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Author Topic: Tips on screening rooms Steve Beverly Film Handler Posts: 83 From: El Paso, Tx., Registered: Nov 2007 posted 11-18-2007 06:18 PM                     Hi, guys, I'm new to this forum. I have a fledgling production company. We are working primarily in 35mm and I wanted to set up a screening room to screen dailies, rough cuts and prints of the films we shoot. I am editing old school on Moviolas and KEM flat-beds and processing the film in-house. I also am in the process of setting up a sound transfer room so we will be using mag reels to edit and for screening dailies. I picked up a pair of 35mm mag film reproducers with a sync set-up for a projector I have yet to get but am in the process of shopping for. I am considering several options. 1) single portable projector for screening room and location. The problem is that with a single portable projector, I would have to change reels 3 or 4 times during a screening of the entire film and might not get a honest sense of timing and pace. The positive is it's very convenient to set up at a location or for say a fund raising event, however, the reproducers are over 6 ft. tall and very heavy so unless the picture is projected silently it kinda negates the convince aspect. 2) Dual projectors with old school project. Worked for years but doubles the setup times. on the positive side should one projector develop problems, you still have one left 3) Platter of giant reel set up on full sized projector. closer to the way much of the projection is done today but pretty much limits the screenings to the studio, location wouldn't be an option for the most part. I may go the latter route because I have one stage, I can use as a dual purpose room, set up the risers for maybe 25 people with a 10x17 ft room behind (already in place) and a portable screen in front. We also have a large parking area just outside so the projector can be set up in one of the door ways (there are 3) and the screen set up across the lot. Any way if anyone has done screening projection and is familiar with it's requirements your imput would be greatly appreciated. I also took a look at the gallery of screening rooms and was duly impressed. If you have any general tips on things to remember about setting up a screening room, I would very much like to hear all the do, don'ts and I would suggests you care to offer. Thanks-Steve  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-19-2007 07:40 AM                     If you demand the best in picture and sound then portables are out. Two projector setup is the way to go to get through alot of film with minimal wasted time... Century SA's are by far the best for screening dailies. They produce the steadiest/sharpest image possible out of a mechanical 35mm projector and are not all that fussy to set up and get top notch results. They are not the most light efficient but then you are not going to light up a 40 foot wide screen. Century's are also alot more portable than any other regular sized 35mm machine if you need to take one or both to a location. They are also not oily/drippy like Simplex X-L's are! The shutter shaft thats protruding from the front of the picture head is also a convenient place to attach the shaft encoder to drive the dubbers. I used to use two sets of Century SA's to do dailies with and sold several other sets to camera men and post production centers, one set is still in Houston! Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-19-2007 08:05 AM                     Mark, I'm surprised you didn't recommend the Christie...an all-in-one projector without oil issues. It still has the take up pulley on the lower sprocket shaft, no? I'll agree that Century has distinct advantages in mobile installations over Simplex. For new systems, Kinoton has their FP10A, which has road cases already available. Steve  |  IP: Logged Demetris Thoupis Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1240 From: Aradippou, Larnaca, Cyprus Registered: Apr 2001 posted 11-19-2007 08:16 AM                     If you can afford, I would recommend either getting a new Kinoton FP-25D or the Cinemeccanica Victoria 5BS model. Both of these carry big reels on each side of the projector which is great for space saving and you can run one complete film on one reel. Demetris  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 11-19-2007 12:42 PM                     Actually for a mobile setup, I would think the Christie would shine better than any other machine for overall ease. Out of curiosity, can a Christie projector drive a 6k reel on startup? That projector starts as fast as a V5.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 11-19-2007 04:58 PM                     quote: Steve Guttag It still has the take up pulley on the lower sprocket shaft, no? I think they made that belt pulley obsolete a couple of years ago. I still have a couple of them in service though (with new double sealed bearings of course).  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-19-2007 07:08 PM                     Sorry, No more take up pulleys for the P-35's. I wouldn't reccomend a Christie for Dailies ever. The P-35 is a bit too critical in the lateral guide department to get set up properly for the steadiest image. You very definately need the Christie factory alignment jig to do it right. With a Century just add Posi-Trol sprockets and use a piece of steel film... or better yet the Century factory alignment gauge if you're lucky enough to have one... to adjust the lateral guide roller... and violla! Perfect images that easily meet and almost always beat smpte specs. There are no Posi-trol sprockets available for the P-35 putting it at another disadvantage. The intermittent sprocket has a metric bore and the upper and lower are nothing more than X-L sprockets. Similar steadiness can be had from the old cast iron (not the alumnium variety!) Century C projectors and they too can take the posi-trol sprockets if they've had the intermittent upgrade kit installed. The flat gate to me is a disadvantage though. You could also get the same perfect image results from a Super Simplex but then you have the oily mess to contend with and it may get on the film. I'd certainly vote for the FP-10 if one has the megabucks it takes to help keep Larrys plane flying . Its probably the only really good portable in existance. quote: Brad Miller Out of curiosity, can a Christie projector drive a 6k reel on startup? That projector starts as fast as a V5. Yep! Bruce Willis's theater in Hailey, ID ran a two projector hour reel booth with 6000 foot reels for many years till they discontinued running film all together. Mark  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-19-2007 09:46 PM                        Wait--the P35 can't drive a takeup reel? And people buy this crap?!? Even in a platter house, the abilty to run 6000' reels with an intermission for each show could easily save a show (or several days' worth of shows) if the platter dies (e.g. fried AW3 transformer). As for the original poster, I'd consider a 2-machine booth for the screening room and a single machine with a double-MUT for other screenings. Mag sound could run on a second double-MUT. This takes up less space than a platter and would be easier to set up and transport than a second projector and dubber. Mark--what are Posi-trol sprockets, where does one get them (Lavezzi?), and what do they cost? If they are better than standard sprockets, then why aren't they standard?