Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1949)

94 CHOOSING EDITING TOOLS What to look for when you buy that new splicer, rewind or film editor ELSEWHERE in this issue (see Equipment Survey: 7, page 92) the reader will find a roundup of the chief tools involved in film editing — splicers, rewinds and viewers. Every filmer, whether a tyro or a Ten Best award winner, will want an adequate assortment of this essential equipment. But what to buy? Well, eventually buy them all. Ed say. But first study your own needs, so that what you do select will serve these needs efficiently. To begin with, you'll want to know the purpose of each unit of editing equipment. And secondly, you should understand what features of each unit contribute toward accomplishing this purpose. Let's have a look. THE SPLICER Take the splicer first, since this is one item of editing equipment you cannot do without. The purpose of the splicer is to create an accurately aligned joining of two strips of film. To do this, it first cuts adjoining ends of these strips and then overlaps them in a predetermined position. There are, however, differing ways of doing these two simple things. First, the cutting. Most splicers cut a straight edge; i.e., across the film. Others feature a diagonal cut foi a longer bonding surface, claiming this splice runs through the projector more easily and is not especially noticeable during screening. There are also minor differences in the extent of overlap, the most popular being I 10 of an inch. The smallest splice overlap is 1/16 of an inch: it produces a neat splice but one which must be made with care. There is, finally, the end-to-end or butt splice, which is accomplished by the electrical method. Look over the field and select the type thai seems best for you. Try each one out and observe these points especially. Accuracy: This is essential. On the splicer, the sprocket l-.-wis C Cook DADDY'S tITTLE HELPER seems to display more enthusiasm than efficiency as he takes a potent turn at the 2,000 foot rewinds. DR. GILBERT W. SCHWARTZ, ACL holes of the film must overlap in perfect alignment. The overlapped end of the film must fit without interference from its opposing pressure plate. The pressure plates should just meet in the closed position with the right hand plate covering the end of the overlap. The cutter must cut evenly and accurately. The width of the scraped area must be exactly that of the overlap. There must be a positive locking device to hold the pressure plates firmly in position during cementation. Ease of Adjustment: All mechanical equipment is likely to get out of adjustment sooner or later. Therefore, all parts should be easily adjustable and replaceable. Operation: The order of operations in the splicing routine should be easy and natural. There should be no waste or duplicate movements, and the movable units of the splicer should travel smoothly and with precision. Make a few splices on each splicer and see how it feels. Quality of Manufacture: A well made splicer looks it. See if the surfaces that contact the film are smooth. THE REWINDS Rewinds generally come in pairs. Their function is simply to hold a feed reel and a takeup reel while film is wound from one to the other. All the rewinds available serve this purpose. Additional features to be looked for include the following: The height of the shank or column of the rewind is probably first in importance, since it determines the maximum size of reel — 200, 400. 800 or 1600 feet — it will accept. If you plan ever to use the larger reels, the time to think of it is now. A resistance knob to regulate the spin of the rewind and pre vent an uncontrolled unwinding of the film is helpful. Another design serving the same purpose is a hand brake which allows momentary retarding of the rewind action. The opposite effect is accomplished by a release clutch which permits the free spinning of a reel by disengaging the rewind arm. Extra long spindles will permit more than one feed reel to be placed on the rewind at the same time. This is often handy in feeding alternate short scenes onto the takeup reel. Motor driven rewinds with foot controls provide the ultimate in luxury and incorporate all the above features. They are designed primarily for heavy duty film library or laboratory use. THE FILM VIEWER The purpose of a viewer (also called an editor I is to present easily and in motion a miniature image of vour film frames. All viewers do so, but for your own benefit there are individual features to look for when buying one. You will want a clear picture, bright and large enough to be easy on the eyes. Ideally, the ratio of brightness to size in this picture should be the same as when projected on a screen. Only in this way can exposure density be accurately judged. The path of the film through the viewer should be as direct as possible, and its passage over the rollers and aperture plate should be with an absolute minimum of scratching. You should be able to insert and remove the film [Continued on page 110]