Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Film Handling Questions

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Posted by Howard Zinman (Member # 6440) on 04-05-2016, 11:00 AM:

Hi!

I have many older prints, and I want to make sure that they are being looked after the right way. I was wondering what the standards are for placing cue marks, and for setting up the header & the tail. How many black frames should there be between each number on the countdown? How many black frames should there be before the first image that appears at the beginning of the reel. I want to make sure that my films are good to go for the projectionist, and that he has no headaches. How do the projectionists here like to receive there films? What are the standards you would like to see? Thanks!!!

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-05-2016, 11:44 AM:

There are two standard types of countdowns. One measures seconds (one number ever 24 frames...or 25 frames for the odd 25fps print) and the other measures feet (one number every 16 frames). Either is fine. There should be 47 frames of black between the last number ("3" feet or "2" seconds) on the leader and the first frame of action on the reel.

There are two standards for cues. The "old" standard is thus (from the tail of the reel):
24 frames of picture
4 frames with cues
168 frames (10' 8 frames) of picture
4 frames with cues

The "new" standard is thus (also from the tail):
18 frames of picture
4 frames with cues
172 frames of picture
4 frames with cues

I have no idea why there are two standards. Either is fine, but all reels of a print should be cued the same way. In general, the last reel of a feature is not cued, although one-reel cartoons and shorts often have cues.

Standard shipping practice is tails-out, emulsion in, which allows inspection of the film while winding it onto house reels for screening. The film can then be taken up onto shipping reels or rewind twice for outbound shipment. Heads-out, emulsion-out shipment is fine, too, but, again, all reels should be wound the same way.

Films shipped on reels are faster for the projectionist to work with, but cores are better than bent/warped reels. Most, but not all, theatres in the US will have the split reels needed to deal with film on cores. Art and repertory houses are the most likely to be able to deal with film on cores. If shipping on cores, use the 3" or 4" cores, not 2" cores.

Reel bands are nice, but 6-12" of "artists' tape" also works for securing the film end when shipping. If shipping on cores in lab. cans, packing material like newspaper can help in preventing the rolls of film from sliding around in shipment. ICC type 32B shipping cases are commonly used for film on reels and probably should not be used for shipping film on cores, even if in lab. cans.

If you are shipping out prints to platter houses that you know can handle them, shipping of 6000' reels might be an interesting option to consider. Not everyone can accommodate those, however. and they are more awkward to ship.

Note that the above applies to 35mm film. There are different standards for 16mm and 70mm.

Posted by Howard Zinman (Member # 6440) on 04-05-2016, 12:28 PM:

Hi Scott!

Thanks for your reply. This is something I've always wondered about: Is it possible that a reel starts with a fade in? In that case, is your first frame of action the first frame where you can make out an image?

Thank you so much!

Howard

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-05-2016, 12:42 PM:

A fade-in at the start of a reel (or fade-out at the end of a reel) is legitimate, but not very good editing practice (the fade-ins often get chopped mid-fade by incompetent operators if a print is made up onto platters or large reels). The negative splice before the fade-in or after the fade-out is usually visible when looking at the print over a light box. The first frame after (or last frame before) that splice is the first/last frame of action on the reel.

Reel breaks should generally be made at major scene changes where there is no signficant picture or sound at the changeover point, although many editors have done otherwise over time. GWTW and Vertigo are two titles that come to mind where there is music that continues across a reel change (there are many others). With a new print and an operator who is comfortable with a particular set of projectors, this is fine, but not a good idea, generally. Not that there is any good way to fix this after the film has been made.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 04-05-2016, 12:49 PM:

I agree that standards should be obeyed whenever possible but I also think that "house rules" come first... provided you have a reason that is more than just a personal preference or whim.

If your equipment setup or storage space are such that you need to do things differently then the overall health of equipment and care of film, accordingly, trumps standards.

The main thing, in my opinion, is internal consistency.
Whatever way you decide to do things, always do it the same way, every time.

Posted by Jeffry L. Johnson (Member # 453) on 04-07-2016, 11:49 AM:

See this thread for more information and history of leaders and cue marks.