8mm Forum: Correct direction for film projection

This is topic Correct direction for film projection in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000936

Posted by Claude Lyneis (Member # 3761) on July 07, 2013, 07:08 PM:

I have a short film which is Kodak Tri-X negative film for high speed recording. One side looks dull, the other side shiny. It has sprocket holes on both sides. It is not obvious from the content which direction the film should flow.There are markings along the edge. I am guessing if the film is laid out so the markings read left to right, then the film should also move from left to right. Does that sound correct? Should the dull side of the Tri-X negative film face the projector lamp?

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on July 08, 2013, 12:31 AM:

Generally when projecting film: shiny in, dull out.

The shiny side of the film should face the projector lamp

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on July 08, 2013, 02:47 AM:

Also, the image will be upside down coming off the feed spool.

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on July 08, 2013, 10:23 AM:

Claude,

Normally reversal film gets projected. Negatives are used for making prints. If you plan on striking a print from this negative be very careful about scratching the film during projection.

Doug

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on July 08, 2013, 10:42 AM:

Doug, thank God you're here, that's the point I missed, NEGATIVE,
DON'T PROJECT THIS PIECE OF FILM, as there is the chance of spoiling any future prints, well done Douglas.Phew.

Posted by Claude Lyneis (Member # 3761) on July 10, 2013, 12:50 AM:

Thanks for all the comments. It seems unanimous that the dull side is the emulsion and should face the lens, not the lamp. The film was wound on a reel so that threading it through put the emulsion side toward the lamp and it apparently played backwards. (the content is water droplets in slow motion with no up or down so it is not easy to tell.) I then ran it the other direction and time seemed to flow in the right direction. I guess to get the emulsion facing the lens, would require hand winding it with half a twist. The fate of the film is to make a transfer to digital media and then it will probably be dumped. So a few scratches are not a big issue. Anyway I will know better next time.

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on July 10, 2013, 01:39 AM:

Claude,

You've got it wrong.

The dull side is the emulsion and it should not face the lens.

The dull side is the emulsion and it's always on the outside of the reel of film

The shiny side is the base.

When winding the film, the emulsion (dull) goes on the outside of the reel and the base (shiny) goes on the inside of the reel.

Thus, the base (shiny) faces the lamp. The shiny side is the inside wrapping of the film on the reel.

The emulsion is dull. It faces the outside of the reel or meaning the
dull side faces the screen > forward.

The Base is shiny and < back toward the lens.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on July 10, 2013, 02:46 AM:

I would suggest that Michael's comments refer to positive film, but in this case the film is negative stock, therefore the emulsion goes towards the lamp.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2