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Topic: Midnight Shows

Will Wheatley Uhl
Film Handler

Posts: 10
From: Manchester, NH
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 08-03-2005 09:08 PM

How many others agree with me that a print MUST be screened before being shown to the public? The owners and head manager of my theatre don't seem to agree with me. Tomorrow will be the mllionth time that these jerks have given me prints to build up without the chance to screen them for our midnight show. I had to do this with Devil's Rejects and Fantastic Four as well. Im getting quite fed up with the shotty booth practices. And our booth has no masking tape, so sorry to all of you who get the tiny pieces of tape from the movies I have to break down. [thumbsdown]

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 08-03-2005 09:51 PM

It's ALWAYS a good idea to prescreen a print. Even a new print can have an unexpected problem that could be missed by hand inspection (e.g., wrong language soundtrack, out of sync track).
It DOES take time to get a replacement reel, so shows will be lost or compromised until you get the replacement reel.

quote: Will Wheatley Uhl
And our booth has no masking tape, so sorry to all of you who get the tiny pieces of tape from the movies I have to break down.

If your booth has no masking tape, that's a GOOD thing! Always use high quality clear splicing tape to make your splices. Lots of Film-Tech postings (SEARCH for them) about splicing tape and proper splicing technique.

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Will Wheatley Uhl
Film Handler

Posts: 10
From: Manchester, NH
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 08-04-2005 02:34 AM

no, I meant for breaking down the prints, I just masking tape the heads and tails back on to save on cutting the film. I ALWAYS use splicing tape for splices, and I mandate clear.

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Daryl C. W. O'Shea
Film God

Posts: 3977
From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from)
Registered: Jun 2002

posted 08-04-2005 03:19 AM

Did I just hear someone load a shotgun? [Eek!]

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 08-04-2005 04:10 AM

<"Chink,chink..click">

This a very, very touchy subject on this forum with using masking tape to tape back the leads on the film. I suggest that you'd better change a conversation real quick, especially with the one by John on midnight shows (the actual title of your opening topic that you created), or to something else more constructive and helpful than on what you, yourself uses on your film handling practices.

If you would have read all of the previous posts and topic matter about splicing techniques is that masking tape is only used for identifying the ends of the film roll of show title ID's and other information that the roll requires on for presentation.

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 08-04-2005 05:48 AM

quote: Monte L Fullmer
...masking tape is only used for identifying the ends of the film roll of show title ID's and other information that the roll requires on for presentation.

I'd go as far to say that masking tape should not even be used for that! The adhesive on most masking tapes quickly deteriorates, either becoming a gooey mess, or drying out into powdery flakes. Use a higher quality "artist tape" or "drafting tape":

http://www.villagesupplies.net/3m_artist_tape.htm

http://www.artsuppliesonline.com/catalog.cfm?cata_id=4514

quote:
3M White Paper Tape #256
An ideal graphic design and general purpose artist tape. The surface of this tape is smooth and easy to write on with pen, marker or pencil, and pencil marks are completely erasable. It adheres well but has a low-tack adhesive, making it easily repositionable if necessary. Use it for hinging, holding boards to tables, corrections, silhouetting, mounting, etc. The opaque surface is great for covering errors, and the non-glare backing is ideal for photographic applications.

quote:
3M #230 Drafting Tape
3M

Top Quality Drafting Tape.Easily lifts off drafting film and vellum, as well as other papers. Sold in "bulk" on a 3 inch core. 3 widths available

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Wolff King Morrow
Master Film Handler

Posts: 490
From: Denton, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 08-04-2005 06:19 AM

Getting back on the subject, I'm also not too fond of the "blind" midnight show. I had to do that for 5 Star Wars E3 prints, with one of them interlock. I was sweating bullets that night.

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Dominic Espinosa
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1172
From: Boulder Creek, CA.
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 08-04-2005 11:31 AM

Sometimes it can't be helped such as with prints shipping Technicolor that arrive on Thursday just in time to get built up and run at midnight for the public.

If this guy wants to upgrade his presentation the magic answer machine will aid him the most as it will help find the multitudes of posts regarding proper film handling.
Just for fun I'll skim the surface:

-ID frames should only be on the heads if you've got to have one. It would also discourage the next guy from lobbing off even more frames if he's already got one handy.
-Clear splice tape should be used for EVERYTHING. No exception.
-Heads and tails should be reattached to the reel with clear splice tape on one side.
-Whenever a splice must be broken the tape should be peeled, not torn and left on the film.
-When securing the ends of the leaders after splicing them back on you can get away with a little masking tape if you absolutely have to but artists tape isn't that much more so ya might as well do it right if your owner will let you.
-Check out the film building 101, splicing, and splicer mod page in the tips section. Great information to be found!

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Wolff King Morrow
Master Film Handler

Posts: 490
From: Denton, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 08-04-2005 02:05 PM

quote:
-Whenever a splice must be broken the tape should be peeled, not torn and left on the film.

