Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Is this sprocket runoff?

This is topic Is this sprocket runoff? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Peter David Bruce (Member # 4447) on 12-10-2007, 03:51 AM:

I discovered this when changing a trailer...

the rest of the print is fine, however I am confused as to why this brand new trailer came to us with this damage. It cant have happened in our projectors, as the rest of the film and trailers are fine. Are trailers allowed to be sent to cinemas with damage like this?

Peter

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-10-2007, 07:40 AM:

It looks just like an edge crease from a shitty wind...is it all the way through or just a section of the trailer?

Posted by Peter David Bruce (Member # 4447) on 12-10-2007, 09:36 AM:

This is constant throughout the trailer. There are definite pinpricks/indents in the middle of the dolby soundtrack. It looks like runoff, but Im not sure! Just thought it was worth posting to see what everyone else thinks.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 12-10-2007, 10:06 AM:

I received a print of "Darjeeling Limited" with this type of damage throughout reel 3. The there were pin-pricks between the sprockets as you describe and also the one edge of the film had was "creased" almost throughout the whole reel. It looked to me like the damage occured at a bad splice which caused one side of the film to jump partly off a sprocket- - but I don't know how it could have run for more than half the reel that way without jumping totally off the sprocket. Maybe it finally did- - the damage ended at a 2nd splice. Some of the sprockets were also "nicked" causing very slight vertical instability every time that section went through the projector. You could hear it too every time it went through the machine. There was about 750ft of damage.

PS> I got one of those shirts like yours after you posted where to get one. It arrived last week. I'm waiting to show up at a big theater staff meeting this weekend to wear it. I might even order a 2nd one.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-10-2007, 02:34 PM:

looks like a pad roller was too tight over the sprocket causing the film to ride up on the teeth, or a simple misthread.

The pad roller should have the clearance of two film thicknesses inbetween roller and sprocket when closed.