Obviously, no, you don't inspect the print frame by frame. That, as you put it so well, would take forever.

When I get a print in, first I check to see what condition it is sent to me in. Are their plastic bands on the cannister locks that say "Sealed"? Are there paper bands around the individual reals with unbroken stickers holding the string? Are there stickers holding the film head or tail to the reel that are unbroken. This can give you an idea if you are receiving a new or used print. But even if everything looks untouched, I still check the print.

I have a light setup under my rewind table where I build prints. Since I sit on a stool, this gives me better backlighting that the Kemlar table inspection light.

New Print:

If I am fairly sure it is a new print, I start with the first reel slowly and verify it is clean and free of artifacts (dirt, scratches, fingerprints, etc.). Then I will do several other stops in mid sections of the reel for the same things.

I hold the film between my fingers at the edges to feel for lab splices. If the lab splice is in the middle of a frame, I always take it out and re-splice it with clear tape. Holding the print also lets you check for torn sprockets.

I also look for the very rare under developed or over developed portions of the print. On occasion you will get this. I'll usually stop at any parts of the print that are completely clear or completely black. Especially all clear scenes. I also look to see if the soundtrack gets washed out or blacked out. If a print is over or under developed it wouldn't just effect the frame. As I said before, this is VERY rare and I've only seen one in my entire career.

Used Print:

On used prints I check the first reel frame by frame for about the first ten feet or so, depending on if I find problems. Remember, small scratches can look huge on a big screen so look carefully.

If you find a scratch, see how long it goes. If it starts at the begining of a reel and ends at the tail of that reel and is not seen on any others the are a couple things you can assume. 1. The print was scratched by someone running changeovers. 2. The lab scratched the print (more likely if it is a new print). It is very rare people running platters will scratch a print precisely head to tail on exactly one reel. I had this happen with my copy of Magnolia. It was determined to be a lab scratch.

If it is scratched head to tail on all reels, likely it was abused by someone with platters. In this case I call whomever distributed the print and tell them to fine the hell out of the previous user and send me another print, or replacement reels for those that are damaged.

Another things about scratches. Besides the formentioned way to presume a scratch was made by the lab, remember this. Labs never develop consecutive reels (1-2-3-)...it is always reels (1-4-7) or something like that. Therefore, if a scratch continues onto a consecutive reel, rule out the lab.

If there are problems, I always inspect the rest of the print at a very low speed. If there are, say, one or two very bad frames I may remove them. But never take a chunck of film out of a print. Notify the distributor.

I also look for any splices the previous operators may have put in. I check the frame sequences and the analog soundtrack to see if they may have took a big chunck out.

And I look for cues lazy operators may have left on at breakdown.

Also, we try and have someone pre-screen it (preferably a projectionists who knows what to look for).

If there are big problems, always notify the distributor immediately so you are not fined for them.

It's all second nature now, I really don't think about it anymore so I may have left out a step or two, but that should get you started.

------------------
"And the monkey flips the switch."
- Major Don West, "Lost In Space"

 |  IP: Logged

As I've suggested in previous postings, theatres should offer free admission to technically saavy "film buffs" to attend one of the first screenings of a print and report any problems. Theatres could use a subjective evaluation form much like that used by Lucasfilm Theatre Alignment Program (TAP) inspectors. By actually watching and listening to the entire movie early in its run, you can find and fix problems that aren't easily caught during print inspection on the rewind bench (e.g., sound sync, erratic sound defaults).

 |  IP: Logged

Whenever I find the one I used to use, I'll post it here also.

 |  IP: Logged

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dustin Mitchell:
We get almost exclusivley new prints so this is probably a reason we have never done pre-build inspections. I'll try to make this a priority though.

---

Um, I never did film inspection becuase I did not know why you should do them or how, now I will, as stated above.

Just out of curiosity, why should lab splices be removed? I will take your word for it, but I'd kind of like to know.

 |  IP: Logged

 |  IP: Logged