Reel Life (May 1914 - Dec 1916)

Twenty REEL LIFE (‘U'f The Practical Side of Pictures SPLICING film is something that every operator should be able to do well and every exhibitor should know how it is done, so that he will know that his operator, if called upon to make a joint, does it properly and in a workmanlike manner. Every operator knows that the necessity for splicing a film may arise at any time and he should be prepared to do it. Films that need it should be properly spliced before being returned to the exchange. Note the word properly, for if a film is spliced improperly it is worse than no splice at all. A poor joint may not be noticed until it has jammed in the machine or done some other damage. Splicing a film is such a simple matter that there is no excuse for making a joint that is not perfect. All that it requires is common or household intelligence and care. In that respect it is not unlike thousands of other tasks that mortals are called upon to perform. An inspection of a piece of film will show that there are four perforations to the picture and that between each of the pictures there is a printing line. The best place to cut the film for splicing is below the first perforation below this printing line, say about half way between that perforation and the one below. This will leave a strip of the top of one of the pictures at the bottom of the severed piece of film. This strip should be about three sixteenths of an inch wide. Next, the emulsion should be scraped from the strip, that is, from the bottom of the severed piece of film upward to the printing line at the bottom of the picture above. This scraping may be made while the film is dry or the film may first be moistened. The latter process takes a little longer but it makes a more satisfactory joint. Some operators moisten the end of the film with saliva, a method to which there are natural objections. As only a very little moisture is needed it can be supplied by a damp sponge against which the finger can be pressed. It is not safe to have a vessel of water, even a saucer, around where film is handled because the accidental spilling of the water might result in wetting a roll of film and thereby spoiling it. Any sharp instrument will serve for scraping the emulsion from the film. When the emulsion first is moistened only the emulsion is scraped off. If the scraping is done with the film dry the surface of the celluloid is made rough, which, to a certain extent, interferes with the transparency. A discarded blade from a safety razor makes an ideal scraper. No matter what else is used, care must be exercised to remove all of the emulsion, as the mucilage, glue or cement used will not adhere to emulsion. Great care also must be used so that the emulsion will not be removed higher up than the printing line. After the end of the film has been scraped the upper end of the other strip should be cut squarely across directly below the printing line. Then the two ends are joined so that the upper perforation on each side of the lower piece of film fits directly over the lower perforation on each side of the end of the other piece of film. Press the two ends of film firmly together and hold them for a moment, being certain that all portions of the two , films that should be united are secured by the cement. Some cautious operators make a longer splice than suggested above, two holes on each side of the lower film being fitted over two holes on each side of the upper film. This makes a longer and, of course, a stronger joint, but such a precaution is unnecessary. It should be borne in mind that the short splice is better than the long one, as it goes through the sprocket wheels with less commotion and is less likely to cause trouble. Most of the film now in use has the printing line between the perforations but occasionally a film will be found where the printing line is exactly even with a sprocket hole. In splicing this sort of film in order to avoid a long splice the cut may be made directly through the middle of the perforation below the printing line. Then the half perforation that is left can be matched with the whole perforation on the other piece of film and the result will be satisfactory. The object in putting one hole over the other is not to make a longer and consequently firmer splice, but to be certain that the sprocket holes are matched so that the joined film will pass through the projection machine without a hitch and that the sprockets will engage the holes perfectly. Some careful operators join the film with an exceptionally short splice by fitting the bottoms of the perforations. This gives plenty of film for a firm joint but the method is not safe except for particularly expert and careful workmen. The danger of failure to get the perforations properly matched is too great. When it becomes necessary to join a film that has the perforation on the printing line to one that has the printing line between the perforations no attempt must be made to match the pictures. A “jump” is unavoidable and the two pieces of film will not “frame” the same. This will have to be adjusted by the operator and will cause little trouble, but failure to have the perforations properly matched is fatal. There are many brands of cement on the market and most of them are satisfactory. Of course, in applying the cement care must be exercised to use enough and not too much, and it must not be applied to the film where the emulsion has not been removed. Rose Richtel and James Smith Expert Film Cutters of the Reliance-Majestic Studios The Operator.