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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » projectionists nightmare (Page 1)

 
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Author Topic: projectionists nightmare
Scott McFly
Film Handler

Posts: 19
From: Birch Run, MI, USA
Registered: Aug 2000

- posted 08-11-2000 03:01 AM      Profile for Scott McFly   Email Scott McFly   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
guys, i did a bad thing tonight. i had to break down x-men and it was on the top platter. it needed to be in the middle, so i figured i could move it without the film clamps right? WRONG! i salvaged the trailers and first reel, but the last 5 reels fell apart in my arms. we had 4 guys working on sorting and putting the film back in some kind of order. i had to find all splyces, and untangle each reel from the rest of the reels in the mess, and once i got a reel back in order, i had to set it on a platter, feed it through a brain up to another platter where it went neatly onto a ring then moved to the middle so another guy could put it on the proper reel and put in the case. with 4 guys it only took about 2 and a half hours to sort and put each reel in the can. tonight i learned there are two rules when moving a movie ANYWHERE. one, ask for help, and two, USE THE F'N CLAMPS! by the way, id like to know im not the only one who does things like this, does anyone else have a neat nightmare theyd like to share?

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1129
From: Marietta, GA
Registered: Jul 2000

- posted 08-11-2000 03:08 AM      Profile for Mike Spaeth   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Spaeth   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Either that - or break it directly off of the top. That's why they have the adjustable-height roller on the breakdown tables. (My assistants had no clue what it was before I got there - as they were middle platter only people as well.)

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Scott McFly
Film Handler

Posts: 19
From: Birch Run, MI, USA
Registered: Aug 2000

- posted 08-11-2000 04:56 AM      Profile for Scott McFly   Email Scott McFly   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
there is no adjusting on the tables at my places, its either middle platter... or the floor!

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

- posted 08-11-2000 05:02 AM      Profile for Dustin Mitchell   Email Dustin Mitchell   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I used to be a "I don't need clamps or help" man myself. Then one day I was moving "Next Friday." Right when I took it off the platter I knew I was in trouble. It was loose. But I somehow managed to get to the other side of the complex, up the stairs, and to the platter before I had the real trouble. I was carrying it verticaly. When I tried to flip it up horizontialy to put it one the platter, it fell in half. This one was easy to fix, I just cut the film and put the two halve on two decks. Then I threaded the projected, spliced it up, and ran it through. Problem is, this happened 5 minutes before showtime. I had to give out 2 refunds.

Not as big a deal, but it still taught me-USE CLAMPS!!!

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Steven Clode
Film Handler

Posts: 11
From: London, UK
Registered: Aug 2000

- posted 08-11-2000 06:03 AM      Profile for Steven Clode   Email Steven Clode   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
This is quite amusing. A little while back myself and a fellow projectionist where moving a new copy of the Film Mad Cows(very bad British trash) from our booth on the first floor to the booth on the forth floor. We were in a hurry so we cut some corners and just held the print from underneath, no boards,no clamps, just our arms holding it in place.Well we managed to reach the elevator before the print gave way and ended up all over the floor in a space of about 5sq ft well you can imagine we spent the rest of the night picking this film up off the floor while going up and down in the elevator all night.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

- posted 08-11-2000 09:01 AM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
I'm curious as to what kind of platter wound the film so loosely.

Personally, I say one person should never move a print by themselves, although I am guilty of moving as big as 8 reel beasts by myself such as "Forrest Gump" when I HAD to. Dwayne has me topped though. He has moved Green Mile multiple times by himself (not an option) with only 2 clamps and on platters that would wind unbelieveably loose (very old AW3s).

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Joe Grace
Film Handler

Posts: 44
From: Maine
Registered: Feb 2000

- posted 08-11-2000 09:36 AM      Profile for Joe Grace   Email Joe Grace   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
One time I moved green mile with another person, and with clamps, it was wound so losely that the sides of the film that were not held began to sag and all of the clamps came off at the same time. We got it on the deck, but it didnt look pretty, it took a while to get the film to a playable state.


