Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Attn. Mr. Pytlak:Are platters death to film?

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Film Handlers' Forum » Attn. Mr. Pytlak:Are platters death to film? (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2

Author

Topic: Attn. Mr. Pytlak:Are platters death to film?

Matthew Bailey
Master Film Handler

Posts: 461
From: Port Arthur,TX
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 07-22-2002 01:23 PM

This is a topic that has been on my mind since the the time I registered to be a member of this forum. I recently read an article
in a magazine issue of The New Yorker on how a theatre's projection equipment works intitled THE PROJECTOR & it mentioned Dr. Jan Horak
of Eastman Kodak in the Rochester area told the author of the article
that platters are death to film.

| IP: Logged

Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 07-22-2002 01:35 PM

Unless he has some new data that supports his rather broad statement, we've pretty much beaten this horse to death, haven't we? It's not the equipment but the competence or incompence of the user, etc.

Do you have a URL to the article or can you copy it here so we can see it in context?

| IP: Logged

Jeff Taylor
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 601
From: Chatham, NJ/East Hampton, NY
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 07-22-2002 01:37 PM

Matthew: Have you missed the ongoing Brad Miller vs. Richard Haines "debate to the death" on this topic?

| IP: Logged

John Pytlak
Film God

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

posted 07-22-2002 01:38 PM

Jan-Christopher Horak was curator of motion-picture collections at the International Museum of Photography at the George Eastman House (An independent museum on the site of George Eastman's home). He is the founding vice president of AMIA. He is currently curator of the Hollywood Entertainment Museum and an adjunct professor at UCLA. He does/did NOT work for Eastman Kodak Company.
http://www.eastman.org/
http://www.eastman.org/10_colmp/10_index.html
http://www.hollywoodmuseum.com/index.html
http://www.upress.umn.edu/journals/

I believe you read something out of context. Most film archivists prefer that rare prints be run reel-to-reel rather than off a platter. The biggest issue is the need to remove the leaders for platter projection, which may lead to a loss of continuity. There is also a common "perception" that projectionists who have mastered changeover projection are somehow more skilled.

As discussed numerous times on Film-Tech, when operated by a skilled and caring projectionist, the risk of film damage is very low for both platters and reel-to-reel projection.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

| IP: Logged

Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 07-22-2002 03:18 PM

Matthew, in the future if you want an answer specifically from John Pytlak, please just email him directly. That's what email is for.

| IP: Logged

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 07-22-2002 07:44 PM

ORC platters are death to film. They run nicely for a time, but when you turn your back they begin to be evil. Matthew, can you find out for me if ORC platters are haunted?

| IP: Logged

Greg Mueller
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1687
From: Port Gamble, WA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-22-2002 07:54 PM

Idiots are "death to film" not equipment

------------------
Greg Mueller
Amateur Astronomer, Machinist, Filmnut
http://www.muellersatomics.com/

| IP: Logged

Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 07-22-2002 10:26 PM

What about equipment designed by idiots?

Steve

------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

| IP: Logged

James R. Hammonds, Jr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 931
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 07-22-2002 10:35 PM

I once saw an ORC platter melt donw and then rise up again to form the Screen Gems logo.
No kidding.

| IP: Logged

Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 07-22-2002 10:43 PM

You've seen that happen too???

| IP: Logged

Greg Mueller
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1687
From: Port Gamble, WA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 07-22-2002 11:28 PM

"What about equipment designed by idiots?"
I guess "idiots" is the operative word

------------------
Greg Mueller
Amateur Astronomer, Machinist, Filmnut
http://www.muellersatomics.com/

| IP: Logged

William T. Parr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 823
From: Cedar Park, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 07-23-2002 08:19 AM

Good God the darn thing should of just melted down into the Screen Gems logo and stayed there. It would have been better off, trust me. I will asume it was a ORC Super Platter as opposed to the ORC 302 Belgium made platters that UA had so many of back in the early 80's

| IP: Logged

Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 07-23-2002 09:16 AM

ORC's are horrible, horrible platters.

I've got three of them left and within a month they will be changed to Christie platters. I'm going to be so happy when that happens.

I'm keeping the platter decks, though. I will set them down on the legs of the Christies and use them to store prints.

| IP: Logged

Pete Naples
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1565
From: Dunfermline, Scotland
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 07-23-2002 09:48 AM

I had three ORC platters under my tender care. Now down to one, two of 'em having been replaced with Strong. The remaining one runs fine and has never given any trouble. The other two were another story! When they were running properly they were ok, but they spent a lot of time not running properly, and therefore required a lot of time to keep them running properly.

I still have nightmares about adjusting those servo pots.

| IP: Logged

Jean-Michel Grin
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 222
From: Geneva & Lausanne, Switzerland
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 07-23-2002 05:14 PM

I've have experienced problems with Strong platters: The alpha platters when the pay-out don't run at sufficient speed and the brain Warp, DMC platters when the the pay-out head fail in malfunction and run the platter at top speed and eject the film !
And with old CNR Platters when the rubber pulley between the motor and the platter when this pulley loose the rubber material, Noising like tires !

For en a advice for buy platters:

ACME platters brain-warp better !

------------------
Jean-Michel Grin - Europlex Cinemas (Switzerland)

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.