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Author Topic: Star Wars Optical Printer F.S. Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-27-2003 08:43 PM                     Sad but true and I suppose this was pre ILM equipment too. Here is the link. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=628&item=2937101125  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-27-2003 09:12 PM                     Wow. 10 grand. I hope he can prove its the real deal.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 06-27-2003 09:47 PM                       I can't imagine anyone who could use this. Everyone pretty much composites digitally anymore.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 06-27-2003 09:52 PM                    It doesn't seem likely that this was used for Star Wars at least the way it appears in the picture with all film paths running vertically. VistaVision to 35mm 4-perf would require the camera head to be running one way while the projector heads the other--although not necessary horizontal projectors and vertical camera--it can be opposite of that if the image is going through sideways.  |  IP: Logged Gerard S. Cohen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 975 From: Forest Hills, NY, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 06-27-2003 10:14 PM                     The seller has zero transactions in his feedback file. Not an encouragement for such an expense, and he gives no specs for the parts included, as one would expect for such an item...  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-27-2003 11:03 PM                     Certainly it can be VistaVision, and probably other formats by changing optics and movements in the aeriel projectors and camera. The projectors are running vertically, thats all, and since the VV elements woulda been in the two projectors and the film in the camera at the far end, its probable that the film in the camera looped around and the movement was sideways 90 degrees to the projectors to expose the neg. These don't run very fast anyway as its all pin regestered. The original Empire Vista Printer was on display in the lobby at ILM for a long time. Donno if it still is though. On examination I found this printed in the upper corner of the picture.... Weather it was or was not used on Star Wars doesn't really matter much as it is sure a nice piece of machine work! Mark  |  IP: Logged Christopher Seo Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 530 From: Los Angeles, CA Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-28-2003 01:12 AM                     Can anybody tell who manufactured this, or is it a custom job?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-28-2003 10:26 AM                     Optical printers are rarely off the shelf items....Donno who made it, lots of custom printers have been built since the 20's. Looks to be built on an old large lathe bed. The lamphouse is obvuiosly old. Doesn't mean it isn't capable of churning out good images though.... Mark  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 06-28-2003 01:26 PM                       I thought that at first, Steve. But then it looked like the magazines were offset a bit, from top to bottom, so I figured it possibly could be VV.  |  IP: Logged Sam Hunter Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 779 From: West Monroe, LA, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-28-2003 02:44 PM                     Years ago there was a special on the special effects for the star wars movie and they showed the optical printer and that kinda looks like it. However, bear in mind that was back in 77-78 and I have warped my brain once or twice since then. Maybe Jeff Joseph can shed some light on this.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 07-02-2003 01:47 PM                        I once hosted cinematographer Richard Edlund of ILM (shortly after Episode IV was released) at a Rochester SMPTE section meeting. I recall the VistaVision cameras they used for the VFX had the logos from Oldsmobile "VistaCruiser" automobiles.  |  IP: Logged Hillary Charles Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 748 From: York, PA, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 07-02-2003 04:43 PM                     I just checked the ebay link, and it came up as an invalid item  |  IP: Logged Peter Eaves Film Handler Posts: 8 From: Burbank, California, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 07-02-2003 05:35 PM                     I haven't seen a picture of this printer but there were optical printer made on which the camera could be tilted 90 degrees to allow for VistaVision to 4-perf conversions. If anyone can post the picture I'd love to see it. I worked on such a machine in Pittsburgh some years ago. The printer was basically an Oxberry aerial head optical printer that had been converted by Boss Films in Marina del Ray, CA. The lamphouse was a standard halogen lamp with an tive color wheel for scene to scene color correction. Boss Films went out of business some years ago and the machine ended up in Pittsburgh. It could also be used for making 1:1 35mm opticals.  |  IP: Logged Christopher Seo Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 530 From: Los Angeles, CA Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-06-2003 12:36 AM                     Indeed, it looks like this item and all of the seller's other items were pulled from auction. By whom or for what reason is a mystery as they just all disappeared....  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 07-06-2003 07:40 AM                        Wouldn`t the original Empire printer Mark mentioned be the same as the original Star Wars printer? I recall reading they dug the machine up somewhere as it was the only equipment in those days which could do what they wanted. So I think it is rather more likely that they used the same machine again for Empire.  |  IP: Logged

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