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Author Topic: To Bloop or Not To Bloop Michael Brown Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1522 From: Bradford, England Registered: May 2001 posted 02-16-2003 05:31 PM                     That is the question. I used to always bloop (black chinograph marker over the soundtrack) splices. But now I’m not so sure. Unless there is a large gap between both frames, it's probably not needed. EDIT: Here's a question. Lets say I’m building a print and I take time to remove tape instead of cutting frames. I find that when splicing the 1--->2 reel join, there is quite a large gap in the splice. Should I: a: Make the splice and bloop it (assuming I have analog sound) or b. Take a frame off the foot of R1 and Head of R2 using my splicer that is aligned to cut to give a small overlap (i.e something like Brad's splicer mod) Plus. How would the two different types of splices compare visually? In terms of jumping through the gate and so forth.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-16-2003 06:23 PM                     I think this is a matter of taste, but it also depends on how forgiving your equipment is. Splices with gaps always seem to jump in my projectors. Also, even with blooping, I seem to hear a bad splice go through. I would cut the frames and resplice. I am partial to blooping; I don't see how it could hurt.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 02-16-2003 06:33 PM                     Bah! Bloop - Schmoop! Just make use the splice is done right in the first place - with clear tape! Any splice that can "hinge" should not be allowed to run through the projector. It might make it through, and then again, it might not! Hinging splices have been known to pop a pad roller and/or derail itself.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-16-2003 06:34 PM                     I would look closely to see which frame is more "lacking" in end length, and recut that one frame. That way you can still achieve a good splice while keeping cuts to a minimum. I've never liked blooping no matter how it is done. I can ALWAYS hear it go through.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-16-2003 06:45 PM                     Oh my! So far, it's two against one! C'mon guys and gals -- do YOU bloop?  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-16-2003 06:46 PM                     yup  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 02-16-2003 06:56 PM                        Nope With a good splicer & the cutting blade "augmentation" described on this board, you shouldn't have gaps to bloop.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 02-16-2003 07:04 PM                    Sometimes I will use a sliver of black electrical tape (cut by and placed with the tip of an Xacto) as a bloop, sealed under the splicing tape. I usually don't bother to ramp it; I just figure the momentary black (blocking what track lines would have been there) is less disruptive that a big fissure of light.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-16-2003 07:11 PM                     Manny, the answers are already contained here in the archives. Anyone making "butt" splices will be in favor of blooping because they have to. Anyone making "overlap" splicer wil be in favor of NOT blooping because they won't have to (and their splices will run through without any disruption).  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-16-2003 07:25 PM                     Yes, I see... ...and I'll be sure to try that splicer modification!  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 02-16-2003 09:03 PM                    Hey if it works for you go for it. Personally I don't even like to see two layers of splicing tape (on one side) let alone overlapped film. I also think any end should be like any other, not some short and some long, but maybe that's just me.  |  IP: Logged Michael Rourke Expert Film Handler Posts: 159 From: San Luis Obispo, Central Coast of CA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-17-2003 02:05 AM                     I find you don't need to bloop if you make all your cuts the same way..emulsion up. This ensures nice splices with a slight overlap that I like to run a thumbnail over. And wear at least one film handling glove to smooth the tape over the join, even clean hands have oils.  |  IP: Logged Gracia L. Babbidge Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 709 From: Bowdoin, Maine Registered: Aug 2000 posted 02-17-2003 03:00 AM                        <-does not bloop!  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-17-2003 03:44 AM                        Splices that you make in your booth should not need to be blooped assuming the splicer is correctly aligned. As stated above, it is only when you get film that has been cut by misaligned splicers do you wind up with the troublesome gap. As my fetish is that I will go to hell and back to avoid cutting off a frame, even to correct a frame that was cut "short," I use the Letraset black line tape to cover the frameline gap and cover the the soundtrack gap, and reenforce the splice so there is no hinge problem. The Letraset line tape is essentially what Steve is doing, only it is very thin, precut and has non-oozing adhesive, to say nothing of a lot less work. The line tape is then covered with splicing tape as usual. I am surprised that an overlap splice will actually cause the film to jump the sprockets. In the old days of cement splices, the overlaps were wide -- the width of a perf -- and thick -- the double film thickness was much thicker than even four or five layers of tape. A well made cement splice hardly ever caused any run problems. I can't see how a double thickness of splicing tape, especially on estar base film should cause any problems. Personally, I am not in favor of Brad's non-standard, slight overlap modification because someplace down the line, a cartoon or trailer or snipe that has been cut that way will wind up in a standard booth and either a short frame will have to be cut off or, at the very least, the gap it causes will have to be reenforced if the projectionist wants to save it. In the real world, most time the frame will be cut rather than someone taking the time to treat it so it will run properly. Frank  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 02-17-2003 03:45 AM                        I found that with unilateral VA, single bilateral and RCA duplex tracks blooping did make a positive difference even with an overlap join, because however carefully a splice is made there will be a significant difference in the facing areas of modulation. But only rep theatres will ever come across these tracks now, and even then not very often.  |  IP: Logged

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