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Topic: HELP! Moviola film path question?

Don E. Nelson
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 138
From: Brentwood, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 08-06-2002 09:58 AM

Does anyone know how to thread film on a 35mm Upright Moviola Editing Machine? I have tried it both ways, with the top reel as the supply reel and then as the takeup reel, but I am getting some serious jitter in the viewing window. When I use use a film strip, there is no jitter. What am I doing wrong? I have never been able to find an operators manual for this unit. Just a parts list.
Thanks.

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...more signal, less noise!

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Steve Kraus
Film God

Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 08-06-2002 10:04 AM

As I recall the film moves upward and away from you.

Or you could buy a KEM from me and not worry about it.

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Bill Purdy
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 139
From: Seattle, WA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 08-06-2002 10:37 AM

The supply is from the bottom spindle and the film runs along the bottom to the front and travels up through the gate and thence to the upper spindle which is the take-up. Depending upon how you like to work, the emulsion position may be reversed. It's been a long time, but it seems as though we used to refer to "Moviola wind". This may have been only for Mag stock. Anyway, some jitter is normal. It is, after all an editing machine not a presentation device. On the machines I have used the shutter blades are collapsed at low speed and then swing into place as the speed picks up. It works just like an old fly-ball governor.

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Bill Purdy
Component Engineering

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

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

posted 08-06-2002 10:52 AM

Yes, some jitter is normal...I hope you're not planning to edit your trailers or anything on that. It's not the most gentle thing.

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Phil Hill
I love my cootie bug

Posts: 7595
From: Hollywood, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 08-06-2002 01:01 PM

A big advantage of the upright is the small footprint as compared to those monster flatbeds. I have not seen the "jitter" some are speaking about except when not threaded correctly. Keep in mind these machines have a Geneva intermittent and must have a film loop before and after the intermittent sprocket. Also, make sure the intermittent gearbox is filled with oil. As was mentioned, there is flicker at slower speeds due to the shutter governor. It is normal to have some travel ghost even with the constant-speed motor...it is a viewer/editor not a projector.

These machines are just as "gentle" on film as a projector that has the same diameter sprockets.

Thread with soundtrack away from "operator side" - opposite of a projector. Film coming counter-clockwise or clockwise off of supply reel (bottom reel) around dampers, under picture head to front of machine and up to constant-speed feed sprocket. From sprocket, then a film-loop, through picture head, intermittent sprocket, another film loop to the 2nd constant-speed sprocket. If composite sound model, then over sound stablizer roller, around sound drum, under 2nd stablizer roller, then to constant-speed hold-back sprocket. Then around tensioners/dampers and up to take-up reel in a clockwise direction.

Be sure the take-up reel clutch is not set too tight.

>>> Phil

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

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

posted 08-06-2002 01:20 PM

On a "cutter" Moviola we didn't use loops...The film was just laid flat into the gate.

Maybe that's why I experienced the "normal" jitter.

BTW there isn't much diff between the cutter model and the take-up model. The take-up just has the rewind arms. Sound editors found them useful. Maybe that's coz they were working with assembled reels of film?

Below is an image of a threaded Moviola with reel arms. It is from The Film Editing Room Handbook, Second Edition by Norman Hollyn (Lone Eagle Publishing, 1990).

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

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

posted 08-07-2002 12:40 PM

Bumping this back to page 1 -- the image was added a while later.

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