International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1954)

TYPES OF FILM DAMAGE (Continued from page 10) damage to the film during projection. On the subject of extra and unsightly cue marks, exchanges in the New York area were less vocal. Except for prints used a great many times, this did not present a serious problem. The practice of putting confusing and unsightly marks on leaders and using picture-defacing slashes as cue marks at the end of a reel has greatly decreased in recent years, the inspectors agreed. However, since more than one projectionist has written to this office recently on this problem, it is worth repeating some advice contained in an article by Robert A. Mitchell, "Projection Room Handling of Film Prints," IP for March, 194S. Care of Leaders "In the matter of conserving leaders, projectionists can help by using great care in threading and by refraining from marking reel numbers, titles, etc., on the leaders with indelible ink," Mr. Mitchell stated. "Notations should be confined to the first few feet of the plain 'protection leader' and then written only with easilyerased cellophane marking crayon or grease pencil. "The painting of squares and crosses on threading-up footage-number frames has high nuisance value, as has also the cementing of opaque strips of film across leaders. "Inasmuch as the standard release print depends for its effectiveness on the exact positioning of the cues and leader footage numbers, projection efiiciency is reduced when these have been mutilated. It is the responsibility of the distributor to replace leaders which have been unduly shortened through repeated use, and it also behooves him not to overdo the replacement of film to the extent of interposing several yards of black film between footage numbers and the start of the picture. Such excess footage must be removed. "The motor start and changeover cues are frequently rendered unsightly by projectionists who fear that they may not catch the printed cues when they flash on the screen. Much worse is scratching curtain cues into the emulsion, for their presence is likely to confuse the projectionists who subsequently use the film. Curtain and lighting cues should be marked on the Magazine valve rollers, shovi/n in the above illustration, can be responsible for much damage to film when dirt, oil or chips of film accumulate around them and may prevent them from turning freely. The results are vertical scratches running up and down the emulsion or the support side of the film. film with crayon, and then wiped off when the film has completed its run. "Motor start and changeover cues which are really too faint to be seen on the screen may be rendered visible by lightly scoring them with a regular cue-marking device, several of which are on the market. Holes should never be punched in the film." In conclusion something should be said regarding film damage problems in connection with the new CinemaScope film. Josephine McGrath, chief inspector at the 20th Century-Fox New York exchange, was inclined to feel that exchanges and projectionists still have a lot to learn in processing the new film with its smaller sprocket holes and four magnetic tracks. CinemaScope Film Some annoying problems have come up at the exchange, including balkiness of some of the big semi-automatic splicing machines in handling the film which must be scraped on both sides. Also, considerably more care must be exercised in inspecting CinemaScope prints because of the exposed position of the magnetic tracks. (See "Splicing for 3-D and CinemaScope" in the December, 1953, IP.) The types of damage covered in this article are not meant to comprise an all-inclusive list. Not covered, for instance, is the severe buckling and blistering of film caused by excessive projection temperatures, something that happens most often at drive-in theatres, or the fact that considerable damage is done to film shipped badly wound in deformed or dented cans and reels or by cans being thrown around during transit. "Common Causes of Film Damage to 35-mm Release Prints," published by Eastman Kodak, covers the subject in detail all the way from the laboratory to the projection room. Motiograph Offers "Raincoat" In-Car Speaker With Spring not so far away, and with drive-in operators preparing for what they hope will be banner business, Motiograph is drawing industry attention to its improved "Rainmaster" in-car speakers. Covering the face of the unit is a taut hnen cover impregnated with a chemical which makes it rainproof and dustproof. This, Motiograph claims, makes the speaker impervious to all kind of weather, from cloudbursts to duststorms, and so doubles the life of the unit. Speaker and box are made of aluminum for extreme lightness. The "Rainmaster" is designed to fit practically any make or model of junction box, so that it may be ordered with or without its junction companion. The junction has multi-tapped transformers which permit exact impedance matching with any make or model of sound reproducing equipment. The Motiograph Rainmaster 28 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST FEBRUARY 1954