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Topic: To join or not to join films . . .

Chip Carpenter
Film Handler

Posts: 32
From: Newport News, VA, USA
Registered: Oct 2008

posted November 09, 2008 11:48 AM

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Ok guys - kind of a fundamental question from a newbie - I've got an Elmo ST-1200HD, so I can handle 1200 ft reels, and I've bought some movie that are 5x400 ft reels (Fun in Acopolco and Gullivers Travels).

Is there any good reason (practically or from a collectors perspective) not join the films onto fewer, larger reels? I'm think of putting them on one 1200 and 800 foot reel each, so that I can show them with only one reel change . . .

Thoughts?

Thanks!
Chip

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Elmo ST-1200HD M with the Elmo 1.1 Lens and a Chinon 2500GL

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Osi Osgood
Film God

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

posted November 09, 2008 12:21 PM

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Most people tend to do that. If I had a reel capacity of over 600ft, I'd do it as well.

Though I personally enjoy changing lots of reels, but from an audience point of view, it can get tedious for them.

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

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Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1149
From: Washington DC
Registered: Oct 2006

posted November 09, 2008 12:31 PM

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Unless you wish to learn the fine art of the 'changeover' where you use two projectors and seamlessly go from machine to machine, I would definitely suggest you put your films on as long reels as you can. The fewer interuptions for the audience, the better.

Claus.

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"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Christopher P Quinn
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 210
From: Bedfordshire
Registered: Sep 2008

posted November 09, 2008 12:57 PM

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I have done this so many times i have lost count, just make sure you keep all the leaders and tails safe. You may want to move them on one day and will want to put them back on to their original spools.

Chris.

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Chris Quinn Rides again.

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Gary Crawford
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 979
From: Manassas, VA. USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 10, 2008 03:36 PM

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Christopher is right. What happens if the projector that takes the large reels breaks down and you only have a space machine that takes smaller reels?

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Steven J Kirk
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 873
From: Southern England
Registered: Apr 2008

posted November 10, 2008 04:12 PM

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Ah, but what happens to the original boxes? From a collecting point of view I try to now only buy films with original boxes. Okay, features now often have little fancy packaging but I like to keep everything on original reels...

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VistaVision
Motion Picture High-Fidelity

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Yanis Tzortzis
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 531
From: Greece
Registered: Aug 2005

posted November 10, 2008 05:04 PM

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I tend to use longer reels IF the films I buy are not in original (and nice artwork!) but in white card boxes,so I agree with the previous comment. One more thing about big reels though: are the iron 1200' reels not a bit too 'heavy' for most projectors' motors?
So I've been told; my solution is, I always transfer my feature films to plastic 1200 reels or, when possible, the lighter aluminium ones...

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Yannis

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Joe Taffis
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1592
From: United States
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 10, 2008 05:36 PM

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I've put features on 800' reels when I received them with the boxes beat up real bad, or no boxes at all.... If there's a picture I scan it and put it on the new boxes(or cases) to preserve the original design. But if you have a RARE feature with the original box, and leaders and tails intact, you really don't want to cut it up....at least I don't. I'd rather keep it on the original 400' or bigger reels. I agree with what Christopher and Steven stated, and although I have 1200' reel capacity, I prefer not to go that big, unless it's a 3X400' feature with no original box. But then again, they're your films Chip...just have fun!, and do what pleases YOU [Smile]

[Smile]

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Joe Taffis

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 10, 2008 07:41 PM

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Sometimes I like to watch features on the reel per night plan, like reading a book a chapter per night.

I can get a whole week out of one film doing this.

Joining them up kind of defeats this whole scheme.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Chip Carpenter
Film Handler

Posts: 32
From: Newport News, VA, USA
Registered: Oct 2008

posted November 11, 2008 05:55 AM

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Thanks for your insights - I appreciate it.

I particularly like Steve's idea of chaptering or serializing some of the features - getting through a whole movie with a 3 year old and a 7 month old can be difficult. [Cool]

[Cool]

I'll be sure to archive any of the original artwork!

Chip

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Elmo ST-1200HD M with the Elmo 1.1 Lens and a Chinon 2500GL

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

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From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 11, 2008 06:56 AM

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Even better with kids:

-The reel per night plan with a cartoon before each reel! (TM)

When I do this I let my son pick the cartoon.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Paul Spinks
Master Film Handler

Posts: 453
From: Barking, Essex, UK
Registered: Mar 2006

posted November 11, 2008 07:22 AM

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I always leave films on their original 400ft or 600ft reels as I appreciate the break between the reels. I put the kettle on whilst rewinding so a lot of tea is drunk during a show but it gives me a chance to clean the film path before putting on the next reel. It isn't very professional, but I've just got used to doing it that way over the years.

Paul.

