SUPERNATURAL THEATER BLOG ENTRY # 8 ----
16MM FILMS. Info on PROJECTION and OPERATION.
16MM FILMS. Info on PROJECTION and OPERATION.
Yeah, this was way before video! I know it seems like dirty words, but -----
"Old technology" (before personal computers) can be cool! Give it a shot.
MAGIC HAPPENS
WHEN YOU TURN THE PROJECTOR ON........
IT'S JUST AMAZING......
WHEN THE FILMED IMAGE MIXES WITH
THE BRIGHT LIGHT......
ONTO A WHITE SCREEN IN A DARKENED ROOM !!
When my Mom brought me to the Carlton Theater in Red Bank NJ. when I was 4, to see
the "Seventh Voyage of Sinbad" with Kerwin Matthews..... my life changed.
I was hooked into the magic of film. Not just the Sinbad legend with the fabulous Ray Harryhausen special effect monsters, but in the film projection itself.
I made friends through the childhood years with the union projectionists running the huge projectors way up in back of the theater.
I loved watching the gorgeous Technicolor image on a huge screen. The colors would bounce off the screen, unlike the video in today's world.
I loved watching the reel changes every 10 minutes between the two projectors.
I loved the rewinding of each reel spinning at high speed from the end of a reel....
back to the beginning. Ready for the next show 2 hours later.
Many films through the sixties knocked me out.
From "Dr. No" to Sergio Leone, from Hitchcock to Jewison, Fellini to Goddard, Mario Bava to Terence Fisher .... even the "Sound of Music".
Many films through the sixties knocked me out.
From "Dr. No" to Sergio Leone, from Hitchcock to Jewison, Fellini to Goddard, Mario Bava to Terence Fisher .... even the "Sound of Music".
Showmanship and art. On a daily basis.
As I mentioned in my first blogs, I was the projector geek in school.
That's the kid that ran the school classroom films with the film projectors, got out of classes, and loved the smell of film cement. Started getting films in my teens, and over 40 years later, I am still a 16mm film collector. Thousands of films have been through my hands over the years.
And I still love it.
People say they will watch a film, or they will tape a show.
But really you don't do that anymore.
With everything digital now in theaters, to DVD's, and streaming online, I thought I would explain a bit about film itself. What it is actually like, to have a film in your hands, to load up a projector, and having the fun of starting a show.
Before it is gone forever.
The beginning of each reel --- The countdown !
8,7.6.5.4.3.2 ----START !!!
Then the film really begins.
See below.
As I mentioned in my first blogs, I was the projector geek in school.
That's the kid that ran the school classroom films with the film projectors, got out of classes, and loved the smell of film cement. Started getting films in my teens, and over 40 years later, I am still a 16mm film collector. Thousands of films have been through my hands over the years.
And I still love it.
People say they will watch a film, or they will tape a show.
But really you don't do that anymore.
With everything digital now in theaters, to DVD's, and streaming online, I thought I would explain a bit about film itself. What it is actually like, to have a film in your hands, to load up a projector, and having the fun of starting a show.
Before it is gone forever.
The beginning of each reel --- The countdown !
8,7.6.5.4.3.2 ----START !!!
Then the film really begins.
See below.
16mm film runs through the projector
at 24 frames (individual pictures) per second.
Your eyes see movement up on the screen,
not each still image on each frame.
Films have thousands and thousands
of still images, that our brains imagine into motion & movement.
Obviously besides image, there's sound.
The soundtrack runs through
the elongated strip along the side.
It's called Optical sound,
because a light from the sound exciter lamp
shines through, sending a sound wave to the amplifier,
then out to the speakers.
It's science mixed with art... that makes the magic of films !!!!!
at 24 frames (individual pictures) per second.
Your eyes see movement up on the screen,
not each still image on each frame.
Films have thousands and thousands
of still images, that our brains imagine into motion & movement.
Obviously besides image, there's sound.
The soundtrack runs through
the elongated strip along the side.
It's called Optical sound,
because a light from the sound exciter lamp
shines through, sending a sound wave to the amplifier,
then out to the speakers.
It's science mixed with art... that makes the magic of films !!!!!
The four main gauges of film.
35mm film was shown in movie theaters and Drive-Ins.
16mm was used mostly on TV, Airlines, Military bases & ships, & for learning in schools,
Super 8 and 8mm were for movies shot on home cameras, for family memories.
These were shot mostly as silent film (No sound) first in Black & White, then Color got popular from the late 1950's onward.
These were shot mostly as silent film (No sound) first in Black & White, then Color got popular from the late 1950's onward.
People back in the 1960's bought "Hollywood" movies to show at home on their 8mm small projectors. These versions were 50 feet long (3 minutes of film) or 200 feet (12 minutes),
with no sound, and pictures that were very grainy looking. That's 8mm or Super 8mm film.
They cost like $3.49 to $6.95 in discount stores or by mail order.
with no sound, and pictures that were very grainy looking. That's 8mm or Super 8mm film.
