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Author Topic: Lab spices Justin Gorka Expert Film Handler Posts: 174 From: High Wycombe, England Registered: Apr 2006 posted 03-14-2007 06:37 PM                     There's probably been a debate on this subject before, but I'm curious as what other people do with them. Some leave 'em in, some tap them over, we cut 'em out. I believe ours is the correct procedure as I don't like green flashy things appearing on the screen (noremally just as the naked women appear!). What do you lot do?  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-14-2007 06:54 PM                        If they're on a frame line, most people leave them alone or tape over. In the middle of the frame - cut'em out. That said -- Since we get about 90% of our prints on opening day, and I usually have an hour or less between the time I get off work from my day job and the time we have to be on the screen, I don't get time to look for or repair lab splices, so they usually get left in unless I get lucky and spot one while winding the film to the platter. I haven't had one "open up" on me in at least 20 years. (Disclaimer: We play mostly new or near-new prints.)  |  IP: Logged Ross Oba Expert Film Handler Posts: 181 From: Kailua Kona, HI Registered: Oct 2005 posted 03-14-2007 07:07 PM                     I leave them alone. I know the way to ensure that they don't come apart is to redo them yourself, but as long as it is a brand new print I have never had any problems. If it is a used copy then I would redo them because I had the unfortunate circumstance that one came undone on the first show.  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-14-2007 08:48 PM                     In the world of polyester prints, laboratory ultrasonic splices are almost as reliable as a tape splice, so the only reason to redo them is presentation. There is reasonable debate on both sides about their intrusiveness, and it's not really clear which side has the advantage. I personally believe that the visual instrusiveness of a huge horizontal bar across the screen, as well as the disruption to the analog sound track, more than justifies removing the frame and making a splice. One view is that the jump and visible tape from a splice is worse than the lab splice was originally. Really, this is a personal judgement call. Mike: They should be easy to find. Just hold the reel up to the light before you put it on the MUT (or the inspection bench). You should see the knife pattern change across the lab splice, giving you a good idea whether (and where!) there is a lab splice. Of course, Yet Another answer is to reject the reel. Few of us have this luxury, but if you do, good on you! --jhawk [ 03-15-2007, 08:46 PM: Message edited by: John Hawkinson ]  |  IP: Logged Christopher Meredith Expert Film Handler Posts: 126 From: Jackson, MS, USA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 03-15-2007 01:09 PM                        I was just thinking about this this morning. I've always left them alone, mainly for rpesentation reasons. Sure, a line across a frame doesn't look good, but at least it's only one frame affected. If you cur it out, then you lose a frame, and have tape lines over the two frames on either side of it, making the imperfect section three times longer than it was to begin with. Also, I used to have a booth full of those straight-gate Strong traps and those would lose focus slightly when a splice (even a really good one!) would go through. So I always left them in. Never had one come apart and never had any sound problems as a result.  |  IP: Logged Kevin Raisler Film Handler Posts: 52 From: Warsaw, IN, USA Registered: Jun 2003 posted 03-15-2007 01:51 PM                    I cut all of them out. Although it is rare I've had them open up on me and cause problems. We use curved gate XL's, tape does not seem to affect the quality of the image. If you keep the dust off the edge of the tape when you store it the lines are not very noticeable, (neumade CLEAR tape works best for my application). I won't use zebra or opaque tapes anywhere.  |  IP: Logged Chad M Calpito Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 03-15-2007 03:32 PM                        I usually leave them on, but, if I do cut them out, I use Neumade Clear Tape. I haven't had any problems due to lab splices.  |  IP: Logged Sam King Expert Film Handler Posts: 120 From: Los Angeles, CA Registered: Oct 2006 posted 03-15-2007 07:18 PM                     Why can't lab splices be on frame lines?  |  IP: Logged Peter Mork Expert Film Handler Posts: 181 From: Newton, MA, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 03-15-2007 08:08 PM                     I think in most (not all) cases, the splice is made to unexposed print stock, so where a splice will wind up is anyone's guess. My vote - leave 'em alone.  |  IP: Logged Casey Andrews Film Handler Posts: 8 From: Denver, CO USA Registered: Jan 2007 posted 03-15-2007 08:38 PM                     i also clear splice them. this is the best way in my mind... but like most of the above said, if it's a new print, leave them be.  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-15-2007 08:49 PM                     It's worth doing a search for "lab splice," there are a bunch of topics where this came up, such as Lab splices removal: good or ugly?. (There are several more.) In particular, my original post put Brad in the don't-remove camp, but clearly my memory was faulty. Sorry, Brad (I've edited it). It's funny how most posters so far seem to favor leaving them in. In general, I think the concensus in the past has swung the other direction. "Go figure." --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-16-2007 02:57 AM                     quote: John Hawkinson In particular, my original post put Brad in the don't-remove camp, but clearly my memory was faulty. Sorry, Brad (I've edited it). That really doesn't read very clear. If the theater has an ultrasonic splicer, then I think all non-frame line lab splices should be remade on the ultrasonic. Assuming the theater does NOT have an ultrasonic splicer and only has a tape splicer, I am in the camp of "leave it as it is", because the tape lines and physical jump on screen are far more annoying to me. (Plus it looks like the theater had a film break or screwed up at some point.)  |  IP: Logged Mathew Molloy Master Film Handler Posts: 357 From: The Santa Cruz Mountains Registered: Nov 2000 posted 03-16-2007 03:47 AM                     I black out visible lab splices with a Sharpie and cover that with clear tape (primarily so the ink doesn't transfer to another part of the print). A dark line is less noticeable than a white one.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 03-16-2007 11:43 AM                    Garlic salt, onion powder and white pepper go very well together... especially on hamburgers.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-16-2007 02:48 PM                     Since we use nearly 100% of the frame on scope, ultrasonic splices are to some extent visible even on frame lines, I remove them all. I find the barely if at all visible tape much less distracting than the nasty flash of an ultrasonic splice. A properly made tape splice doesn't jump.  |  IP: Logged

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