Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

FILM SPLICES AND CHANGEOVER MARKS Proper Film Care Is the Responsibility of Both Exchanges and Projectionists By WESLEY TROUT w E HAVE BEEN receiving many letters from theatres about poor condition of film received, particularly damaged sprocket holes (perforations) and “operators” using punches that made large holes for changeovers. We have received quite a few samples of film with as many as five or six unsightly large holes punched on the sides and even into the picture. This is entirely unnecessary, and it is a shame to ruin film in this manner and have this show up on the screen. Any projectionist who needs this kind of changeover mark certainly needs to see his eye doctor, or he is an operator who does not take pride in his work. EVEN NEW PRINTS ARE SCRATCHED From our long-time friend, Seth Barnes, projectionist at the Orpheum Theatre, Wichita, Kas., we received some samples of film with many punched holes for changeovers. He wrote: “Wes, I enclose some film clips taken from some pictures we have recently run. Ours is a first-run theatre, but even new prints are punched and scratched, even though the standard changeover cues are very p’ain. It is truly a shame many projectionists take so little pride in their work.” We agree with you, Seth, there are still quite a few sloppy “operators” who take very little interest in their work except for pay day. We keep on “preaching” the value of better projection and high-quality sound reproduction and, on occasional trips to small and large cities, we find there is a trend toward presenting better projection, more care is exercised in making better changeovers, using standard changeover cues and keeping equipment in better operating condition. VALUE OF GOOD PRESENTATION From letters we have received and talks with exhibitors and projectionists we learn we have contributed to this trend in our articles and service manual. You know, in time, dripping water will wear a hole in stone. So, our discussions on sound and projection have got the message “across” to many of our good readers. We shall continue to preach the value of good screen presentation and that it pays big dividends at the boxoffice. Now, let us discuss some of the causes of film damage due to transit to the theatre, while running through the projection machine and in rewinding. Much damage can be prevented if some care is exercised in the projection room and at film exchanges. When an exchange contracts to supply film service to a theatre prints should be in first-class condition, and the projectionist should use care in handling the film and return it in good condition to the exchange or to the next theatre that has to run it. May we first briefly point out a few of the causes of film damage: (a) Rough handling while in transit (mounted on bad reels and bent up film can) ; (b) Badly worn sprocket holes because of worn sprocket teeth and too much takeup tension on lower reel; (c) Imprint of teeth on film due to film running off of sprocket because pad rollers not properly adjusted; (d) Badly worn magazine fire rollers; (e) Lateral guide rollers with grooves caused by rollers not turning freely, and poor film inspection. Rewind elements in the projection room should be in perfect alignment so that the film will not rub on the sides of the reel — never, never use bent reels for rewinding or in the projector. Reels in bad condition can cause considerable film damage and unnecessary shutdown when used in the projector. Cue marks should be the standard dots or small rings and not large holes or scratched “Xs” on the film that mar good screen presentation. Punching of identifying marks and other markings should be Fifty years of show business represents thousands ol feet of film run through projectors. Seth E. Barnes, projectionist at the Orpheum Theatre, Wichita, Kas., since 1931 celebrated his 71st birthday on June 18. He was recently presented with a 50-year pin by Local 414, IATSE, having joined the organization in 1912, then Local 190 Stage Hands; later the projectionists received their own charter and were given the number 414, Motion Picture Projectionists. In 1927 Barnes moved to Kansas City to work for Fox theatres and stayed until 1931, coming back to Wichita to go to work at the Orpheum where he is still on the job, operating Simplex XL projectors and Ampex sound equipment. He is much concerned with the poor condition of film due to improper changeover cues and film splices, as discussed in the accompanying article. removed by the exchange and projectionist before the film is run in any theatre. Proper inspection should always be made in the inspection room of the film exchange and loose splices should be remade, untrimmed or cracked sprocket holes should be repaired so the fi’m will not tear apart when run through the projector. Only the very best film cement should be used in order to make a firm splice and one that will not pull apart. A strong splice can be made if the film is properly cleaned before applying film cement. TROUBLE WITH LOWER LOOP We have checked many complaints from exhibitors and projectionists as to why their soundhead or projector mechanism sometimes scratch the obverse or “slick” side of the film. Checking the equipment before any film was threaded, we could not, in most instances, find any badly worn parts that could cause this damage but in many, many cases, we watched the projectionist thread up and traced the troub’e to improper threading of the lower loop, this mostly prevalent in old model Simplex, the film striking the crank shaft that comes into the film compartment. However, in some soundheads a large loop can cause scratching of the slick side by “riding” against the inside of the housing. Most soundheads now have plenty of room for a film loop. It will be recognized that certain models of optical soundheads provide for a mounting bracket for a prismatic lens to bend the exciter beam toward the photocell. This particular type of mounting bracket will rub the back side of the film if more than four sprocket holes of slack is allowed. A very small loop should be used if you have the type of soundhead where the constant feed and takeup sprockets are close to the front housing, allowing very little leeway for a standard size loop. One must then keep the loop to about four or five sprocket holes of slack in order to prevent excessive scratching of film. It follows that correct threading is all-important in most makes of soundheads and projector mechanisms. Too large a loop will also be noisy and is unnecessary. BAD REELS WORST OFFENDERS Faulty reels with bent flanges and rough sides are the worst offenders of film damage, causmg the edges of film to be damaged. Moreover, film rewound loosely and with rewind elements out of line, or carelessly held by hand while inspecting will also cause some damage to the edge of film. But most damage of this nature can usually be traced to hand rewinds, or homemade electric rewind elements being out of alignment. And, don’t use a rewind with too much speed; film should always be rewound slowly, about seven or eight minutes to a reel of 2,000 feet. Another cause of excessive film damage is too much tension on tension shoes at the gate. Excessive tension here causes rapid wearing of the intermittent sprocket teeth and shoes. There should be just enough tension to hold the projected image steady Wesley Trout 6 The MODERN THEATRE SECTION