They cost like $3.49 to $6.95 in discount stores or by mail order.
Yes, it sounds stupid in the current world of Blu Ray. But there you go. History.
Four of thousands of titles below.
Two 16mm film projectors set up to show a film showing with no stops. Popular in a large hall, school auditorium, church rec. area, or even outside. You could throw a large picture up to 15 or 20 feet wide with a nice, sharp image and booming sound.
Actual film sizes above, and film types below.
Below, how each frame appears. Optical soundtrack to the right.
The sprocket holes on the left. That is how the film propels through the projector.
Little wheels with gear teeth move the film through the machine.
These were popular 16mm projectors back in the day.
The names Kodak, Kalart Victor, Bell & Howell, Graflex, Ampro, & Eiki all carried weight in the projection world.
My favorite 16mm film projector of the last 24 years. The Eiki 3585 Slim Line Self Threading machine. It's quiet, easy of film, and projects a beautiful bright image with booming sound.
16mm film on a projection reel, the storage can below, with a fibreboard shipping case to send out or store film. One 16mm feature film weighs about 12 to 15 pounds.
Don't drop one on your foot. Ouch! (Yeah, I've done that)
Lots & lots of stored 16mm films, on reels stored in plastic or metal film cans. You write the title on the side of the film can for I.D. It can confusing when you have more, & more
films to store.
films to store.
Three popular 16mm projectors----The Singer Instaload, and the Singer XL, both easy to load from the 70's and 80's.
The Kalart Victor was a bit complex, but had great picture and booming sound. Popular from the 50's to 60's.
Empty film reels above.
Below, 2 types of projection lenses shown.
On the left, the regular normal lens, called flat, projecting an image with a ratio of 1.33 wide to 1 high. Meaning you could show a projected image 13+ ft. wide and 10 feet deep.
On the right, you add a Cinemascope lens for wide screen. It projects the image 2.66 wide and 1 high. The screen would be 2 times wide, for wide screen. Say 26+ feet wide by 10 ft. high.
The common names of scope processing are CinemaScope, Panavision, Techniscope, etc.
You'll see them mentioned in the credits.
A Cinemascope widescreen above with a projected movie image below.
The original Cinemascope logo from 20th Century Fox below.
Film packaging cases ready to be sent anywhere and everywhere around the globe.
TV shows were all printed on 16mm film from the 1950's to the early 1990's.
The final printings of 16mm for most uses ended around 1997 worldwide.
Video tape distribution mastered from film gained popularity in the late 1970's into the 1980's.
Besides getting a good projector, other maintenance items always had to be on hand.
Below is a film splicer. Griswold brand was one of the best. If the film broke, or to join two different films together splicing had to be done on this. Using film cement (glue) you would join the pieces of film together, so they would go through the projector smoothly.
Also needed were different lenses for different projection uses. Shown here is a Cinemascope, Anamorphic widescreen lens by Sankor. That would be placed in front of the normal lens to project Scope films. You would also have to replace the projection lamp (the light) after every 25 to 50 hours of projection time, cause they would burn out like a light bulb.
They also run very hot. Don't touch one that has been on for awhile.
Burn & sizzle time.
Above, different splicers and editors for 8mm and 16mm films
Sankor 16C (or 16D) Cinemascope widescreen Lens for 16mm projectors.
You always need light for film. Here is a projector lamp for 16mm projection.
Many different lamps made, listed by a letter code. This one called ELC.
Would last about 50 hours of projection time.
Various 16mm projectors shown below. One of my favorites for years, the Kalart Victor.
Below are cans of the original negatives for the British TV show, The Professionals.
And below that, my dream projector. The professional Eiki machine. Can run a feature film on just one reel. They sell used for $4000 or more.
I had many projectors through the years, but these I would have loved to have.
This is what a 16mm feature film looks like. On three individual reels. These are
numbered 1,2,& 3, so using common sense, you won't show the end of a movie before
the beginning. Audiences usually don't appreciate that.
Each 1600 foot reel runs about 40 minutes. There are varied reels that carry
film from 1 minute in length to an hour long.
Below --- 35MM FILM PROJECTORS used in movie theater's projection booths.
35mm theater film ----
Reels are numbered, so parts of the movie won't get mixed up.
Each reel had 10 minutes running time. So a 2 hour film had 12 reels to go back and forth between 2 projectors. Called "Changeovers".
Below --- Storage bins for each 35mm reel in movie theaters years ago.
In the 1980's, 35mm reels got larger, showing up to an hour on one reel.
Then platters were developed, putting the whole show on one flat platter, with no reel changes.
One platter unit shown below.
Before DVD's & Video Tape, 16mm films were shown on screens on jets.
The company was called Inflight Motion Pictures.
The first self contained projector below.
The first self contained projector below.
The whole show would be on one reel, worked by remote control by the flight crew.
Multiple units were on planes, running at the same time. The screens were above the aisle.
If you had to walk through, you would duck not to block the picture projected up on the screen.
See the ad below from the 1961 introduction.
