Also, if I ask if they'd be interested in getting a new screen, they'll almost certainly ask if one can be bought used. I admit that I've seen some perfect condition ones taken down when theaters are closed & the equipment taken out. Who would deal in them, what would be the expected cost of one about 25' x 45' ? Since it's an odd size, it would be more likely to need to get one too wide & trim one end - has that been done (acceptably) ?

A matte surface is less critical for seams. I recall that most modern screens are made of ultrasonically welded sections of PVC, usually in sections that are about 6 feet wide. The seams are usually vertical. Recutting a screen would require new fold-over reinforcement of the edges and new grommets.

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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

My experience with "painted screens" is limited to several in the W. S. Butterfield chain here in Michigan. Several of the 'big' theatres had metallic screens for the old 3D process using Polaroid light projection. After the 3D craze went away, the screens were painted matte white to improve the angle of viewing. (They had also "tarnished" a bit and were beginning to show blotches.)

These screens worked well for many years. The vaccuuming of the surfaces was about all we had to do. (We had to get the dirt off the screens that was put there in the "house cleaning" process where the popcorn AND DIRT were blown to the orchestra pit and then swept into bags. Even behind traveling curtains, the screens became covered with the airborn dirt.) The painted surfaces do not lend themselves to washing or to "steam cleaning." Two of the screens were painted a second time because the audience threw things like pop soaked tissues at the screen and when they were picked off, the paint came off with them. The second painting plugged some of the holes and reduced the sound transmission noticeably.

The screen at the Temple Theatre, Saginaw was a silver screen, painted once with matte white and vaccuumed many times. After 45 years of hanging there, we had to replace it as the corner grommets were tearing out.

The replacement is a Hurley "Super Glo" and is 23' x 46' 6". The difference in image quality is stunning. That screen is used for 16, 35 and 70 projection. It also looked great with a 23' video projection a few years ago.

John:
Would there be more gain loss than just the difference betweeen gain & matte white?

Wouldn't the characteristics of light reflection be different between a painted white & an unpainted white vinyl screen, just due directionality due to the difference between the smoothness of the vinyl surface, & the more irregular surface of even a flat-as-possible, scrupulously painted
surface?

The best way to tell is to measure the gain, per SMPTE Recommended Practice RP94: Gain Determination of Front Projection Screens.

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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

The method we used to vac was to take a full scaffold on rollers and to clean the screen by a shop vac. FIRST we used the usual carpet/floor tool to clean the BACK of the screen thoroughly. This prevents the dirt from being dragged into the holes and toward the reflecting surface.

SECOND we used a NEW foxtail bench brush to loosen the larger particles of dirt. This was caught by holding the vac hose near, but not touching, the screen surface.

Third we used a NEW round dusting brush attachment to clean the entire reflecting area of the screen. Use the "wax ON, wax OFF" system. (Karate Kid)

Lastly we vac'd the entire masking areas.

If you have any of the ORIGINAL PAINT which was used to repaint the screen, you can spray it lightly in several thin coats into the area which requires touch up. Start in the center of the spot. Feathering out the spray into the surrounding area will help to make your repair less noticeable. YOU will always see your repairs. The AUDIENCE may notice them when there is a flat lighted area over the repair.

We annually employ the services of "Silver Screen" to professionally clean the new Hurley surface. We find the cost is well worth the resulting life extension from the screen.

Hope this helped.
KEN

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