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-19-2007 09:53 PM                     quote: Scott Norwood Wait--the P35 can't drive a takeup reel? And people buy this crap?!? Even in a platter house, the abilty to run 6000' reels with an intermission for each show could easily save a show (or several days' worth of shows) if the platter dies (e.g. fried AW3 transformer). While the Christie remains probably the easiest of all projectors to work on... even da kids can somewhat fix em! One thing that a large plex can easily endure is a day missing a screen... While its not something I see very often we do have a number of customers that would rather just leave us to our weekends than bother us. But not all customers are that nice! I would personally know right away if someone is down... might be an easy fix over the phone too! Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Beverly Film Handler Posts: 83 From: El Paso, Tx., Registered: Nov 2007 posted 11-19-2007 11:12 PM                     This is quite an education, boys, I'm hearing terms I've never heard before and appreciate all the advice. One of the major problems is price is very much a factor with pretty much rules out new equipment. I was thinking a Super Simolex, maybe a Norelco. I've seen some Holmes units go within my price range A couple of Century's have come up, model numbers, I'm not sure of. I guess what I'm looking for are the best projectors I can get for around a grand or so. I know this may be limiting but it's a realistic budget. I also already own the 2 Magna-Sync reproducers with a belt driven projector sync unit and a pair of MTM dubbers along with a Magna-Tech 600 film recorder so these would have to figure into the configuration. That's kinda where we're at right now. I've spent a LOTTA cash on camera, editing, processing and sound equipment in addition to keeping the studio up and paide for so we have to watch every penny because I still need to gather up the cash for actual production costs. What are my options under these circumstances?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-20-2007 05:39 AM                     If you limit your screen size to 10 to 12 feet wide then a Super Simplex with Posi-Trol sprockets is the best way to go. When you buy the Super keep two things in mind... parts are VERY scarce and look for one that has the screw and nut holding the intermittent sprocket to the shaft, then installing Posi-Trols is easy. You should be able to do that plus an ORC-1000 xenon lamp for about a grand if you shop very carefully. The orc will take a maximum 750 watt lamp and runs off 120 volts. Forget the Holmes... a lost cause for parts and a real film grinder. Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Beverly Film Handler Posts: 83 From: El Paso, Tx., Registered: Nov 2007 posted 11-21-2007 12:33 AM                     How 'bout DeVrys? I've seen a few ex-military (mostly Navy) projectors for sale. Also we're shooting anamorphic so is there anything I should be aware of there? 10 to 12 ft should be about right, the most we could possibly go is 17 ft (the width of the room) with about a 25 to 35 ft throw. I'm a little worried abut finding lenses that will focus properly that close with a larger projector. Also are there any books on setting up projectors especially with dallies screening sections or any DVDs or tapes. How about useful websites. Thanks-Steve  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-21-2007 08:41 AM                     The DeVry's have alot of downsides to them with very tight threading being first among them. They are also somewhat hard on film and there is a deadheading roller that you'd have to go through as well. Its only real virtue is that it uses a Simplex Intermittent. I would reccomend that you pass on them. For scope any ISCO aanamorphic attachment will work at that throw or down to about a 15 foot throw. I do reccomend that you buy the best projection lenses made however because its the only way you're going to know what the camera lenses are actually capable of... so the ISCO Blue Star anamorphic and an equivelent high end back up lens would definately be in order. It is the only anamorphic that does a true 2 to 1 factor, all other lenses being just in the ballpark or variable across the image. BTW: What camera anamorphics do you have there? Want to do this in VistaVision instead? Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Beverly Film Handler Posts: 83 From: El Paso, Tx., Registered: Nov 2007 posted 11-21-2007 10:45 PM                     I would love to but probably couldn't afford the film that 8 perf VistaYision looks incredible but it eats film stock like Godzilla eats Tokyo. Why, do you have a VistaVision camera and projector availible? We're using commiecams, a Kinor 35C Rotovision 5000 from Bruce are Aranda in Australia with a small set (35, 50 and 75mm) of Lomo Roundfront anamorphics and a Konvas KSR-1 with a small set Lomo 2 piece squarefront anamorphics as a second unit, B cam and a animation camera. Just outta curiosity what does an ISCO Blue Star anamorphic projection lens run, (again budget)?  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 11-22-2007 01:42 PM                     Steve, I reluctantly agree with Mark on the Holmes comments. I have 3 of them, and all have been put together with used parts. I cant find anything new that I can afford. None of these machines have ever damaged anything, but I have recently resigned myself and took ownership of a lovely Century SA. It will probably be the last machine I will own, as I wont be running it 5 shows a day. The Holmes projectors were great starter units. The sound system on a Holmes is frightening.  |  IP: Logged

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