On Thu, 2 Jun 2022 at 16:19:35, Liz Tuddenham <
liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid> wrote (my responses usually FOLLOW):
J. P. Gilliver (John) <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
...The one thing I remember (so probably they _did_ get all the
image on the screen or I'd have remembered that!) was the huge reel(s?);
I think it was a 16mm print, same as I used to show as school
projectionist on film nights, but I think they'd got it all on one reel
(or big ones, at least) to reduce the number of reel-change intervals
(possibly to 0).
There was a similar set-up in Wrington in the early 1970s. The feed
(Mine would have been 197x too. [x=1-8])
spool was huge and was mounted on a floor stand behind the projector,
but the take-up spool had to be mounted on, and driven by, the
projector; so its size was limited.
Ah, I was wondering about that - I didn't remember there being _two_
huge reels ...
I wondered what the operator would do when the take-up spool was full,
so I watched carefully. As the cue dots appeared, a splice went through
the machine, the operator caught the splice coming out and tore it
apart. Then he let the loose end feed onto the floor while he removed
the full spool and mounted up an empty one. Finally he picked up the
loose end, threaded it onto the empty spool and the show continued
without interruption.
... so I presume it was similar to what you describe. (I was watching
the film! [I'd paid to!])
Presumably he then spliced up the films at home, ready for the next show
the following night in another hall. At the end of the hire period,
before he could return the films to the distributors, I imagine he would
have to splice back all the leaders and trailers he had initially
removed.
And - if he really did let it fall to the floor, rather than into a
clean box - the distributors wouldn't have been too pleased with the
state of the first few yards of each reel. Assuming they noticed.
Sounds an enterprising - though Heath-Robinson and labour-intensive -
approach! Presumably avoided taking two projectors, especially if you
didn't know whether the venue had room for two (or you knew it didn't).
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
Religion often uses faith as a blindfold, saying anyone who doesn't believe
the same as us must be wiped out. It's not God saying that. It's people, which is so dangerous. - Jenny Agutter, RT 2015/1/17-23
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