British Kinematography (1950)

154 • BRITISH KINEMATOGRAPHY Vol. 16, No. 5 (a) Dirt or hard emulsion in the film channels of the projector is the most effective method of destroying a film. It is a good thing to run a short length of plain black film through the projector to see whether it is being marked. If it is, the offending part can be detected by tracing where it is on the film and comparing it with the film channels. (b) Excessive picture gate pressure. (c) Projector sprocket guards out of line. The re-winder is another hazard that can cause trouble with the inexperienced or careless operator, especially if a ring is worn on an ungloved hand. To conclude, I must thank Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Ltd. for permission to screen the films used for demonstration purposes. II. PROBLEMS IN THE FIELD Matt. Raymond, Jnr., M.B.K.S.* A PRINT in service is no better than the worst treatment it has received, and in order to maintain prints in first-class condition it is essential for the exhibitor to co-operate with the renter by keeping his equipment correctly adjusted and clean.2 Films can and will be damaged by any projector if it is not threaded correctly or if the projector is not kept clean. If dirt is allowed to accumulate, scratches will occur when the film passes through the gate, and also if rollers are stuck or not able to turn freely. The tension adjustment and construction of projection gates have an important bearing on the life of a print. If all film supporting or guiding surfaces were perfectly smooth and constructed of a suitable glass-hard material, there would be little trouble. Another source of damage is projector gates which on close examination can be seen to have minute scratches, caused through dirt and wear, or perhaps by the use of a pin or some metallic instrument for cleaning purposes. These scratches can lead to an enormous amount of trouble. Only bone or wood of course should be used for cleaning. Non-Stop Projection It is a debatable question whether a complete programme of, say, 2 hours' duration or more, should be run non-stop on one machine. This is a practice which is growing very rapidly and is causing a certain amount of concern. Apart from the various non-stop projection devices which are on the market,4 a number of exhibitors indulge in methods of their own in order to run their programmes non-stop. One method is to assemble the whole programme on a large spool and take up the film on a normal 1,600 ft. spool. In order to do this they insert about 1 in. of spacing between each 1,600 ft. reel when assembling the complete programme, cut the spacing when it has passed through the projector, and then take up on a fresh spool. Sometimes in their haste or in the dark they miss the spacing and cut the film instead. A slight variation of this method, but an equally dangerous one, is to assemble a complete programme of 4,000 ft. or more on a 1,600 ft. spool, resulting in the film projecting 4 ins. or more beyond the edge of the spool. The film is taken up as in the previous case on a 1,600 ft. spool. Yet another method of running a programme non-stop using one projector, but without large spools, is achieved by removing the top spool when there is roughly 20 ft. of film left on it, and then to unwind the film off the spool as quickly as possible, at the same time allowing the film to continue to pass through the projector. The next reel is then put on the projector and the beginning stuck by adhesive paper to the end of the outgoing reel. After * Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Ltd.