BUGONIA (2025 - 35mm]

[Sascha Roll]

BUGONIA
(Universal / Focus Features)

8 Reels - ca. 119 min
1,50:1 image inside 1.85:1 frame
Dolby SR/SRD

Scribed cues inside 1.50 image

Framing Test Loop attached

Film professionally packaged by Film-Tech

[Sascha Roll]

Like to add something really akward:
Something seems to be "off" with the way the image is printed. You basically have to thread the first reel 1 perf "off" ("lower" in the gate) for the image to hit the screen centered. This completely got me at our internal QC test screening. Started to check the splice between the Film-Tech white protection "leader" extension and my own leader extension that is used for threading. Everything was perfectly correct.

In the end I had to remove 1 perf (3 instead of 4) at the splice between my added leader and the original one for the image to be in-frame on screen.

[Paul Finn]

Why wasn't the minor framing adjustment needed just made on the projector? Or, isn't that permitted at this facility?

Paul Finn

[Ryan Gallagher]

Like to add something really akward:
Something seems to be "off" with the way the image is printed. You basically have to thread the first reel 1 perf "off" ("lower" in the gate) for the image to hit the screen centered. This completely got me at our internal QC test screening. Started to check the splice between the Film-Tech white protection "leader" extension and my own leader extension that is used for threading. Everything was perfectly correct.

In the end I had to remove 1 perf (3 instead of 4) at the splice between my added leader and the original one for the image to be in-frame on screen.

Did this Film-Tech packaging include a section of framing leader beyond the white protection (or internal to the white protection)? I know our 35mm Brutalist distribution from them had that.

It was white -> framing section -> clear -> lab leader. (From memory, white and clear might have been swapped).

I very much like this approach cause it keeps all the head/tail touching/oil/dirt far away from the lab leaders and print. (at least in a reel to reel context, but if you are adding your own leader I suspect this is a platter booth?) I believe the R2R intention is to thread on the white, advance to the framing leader and pause to adjust framing, then you have enough clear leader to run the projector at full speed towards the lab leader and check for problems, obviously confirm framing again once on the countdown.

If everything is counting out correctly frame wise at the splices I would speculate that the 1.50 matted image area is just not placed exactly where a 1.85 matte would normally exist vertically? There is also the potential lab under sizing at play too perhaps. Or perhaps framing just needs to be checked on your projector, but I would assume that part is fine (though assuming is risky in forum advice).

[Ryan Gallagher]

Also FWIW... if this is a platter house... I can't claim that FT is making their outer most white leader complete to a frame, or that it will remain so (Brad would have to chime in)... it is designed to be somewhat sacrificial and will lose perfs in handling most likely. If I was plattering I probably would have removed the white and put my leader on the FT framing leader, the clear following it, or directly on the lab leader. You can leave the white in if counting out frames on that much white is something easy for you with a film counter etc.

[Sascha Roll]

This is the Position that the original Leader needs to have in the Gate for the Image to hit the Screen centered...
IMG-20251031-WA0016.jpg

[Ryan Gallagher]

This is the Position that the original Leader needs to have in the Gate for the Image to hit the Screen centered...

you’ve solved you issue, but I’d be quite curious to see an film image frame registered against PA35 or RP40, if the problem still exists when framing on the lab leader that seems to suggest the image is not printed centered vertically.

Did you file custom plates or using your 1.85 plates? A new plate filed referencing a gate that was out of framing could cause this too I suppose.

Due to the angle it's a little hard to tell if you shared your photo intending to show how "off" it is, or that it is indeed "normal" when framing on the lab leader. I'm not as familiar with that projector but just by eye it looks like you are having to frame a bit beyond of where you normally would?

[Ryan Gallagher]

I suppose for "completeness", one also has to mention being sure to neutralize the intermittent before threading/framing. It would be unusual for that gotchya to hit someone consistently every time with a particular print, but it too can cause the same result. Another thing that is easy to assume without checking.