Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1940)

513 6 eepm<f u in oaxI&i <JicmL to UiAWie that tkey, THERE is no case on record of a film — 8mm. or 16mm.. reversal or positive print — which has mutilated or damaged itself in any manner whatsoever! Much as we hate to admit it, practically all damage to film is caused by ourselves alone. Neither 16mm. nor 8mm. movie film deteriorates or scratches or tears itself, if it is properly handled and properly stored. As a matter of fact, we cannot even blame faulty equipment for damage that films may suffer in use, for but a fraction of one percent of all accidents to film may be laid to cine equipment — camera, projector or editing device. Further, no appreciable amount of damage is caused by bad storage, if one eliminates carelessness and the human element. One really must go out of his way to store film under bad conditions. The bottom shelf of a cool closet that contains neither radiator nor steam riser is ideal. For the large stocks of film in schools and other institutions, neat metal containers and racks are available. Exhaustive tests by United States Government bureaus have shown that acetate film, which is used for all 16mm. and 8mm. films, originals or prints, is a remarkably stable medium. It is far more stable than the nitrate motion picture film used for 35mm. theatrical purposes. We can dismiss film deterioration or film shrinkage as of no importance, when we discuss the damage that might be done to 16mm. or 8mm. film. The truth is that we have no alibi, if film is damaged in our hands. It is a reasonably tough product, and hard treatment or carelessness is required to harm it. Carelessness is the chief enemy of motion picture film. First, let us consider the harm that may come to a film when it is not in the projector. It may be torn by rough operation of the rewind, although ordinary care would prevent this. It may be damaged by abrasions on its soft emulsion surface, or liquids may be accidentally poured on it. The remedy for both of these possible difficulties is to keep the film, when it is not in use, in one of the metal containers designed for the purpose. The container will keep out dust, and it will protect the film from the casual physical accidents that might happen to any similar object — a book, for instance. The damage that dust can do to a film is greater than one would think. Dust settles on a film that is exposed to air for any length of time. The dust settles between the coils of a loosely wound reel, and there it is, ready to scratch the emulsion surface when one coil slips in relation to another, during rewinding or projecting. The answer to this problem, in so far as storage is concerned, is easy — keep all your reels in film cans. Do not allow reels of film to lie uncovered on shelves or on work FREDERICK G. BEACH, ACL benches. Make a practice of returning each reel to its can when you are through with it. Simple? Yes. but this precaution, that many take for granted, would save a lot of footage from unsightly scratches and minor abrasions. Before you start to rewind, splice or inspect a film, dust the equipment that you are going to use and. also, the top of the table on which loose coils of film may fall. If you are editing a film, clean each splice carefully and, when you have completed the work, run the whole reel between the folds of a soft cloth, held in the hands. Inspect your own films on a rewind, from time to time, and particularly before you begin to project them. Most advanced amateur movie makers carefully inspect each reel before a showing, and all school, church or club libraries of films should have arrangements for automatic inspection of their own reels after projection. '"A stitch in time saves nine," but the discovery of one broken sprocket hole in time may save nineteen or ninety sprocket holes. After you have finished inspecting a film, if it is your own. run it through the folds of a soft cloth, as you rewind it. If you have detected considerable dust or finger prints, use an approved film cleaning solution or carbon tetrachloride. (Be cautious in cleaning Kodachrome and, for that purpose, use only the film cleaner recommended by the manufacturer of the film.) If the film which you have finished projecting is a rented subject from a film library, a school or other exchange, do not rewind it. Leave the cleaning and inspection of the print to the organization from which you obtained the picture. Film rental services and distributors of free films make a practice of inspecting films as they rewind them. If you rewind the film, they are compelled to go through an extra operation; they must wind the film on an empty reel, then rewind it again, to get it back, ready for projection. But, whether you are dealing with film belonging to yourself or to somebody else, be sure that your equipment and work table are free from dust. Remember that unused film cans, containers and reels can collect dust, just as any other object; so. before you use them, wipe them off with a brush or cloth. Even if one does take reasonable care of a film, some dust is likely to collect on its surface during the course of projection and handling. This fine dust would do little or no harm, were it not for the inclination of the average person to rewind film at first fast, then more slowly, then faster again, varying his speed of operating the hand driven, geared rewind, from a dawdle to a hurricane. What happens? As the speed varies, the film slackens and tightens; as it does so, one coil of film rubs against another, and with considerable pressure. [Continued on page 534]