I tried setting the splicer on top of the reel to make the splice, gut quickly realized that its waaaay too dangerous and I could risk dropping the splicer.

Then i tried doing it at the platter and the only problem there is that sometimes the tail leaders are too short and they come off of the reel and I have to wind them up to keep them off the floor and then put them back on the reel.

Remember, when breaking down do NOT use the cutting blade on your splicer to separate the splice. Doing so will only damage the initial cut and force the next guy to chop off two frames to make a good joint. Also do NOT chop off another frame so you don't have to peel the splicing tape off. Again, the professional way to break down is to peel your splicing tape off and reattach the leaders with a single sided splice. However, in a rush situation, I've personally no problem if you just tear the splice in your hands, leaving the splicing tape in tact, and just lay a single sided splice on top. That way if the next theater cares enough to save the frame (sadly most don't these days), they can do the peel job for you.

I don't know what theater you work for James, but I do know that AMC actually TEACHES the practice of breaking down without reattaching the leaders. (You see, using half a foot of splicing tape is WAAAAAAY too costly for a print on ship out in AMC's opinion.) An alternative acceptable solution in AMC's eyes is to use a piece of the cheapest, nastiest masking tape you can find. Both are completely unacceptable methods of breaking down and I wish someone at AMC would get in there and change that company policy/training practice. Frequently when I've received a print that played (even if just one time for a screening) at an AMC, I have to chop off multiple frames because I cannot get that damned masking tape goo off of the film and I don't want a brain wrap in the middle of my show from it. If the print came from one of the "just tuck the film under the leader and ship it out" AMCs, there is almost always scratching where the film rubbed up against itself and frequently damaged sprockets and folded film too. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

(I might add that I know of at least 4 times where I flat out rejected a print due to such carelessness during breakdown that only played once at an AMC and that theater DID have to pay for a new copy.)

As far as tape is concerned, the only tape that is now approved by AMC is the white paper tape from permacel (the same stuff used on many prints behind the title on the head and tail leaders).

Despite the reputation they may have, they are making some improvements on how things are done.

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Like Brad said; if you are in a hurry, just rip the splice by hand and place a peice of tape on one side. Not ideal, but it will run through OK.

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Has the design of the STRONG makeup table been altered in the past few years?

I know mins stands shorted than some others (at one of my old theatres you could make up and break down from the middle platter without using thr rollers; on these you cant), but is the main body also narrower?

I put down an empty reel and a splicer to see just how much room I would have. I could fit the splicer there just barely, but with no room to make a splice. My theatre was biult in 1999.

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In contast to the usual scrached up shit I usually get my print of Serendipity this weekend (second run) was absolutely gorgeous. Almost brand new.... not a scratch or a mark on it. However, except for the tail of the last reel number 5, there was not a head or a tail included with the print. (Probably in a prior operator's trash can somewhere). There were white bands around the reels..... but none of those was marked either. It was a 5 reel print so Reels 1 & 5 were easily identified. Not having seen the feature before, I was forced to run a couple of the middle reels just to determine the order.

The last time I had to do this was with The Full Monty a couple of years back and even with screening the reels I still got it wrong!

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Please, if there is anyone on this site who uses masking tape to join head/tails to reels please stop immediately. It is not only detrimental to the film it is very unprofessional in both practise and appearance. Not to insult anyone, but , when I see masking tape used to join tails to reels the first thing that pops in my head is "lazy s.o.b.". Is that the opinion you want people to have of you or your work? I think not.

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