Tampa Theatre Projectionist Mike Hurley Life in a Day 2 of 2

Tampa Theatre projectionist Mike Hurley threading 35mm projector, reel-to-reel changeover, describing platter and sound system

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Film & Animation

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[cc213t]

Was that a nitrate print of the 1940s newsreel? @davidpcoppola: The keystoning is usually compensated for not with a special lens but rather by tipping the screen slightly upwards (which also helps reduce keystoning for audience members in the balcony).

[driveinmike]

part 2 to reply below: . If the roller (brass) was not kept clean and lubed, scratching often did occur. This system was used in theatres into the 80's, and possibly some still in use now.

With the emulsion side of the film facing the back of the projector, it would make more sense to have it feed from the front so that the emulsion side of film isn't bearing the weight of the reel. I'm afraid I can't answer, beyond projector design, why early inventors designed the equipment this way.

[driveinmike]

Hi Dave:

If you notice on the back of the upper reel arm, there is a 'reel end alarm' (bell) that sounds about 60 seconds before the reel ends. This alarm will only work if the reel runs counter clockwise.

In the nitrate days, projectors had a fireproof metal cabinet called a magazine on top of the projector, and it had a rod with a roller that rolled on the film. When the reel was low, this rod would drop and hit a bell, which required counterclockwise rotation or else a scratch could occur

[davidpcoppola]

Nice video.

I used to collect 16mm films and had an Eiki EX4000p 550 watt Xenon projector.

That's one hell of a downward angle your shooting to. Does the lens compensate for the keystone?

Also, I always wondered why 35mm feeder reels run counterclockwise vs clockwise on other formats like 16mm?

Thanks, Dave.