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Author Topic: The care and feeding of semi-retired 35mm equipment Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-16-2011 11:24 AM                        Since we changed to digital, our 35mm projector has been unused. I have not run any film through it since June 16 of last year. I turn it on for a minute or so every now and then to keep things lubricated, and I've kept the dust off of it....but is there anything else I should or could be doing to make sure it stays in good shape?  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-16-2011 05:51 PM                     Run FILM through it. No, I'm not trying to be funny. If you don't run film...things like the sound drum never get spun up to speed...running it once a month with film is probably sufficient to keep it at the ready. You will likely need to also tend to its lubrication changes as well (not based on hours, anymore, but on age. -Steve  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 03-16-2011 06:06 PM                       I second Steve's motion. I would run with the lamp on when you run as it will dry things out and chases away rust etc. Maybe 30 minutes a month. Some of my customers who don't have a long history with film tend to forget how to thread everything.  |  IP: Logged James Wallor Film Handler Posts: 26 From: Houghton, MI, United States Registered: Mar 2011 posted 03-17-2011 01:40 AM                     Our 35mm has sat unused for I believe a little over a year now. For what it does come time to run it again, other than lubricating everything, do you suspect there may be any issues we may encounter? It's a Simplex PR1014 with a Dolby Cat. No. 701 soundhead up top and a Simplex 5-star soundhead below.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-18-2011 08:38 PM                     The further out you get from the last use the less likely you are to ever use it again. Bust it into carryable pieces with a sledgehammer and dumpster it. At this point it's just clutter in the booth. At this point we're still using 35mm for all out mainstream stuff, almost all the specialty screenings, old stuff, etc. are being done from DVD or Bluray either of which looks better than the hatcheted prints that we always got. I can't imagine needing the 35s ever again after we get on screen with D-Cinema. So far EVERYTHING we've needed including some very old titles have been available on DVD or BD. At some point not too far out we'll put one of the Simplexes on display and dispose of the other.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 03-19-2011 10:11 AM                        As film disappears from mainstream theatres it'll become the territory of arthouse venues and places that show mainly archival prints. I suspect that they'll want to show film of all varieties (16, 35 and 70) for many years yet, and looked-after machines 'for spares or repair', to use that infamous Ebay phrase, will become sought after. The same thing has happened among vinyl (and shellac) record geeks. I recently sold a turntable I bought on Ebay on 2004 on Ebay once again, for three times what I paid for it! My guess is that this is because (a) I looked after it and repaired several defects, and (b) less of them survive now than did then, becuase many will have been dumpstered in the intervening six years or so. I think what I'm trying to say is that after an initial slump, good 35mm projector mechanisms of designs that are recognised as being well suited to running older prints will appreciate in value. Even if you never intend to use yours again, if you have the space, then mothballing them carefully and storing for a decade or two and then selling might turn out to be a worthwhile option.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-19-2011 11:27 AM                     Art house venues are where film will totally disappear first because with the very limited demand and ever increasing costs film will become impractical.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Mehocic Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 804 From: New Castle, PA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-19-2011 02:50 PM                     quote: Bill Enos The further out you get from the last use the less likely you are to ever use it again. I disagree. In fact, over the past three months I have doubled digital features along side other title film prints over a period of at least three weeks. Once more, notice its plural - meaning its not just the same stale movie being bled white week after week. Aggressive bookers will use all options available to them and I suspect this will be fairly normal given who we are contracted with. When not in use I take care of the 35mm just like it is still part of the flock. I have heard horror stories from other - more poorly ran multiplexes - about cannibalizing the retired (but still functional) 35mm only to find out the following week it will be required for service. If I had my way I think I would fire those employees for sabotage if this prevented a show. However, for those other machines that have been entirely removed, we are still devising an official company policy regarding mothballing. For the most part, all machines are thoroughly cleaned and repaired before going into storage. Moreover, all of the fluids are properly drained and the gear side of the machine also cleaned and maintained. If indeed a better part is on these machines that might be swapped elsewhere, then I suppose it would be alright. I have mentioned to some in our company about keeping a log as to what has been swapped out so we at least know the source of the used part and can replace it down the road. The last thing I want sitting around in my booth are piles of junk that were once great machines having the misfortune of falling into the hands of lazy, incompetent people.