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Topic: Cheap leader for platters

Antonio Marcheselli
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1260
From: Florence, Italy
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 10-13-2002 07:07 PM

Hi everyone.

I saw on many images a blue or white leader with frameline to thread the projectors. Having a framed leader in front of the projection would be fantastic. But how much money does it costs?
Is it cheaper than black leader?

What do you use to thread your projectors?

Bye
Antonio

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Per Hauberg
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 883
From: Malling, Denmark
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 10-13-2002 07:30 PM

old trailers, -what else...?

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 10-13-2002 09:00 PM

We always use white, or clear leaders with image markings and a blackened sound track for commercial reels and features. At the end of the leader, there are 2.5 metres of black material with the start foil for the automation and then the sound trailer. The leaders are measured exactly and pre-assembled so that they work on each screen regardless of how long the film path from platter to projector and back is. So we don`t have to change them when we move a print between screens.
When a movie leaves the cinema, we take the leader of, roll it up and put it on the shelf. The shelf has different compartments for "Leaders without sound trailer", "Leader with Dolby Canyon/WS", "Leader with SDDS Volcano/CS" etc. When we make up a print, we check the aspect ratio and sound format, then decide which leader we will use, and splice it onto the first reel. It takes about 15 seconds to do that and also conserves the sound trailers because they are not spliced/cut off all the time.
The clear material is not cheap, but if you treat the leaders carefully, they will last a long time. You can always see the leader very well and with the black frame and sound track markings, it is practically impossible to thread the movie incorrectly.
Old trailers are less practical and also leave more dirt in the projector as the layers start to peel of.
Michael

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Steve Kraus
Film God

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

posted 10-13-2002 11:15 PM

Antonio, you may find these leaders available from many dealers, including some of those listed here in the Links section.

Here are a couple:
Cinema Products International
Cinema Products International Leaders (direct link)

American Cinema Equipment
American Cinema Equipment Leaders (direct link)

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Leo Enticknap
Film God

Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 10-14-2002 02:01 AM

In this country, Jack Roe also sells clear, polyester spacing with frame lines and soundtrack position marked.

If money is an issue, one compromise would me to make up a platter leader which starts with, say, 20-30 feet of an old trailer, is followed by 10 feet of the above described spacing, and then goes into the head leader of the programme. The old trailer shedding in the projector wouldn't be an issue because you'd wind past it after lacing up the platter but before lacing the projector. You'd then lace the projector on the spacing which follows it.

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Antonio Marcheselli
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1260
From: Florence, Italy
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 10-14-2002 04:32 AM

Per,

We actually use old trailers to thread a projector. But they're often confusing. We used an old part of Hannibal to thread a projector and in a moment of caos we start the show with hannibal....

The leader of the trailer are not always framed, and often I have to thread the projector with completely black leader.

We have 16 screen, it is hard to find out a lot of good leader.

Steve. 100' are 100 feet? 30 meters for 50$? Anything cheaper?

Bye
Antonio

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Richard Fowler
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 10-14-2002 06:07 AM

Another source is FPC a division of Eastman Kodak if you like to buy rolls of 300 meter / 1000 feet minimum.
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 10-14-2002 06:07 AM

Antonio,
it is because of those unhappy moments of chaos that I have always insisted on the blank leaders. Since the commercials and the feature start with blank material, it is no problem to see where the show is should the projector be stopped or should it fail to stop after the commercials. Even in the dark booth you can always see, blank film - aha, the leader, here is the black material, aha, this is where the feature starts and so on.
Once you have introduced such a system, you will never again want to wotk without it. But be careful: since the material is expensive, your leaders have to be treated very carefully. They should never be cut and always be put on the shelf when not in use or you will get confused and all the nice stuff will be gone in no time. And then go and explain to management why you wanted to buy it in the first place...
Michael

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 10-14-2002 06:11 AM

Also make sure which type of frame marking you want when you order. Usually you can get thin CS-type markings which I much prefer because you can see the aperture plate through it so you can see if the vertical adjustment is OK. There is also material with fat WS-type markings which I find less practical.
Michael

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Per Hauberg
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 883
From: Malling, Denmark
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 10-14-2002 12:18 PM

Antonio

Great show - Hopefully it was not the making of roasted brain in front of a Disney audience...

-I've experienced a timecode on this sort of "leader", turning on a completely different films dts discs... fun, too !

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-14-2002 07:43 PM

In the US, most platter houses use clear leader with blue framelines made by "NT Audio Visual"; it has a standard Academy countdown at the end. This usually costs about $1/foot, sometimes slightly less. Most people get the 35' or 50' length.

A cheaper alternative would be to get black or clear leader with framelines printed on (available from your local theatre supply dealer for about $.10-20/foot) and splice countdowns from old trailers onto the end.

[1m = approx. 3.3 feet]

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Steve Kraus
Film God

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

posted 10-14-2002 08:11 PM

Not that it would be worth the trouble but how hard would it be to wash the emulsion off scrap film?

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Sean McKinnon
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1712
From: Peabody Massachusetts
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 10-14-2002 10:30 PM

Steve,

I used to do this. I would saok and old trailer in bleach over night then let it dry, then I would use a sharpie and draw framelined every 4 sprocket holes. It is cheap and not that hard but now adays id rather just pay for the good stuff

PS if someone tries make sure to mark which side is the "Soundtrack" side.

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Jason Burroughs
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 654
From: Allen, TX
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-14-2002 10:45 PM

"We actually use old trailers to thread a projector. But they're often confusing. We used an old part of Hannibal to thread a projector and in a moment of caos we start the show with hannibal"

Yet annother pefect example of why show start queues are the desireable way to go.

Clear film with framelines should be available from your supplier for a fairly low cost. I also use a bit of black leader between the framing leader and the first trailer since I too am not blessed with start queues <how simple those things make life>.

The bit of old trailer at the very beginning is a great idea, as your framing leader won't get as damaged during threading, especially if you're a speed demon threading those rollers, when that part gets damaged, snip it off and replace with new old trailer material.

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Antonio Marcheselli
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1260
From: Florence, Italy
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 10-15-2002 04:44 AM

Removing the emulsion from a print is a good idea but I should do for at least 32 different leader...

I would like to avoid completely old trailers they're too different each others and I would like to have the same situation for each projector.

Thinks that I've thread TWO times a projector with the soundtrack at the wrong side. I thought that I was becoming stupid, then I discovered that THAT projector had a TAIL to thread with the soundtrack on the wrong side.

Thanks for all suggestions, I'll ask our local supplier about clear w/frameline leader.

Bye
Antonio

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