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Author Topic: Silent 35mm format Giorgio Volpi Film Handler Posts: 51 From: Caracas - Venezuela Registered: Mar 2002 posted 06-10-2006 11:28 AM                     Hi, I have to cut an aperture plate for silent 35 mm film (1:33). Who know what are correct dimensions? Thanks in advance. Giorgio.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-10-2006 11:39 AM                     Silent films had a multitude of apertures though they started to standardize around 1913 or so. By then, the aperture was about .680" x .910" I have measured several machines of the era of different manufacturers and they all came to these dimensions within a few 1000th of an inch. Going too much beyond .910" may lead to showing clear parts of the film or other stray artifacts. However, going above .680 rarely, if ever, has ill results. I would not be afraid to show up to .700" in height on any of the films I've seen. I have a couple of customers that have insisted on what I call "Super-Silent" to which I cut .725" x .945" apertures...as they say...seeing a bit of the perfs or a frame line only adds to the experience. I don't agree but they are the customer. I think they have a facination with what is going on just outside of the intended aperture...kinda like seeing the boom mic in today's films. Even those with Super-Silent also have the regular silent plates. I hope with the public they are only using the standard silent plates unless they know that it is an early silent film that uses the additional frame.  |  IP: Logged Phillip Grace Expert Film Handler Posts: 164 From: ACMI. Melbourne. Australia. Registered: Mar 2004 posted 06-10-2006 10:38 PM                     Our full-aperture silent plates were cut to .680 height, but experience shows .690 is more useful, and if doing it again I would go higher, to .700 inch. Above this height there is the possibilty of not being able to mask displaced framelines from the preservation process. There is quite a lot of pre-standard silent film in circulation.  |  IP: Logged Carl Martin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1424 From: Oakland, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-11-2006 01:50 AM                        you might be tempted also to have, uh, "sub-silent" plates for material that's been duped off of shrunken elements. often though, it varies so much from shot to shot you probably just have to live with seeing printed in perfs from time to time.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 06-11-2006 04:34 AM                        Agreed totally - the frame lines, especially from early step printers, were so hit-and-miss that you need to undercut a long way to avoid showing some frame line. One way to make a reasonably accurate cut on the non-soundtrack edge is to cut three sides using an RP-40 and then relace the test film the other way round, so that you've got a guide for the right-hand edge.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 06-11-2006 04:41 AM                     Or just do what I saw one British cinema do once, and run it with 1.85 plates. The cinema had the correct plates and lenses for their machines; the excuse I was given when I complained was that the chief wasn't in that day, and the projectionist on duty didn't what to risk upsetting the setup for the 1.85 film running later in the day by changing them for the silent film!  |  IP: Logged Jeffry L. Johnson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 809 From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 06-11-2006 10:47 AM                        quote: Leo Enticknap One way to make a reasonably accurate cut on the non-soundtrack edge is to cut three sides using an RP-40 and then relace the test film the other way round, so that you've got a guide for the right-hand edge. Could make a PA35 Moebius loop. It will switch sides every time the splice passes through.  |  IP: Logged Giorgio Volpi Film Handler Posts: 51 From: Caracas - Venezuela Registered: Mar 2002 posted 06-12-2006 04:25 AM                     Thank you very much. Giorgio.  |  IP: Logged

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