Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Urgent masking fix help!

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Posted by Andy Linde (Member # 5664) on 01-01-2011, 11:29 PM:

The masking moves both at the top/bottom and L/R of the screen and is controlled by Strong automation on a 35mm projector.

For the last few days, when the masking is in W/S the bottom and top masking constantly oscillates back and forth about 10 cm. Very noticeable from the auditorium.

- It is rhythmic. As in evenly timed back and forth constantly.

- Only happens during widescreen.

- Only happens when a program is running/film is playing.

- Makes quite loud pop through speakers during each oscillation.

Ideas? Is is most likely a "stuck" cue in the 35mm program? or is it more likely a failing motor/switch?

Help me please!! [Smile]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-02-2011, 12:18 AM:

Which STRONG automation is it? Sounds like a CPA-10 that has one of the relays going crazy on you...

Might have to power off the motors to the masking (with masking open so you can still have both formats on the screen) until you find which relay, or something else, is causing the problem.

Posted by Andy Linde (Member # 5664) on 01-02-2011, 12:57 AM:

It is indeed CPA-10. Will power off motors to masking first. Now relays sound complicated (I'm an amateur) but would like this to be fixed ASAP. Is there anything I can do myself, or do I require someone with more extensive knowledge?

To put it in perspective, the masking in another one of our cinemas broke over a week ago and hasn't been fixed yet. (Broken in a completely different way.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 01-02-2011, 03:31 AM:

As Monte says, you may have to just switch off power to the motor until the cause of the malfunction can be determined and remedied.

You might catch a slight break if you are running a flat (non-wide screen) title, provided you don't run any scope trailers that normally would require a mask move before the flat feature -- you can leave the mask set at the flat setting throughout the run of the flat picture, thereby not having the audience see the extra expanse of blank white screen as well as the ugly fuzz edge of the unmasked flat image. Then if and when you are showing a scope (wide screen) title in that cinema, you can open the mask, set it for the scope (wide screen) size and leave it that way for the duration of the scope title engagement. The ugliness of a blank screen would only be suffered during flat trailers in that situation. The film would play with the mask properly set.

Hopefully it won't take longer than the length of an engagement, either flat or scope, for a tech to fix the automation or stuck relay or slipped cam that is faulty there.