This is topic Filmack headers treated with Scotchguard in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Steven J Hart (Member # 2340) on 05-28-2010, 07:29 AM:
 
I recently bought some Pike productions headers from Filmack and on the invoice it said the film was treated with Scotchguard and they charged for the treatment by the foot. I've never heard of Scotchguard being used on film - I routinely use Film Guard, any chance of an adverse reaction?

The printing of the headers seem to be pretty good quality except for "sparkles" at the end of one of them. I assume this is caused by negative dust?
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 05-28-2010, 08:54 AM:
 
Scotchgard has been a Filmack "feature" for a long-long time. It improves the durability of snipes by placing a layer of plastic over the emulsion/base and thereby reduces the likelihood of scratches. IMAX too has been a user of Scotchgard.

The downside is that Film Guard will not work well with it. The Film Guard will merely sit on the surface because it can't penetrate. Think of it like Rain-X and water except with Film Guard, you don't want it to just sit on the surface in a steaky bubbly form.

Brad may have some suggestions here.

Steve
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-28-2010, 09:17 AM:
 
It also makes the film smell like burning rubber as it goes through the gate and gets heated by the lamp. It is very bothersome the first time you smell it. Then, after you get used to the smell, it just pisses you off every time you run a show.
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 05-28-2010, 09:39 AM:
 
Yeh. but scratches almost stop. Louis
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 05-29-2010, 11:09 AM:
 
And dirt doesn't stick either. Neither does the cheap splicing tape very well, although that's a good test to see how good your splicing tape really is. You have to be sure to rub the tape quite well to make sure there's a good bond. Never had any splice let loose because of it. But then again, we don't run platters so I don't know if that makes any difference. And we don't have extended runs either; any weakness probably wouldn't show up on four or five passes max and thru the short reel-to-reel path.

If I remember correctly, Brad is not fond of it, but I can tell you that for snipes which come directly out the theatre's pocket and at a pretty penny, the extended life which ScotchGuard (or PhotoGuard*) adds to those snipes is really a welcome money-saving plus. We've been specifically going to Filmack for our custom snipes partly because they offer the process on all their film. For pieces of film that get used over and over, this is a very desirable application; it makes that piece of film super tough.

And from what I've read, the inventor of the process says that even though it does "coat" the film -- sounds like a thing that would promote VS -- once the polymer is cured by passing thru ultraviolet light, it becomes porous and the film can still "breath." Or so he and 3M claim.

Not that it is a definitive test, my experience is that not a single ScotchGuarded snipe that we've gotten from Filmack over the years has ever turned vinegar on us and we have dozens from as far back as the early 80s.

*Not sure which is the current trade name that they are using for the process now -- both have been used by 3M at various times.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-29-2010, 02:02 PM:
 
Why only over the emulsion layer? Scratching the base side just doesn't happen? If they charge by the foot, can you refuse to pay and get an un-Scotchguarded version? If not, why do they even add it to the invoice? Why not charge for perforations, too? Or the emulsion itself?

I have never heard of Filmmack and not sure why I'd want to use anything they produce, especially if it prevents me from running Filmguard on the rest of the print.
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-29-2010, 02:11 PM:
 
It doesn't prevent you from running FG.

I have been using Filmack snipes for years. I have never had a splice let loose on the stuff whether I used Neumade tape or Jack Roe tape. Never had any problem with FG being "incompatible" with ScotchGuard in any way.

It just makes the projection booth smell like burned rubber for about a minute every time you run it. But, after a while, the smell goes away almost completely. Then you won't notice a difference at all.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-29-2010, 02:54 PM:
 

quote: Joe Redifer

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I have never heard of Filmmack and not sure why I'd want to use anything they produce

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quote: Jack Theakston

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"Let's All Go To the Lobby" is their crown jewel

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Do they have a "Let's all go to the satellite concession stand"? Or maybe a "Let's all go to the Bulk Candy machine?"
 

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Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 05-29-2010, 04:02 PM:
 
The first theatre I ever worked at used pike productions stuff including the "Now playing in another auditorium" "Gift Certificates Available At The Box Office" A Custom "Patriot Cinemas" Imaging snipe and my personal favorite the "Welcome To The Theatre" policy trailer complete with flying trash can, popcorn tub, and soda cup and "Welcome" in a bunch of different languages! I can still hear the music to them in my head
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 05-29-2010, 08:34 PM:
 
Mike, I think you are being too hard on them -- yes, they have very retro stuff in their library which as Jack rightly points out, depending on your demographics and the style of your theatre, retro can be very sheik -- in fact, Drive-Ins were always begging for new copies of that old stuff (I think Filmack got it wrong however in that particular trailer when they had the hotdog saying "Nay" to the bun's bold advance -- usually it's the other way around, no?).

But aside from all the retro library, Filmac also produced custom snipes which were very first class and quite stylish; that's what we used them mostly for as well as stock daters and their famous "Traileretts." The traileretts were just stills and graphics from the film shot on an Oxbery. For a retrospective house where no trailer was available for an old title, it was a godsend to be able to at least put the title up there on the screen so the audience knew you were going to play it.

I would also say that the personnel and customer service was first rate. Their staff was always personable and friendly -- you just got a sence that you were dealing with good folks from the heartland. Doing business with them was always a pleasure. They were fast, always on time and I give them kudos for helping the art house crowd when the studios were giving us nothing.

quote: Joe Redifer

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Why only over the emulsion layer? Scratching the base side just doesn't happen?

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quote: Frank Angel

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retro can be very sheik

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It can be a Muslim elder?
 

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Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 05-29-2010, 09:40 PM:
 
When we were running the rep titles, we needed some trailer materials so Filmack made some play date arranged footage from one sheets for the films. They put the titles in the order we were playing them and added a piano music track for sound. We simply deleted the currently playing title before each week end's performance. That way we could advertise the coming attractions even without real trailers.

The color was good, the images were sharp and the music was not too bad even with the weekly editing.

KEN
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-30-2010, 05:09 AM:
 

quote: Randy Stankey

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It doesn't prevent you from running FG.

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quote: Chris Slycord

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It can be a Muslim elder?

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quote: Frank Angel

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.....and the spotting on the snipe is not visible on the screen.

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