Multiple units were on planes, running at the same time. The screens were above the aisle.
If you had to walk through, you would duck not to block the picture projected up on the screen.
See the ad below from the 1961 introduction.
Buying 16mm films -----
Film prints were used for various uses. TV Stations, Sports teams, schools, libraries, film rental companies, Hollywood film companies, airlines, small theaters, and the US military
all used the 16mm film gauge.
After years of use, these sources would dump tons of films for scrap to reclaim minerals out of the film base. Otherwise distributors or TV stations would dump, throw out, or
sell off big packages to film dealers.
Then dealers would sell prints individually to film collectors for home use.
I knew of dealers buying up to 5000 titles at one time (big truckload).
That' up to 15000 reels of film to store, and then to sell off over time.
My biggest package was 1100 titles bought at one time filling one U haul truck.
My biggest package was 1100 titles bought at one time filling one U haul truck.
Collectors then bought them from the dealers one at a time. Some of the biggest dealers way back when were National Cinema Service, Gaines 16 films, Evan Foreman's 16mm Filmland, Ray Courts, Movie Film Clearing House, J.G. Nelson, Wayne Sarnowski, Woody Wise,
The Time Machine, Ray Atherton, and Jaarc Films.
Individual film collectors would sell or trade also, using a trade name.
The Time Machine, Ray Atherton, and Jaarc Films.
Individual film collectors would sell or trade also, using a trade name.
A pretty US military projectionist.
16mm was shown at bases & ships around the world.
In 1973, a man who became a hero to film collectors, Don Key from North Carolina started his own monthly magazine for 16mm & 35mm film collectors called the Big Reel.
Collectors sent in their own copy ready ads to sell or even trade their own films to other collectors around the world. It was a great way to buy films, and sell your own to a
wide group of people. At the peak in the late 70's, there were about
10,000 to 20,000 collectors around the world.
Back in the 1960's, dealers and companies sent film collectors printed catalogs to sell their wares. Some were one person hobby operations mailing zerox copies, all the way
to big dealers selling thousands of reels of film sending big fancy catalogs.
Remember this era was wayyyyyy before cell phones, home computers, emails, overnight mail, home DVD's, streaming, You Tube, etc. You got the catalog by snail mail, then made the costly long distance phone call on your dial up phone to reserve a title, sent a check or money order to the seller, waited for your funds to clear the bank, then waited for the film to be slowly delivered by the US Postal Service (5 to 10 days).
Hey it was great! Very slow but great!
You could watch Hollywood in your home. We thought this was cool.
Well more 16mm memories to come soon. Thought this would be a start.
Catalogs for 16mm feature film rentals.
16mm Projectors made just for TV showings.
On the right, an ad to buy "Girly" adult movies. Popular for bachelor parties. Very tame.
Various 8mm movie ads for films and projectors.
The Super 8 reel above is about 4 inches in diameter.
Very small film size. 200 foot ran about 12 minutes. 50 ft. versions were just 3 minutes long.
Two ads for the all new Super 8mm cameras and projectors. A beautiful lady always catches the home movie man's eye. I actually had that great camera below.
Unfortunately, I did not have the lady.
3 minutes of silent film (50 ft.) could be shot from one cartridge.
Oooooh, we thought it was sooooo high tech!
THANKS FOR READING !!!
More trivial trivia to come here at SUPERNATURAL THEATER !
THANKS FOR READING
A BIG HELLO GOES OUT TO ALL MY READERS FROM -----
SUPERNATURAL THEATER!
MY BLOG IS NOW READ FROM PEOPLE IN 108 COUNTRIES!
How cool is that???? I am amazed! It took a year.
People that love weird and obscure flicks are from all over the world!
Forget politics and politicians. Let's talk about old, corny movies !!!
People that love weird and obscure flicks are from all over the world!
Forget politics and politicians. Let's talk about old, corny movies !!!
A BIG HELLO GOES OUT TO ALL MY READERS FROM -----
Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela,
and Vietnam.
and Vietnam.
EMAIL ADDRESS ----- Supernaturaltheater@yahoo.com
for comments, compliments, insults, profanities, questions, or what evers.
for comments, compliments, insults, profanities, questions, or what evers.
KEEP AN "EYE" OUT FOR MORE FILMS TO BE SHOWCASED HERE AT ---
SUPERNATURAL THEATER !!!
YOU CAN READ MY OTHER BLOG ENTRIES IN THE ARCHIVE (to the right).
SUPERNATURAL THEATER !!!
YOU CAN READ MY OTHER BLOG ENTRIES IN THE ARCHIVE (to the right).
BLOG ENTRY #20 ---- HORROR CASTLE & CASTLE OF BLOOD.
PLUS OTHER VARIOUS OBSCURE FILMS SHOWCASED
HERE ON SUPERNATURAL THEATER !!!
CHECK OUT THE ARCHIVE (to the right).
MOVIE THEATER MARQUEES OF YESTERYEAR !!!!
SEE YOU NEXT TIME !!