply Items.
Leader

Cans - 16mm, 35mm & 70mm
Cores - 16mm, 35mm, 65mm, & 70mm

Miscellaneous Items - Film Cement, Magnetic Optical Disc, Optical Negative
Fullcoat, Partical Transfer Rollers (PTR), Splicing Tape, Molecular Sieve,
Scratch Test Leader & Squeegees

NT Audio also manufactures leaders:

http://www.ntaudio.com/projection_leader.html

quote:
NT Audio manufactures five types of leader: From frame-countdown leader for the initial thread-up of reels, platters and interlocks, to leader for use between trailers and intermissions.

Posted by Ian Bailey (Member # 1752) on 06-21-2006, 01:02 AM:

Thanks guys
Ian

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 06-21-2006, 10:23 PM:

Hadden has always supplied BB-100 from N T Audio Visual. This is solid black 35mm film with soundtrack & frame lines printed on. There is no translucency; solid black. Louis

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-21-2006, 10:39 PM:

quote: Louis Bornwasser
There is no translucency; solid black.

Well, sort of. When it's brand new it blocks out quite a lot of light, but if you compare it running and open/close the douser, you will see it isn't truly blocking all light.

My beef with it is that it is easily scratched, and the scratches show up quite lovely on screen. Mag fullcoat is a far superior type of film to be using for "black leader", as it is as opaque as it gets, plus it takes quite a lot to scratch it. The only problem is that it doesn't have any frameline markings, but that's where I come in.

End result, I make the best black leader. (I've just never put it on the market.) [Big Grin]

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-22-2006, 05:45 AM:

If someone made black leader with framelines using KODAK VISION Premier Color Print Film 2393, they could actually have the opaque areas of the leader have a density greater than 5.0 (Only 1/100,000 of the light gets through) -- that's pretty black. [thumbsup]

Here are the magnetic fullcoat films that Kodak FPC stocks:

Kodak FPC Mag Fullcoat

quote:
Fullcoat 200/2PB 35mm 3mil/2100'
Fullcoat 200/3PB 35mm 3mil/3150'
Fullcoat 802/PB35mm 5mil/1200'
Fullcoat 800/2PB 35mm 5mil/2100'
Fullcoat 800/3PB 35mm 5mil/3150'
Fullcoat 810PB 16mm 5mil/1200'
Fullcoat 810/2PB 16mm 5mil/2400'

Posted by Rick Hunter (Member # 1606) on 06-22-2006, 05:57 AM:

quote: Brad Miller
End result, I make the best black leader. (I've just never put it on the market.)

Brad,
I guess that is what's going through the film cleaner in your pix.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-22-2006, 09:12 AM:

When ordering mag fullcoat, be sure to get the thicker (5mil) variety. This is comparable to standard print stock. The thinner version has trouble running through some projectors. FPC seems to be the best brand for use as black leader; some of the others that I have tried will eventually scratch and become less-than-opaque (but are still better than the "B100" variety).

Posted by Mark Hajducki (Member # 1732) on 06-22-2006, 10:26 AM:

quote: Brad Miller
The only problem is that it doesn't have any frameline markings, but that's where I come in.

How do you add the framelines (I have been using a frame counter and permanent marker)

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-22-2006, 04:16 PM:

How? It's magic. [Cool]

John, the problem with using Kodak stock is that it wouldn't be any more scratch resistant than the existing leaders on the market today. [Frown]

FPC fullcoat as Scott mentioned is a far superior choice.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 06-22-2006, 05:02 PM:

quote: Brad Miller
Mag fullcoat is a far superior type of film to be using for "black leader", as it is as opaque as it gets, plus it takes quite a lot to scratch it.

Another advantage is that on some formulations at least (e.g. the Zonal acetate stuff that was kicking around until I left the booth in 2001), the oxide coating picks up dust and dirt and helps keep the film path clean, especially if you run 50-100 feet of it at the head and tail of a platter roll.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 06-22-2006, 05:30 PM:

Brad's fullcoat stock with frame markings rules! I use this stuff between older trailers all the time, makes the transitions a little nicer, since they tend to end abruptly.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-23-2006, 07:16 AM:

I need about 20 or 30 feet of clear film with BH-1866 perfs, and something like Presstabs splicing tape tabs in BH-1866... seriously.

Anyone?

Posted by Pete Lawrence (Member # 130) on 06-23-2006, 03:02 PM:

Tim,

I sent you an e-mail about the film stock

Pete

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 06-23-2006, 03:49 PM:

Thanks, Pete!