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Author Topic: Film Handling Gloves Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 03-03-2008 04:14 PM                        I have always used the Cotton film handling gloves when building up and breaking down film. It was the way I was taught I think it protects the film it is a good practice. I realize that most aren't doing this of late but this isn't the question I have. Can you use plan surgical gloves in handling film? I realize that you wouldn't want to use the kind with talcum powder but is there any reason not to use the ones that are not powdered? It looks to me that would have a better feel of the film with them than the cotton. Even with that said I'm not sure I would trade in the cotton film handling gloves, tradition you know!  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 03-03-2008 04:43 PM                     You could, but I'd think you would want gloves where the film could 'slip' through. Nylon (or equivlent) gloves might 'grab' the film. Your hands would sweat, too.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 03-03-2008 11:34 PM                     Surgical/examination gloves wouldn't work very well at all. The ones people used to use, latex, is a bad choice both for the fact that a lot of people get allergic to it easily and (as mentioned) that it's a "sticky" substance (meaning that there's a high amount of friction). The more commonly available nitrile gloves will suffer from the same friction issue. Even if the film went through fine, you'd at least be in pain from the friction of the gloves on your fingers.  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-04-2008 06:25 AM                     While editing my super 8mm films, I used nylon white "mickey mouse' gloves. (They cover the fingers but don't go up to the wrist} They do not make the lint as cotton gloves do. There was no problem with feeling the film or handling it. After 70mm in the booth, this little film is like spaghetti. KEN  |  IP: Logged Andres Briano Expert Film Handler Posts: 162 From: Buenos Aires, Argentina Registered: Jan 2008 posted 03-04-2008 09:02 AM                        Once I was working in a theatre in Brazil (Rio to be exact) and the only thing I could find were those surgical gloves, so I wore them. They didn´t last long. Maybe two reels per glove. The friction of the film cuts the latex or nitrile "like butta"! Andrés  |  IP: Logged Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 03-05-2008 03:24 PM                        thanks for the information I believe I will stick to the plain old white film handling gloves I have used for ... a long time!  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-05-2008 04:04 PM                        I think glove users are in the minority nowadays, no? I have never used them. I use the alternative, simple 2-point method: 1. Wash hands before handling film (and no food in the booth). 2. Don't touch the image area.  |  IP: Logged Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 03-05-2008 04:34 PM                        But Mike the oil in your hands returns in just a few minutes! I realize that glove users are in the minority but it was how I was trained and I have made it a requirement at any theater I have run since mid-70's. It certainly doesn't cause any problem unless the gloves don't fit well and if they don't fit some buy the size that does fit them. Now that is just me and you are free to do it the way you want.  |  IP: Logged Andres Briano Expert Film Handler Posts: 162 From: Buenos Aires, Argentina Registered: Jan 2008 posted 03-06-2008 10:36 AM                        I agree with Ron on this. It goes without saying, you can do whatever you please, Mike, but I find that it is 99.99% impossible to do a splice without touching the image area. Hence: I have my guys always wear gloves. I am pretty uptight about this. Andrés  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-06-2008 11:37 AM                        Ron: I'll bet a dollar that when you break down film, you tear the splices and leave the tape on the print. Do I win?  |  IP: Logged Sebastian Binz Film Handler Posts: 32 From: Cologne, Germany Registered: Nov 2007 posted 03-06-2008 04:48 PM                     I've tried cotton gloves for a few prints as well, but the feeling is just different. Especially handling the splicing tape is a bit more difficult wearing gloves. One question: How long do you wear a pair? I figured that the gloves become quite dirty after handling a relatively small number of prints.  |  IP: Logged Emma Tomiak Expert Film Handler Posts: 238 From: Carrollton, TX, USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 03-06-2008 05:27 PM                        I find using gloves to be espcially difficult because most come in "one size fits all", meaning that they fit most male hands and are huge on my hands. Washing the gloves in hot water and tumble drying them not only shrinks them a bit to fit me better, but also removes most of the loose fibers that tend to get all over the film. There's really no point in washing and reusing them after they get dirty since they come in packs of a million or so. Just chuck them out after they begin to look noticeably dirty or start falling apart.  |  IP: Logged Stu Jamieson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 524 From: Buccan, Qld, Australia Registered: Jan 2008 posted 03-06-2008 06:58 PM                     The problem with gloves is that you get a reduction in tactility with them, i.e. your ability to sense things with your fingers is reduced. All PPE retards your senses so you need a damn good reason to use them. Like Mike says, how do you remove splicing tape while wearing gloves? And you would be able to detect film flaws easier and more reliably by running it through your bare fingers. I don't use gloves myself (and my employer does not require me to use them). The way I see it, using gloves is pretty pointless. As others have alluded, the gloves will collect dirt and retransmit it elsewhere and they will shed fibres. Besides, unless your biobox is Intel-style surgery clean, the print will collect contaminants from the environment! A lot of people here seem to use Film-Guard and I'm sure that would do a much better job of keeping the print clean than gloves. Me? I just keep my hands clean.  |  IP: Logged Bill Bright Film Handler Posts: 25 From: St. Petersburg, Florida Registered: Oct 2003 posted 03-06-2008 10:45 PM                     Actually Regal's "Projection Booth Operations Manual" states that for good film building and breaking down one must use the cotton gloves. Just to make the point that some still use this method.  |  IP: Logged Chad M Calpito Master Film Handler Posts: 435 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 03-06-2008 11:26 PM                        In my booth at the Gaslamp 15, it's a requirement to wear cotton gloves, which I agree with. It was a method that I used at Regal Parkway Plaza 18 and personally, don't mind using cotton gloves. To me, it makes sense and it is a policy that I am making as a requirement & policy for movie builds.  |  IP: Logged

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