Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: On Overgrown Paths

This is topic On Overgrown Paths - 16mm museum setup in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 08-08-2010, 11:59 AM:

Went to see this exhibition in Bradford today.

http://www.impressions-gallery.com/exhibitions/exhibition.php?id=34

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Three ramshackle wooden cabins, assembled by the artist from discarded wood and salvaged building materials, invite the visitor to explore. Inside, flickering 16mm films reveal the lives of modern-day hermits who live in isolated spots in Northern Europe.

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I'm sure I was supposed to be appreciating this for the artistic quality but spend more time looking at the projection setup. [Big Grin]

Interesting setup, 16mm projectors with some sort of endless
loop system. Essentially a one deck platter sat on top of the projector, feeding from the center then running through the projector and back on the film loop. Projector stops at the end of the film and starts up again at the push of a button.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 08-08-2010, 01:11 PM:

There used to be a device like that for Elf (Eiki) projectors; I suppose it could be used with other makes as well. It was around in the late '70s and early '80s. Like most of these sort of devices it had a tendency to cause wear and scratching since the film had to slide over itself. Also rather prone to jamming. It didn't use the 'star' shape system that 35mm endless loop platters do. As far as I remember I don't think it attached to the projector, but stood over it on legs, like a small table. Does this sound like what you saw?

I'll be in Bradford again, but not soon enough to see this, probably late September.

Posted by Brian Guckian (Member # 1678) on 08-10-2010, 07:56 PM:

I set up a very similar system a few years ago in a gallery in Dublin. The equipment came from the UK - it was indeed an Elf / Eiki projector Stephen.

In this case the "platter" fitted to the projector carrying handle. It also had a thin, rotating horizontal brass rod that held the film roll in place.

Here's a photo: Eiki Endless Loop System

I believe the film I set up (showing a static, Warhol-esque image of a building) was coated for durability (possibly with 3M Photoguard); certainly it held up extremely well with just a couple of light base scratches visible at the end of the run.

Mind you the projector was activated by a motion detector so would not have been operating continuously.