8mm Forum: Films stored in sealed boxes

»	8mm Forum » 8mm Forum » Films stored in sealed boxes - a gamble?

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: Films stored in sealed boxes - a gamble?

Jason Schmidt
Film Handler

Posts: 99
From: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Registered: Nov 2014

posted November 08, 2015 10:11 PM

If a film has been stored on a shelf in the original shrink by a collector as memorabilia, is it still a gamble on the colors being faded? Specifically, how do Ken Films from the 70s tend to hold up color-wise?

I guess what I'm trying to figure out is if fading happens more or less when the film is in a sealed container and never been opened/watched. Or is it a total crapshoot?

| IP: Logged

Jean-Marc Toussaint
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: France
Registered: Oct 2004

posted November 09, 2015 09:56 AM

Well, as your post title says, it can be a bit of a gamble.
Shrink wrapping isn't always airtight, so fading could already happen.
On top of that, if the film has been stored in a room that's not particularly cool and dry, the plastic wrap could act as a cooking wrap with the film suffering from acetate breakdown (i.e. VS, if the stock is acetate).
Most of Ken Films from the 70s tend to fade unfortunately as low-fade stock was only introduced in the early 80s.

--------------------
The Grindcave Cinema Website

| IP: Logged

Luis Caramelo
Master Film Handler

Posts: 494
From: Funchal
Registered: Feb 2011

posted November 09, 2015 10:57 AM

hi! Janson the beter way t store colr films it,s in the colest place you can get.i gt all my color films in a fridge,i got no fade films,even my ken ones,

best:
luis caramelo

| IP: Logged

Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted November 09, 2015 12:00 PM

Yep, risky, let em breathe a little.

Even with my stored films in the fridge, (the non low fade Eastman prints), I regularly open the bags for that very reason. Well, they get pulled out projected anyhow.

--------------------
"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

| IP: Logged

Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted November 09, 2015 02:48 PM

I assume that Funchal is warm all the year round.

--------------------
Maurice

| IP: Logged

Luis Caramelo
Master Film Handler

Posts: 494
From: Funchal
Registered: Feb 2011

posted November 09, 2015 03:42 PM

youare right Maurice.this,s tropical climate,with also with some humity,some parts of the Island it.s more hot than others,but like i said before,that.s why i got my color movies in a fridge,they are wraped in aluminium paper and when ,i.ll take them off,24hours,before i running them,not a singleproblem untill now,,,

best;

luis caramelo

| IP: Logged

Joe Caruso
Film God

Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 09, 2015 04:56 PM

Shrink-wrap came along some twenty years ago, I've seen many a box being palmed off as new - Before all that, a film would come cellophaned, and you can instantly tell the difference, as it is light to the touch and the film box will be gem-mint - - As to colors fading, I opened one of my old cellophaned-sealed CASTLE Travelogues and the color was vibrant, as if 1st run - Fading will happen with much exposure, handling and storage - Keep the films in cardboard however, as metal seems to add towards age and odor - Shorty

| IP: Logged

Jack Cleveland
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 111
From: Selbyville, DE, USA
Registered: Oct 2014

posted November 09, 2015 06:56 PM

My print of GWTW from Derann was still shrink wrapped when I received it- And the LPP color is gorgeous. A great print, with no color fade.

| IP: Logged

Joseph Randall
Master Film Handler

Posts: 437
From: Wyckoff, NJ, USA
Registered: Jun 2015

posted November 09, 2015 08:12 PM

For both films and vinyl records, it is a crapshoot. I'd rather have a tested film or record in near-mint condition. For records, it's warping that could be an issue. For film, not only color, but other defects -- un-synchronized sound, bad soundtrack, too-light or too-dark printings, etc.

Keep in mind that films never projected need a good lubrication before projecting -- I usually do this for all films I obtain, regardless of used or not.

Some films were never shrink-wrapped when new -- e.g. Blackhawks.

| IP: Logged

Jason Schmidt
Film Handler

Posts: 99
From: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Registered: Nov 2014

posted November 09, 2015 08:46 PM

How do you lubricate a film before projecting? What is the product/process to accomplish this?

| IP: Logged

Brian Fretwell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1785
From: London, UK
Registered: Jun 2014

posted November 10, 2015 05:07 AM

Doesn't shrink wrap need high heat to be applied to shrink it? Not the best treatment for the film inside. Or do people really mean cling film?

| IP: Logged

Joe Caruso
Film God

Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 10, 2015 10:53 AM

Well again, shrink-wrap wasn't used years back, any film came cellophane-sealed (look at your Aurora Model Kits, as example) - I have purchased Cellophaned 8mm Blackhawk shorts (pained me to open them, but when I did, the results were a banquet for the senses) - Two-Guys would have a bargain close-out, all those films had cellophane - Nothing wrong with the latter invention, but sometimes a used film can be "sealed" in this manner and situated as "new", when technically it isn't - ALWAYS clean your films as you would vinyl (not with the same ingredients) - Books, comics, gum cards and yoys have to be dusted and maintained accordingly - So much for Shorty

| IP: Logged

All times are Central

Printer-friendly view of this topic

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2