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-19-2011 05:20 PM                     quote: Bill Enos Art house venues are where film will totally disappear first because with the very limited demand and ever increasing costs film will become impractical. Bill, I think your "radar" is way off on this one. Art/Special venue is where film will stay the longest. In fact, We have a few of "art houses" where the plans for putting in DCinema were just stepped back based on what they are showing and what they are planning to show...what is stepping up in priority is improving the their FILM presentations (going to Kinoton FP30E Premiere projectors and 3-wing shutter mode (flicker-free) and also installing 2nd projectors to open up the archival film market. While it is true that movies of all ages are available on DVD...DVD quality is so far below that of film that one should be embarrassed to show it. if you think it looks good, you are standing in the booth...get a bit closer. There are good film prints out there of many classic titles and they will knock the socks off of even BluRay. I don't know where you source your films from to know why you only get the junk. Or, perhaps, it is just easier to run the BluRay/DVD since you have a good projector. -Steve  |  IP: Logged Michael Brown Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1522 From: Bradford, England Registered: May 2001 posted 03-19-2011 07:38 PM                     quote: Steve Guttag Bill, I think your "radar" is way off on this one. Art/Special venue is where film will stay the longest. In fact, We have a few of "art houses" where the plans for putting in DCinema were just stepped back based on what they are showing and what they are planning to show. ...and it's the issue of cost to install new digital equipment. It's all well and good all the major chain multiplexes going fully digital over the next year or so, they have the money. It's the smaller independent cinemas that will hang on to their current film based equipment and where film will thrive.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-19-2011 08:19 PM                     I agree Michael...though on the Art Theatre...depending on the theatre, what it plays and how it is funded...even the money isn't the issue...they have A/V projectors to run the non-DCinema stuff...they just don't think that the DCinema equipment is going to do as much for them as improving/expanding their film equipment...at this time. Mind you...there are definite plans for having DCinema equipment in the future...it is all planned...but if they don't need it to do their current stuff...time shows that it gets better and costs less...the longer you wait.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 03-20-2011 10:15 AM                        There are some arthouse venues, and especially cinematheques that are attached to, or have a close relationship with archives (e.g. the Dryden Theater in Rochester, NFT in London etc.), which will want to continue showing film for ideological reasons. Also, there are a great many more obscure archival titles that haven't been digitised. Sure, DCPs of the usual classics - Citizen Kane, Gone With the Wind and about 67 different restorations of Metropolis - will very quickly become readily available. But for a lot of titles that might get a screening once every 10-15 years, showing the 35mm print might still be the cheaper and more efficient option for the foreseeable future. The cost of producing a DCP from preservation elements is coming down, but it's still significant. I agree that we're talking about a tiny minority of overall venues, but my gut feeling is that they will still exist.  |  IP: Logged Bernie Anderson Jr Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: Woodbridge, New Jersey Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-20-2011 10:55 AM                        My understanding is that Empire 42nd street in NYC put back a pair of Simplexes for special screenings because it wasn't on DLP for some reason.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-20-2011 03:59 PM                     All the best film equipment can't correct for a print with 145 splices, scratches and 30 cues at the end of every reel which is the way all the last 20 or so old title prints came to us. The customers bitch and complain in a steady stream to the lobby all the way thru the movie. They think WE did all the damage and raise holy hell. It just isn't worth the aggravation. The first thing the studio reps. say when you book older titles is that all the prints are shit----no good ones left. The MPXes don't screen these prints, just art houses which brings up the big question----Is everybody in art house booths totally incompetent or what? I've been in the booth for 25 years and I'll honestly say I've made my share of screw ups but my total list of screw ups is blown away but what I find a on a single print that has been thru the art house circuit. Is there a school that trains morons to work art house booths????? Incompetence that gross is hard to find in any trade.  |  IP: Logged Victor Liorentas Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: london ontario canada Registered: May 2009 posted 03-20-2011 06:01 PM                     It is the worst ever for morons in booths but they get what they pay for and they want it done for free! Around here catalog prints are still quite decent but it's a crap shoot!  |  IP: Logged

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