All the talk about frames and FPS and 3:2 pulldown and so forth ... everyone knows that movies are an optical illusion, right? A series of still images flashed on the screen very quickly.
Yes, the lamphouses are power-vented due to the high heat of the Xenon bulb. But even so, they run much cooler than the carbon-arc lamps. Projection duties used to be a hot dirty job.
Yes, I've done repairs on the equipment, changing bearings & belts, adjustments, tweaking sound levels. Don't do much any more except in emergency situations, and changing the Xenon bulbs when needed. Changing the bulbs can be dangerous. A facemask, gloves and vest are supposed to be worn in case of explosion but I've never done so.
I don't have a picture of the popcorn machine but I can get one. It's kind of worn and icky-looking after 22 years.
There's another platter design that runs in a continuous loop without requiring rethreading the projector (technically called "lacing"). Automation cues stop the projector at end of the show, then the operator simply restarts it for the next show. Automation systems typically have remote control panels placed in concession or the manager's office.
I started my "movie career" running carbon-arc lamps and 2000' reels with manual changeovers every 20 mins. Then we got Xenon lamps and 6000' reels for a single changeover in a 2-hr show. Luxury, LOL!
For those who may not know, there are cue marks on the film, at the end of each reel (every 20 mins of running time). The cues are black dots that appear at the upper right corner of the picture. Two sets, each set covers only four frames of film so their appearance is only momentary. If the scene is dark, the dots may be outlined in white to faciliate seeing them. When changeover time approaches, the projectionist stands at the ready, watching. The first cue signals to turn on the projector motor. Seven seconds later (the delay gives time for the projector motor to get up to full speed), the 2nd cue indicates to hit the changeover switch which closes the light and sound on one projector and simultaneously opens it on the other. Changeovers generally occur at the instant of a scene change to help conceal the event. The cue marks aren't needed for platters since there's no projector changeover, but they're still printed on the film. They used to be visible on VHS transfers, but I don't recall seeing them on DVDs, at least not in a long time. DVDs are likely made from digital masters which don't have the marks. Older material transferred from film to DVD may still have them, except in the case of a restoration that may airbrush them out.
Never had the "pleasure" of running nitrate, but I've seen a sample of it burn. Scary. I remember the firetrap rollers in the old Century projector and reel housings. Acetate and polyester film won't burn but it does melt from the light heat/intensity. Projectors have fail-safe sensors on the bottom that trigger if the film breaks or splits. Platters typically are equipped with failsafes on the feedout side. There normally is no tension on the platter feed, so the failsafe there triggers if tension does develop. This is important particularly for polyester film which is designed NOT to break. If the platter feed tangles, the projector would keep pulling and strip its gears, an expensive repair situation.
Yes, the lamphouses are power-vented due to the high heat of the Xenon bulb. But even so, they run much cooler than the carbon-arc lamps. Projection duties used to be a hot dirty job.
Yes, I've done repairs on the equipment, changing bearings & belts, adjustments, tweaking sound levels. Don't do much any more except in emergency situations, and changing the Xenon bulbs when needed. Changing the bulbs can be dangerous. A facemask, gloves and vest are supposed to be worn in case of explosion but I've never done so.
I don't have a picture of the popcorn machine but I can get one. It's kind of worn and icky-looking after 22 years.
There's another platter design that runs in a continuous loop without requiring rethreading the projector (technically called "lacing"). Automation cues stop the projector at end of the show, then the operator simply restarts it for the next show. Automation systems typically have remote control panels placed in concession or the manager's office.
I started my "movie career" running carbon-arc lamps and 2000' reels with manual changeovers every 20 mins. Then we got Xenon lamps and 6000' reels for a single changeover in a 2-hr show. Luxury, LOL!
For those who may not know, there are cue marks on the film, at the end of each reel (every 20 mins of running time). The cues are black dots that appear at the upper right corner of the picture. Two sets, each set covers only four frames of film so their appearance is only momentary. If the scene is dark, the dots may be outlined in white to faciliate seeing them. When changeover time approaches, the projectionist stands at the ready, watching. The first cue signals to turn on the projector motor. Seven seconds later (the delay gives time for the projector motor to get up to full speed), the 2nd cue indicates to hit the changeover switch which closes the light and sound on one projector and simultaneously opens it on the other. Changeovers generally occur at the instant of a scene change to help conceal the event. The cue marks aren't needed for platters since there's no projector changeover, but they're still printed on the film. They used to be visible on VHS transfers, but I don't recall seeing them on DVDs, at least not in a long time. DVDs are likely made from digital masters which don't have the marks. Older material transferred from film to DVD may still have them, except in the case of a restoration that may airbrush them out.
Never had the "pleasure" of running nitrate, but I've seen a sample of it burn. Scary. I remember the firetrap rollers in the old Century projector and reel housings. Acetate and polyester film won't burn but it does melt from the light heat/intensity. Projectors have fail-safe sensors on the bottom that trigger if the film breaks or splits. Platters typically are equipped with failsafes on the feedout side. There normally is no tension on the platter feed, so the failsafe there triggers if tension does develop. This is important particularly for polyester film which is designed NOT to break. If the platter feed tangles, the projector would keep pulling and strip its gears, an expensive repair situation.
oes your theater use the xenon bulbs that are designed so they don't emit UV radiation?the lamphouse venting also vented away the ozone generated from the xenon bulbs that weren't treated to prevent UV-a powerful UV source such as a projection lamp can produce ozone-much like those "ozone" bulbs used in old dryers-the ozone was produced from reaction of the shortwave UV radation with the oxygen in the air.The non UV bulbs have a quartz envelope that has an additve in it to reduce the UV radiation.
