The international photographer (Jan-Dec 1936)

Twenty The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER February, 1936 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (Continued from Page 17) eye strain on the audience. Hence the reason for a two or three-blade projector shutter. 7. Are duplicates from an original 8 mm. reversal film available? At the present time, this service is not available by the film manufacturer. Nevertheless, there are certain laboratories prepared to do this work. 8. Can 8 mm. reductions be made from 16 mm. film? Yes. Certain laboratories specialize in this work. 9. Is 8 mm. positive stock available for title work? Yes. This positive is in regulation 16 mm. width, but has the special 8 mm. perforations. It will fit the Eastman Cine-Kodak 8 mm. camera models, as well as the Keystone 8 mm. camera. After development, the 8 mm. positive stock must be split in two in order to run it on an 8 mm. projector. A Film Splitter is available for this purpose. 10. Does 8 mm. positive stock possess the same speed as 16 mm. positive? Yes. There is no difference between the two films, as far as speed is concerned. For example: If the F/8 is the correct exposure for a 16 mm. posi tive title, the same aperture, F/8, would also be correct for an 8 mm. positive. 11. In making tests of a home-made title, is it necessary to screen the results? It is advisable to do so. While many an amateur has sharp eyes and may be able to detect a "down hill trend" in a title by viewing it through a film viewer machine, it is far better practice to screen the title on a good size screen. If your title will pass this test which, after all is the only good one, you'll know you're making real titles. 12. How much film cement should be applied to make a satisfactory splice? Only enough to spread a thin coating on the scraped portion of film. Too much cement makes a bad splice and a messy one. As a service to amateur movie-makers, we extend a cordial invitation to write in questions which will be replied to in this department. Address all such letters to: Questions and Answers Department THE INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER 1605 North Cahuenga Avenue Hollywood, California WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A GOOD SPLICE (Continued from Page 18) layer of the solution. As quickly as possible bring the two film ends together, under pressure, and allow about ten seconds for the initial set of the cement. After this, remove pressure and wipe off any excess cement from both sides of the film. Fifth — Neatness. This attribute of a good splice can only be obtained by exercising extreme care in the whole cycle of operation of splicing, with particular emphasis on proper scraping, applying cement carefully, and quick removal of any excess amount. In the case of sound film, neatness is extremely essential; for as you know, the sound track is scanned by exciter lamp and photo-electric cell in the process of sound reproduction. Any smudge or buckling splice greatly alters, if only temporarily, the quality of the sound coming from the screen. Speaking of sound, there are special precautions to observe in splicing both types of talking picture film. All the foregoing that has been mentioned for splicing silent film applies to sound film and more! Sound-on-disc, while being the earlier method for sound reproduction, is still quite largely employed in the amateur field of cinematography. We will even venture the opinion that in the case of 8 mm. sound-on-disc is admirably suited and we may yet see it used for the benefit of the users of this miniature movie film. As is well known, sound-on-disc film is perfectly synchronized to its companion disc, from first frame to the last frame of the film. Any damage to this film, even amounting to only three or four frames, must be replaced by an equal number of frames of blank film. Unless this is done, correct synchronization will be lost between film and disc; from the point of the break the picture will be ahead of sound and will so continue until the end of the reel. Insertion of the correct number of blank frames, while splicing, will overcome this difficulty, and will only cause a momentary blank screen when projected. Perhaps you will recall the earlier Vitaphone professional movies, with such a patch, when the picture disappeared for a second or so while the sound continued from the blank screen speakers. Happily enough, sound-on-film can't lose synchronism and thus becomes almost as simple to splice as silent film. The sound recording is spaced on the sound track next to the pictures, so when damage occurs both are deleted from the reel. Nevertheless, since with this film we are dealing with a sound track and a photocell which "observes" everything, the sound track should be shaded at the splice to avoid any annoying "plop" from the sound screen speakers, as the double-thick film splice runs through the projector sound gate past the exciter lamp and photo-electric cell. Shading of a 16 mm. sound splice should be done carefully and very neatly, and painting it out is best accomplished by using lacquer. Thus shading a sound splice reduces the sound level to an insignificant intensity, but does not last long enough to be perceptible to the audience. Although in splicing any type of film, sound or silent, the position of the overlap of the splice is seldom observed in amateur movies, it is worthy of note. No matter how well a film is spliced, there remains the possibility of the splices opening slightly at the edge. Referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that during the projection if the open edge faces, as at A, it may tear apart. But if it faces, as at B, there is less likelihood of this happening. In splicing therefore this position of the overlap should always be observed, bearing in mind likewise that reversible and negative-positive system films face different ways when they are screened. All original reversible film and reduction prints made from 35 mm. must have their respective emulsion face towards the screen. But all contact prints made from 16 mm. negative and duplicates of original re (Tiirn to Page 25) Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.