Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Wrinkles in Screens

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Topic: Wrinkles in Screens

Manuel Francisco Valencia
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 151
From: Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 08-04-2002 01:31 AM

In my big houses I have a few wrinkles in the screens. During a bright scene the wrinkles appear a little darker than the rest of the screen. Does anybody know how to get these out or if it is possible?

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Dave Williams
Wet nipple scene

Posts: 1836
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 08-04-2002 03:22 AM

What type of wrinkle is this? Is this a problem with the amount of tension in your screen, or how it was strung up? Or is this a used screen that had been folded at one time?

If this is just a tension or installation problem, you can get your screen re-strung up. If this is a problem with a screen that had been folded over, I do not know if this could be fixed or not.

Dave

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-04-2002 09:19 AM

If it's a small wrinkle you may be able to tighten the screen. It also depends on how the screen is installed. The screen that I have, right now is laced in. In this case we can tighten the laces. It's just like doing shoe laces only about a 1,000 times longer.

If it's on spring hooks or shock cords you may have a tougher time doing it. You'll probably have to unhook a portion of the screen, pull it tight and then rehook it.

Screens today can take a lot of tension but do be careful not to overdo it. If it's an older screen it may have become brittle over the years. If you pull on it too hard you can tear it. In which case you're F***ed!

If it's a really bad crease you might not be able to remove it by tension. you may be able to retension it and let it be like that. Over time it may pull out if it's tensioned correctly. Then again, if it's a folded-in crease it may be permanent.

Worst case scenario is that you'll have to replace it.
Hanging screens is NOT one of my most favorite jobs.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

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

posted 08-04-2002 09:51 AM

A couple of things
What make of screen and is it a gain screen
Are the frames curved
If it is curved then side tension can actually make it worse.
Sometimes a hairdryer on low can help remove wrinckles

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Dave Williams
Wet nipple scene

Posts: 1836
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 08-04-2002 10:05 AM

Before I begin... first let me add this disclaimer...

***DO NOT TRY THIS***

Would film-guard.. I mean Digi-Guard, applied to an older vinyl screen, allow it to be more pliable, possibly restoring it?

Come on brad, it's possible right? Just think, you could have an entire line of etc.-guard products, all from the same bottle..

film-guard
digi-guard
screen-guard
ian-guard
lucas-guard
fullfrontal-guard
check-guard
qoute-guard
booth-guard
idiot-guard
shoe-guard
cereal-guard

and the list goes on...

dave

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Brian Tristam Williams
Film Handler

Posts: 93
From: Johannesburg, South Africa
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 08-04-2002 02:16 PM

You should make a Film-Guard infomercial. I mean, forget film. Sell it as "The Handy Product with a Million and One Uses!".

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-04-2002 05:07 PM

Yea, sort of like the guy in Big Fat Greek Wedding......spray it on and it takes care of just about everything!
Mark

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Gerard S. Cohen
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted 08-04-2002 06:41 PM

I have arrived for work only to find the screen badly wrinkled and sagging. What a revolting development! Seems the air conditioning was turned off during a period of very high humidity.
When the A/C was back on ,the screen tightened magically, and both wrinkles and sag disappeared.

I might suggest before attempting to tighten the screen, check the relative humidity in your auditorium.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-04-2002 10:44 PM

Well, I guess this means that EVEN tension is the key here... Not just getting maximum tension, eh?

In other words, if one part of the screen is tighter than the rest it could cause wrinkles.

Thus, the real answer may include LOOSENING part of the screen to balance out the tension.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

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

posted 08-04-2002 11:23 PM

I know everyone is joking, but I am going to say this "just in case" someone doesn't get the joke.

Do not use FilmGuard on your screen!

Due to the chemicals in it, it will almost certainly strip the reflective surface. FilmGuard was meant for film.

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Manuel Francisco Valencia
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 151
From: Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 08-05-2002 12:14 PM

I will get back with you guys as far as what the wrinkles look like and screen info.

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Frank Angel
Film God

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

posted 08-05-2002 12:27 PM

I'd be careful of that blow-dryer idea. Although I saw it used twice, actually and it worked, I also saw it cause a kind of bubble effect on one screen. I don't know if they just were using it too hot or what, but the "bubble" area never returned to normal. It was really bad and they eventually replaced the screen because of it. Maybe if you do try to use that to smooth out the wrinkles, you would be wise to start with very little heat and from a good distance from the back of the screen. You don't want to make it worse.

If the humidity or auditorium temperature makes the screen sag, then it was not hung with proper tention. The screen should stay taut even with high humidity and high heat. It should be relaced and stretched so that it is taut when the conditions in the room make it sag. After than, the problem will not come back

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

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

posted 08-05-2002 01:12 PM

Humidity should only be an issue if the screen was laced with cord in the frame. Vynyl is not sensitive to humidity but definietly to heat

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