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Alan Rik
Film God

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From: New York City, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 11, 2008 09:00 AM

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I have found that certain films have to be seen in its entirety in one sitting to have the most impact. Drama's for one. However other films like "Grease", "Enter the Dragon", etc. are so repeatable that sometimes I will just put on a specific reel.
So for those dramatic films I put on 1200ft reels and the others stay on their 400 or 600fters.

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

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From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 11, 2008 12:11 PM

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Hi all,

I just recevied "Road to Bali" from Iver Film, 5 reel"s x 400 (for a dollar, no kidding!) and since the box is not fancy will rather join them into bigger reel.

The problem is that I only have 600" empty reels. How do you think the way to join them without cutting in the middle but more on the original head and tail. Will it be possible to push 2 400" into 600"?

cheers,

--------------------
Winbert

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David Kilderry
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 963
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Feb 2006

posted September 20, 2009 05:52 AM

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Firstly Winbert, it depends on how long the film on the 400ft reels is. Some are less than 300ft so it would work, but most features I have seen pack them pretty full.

I have always been a person who kept films in their original boxes and reels. Recently I have bought some more 800ft and 1200ft reels and have placed 3 or 4 cartoons of the same type eg Warner Bros, Disney, Tom & Jerry on the same reel. The leaders and tails are in their original boxes and the boxes are still on display.

I should have done this years ago. It is such a pleasure to sit down for 30 - 60 minutes and not have to re-thread. Unlike many of you I thread up projectors every day at work, I like it, but not every 10 minutes!

I am now joining all my 3 x 400 and 2 x 400 titles together eg Singin In The Rain, Night At The Opera, Fame, Its A MMMM World, etc etc

David

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Osi Osgood
Film God

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From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted September 20, 2009 12:57 PM

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Winbert!

Wow, what a find for a dollar! How was the color? Heck, for a dollar, no one could complain if the color was completely shot! [Big Grin]

[Big Grin]

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

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John Skujins
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 220
From: Greensboro, NC, USA
Registered: Mar 2009

posted September 20, 2009 02:17 PM

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Maybe I'm being obvious here, but if you're showing a feature on many 400-ft reels and you only have one projector, you can save all the rewinding till the end so the audience doesn't have to wait between reels. Just move each empty reel to be the take-up for the next reel, then rewind them all at the end.

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Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1149
From: Washington DC
Registered: Oct 2006

posted September 20, 2009 02:57 PM

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I only buy full features, so for me, both in 8mm and 16mm, I build them up on long reels and keep them there.
I don't really care about the boxes (although I appreciate the design of many of them) or what they come in otherwise, as long as it is a half-way decent cardboard thing. 16mm cans work well for several sizes of Super-8 reels.

My ST1200 gets to take it easy because I have started using my Eiki 16mm long-play unit for Super-8 as well, and with our friend Jose Artiles pointing out the gentleman in Spain who makes a variety of very large reels, I think that is the way for me.

The thing is, while I enjoy playing projectionist and fiddling with the machines, come showtime, I too want to sit down and enjoy the movie without interruptions. One long print on one big reel allows me that luxury (it doesn't mean I don't look over my shoulder from time to time, just to check.. [Wink]

[Wink]

)

Claus.

--------------------
"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

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Damien Taylor
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 111
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Oct 2008

posted September 20, 2009 05:40 PM

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I bought about 50 features recently that had been 'long played' about 20 years ago. After this collection had changed hands so many times the leaders were long gone. I only have an ST600, so I had to rig up a very rudimentary long play system after I got tired of un-LPing about 6 of them. Splice the leaders to the end of the print [Wink]

[Wink]

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Brad Kimball
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1171
From: Highland Mills, NY USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 20, 2009 09:27 PM

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I'm for keeping them as they were originally packaged. I sometimes opt for not going from end-to-end and like to "cherry pick" what segments I'd prefer to watch. Every movie has its lags and boring boy-girl subplots or weak musical portions which, naturally, don't get missed if never seen. The songs are often forgettable and the acting is normally sub-par so I'll often go for the "meat" as it were. Dramas are tricky such as "It's A Wonderful Life" or "A Christmas Carol" which, in my opinion are 2 movies with no bad parts whatsoever. Those I'll watch a bit at a time (if alone) otherwise I'll use the empty reels for take-up with 2 projectors at the ready and then rewind everything when everyone goes home.

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 21, 2009 08:50 AM

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Osi,

The color is Iver typical, where blue, red, green, yellow are noticeable but not that strong. You can say that as warmth. It is more enjoyment to see night scenes rather than daylight since the colors will be more seen.

For me, if I had "Saving Private Ryan" on full feature, I would rather to keep it in 600 feet reels, since there are many segments that we can enjoy in separate time.

This is what I do with my DVD after seeing it in full then every time I play it again, it will be in certain segments.

So, I will prefer keeping them 600 feet if the film is so interesting (repeatable).

cheers

--------------------
Winbert

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