My Latest Video

[Graham Ritchie]

Well that's Easter weekend over with. I spent two days at the park running the Westar and giving strips of 35mm film away. Today as I finished up and was shutting everything down, switched the lights off ready for a quick get away to muffin break, when at the last minute a family turned up. I had a look at the parents and the three wee ones looking at me.

So I said, would you like to see a 35mm projector going, yes they replied. I followed up that you need to give me some time to get things back up and running, you will be back? they replied yes, Ok give me a half an hour. Anyway got everything ready, film threaded, amp fitted. Soon after the kids turned up ahead of there parents, they made a bee line for those old cinema seats. After everyone was seated I switched the projector motor on and away we went,
.

The line up on the one reel was as followed.

1...A Madagascar trailer, always fun to watch
2....Kung Fu Panda 2 trailer, that's the one where its a staring contest.
3... Short film called "The Blinkers" its a nice follow on from the staring contest.
4...."A Pizza Tweety Pie" a nice color cartoon from 1958 looks good, very nice print
5... Finished with a Pixar short called "Partly Cloudy"

And that was it, that reel of 35mm went down a treat, before departing and starting to hand rewind the film, I asked one of the youngsters if they would like to rewind the film for me, without hesitation that 2000ft of film was wizzing on those rewinders. I thanked the the kids for helping and gave them all strips of "Rio" trailer to take away. Its interesting the questions they asked, one was where does the sound come from?.

So I am glad I stayed back this afternoon, it was well worth it, oh! by the way I still made to Muffin Break .

I took these photo's just before the family came back...

PS. I was given some Christmas lights so have added those, plus a few studio logos into frames etc. I think I am just about there with everything. The big plus for me is taking the time to talk to folk about film projection, in saying that not to bore them with to much talk either, make it fun, make it interesting "hopefully"

[Graham Ritchie]

PS...If you have never heard of "The Blinkers" this is it, as I say, its a nice follow on from Jack Black Kung Fu staring contest.

[Osi Osgood]

You certainly have your fun, as well as headaches, but it's all part of the fun of this hobby! Strangely, I have very rarely had a lamp go out on me in the midst of a night of entertainment. Usually, right as I fire up the projector.

[Graham Ritchie]

Today was the end of the school holidays so thought I better spend the day there. I brought my 35mm splicer with me and set up a light box as well. It turned out to quite a busy day, spoke to families from Germany and India out here on holiday, got there kids to rewinds the films, as you do, they seemed to enjoy that, also showed them how to do tape splices, then step back and let the have a go with the splicer for themselves, everyone was very polite and interested turned out to be a good day. I do find though the "Westar" takes more time to thread up when eyes are watching you do it.

All up, a lot of fun the short film program, same reel as above seems to work well. Its not to long and seems to have the right mix to keep everybody interested. One of the things I like the most about doing this, is just talking to folk and spending time to hear where they come from. So that's it for the school holidays. The Westar and those cinema seats have certainly been a hit. Its been great showing the projector running, rather than it being just a static exhibit which it had been for a number of years.. of to Muffin break tomorrow

[Graham Ritchie]

PS.....This is the 35mm trailer I am using just after The Blinkers, its brilliant