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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Topic: Screening old prints
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Stephen Furley
Film God
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Posts: 3059
From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England
Registered: May 2002
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posted 01-04-2006 02:56 AM
quote: Mitchell Dvoskin All prints struck after 1950 would be safety film.
Nitrate was still around after that in some parts of the World. I'm not sure if the original "up to 50 years old" was a definite cut-off or an estimate of the age of the oldest prints. There's also the possibility of some old stock still being used. It's very unlikely that a nitrate print is going to turn up, but if you're dealing with prints anywhere near that age, then it's wise to make sure.
The only time I've had an unexpected print turn up it was a Russian 16mm one; stranger things have happened.
As for other problems you're more likely to have, I don't know the Vic. 4, so I can't comment on that. I've run many 50 year old prints; some have been in as-new condition, others have been almost impossible to get through a machine; you really do need to inspect each print very carefully before running it. Bad splices others have mentioned, and are likely. Shrinkage is also possible, and there's not much you can do about it; some machines handle it better than others. The prints may well be dirty. Triacetate film is thicker than polyester, you will probably need to adjust the gate pressure. The prints may be brittle with age, and even new triacetate film is much less tough than polyester, take care not to let the film snatch when starting, especially if running 6k spools or towers.
Best advice I can give is to try to get the prints in as early as possible to give yourself time to inspect, clean, repair, try to get a better print or whatever if there is a problem.
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Leo Enticknap
Film God
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Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 01-04-2006 04:19 AM
quote: Stephen Furley The only time I've had an unexpected print turn up it was a Russian 16mm one; stranger things have happened.
I once had a nitrate 16mm of The Green River Flows East with English subtitles. The BFI acquired it in the late '60s, but doesn't know if it's an original (c. 1947) copy or one struck later. It was definitely struck in China, and had no recognisable edge marks whatsoever. As soon as I got it out of the packing cases I noticed the familiar 'mothbally' smell of nitrate. The chief thought I was off my rocker when I told him I thought it might be nitrate, but I eventually persuaded him to let me chop a few frames of spacing from the start of a reel (there was an awful lot of it) and light it in the car park. That convinced him! As the 16mm machines (FP-18s) had no spoolboxes or any other safety gear fitted, we had to show a heavily cut 35mm CTA print instead.
quote: Stephen Furley The prints may be brittle with age, and even new triacetate film is much less tough than polyester, take care not to let the film snatch when starting, especially if running 6k spools or towers.
If it's running on any sort of long play handling system, it's probably worth sticking a long length of polyester spacing, sufficient to thread through the entire film path, on the start. This should prevent a brittle stock film break on startup.
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