Joe

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Dave Cutler
Master Film Handler

Posts: 277
From: Centennial, CO
Registered: Jun 2000

- posted 08-11-2000 04:05 PM      Profile for Dave Cutler   Email Dave Cutler   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I am guilty, I am bad, I am evil.

I move prints by myself with no clamps 20 times a week. Big prints, small prints doesn't matter. I do stay away from the big loose ones. Biggest print I moved alone was Titanic.

I know it's not the proper way, but I have to. I end up closing my 24-plex alone most thursday nights, and I have to get the prints moved before opening. Of course I don't let my staff see me doing it and they all know that if I see them doing it, or drop a print doing it they will be fired on the spot.

It's beed five years, and I haven't dropped one yet. Knock on wood.

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 08-11-2000 06:29 PM      Profile for Ian Price   Email Ian Price   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Dave, what kind of platters do you have? I'm guessing Strong/Potts. I moved prints on my own without clamps using the Strong/Potts platter. Now I am using older Specos and we always use clamps and two people.

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Dave Cutler
Master Film Handler

Posts: 277
From: Centennial, CO
Registered: Jun 2000

- posted 08-11-2000 07:40 PM      Profile for Dave Cutler   Email Dave Cutler   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Ian would be correct. I am using Strong platter systems.

At the place I first started at we had Speco and it would be just about impossible to move a print alone. Getting it over the brain would be just about impossible to do without the print falling apart.

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George Roher
Master Film Handler

Posts: 266
From: Washington DC
Registered: Jul 99

- posted 08-12-2000 11:05 PM      Profile for George Roher   Email George Roher   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I have moved prints without clamps a few times (with Strong platters) but they had wrapped up so tight nothing was going to happen. Every Christie platter I've used has wound prints up very loose. But I have mostly worked with older Christies. The best way to transport a print without risking damage to the film is to let the last show wind onto a Goldberg platter reel. Of course, that makes it even heavier.

I absolutely agree print moving should be a two-man job. I used to work with an operator who would put two prints up on his shoulder at once and carry them that way. The booths were separated by a long distance. I am not that strong. I've hurt myself a few times hauling prints. I used to be in a situation where I was the only person in the building when prints were moving, so no help was available. On top of that, getting into one of the booths required climbing a short ladder. Also, having to put a heavy print onto the top deck of a 5-deck platter by yourself is lots of fun.

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

- posted 08-13-2000 07:20 PM      Profile for John Wilson   Email John Wilson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
We use Kinoton platters and I frequently enjoy the look of horror on visiting projectionists faces when I simply lift the print off the plate with no clamps.

The horror...the horror...

But then again, I'm a cheeky bugger. and they are always wound nice and just tight enough.

Most recently moved The Patriot on my own...no big deal really, but I won't move them alone unless I really have to.

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Paul Konen
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 981
From: Frisco, TX. (North of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 08-13-2000 10:31 PM      Profile for Paul Konen   Email Paul Konen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I always move all my prints alone unless something happens while I am carrying it. My worst experience was with Eyes Wide Shut, it came off the center ring and was hanging loose on my shoulder, with clamps attached.

Sometimes, if projectors are close and print is tight, I will move without clamps.

Paul.

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Christopher K. Williams
Film Handler

Posts: 26
From: Redmond, WA, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

- posted 08-14-2000 01:26 AM      Profile for Christopher K. Williams   Email Christopher K. Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
One time John (our head projectionist) and I were moving prints, and a trainee who was watching us asked John the following question regarding the clamps:

"Are those what beginners use?"

John's reply:

"No, they're what PROFESSIONALS use."


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David Kilderry
Master Film Handler

Posts: 355
From: Melbourne Australia
Registered: Sep 1999

- posted 08-14-2000 07:03 AM      Profile for David Kilderry   Author's Homepage   Email David Kilderry   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The key to safe film moves from a platter is not necessarily the tightness of the wind, but whether the centre ring is solid or not.

Speco, as an example have a collapsable centre so are dangerous to move without a board or clamps. Cinmemeccanica or Kinoton have solid centre rings that do not collapse, these films can be moved without clamps or boards quite safely - not immediately after make-up though.

David Kilderry

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