Home Movies and Home Talkies (Jun 1932-May 1933)

HOME MOVIES & HOME TALKIES 317 Fig. 1. The Author's device for scraping WORKERS on 16-inm. film have available a number of spliciiig machines which efficiently perform all tlie requisite operations ; from trimming to the final step of keeping the two lapped ends rmder pressure while the cement sets. The 9-mm. user has, however, only one such piece of apparatus, that sold by the Patho Coinpany, which )irovides for keeping the splice imder rjressure and in alignment wliile drying. It is, however, an excellent little instrument and costs but a few shillings. . The rec^uirements of a good splice on 9-mm. flhn are, of course, the same as on the larger size film. It must be strong, must pass through the machine without "judder " and should not be apparent on the screen. Special Considerations In joining 9-mm. film some other considerations arise in achieving the desired end and I propose to deal with the points as they arise during the course of an imaginary demonstration of making a splice. For reasons which will be apparent later I always make a splice in a given order, rimning the fibn from left to right before me from the top spool of the projector on the left into a clean waste-paper basket on the right. The two ends to be joined are fii'st trimmed with a pah of scissors just beyond a perforation and as close to the perforation as is practicable. The reason for the close trim becomes clear when it is remeinbered that there is part of the picture on the fihn beyond the perforation. If, then, any considerable j3art of the picture is included in the join there wUl appear on projection a ' ' flash ' ' reveaUng a second picture extending but half-way down the screen. Scraping Of the two overlapping ends which constitute the splice one will have a coating of gelatme which holds the picture. As the cement will only join celluloid surfaces the gelatine surface must first be scraped off in order to bare the celluloid. Here again the removal of the gelatine much beyond the inner side of the perforation may cause a "flash" on the screen, this time a white one. It is clear, therefore, that the film must be scraped only asfar as the other piece of fihn will overlap. Professional film jomers have for many years ensured a clean edge in removing tlie gelatme by placing a piece of straight-edged metal over the part of the film to be protected ; revealing only the end from which the gelatine is to be removed. I have SPLICING 9mm. film By HARRY WALDEN made myself a very simple and convenient edge for this purpose out of a ]3iece of thin sheet zinc as shown in Fig. 1. This is just small enough to go into the bottom of the box holding the mender. It will be seen that in order followed it is the left-hand piece of film from which the gelatine is 1 FILM fQ£SSU9B r^OTCH BOLT aacESs Fig. 3. The wrong way removed. The broken edge of a hack-saw blade is often recommended as a scraper but I have foimd this and other heavy instrimaents a little rough and if not used carefully, inclined to tear away the tiiin .strip of celluloid between the perforation and the end of the film (A). I use an Ensign Print Trimmer for the purjjose 1 FILM Fig. U. Spliced this way the film must pass the gate sweetly as it very satisfactorily and quickly takes the gelatine off without undue pressure. The pens are, moreover, very cheap and may be thrown away when they become blunt. The two ends are now ready for joining and the right-hand piece is put on the mender first, face dovmwards. Then the left hand piece is X3ut on, also face doivnwards. In this position the left-hand piece may be easily lifted with the fingers of the left hand leaving the right hand free to apply the cement : an important point for a right-handed person. The Fig. 2. The film face should be downwards cement should be applied sparingly only to those two siufaces which are to be joined. If too much is used dissolved celluloid may ooze out round the edges of the perforation and the edges of the fihn while under the pressure clamp. I prefer to use a small camel-hair brush for the pur|50.se rather than the glass rod provided with the cement. Removing the Film The join will be sufficiently set after ten or fifteen seconds and may be removed from the mender after opening all three clamps by giving it a slight twist. Care should be exercised in opening the pressure lids, as, if they are forced back and strained it may be found that, in making subsequent joins, the pressure has become uneven. If this happens one side of the film in the mender takes most of the pre.ssure with the result that the other side receives too little and the join that side will be imperfect. If such an accident occurs the pressure pad may be adjusted so that it sets flat on the film but, in gauging the adjustment, two pieces of film should be put into the clamp before it is clipped down. Avoiding " Judder " Some readers raaj^ have been surprised at the practice described above of placmg the fihl^s to be joined face down in the mender. This course is, however, followed in the following circumstances. 'WHien the joined film passes through the projector it recjuires to pass over the recess for the notch-bolt. If film is joined in the order showir m Fig. 3 and the splice is not too well made it will " judder " as it ijasses through the projector. In order to avoid any chance of tliis defect I alwaj's join my films as shown in Fig. 4 in order that they are certain to pass through the machine smoothly, Neiv Colour Films For a long time the Kodacolor process was the only natural colour photography available to the amateur cinematographer, but recently the Agfa process which operates on similar principles was introduced on the British market, and now the twocolour process invented by Lady WiUiams and marketed by the Bell & Howell Company under the name of •'Morgana" is available in America. We know of two other colour processes on the way, one of which at least will require very little more light for projection.' than the ordinary black and white film.