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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Movieola Type Splicer Instructions Needed (Page 1)

 
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Author Topic: Movieola Type Splicer Instructions Needed
Jim Cassedy
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1661
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Dec 2006


 - posted 06-01-2008 12:25 PM      Profile for Jim Cassedy   Email Jim Cassedy   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I recently acquired this "ATOMIC FILM SPLICER"
(still in originial box!)
It's similar to what I've always called a "MOVIOLA" type splicer since a similar model was manufactured by them and was widely used for work-print editing. I used one myself a couple of times many years ago.

The problem is- - I CAN'T RECALL HOW TO WORK THE DARN THNING!
I'd like to use this, but can't remember how.
Does anyone have instructions they can e-mail me?
Thanks!
 -

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 06-01-2008 12:40 PM      Profile for Steve Guttag   Email Steve Guttag   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It is for pre-perforated tape only.

IT is somewhat self explanitory if you play with it just a bit.

The big lever in the middle is the film cutter. The device that swings down at an angle helps to apply the tape by pushing it down squarely on the film. it also has a cutter on it for the tape. It does take some technique to get a nice clean cut that has no ridges that will peel back up. It is favored by editors as there are no chads possible and a good editor is pretty darn fast with the thing and the splices are pretty decent.

Steve

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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 06-01-2008 01:59 PM      Profile for Martin McCaffery   Author's Homepage   Email Martin McCaffery   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Just to state the obvious for those who have never seen one of these and are used to booth splicers, you hold the roll of tape in your left hand and apply it to the film. There is no tape dispenser on this splicer.

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999


 - posted 06-01-2008 02:33 PM      Profile for Tim Reed   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I don't know the company histories, but that is - or originally was - a Rivas splicer made by Carlos Rivas company.

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Jack Theakston
Master Film Handler

Posts: 411
From: New York, USA
Registered: Sep 2007


 - posted 06-01-2008 04:37 PM      Profile for Jack Theakston   Email Jack Theakston   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
And they're much more reliable than the standard guillotine splicers, particularly for older, shrunken film.

You're supposed to put eight-perfs worth of tape on each side, but that's a waste if the splice is temporary. Four will suffice. Two will too if you want to be really reckless.

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John Hawkinson
Film God

Posts: 2273
From: Cambridge, MA, USA
Registered: Feb 2002


 - posted 06-01-2008 06:35 PM      Profile for John Hawkinson   Email John Hawkinson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It's also really easy to cut your hand on the blade.

--jhawk

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Jack Theakston
Master Film Handler

Posts: 411
From: New York, USA
Registered: Sep 2007


 - posted 06-03-2008 07:15 PM      Profile for Jack Theakston   Email Jack Theakston   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
What? Even with the dullest blade, the cut is still shearing action between the brass base that it pushes through. The drop blade doesn't have to be sharp at all.

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Kenneth Wuepper
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1026
From: Saginaw, MI, USA
Registered: Feb 2002


 - posted 06-03-2008 07:27 PM      Profile for Kenneth Wuepper   Email Kenneth Wuepper   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The advantage of this machine is that the splicing tape edges will be on the frame lines and not visible on screen or in the printer.

Negatives are usually taped only on the base side to keep contact in the printer for sharp images. Projection requires both sides to be taped for safe running through the machine.

KEN

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 06-03-2008 07:38 PM      Profile for Scott Norwood   Author's Homepage   Email Scott Norwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
There are different versions of this that are made to cover different numbers of perfs with tape. I've seen the 2-perf version and the 8-perf version. The difference is that the top piece that holds the tape in place while the user tears it is a different size.

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David Zylstra
Master Film Handler

Posts: 432
From: Novi, MI, USA
Registered: Mar 2007


 - posted 06-03-2008 07:49 PM      Profile for David Zylstra   Email David Zylstra   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
We used to use a similar splicer made by Hollywood Film Company . . . . . . our norm was to do 8 perfs on one side and 4 on the other . . . . . . . prior to polyester film we would tape one side to repair torn sprocket holes

quote: Jack Theakston
Two will too if you want to be really reckless
I tried this once on a release print once - when I broke the film down at the end of a 4 week run I found that the splices were slowly pulling apart, not by much but each splice started with a slight overlap and ended up with a slight gap.

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Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003


 - posted 06-03-2008 08:12 PM      Profile for Sam D. Chavez   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I love these splicers but the tape price is a killer. Way more expensive.

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999


 - posted 06-03-2008 08:53 PM      Profile for Tim Reed   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Kenneth Wuepper
Negatives are usually taped only on the base side
You're talking about for daily rolls, right? Because every lab I've ever dealt with will absolutely not accept negatives with tape on them.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 06-04-2008 12:05 AM      Profile for Mark Gulbrandsen   Email Mark Gulbrandsen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Those splicers were very common on productions back in the mid 80's to the late 90's up to when on line editing took over on most productions. The pre-perf tape is only about 20 bucks a roll and the rolls are fairly long so they last a while in a booth. Its amazing to watch an experienced editor conform film using one of those splicers. One second per splice per side! And those splices are done absolutely perfectly... usually done just by feel...

Mark

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Jack Theakston
Master Film Handler

Posts: 411
From: New York, USA
Registered: Sep 2007


 - posted 06-04-2008 10:52 AM      Profile for Jack Theakston   Email Jack Theakston   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: David Zylstra
I tried this once on a release print once - when I broke the film down at the end of a 4 week run I found that the splices were slowly pulling apart, not by much but each splice started with a slight overlap and ended up with a slight gap.
I never really had this problem, but then again, I usually don't build up anything with two-perfs that's going to be over 3000' feet or so for that very reason. Too much tension WILL tear that splice to shreds. Generally, I do four perfs worth on each side. That does the trick, and you're not wasting tape.

On another related topic, the best cement splices, for what it's worth (not much anymore with polyester) are made by Maier-Hancock or the Bell and Howell Pedal splicers.

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Jim Cassedy
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1661
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Dec 2006


 - posted 06-04-2008 05:42 PM      Profile for Jim Cassedy   Email Jim Cassedy   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks, everyone, for all the info.

Another question I had was answered in a couple of the replies.
(It DOES require pre-perforated splicing tape)

Fortunately, I found and bought several "expired" rolls dirt cheap in a professional camera store here in San Francisco.

The stuff is still apparantly good, as I tried using it to splice together a couple of test loops and let them run through one of my projectors at home for over 30min each and they appear just as strong as when I made them.

I worked in film production back for awhile in the 1980's and I can 2nd the comments made by some here that an experienced editor could make splices lightning fast on one of these things.

As I recall, I saw these mainly used on dailies and for editing work prints, and they taped only one side. At the place I was at those edited work prints were rarely projected. They were usually only run on flat-bed type movieolas, which don't put a wholelotta stress on the film & splices.

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