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Author Topic: Weight of an average film Matthew Peters Expert Film Handler Posts: 179 From: Glen Waverley, Melbourne, Australia Registered: Nov 2002 posted 05-17-2005 09:30 AM                     This must sound bizarre, but what is the weight of say an average two-hour film? I am writing a report and need an estimate. I’d have taken some scales into the booth and measured, but I’m not working at the moment. Thanks  |  IP: Logged Alex Rolfe Film Handler Posts: 37 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Mar 2003 posted 05-17-2005 10:19 AM                        Including metal cans, I'd say around 70 pounds. Most fall between 60 and 75, depending on the length, weight of the cans, and whether the shipping reels are metal or plastic.  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 05-17-2005 10:19 AM                     Around 50 pounds?  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-17-2005 12:52 PM                        In the last 7 months (that's how far back my shipping records go) we have shipped 19 prints out of here via UPS. Some in Fox boxes, some in cans. Here are some statistics: Average weight: 59 lbs Lowest weight: 42 pounds (that was a Fox box) Highest: 71 lbs (8 reels in old cans) Whenever we ship out film in cans, we enclose the cans in a box to avoid the UPS "additional handling" charge. The boxes weigh 2 pounds, so that'll skew the average very slightly.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-17-2005 01:07 PM                     When I ship my prints out, they usually go by Fed-Ex. They are all weighed when the waybill is filled out. Film in cans, reels and all, usually weighs between 30 and 40 pounds. At two cans per movie, that's 60 to 80 pounds per print. Extra long movies would obviously be heavier. A print like that, I estimate, would be around 100 pounds. If I can find the tracking numbers in my records I'll look up a few prints that were shipped out and come back with the weights.  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 05-17-2005 01:49 PM                     We deliver the films to the UPS terminal. There is no additional handling fee charged to us. The terminal has specific instructions NOT TO ACCEPT film cans WITHOUT a tie wrap fastening the catches so they cannot pop open in shipment. We, therefore, have a supply of electrical tie wraps in the booth to assure the proper closure of the cans. Our 70mm prints come in single reel Aluminum cases and weigh in at 35 to 40 pounds per case. Most of these are road show prints of 12 to 14 cases. Typical door to door air freight shipping is $500.00 per showing. KEN  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-17-2005 02:15 PM                     Anyone remember how heavy Gods & Generals was?  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 05-17-2005 02:43 PM                        As a "rule of thumb", figure just a bit under 5 pounds per 1000 feet of 35mm processed print film. So for a 2-hour print with leaders (about 11,000 feet), the film itself would weigh about 55 pounds.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-17-2005 04:58 PM                        quote: Kenneth Wuepper We deliver the films to the UPS terminal. There is no additional handling fee charged to us. I'll bet, if you look at your UPS bill, you'll see that they have "corrected" the shipping charge to include that fee. It's $5.00 per piece for anything that's not enclosed in cardboard. ETS ships us our films without the charge, and without fail UPS has added it when we get our bill. I guess there is always the possibility that your company has negotiated a deal with UPS to eliminate that charge but I've never heard of such a deal.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Mehocic Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 804 From: New Castle, PA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-17-2005 05:46 PM                     Deleted due to dead URL  |  IP: Logged Per Hauberg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 883 From: Malling, Denmark Registered: Jul 2000 posted 05-17-2005 06:25 PM                        One normal reel = 22 mins = 10 pounds - period !  |  IP: Logged Daniel Alt Expert Film Handler Posts: 111 From: Lakewood, OH, USA Registered: Mar 2004 posted 05-18-2005 06:29 AM                     Period? Many films do not consist entirely of "normal" reels. Reel 5 of "National Treasure" looked to be about ten minutes long, if I remember right.  |  IP: Logged

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