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Topic: My Bad or Film Done Wrong

Mathew Molloy
Master Film Handler

Posts: 357
From: The Santa Cruz Mountains
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 11-30-2001 05:26 AM

Tao's topic on film done very right got me thinking about the time I've done film wrong and the follies of youth...

At my last theatre, we had projectors with working take-ups and a platter. Well my bad was on the last showing of a film I would have a 2k reel and two 6k reels standing by and I'm sure you can guess the rest. I would run the trailers onto the 2k then as the splice came up I would swap the 2k for a 6k, break the splice and quickly feed the
head of r1 onto the 6k (as the tail of the trailers went into a sheet on the floor). Then I would do the same again with the next 6k.

This is not something I did all the time.

Look I know this was very very naughty and I have been thoroughly punished due to the extreme mental anguish and I'm not condoning my behavior so please don't try this at home or at work and please don't send me anonymous letters or parcels or send John over for a man-to-man chat.

It was thrilling though....

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 11-30-2001 07:29 AM

Matthew Malloy said: "Look I know this was very very naughty and I have been thoroughly punished due to the extreme mental anguish and I'm not condoning my behavior so please don't try this at home or at work and please don't send me anonymous letters or parcels or send John over for a man-to-man chat."

I'm planning to be in Los Angeles for the ITEA Seminar January 7-9, so please be prepared for some verbal harrassment delivered in person!

We've all taken shortcuts like this, that in hindsight, seem foolish. Saving a few minutes at the end of a long night seems worthwhile at the time, but those prints will always have the scars of that mistreatment. You've repented, and your prints are saved!

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

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Gerard S. Cohen
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 975
From: Forest Hills, NY, USA
Registered: Sep 2001

posted 11-30-2001 07:51 PM

The term I've heard used for this sleight-of-hand is
"takeup on the fly."

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 11-30-2001 07:57 PM

This is where it really would be nice to have a combo-designed Guttag/Miller booth. The last reel of the print could be removed from the platter and ran on the second projector while the rest of the movie is broken down.

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Andy Muirhead
Master Film Handler

Posts: 323
From: Galashiels, Scotland
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 12-01-2001 07:00 PM

While procedures carried out 'on the fly' are not 'film done right', i have found the experience and knowledge gained maybe invaluable in situations where an emergency situation occurs and 'saving' the show is the first priority. I'm sure everyone practices 'film done right', but if i was faced with a situation where i had to choose between 'film done right' or 'film done shite', i would go for the latter every time. I've never lost a show that way, although if i stuck to 'film done right' i would have seen a lot of dissapointed customers.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-01-2001 07:04 PM

Yes but the latter can cause every future veiwer of that print to have to experience "film done shitie"
If damage to the print or equipment could ensure then I believe there is only one option cancal the show and give out passes. And explain why
You might find the repair costs or the replacement of a print is far more than the lost show

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Andy Muirhead
Master Film Handler

Posts: 323
From: Galashiels, Scotland
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 12-01-2001 07:58 PM

That actually goes without saying, or else i would have

You can carry out procedures under 'film done shite' without actually causing any damage at all. 'film done shite (tm)' doesn't mean 'film done irresponsible' it just means 'film done right' but very, very pressed for time. In now way would i save a show by sacrificing quality for the proceeding shows, or cinemas!

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 12-03-2001 01:07 PM

The original premise of the "on the fly" switching of takeup reels was the selfish one of saving time. No question it should NOT be done. But even if the reason was "saving a show", most audiences would accept a few seconds or even minutes of shutdown while a problem was fixed, rather than risk permanently damaging the print.

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