This begs an interesting question: why aren't more movies shipped on the 6000s? If a movie comes that way it would lessen the possibility of a missing reel and it makes the build-up on Friday mornings a lot faster. For the GL it's not a major crisis since we have only four screens, but I would imagine in some bigger operations, Friday morning must be a nightmare.

Does anyone have a sense of how many first-run houses are still running 2000' reels and making hot switches? That's always been the explanation: that even though the vast majority of houses are running platter systems, there are enough which aren't to necessitate the 2000s. I understand that some rep houses still do reel changes, because it doesn't make sense to build up a movie that morning and break it down after the last show that night.

By the way, if you haven't seen this picture, please do before it disappears. It's a lovely story, wonderfully executed. Kids love this movie, but the grown-ups like it even better. And don't miss the images and voices of two of Walt Disney's "Nine Old Men," animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston in the train scene. That's Ollie, a model railroad hobbyist, as the engineer.

Whoever designed the reels should've made the inside solid, instead of leaving the grating exposed (necessary for stability in plastic). This grating picks up an incredible amount of dirt sitting around in the depot and isn't easily wiped clean.

Also, because they are not true 35mm reels (more like 55mm), they won't fit directly on any projector's reel arms as well as most platter makeup tables! Christie does have an ELR shaft designed specifically for these, and it works nicely. I don't know of any others who have done this.

Personally I've had one of these suckers split apart during the windoff. It's not a pretty sight! Just as with Technicolor reels, anything plastic designed for reuse is bound to fall apart sooner or later. I now use my Goldberg 6000' split reel for all ELR prints, just like I use my Goldberg 2000' reel for anything coming out of Technicolor. Of course, the benefit of Technicolor reels is they are already conveniently separated when I open the cans!

And then there's the whole thing of one large roll of film, whereas only the first 10 minutes of it is lab damaged. No more changing out reel 1...now it's changing out reels 1, 2, 3.

As for the reels themselves, I agree, they are really cheaply made, and not the most film-friendly things on the planet. The large hole in the center doesn't fit on many make up tables (except for some Christies as Brad mentioned) so you build up or break down to a really wobbly reel most of the time...

An better ELR design I would like to see would have the follwing:

-A 1/2" center spindle hole and a set of adapters to use 5/16 rewinds with these reels

-thin smooth flanges like regular reels, maybe cast from a fiber composite plastic for more strength rather than the sharp flashed 'ribs' on the inner surface of the flange that exists today.

-A more positive locking mechanism to hold the core and flanges together, maybe metal screws or pins, rather than the cheap locking tab thing that I have seen break way too many times

-Or just make a bunch of 6000' aluminum or steel stamped reels and ship prints on them

Aaron

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