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Author Topic: what equipment do you own? Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-11-2002 08:11 AM                        For those who may occasionally run film in places that aren't full-time theatres, what equipment do you have on hand to fill in where existing equipment is either substandard or nonexistant? I've found the following items to be useful (and often necessary): 35mm Neumade splicer, 16mm Ciro splicer, clear Neumade splicing tape, loop of RP40, Goldberg 2000' house reels, Goldberg 6000' reels, assorted 16mm reels, Neumade 35mm "film measuring machine," Moviola 16mm sync block, 35mm Clint Phare cue marker, VOM meter, artist tape, grease pencils, "Sharpie" pens, good pair of scissors, Christie FC-1 film cleaner and Filmguard, extra platter leader, short films in 16mm and 35mm with known-good picture/sound, 16mm "Jiffy Test" film, junk film in both formats for making focus loops, split reels in both formats, old toothbrushes and rags for cleaning, handcrank rewinds and C-clamps to attach them to a table, spare roundthane take-up belt, extra clear leader and SMPTE countdown leaders, and probably a bunch of other items that I'm forgetting right now. I don't normally bring typical hand tools (screwdrivers, pliers, allen wrenches, etc.), as these are usually available or can be obtained quickly if needed. I'd like to get my hands on a trailer flange, more 6000' floating-hub reels, a 16mm Clint Phare (or the jhawk equivalent), and a buzz-track loop. I wouldn't mind having a Goldberg platter reel, either; I've never seen one in person, but it sounds like a great time-saver. What tools/equipment have others found useful to own? (Note that I'm referring to those who work as projectionists; techs will obviously have a much larger assortment of test films and equipment.)  |  IP: Logged Joe Beres Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 606 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-11-2002 09:07 AM                     Scott, that's quite the list! Do you drive around with a trailer containing all of your gear? I can't say that I work in too many other theaters, but there are a few items that I find useful for inspection: a pair of good hand rewinds (I know you mentioned this. My preference is neumades, with a brake on the left rewind), a portable light table, and a desk lamp with a magnifying lens.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-11-2002 01:02 PM                     Scott, you must be a pack rat. I had so much junk laying around that I was overwelmed with it. I finally got rid of most of it, but at least it didn't wind up in the landfill. Most of the stuff found a happy home.  |  IP: Logged Ian Price Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1714 From: Denver, CO Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-11-2002 01:17 PM                     Scott doesn't drive around with a trailer full of gear but he does have a Volvo station wagon that seemed pretty full of stuff.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-11-2002 04:19 PM                        Yes, Ian had trouble fitting into my car when he visited, but I think that would have been the case even if it hadn't been filled with junk. Perhaps I should rephrase the original query, which wasn't supposed to be "look at what a major packrat I am" as much as "what type of equipment do others find useful to own because it can often be lacking completely or of substandard quality in some venues, especially those which do not run film all day, every day?"  |  IP: Logged Joe Beres Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 606 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-11-2002 04:28 PM                     At least I answered your original post as it was intended. One other handy thing (not equipment, per se) that Frank Angel tuned me on to is Letraset "cue dots." They are little dots (printed on clear adhesive tape) that come in a handy little dispenser. They are quite handy to put semi-discrete cue dots ona print that you don't want to use a Clint Phare on. They can be easily removed, and any residual adhisive somes of quite easily with FilmGuard. IMHO, they're much better and cleaner than using a china marker.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 12-11-2002 04:37 PM                        Here is what I have and is currently being used in my booth: Media Film Cleaners (4) Film Cleaner Mounting Brackets (6) Tape Dispensers (2) Lame-Ass Digital Wall Clock (1) Collapsable Trailer Flange (1) Set of various test loops Lots o' tools  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 12-12-2002 01:24 PM                     Here are some of my goodies I have used for festivals and specialty screenings: 16mm Bell & Howell 566T manual-thread MARC300 projector & power supply 16mm 2000' reels 16mm 1600' reel 16mm 1200' reels 16mm 800' reels Laptop running Spectra Plus RTA Oscilloscope Dolby Cat 85C and USL pink noise cards Dolby EQ card extender USL MMP-10 mic mux CFS Laser Alignment tool Strong weight-and-string alignment kit Dolby and SMPTE test loops Dolby 'Jiffy' film (SRD version) DTS 'Buzz & Bill' film w/ disc SDDS test film DTS Empircal Test Disc DTS Setup Disc USL Cyan dye track tone loop LaVezzi aperture file Miscellaneous hand tools Makita cordless drill/driver Several 2000' plastic and house reels Several 6000' 35mm reels Several 70mm house reels 35mm split reel 70mm split reel Clint Phare 35mm cue marker CIR-knockoff 35mm splicer NeuTaper 70mm splicer -Aaron  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-12-2003 01:46 AM                        More camping equipment: Roll of paper towels (lay a strip across a rewind bench to keep it soft & clean for films during work at rewinds) Box of baby wipes-type moist hand towels Mini-flashlight Naptha (lighter fluid) Yellow legal pad (surface for film cleaning, rip a page & flip it over, then dispose when both sides are dirty) Fluorescent trouble light w/long cord & integrated outlet at lamp Cheap highest magnification reading glasses from Wal-Mart (great for micro-work) Pair of Motorola Spirit 2-ways (everybody uses these, & you can just set yours to their freq. The 2nd is usually a spare. but I've loaned it) CD's of generic showtunes, theatre organ, classical, & compilation 80s/punk for midnight movies Black gaff tape! Masking tape! WD-40! For where reality meets humidity! Copies of manuals for equipment onsite Spiral notebook (for notes when inspecting film) Lens brush, cleaner & tissues Q-tips Toothbrush Binoculars Alligator jumpers Spool of zip cord Multi-outlet strip Acetone Scotch-brite pad Package of Stim-U-Dent (like big square wooden toothpicks, with a pointy end & a square end) Emery paper Measuring tape (always useful!) Small tool kit with socket set, assorted screwdrivers, pliers & wire cutters, box knife, allen wrenches, & whatnot Band-aids, antibiotic ointment, gauze pads  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 09-12-2003 08:13 PM                     I have an Eiki 1510 xenon 16mm machine (modified to take 6000 ft reels) and power supply (that sucker isn't exactly portable), 2 6000 ft reels and rewinds for same, numerous 2000 ft reels, Kodak splicer. I'll be using them in my upcoming project.  |  IP: Logged Bill Carter Expert Film Handler Posts: 162 From: Minneapolis, Minnesota Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-13-2003 08:07 PM                     I've carried most of the things everybody mentioned above before "settling down" into one theater. How much I took in depended on whether I had ever set foot in a particular location or used the gear in question before. I did find it very important to carry 2,000/ft house reels in both shaft sizes with me. I've run into more than a couple of booths where only one or the other was supported, and "part-time" film venues often don't have any spare reels lying around. On jobs where I knew the layout in advance (full-time film or not), at the very least I always carried a medium-sized toolbox with my own splicer, clear tape, lens cleaner, cue marker, china markers, leader, a flashlight, pliers and a couple of screwdrivers. The box o' stuff I took with me on rental gigs was MUCH larger. And yes, Scott, the Goldberg Platter reel will change your life!  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-13-2003 08:15 PM                     A lot depends on the nature of the gig but basically in 16 35 and 70mm the following Clint Phare marker CIR splicer 35/70 synconizer (single 70 2 35 sprockets) Split reels china marker sharpie splicing tape (spare) and the infamous toolbox  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 09-14-2003 12:56 PM                     Okay somebody wanna tell me (or post a pic) what is a Clint Phare marker?  |  IP: Logged Don E. Nelson Expert Film Handler Posts: 138 From: Brentwood, CA, USA Registered: Nov 2001 posted 09-15-2003 03:09 PM                     My 3000 foot reels, I can't live without, when I don;t want to do a changeover program. Anyone know where I can find 4000 ft reels?  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-16-2003 12:37 AM                        quote: Okay somebody wanna tell me (or post a pic) what is a Clint Phare marker? It's a little doodad for making those little cue dots at the end of the reel. If you run changeovers, get a print that has no cues or cues that are wrong because the end has been cut, you can create new ones the Clint Phare marker. There was an earlier discussion about Clint Phare markers, which wound up with jhawk machining his own. You can see a picture of one of jhawk's in the thread at http://www.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=001403#000014 It's very like a Clint Phare marker. Not shown in the photo is the little metal tube-like thing you poke in the holes to actually scribe the cues. quote: I don't normally bring typical hand tools (screwdrivers, pliers, allen wrenches, etc.), as these are usually available or can be obtained quickly if needed. That has worked for Scott, but I tend to bring my own because it seems like everytime you need something as simple as a flat head screwdriver, no one can find one for four blocks.  |  IP: Logged

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