Actually I've seen people on this very site say its fine to tear the splice when it concerns breaking down a movie. In fact, there was a paper stating this that was circulated in the cans some months ago by a film-techer.

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Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 08-04-2005 04:36 PM

As long as the heads and tails accompany each reel, I could give a shit less how or whether they are attached. I've had 'em come in attached with duct tape, masking tape (most common), white paper tape, splicing tape (rare), staples, blue painters tape, and just about every thing else. Since I'm going to take all that stuff off anyway, it really doesn't affect anything.

You can't do anything about it so why whine about it??

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Dominic Espinosa
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1172
From: Boulder Creek, CA.
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 08-04-2005 05:31 PM

quote: Wolff King Morrow
Actually I've seen people on this very site say its fine to tear the splice when it concerns breaking down a movie. In fact, there was a paper stating this that was circulated in the cans some months ago by a film-techer.

Why not?
Might as well just peel it. Comes off a lot cleaner and makes the next guy happy cause he doesn't have to do it.
I do it all the time out of habbit because that's how we do it with trailers. Rather than leave tape on there to get overlapped, chopped off, or leave residue after long storage on the shelf it's ready to go.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-05-2005 01:03 PM

quote: Wolff King Morrow
people on this very site say its fine to tear the splice when it concerns breaking down a movie. In fact, there was a paper stating this that was circulated in the cans some months ago by a film-techer.

Tearing the splice during breakdown is "Film-Tech Approved" only if you are very short on time. Peeling the splice tape off is always the preferred way.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 08-05-2005 01:51 PM

Ditto to what Mike just said, but remember this as well, if someone peels the splicing tape and they used anything BUT Neumade tape, they must do a good job at getting all of the sticky residue off, or otherwise it will stick to the next convolution of film as it is rolled up, potentially causing damage to the film and more importantly, that sticky spot if not caught during buildup could initiate a nasty brain wrap on you!

Also remember most people breaking down are in a semi-hurry. Would you rather get a print that had the splices torn/split or a half-assed peel job to them? Personally I would rather a torn splice than a sloppy peel job.

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Wolff King Morrow
Master Film Handler

Posts: 490
From: Denton, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 08-05-2005 04:31 PM

I'm pretty sure the paper I got in the can mentioned nothing about tearing "only being approved if you're in a hurry". All it stated was that it was fine to do that.

In any case, I use the nuemade clear tape myself.

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Dave Callaghan
Film Handler

Posts: 60
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 08-05-2005 11:31 PM

quote:
-Heads and tails should be reattached to the reel with clear splice tape on one side.

I find it helps if I don't use the splicer's perforator and trimming blade to complete this half-splice for shipping. I use a razor blade to cut the edges. When the perforator isn't used, I believe the tape peels away more easily, because the perforator has a slight tendency to push the adhesive side of the splicing tape slightly into the perfs increasing the hold of the tape sometimes making it harder to peel the tape off if the next operator has to platter mount the print. If the next show is reel to reel - granted, the splicing tape is on one side and unperforated, who runs reel to reel without checking the splice connecting the leader to the reel? Even if the correct leader is spliced on, it is not uncommon to find the soundtrack reversed, attached with masking tape - even electrical tape seen recently. Who nowadays doesn't check the head end of every reel when running reel to reel?

quote:
they must do a good job at getting all of the sticky residue off, or otherwise it will stick to the next convolution of film as it is rolled up, potentially causing damage to the film and more importantly, that sticky spot if not caught during buildup could initiate a nasty brain wrap on you!

This DEFINITELY does not apply just to the head and tail splices. Hands down the WORST situation on a platter is the ABYSMAL removal of foil automation cues with residual adhesive left behind - ESPECIALLY near the beginning of the final credits. The beginning of the end credits are at a COMPLETELY ARBITRARY place in the last reel. NO ONE can know exactly where to look for this cue or plan to be there before the wrap happens. Moveover prints can be a nightmare for this reason. Because of the adhesive transfer to the next lap, I realize I prefer that the cues NOT be removed PROVIDED the last operator is sloppy - and you know who you are. The residue when I remove the cue is at least in one spot - two spots for those who think the foil has to be on both sides to pulse the automation - which is found in one place at least. Do a good job of foil removal and I appreciate that the last person recognized that my automation system and cue placement could be different.

Why can't booth personnel treat print handling like driving? On moveovers I mostly feel that if prints were driving, these clowns would be driving on the left side of the road in North America just because they are in a hurry and they get to THEIR destination quicker. F the rest.

quote: Daryl C. W. O'Shea
Did I just hear someone load a shotgun?

Over bad foil cue removal - YES!

One of the few good uses of standard masking tape in a projection booth is the removal of residual adhesive. Just cut off a piece a couple of inches long and touch the masking tape adhesive side to the residual adhesive on the film. Repeatedly touching a fresh part of the masking tape adhesive to the residual can remove all the residual from the film.

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