Page 13 - RD_2024-06

When recently screening a polyester thumb, there would be a little give, but
based film, I noticed the ‘cobweb’ like generally will still hold together ok to pick
lines that were appearing almost up and put on a split reel.
continually, then came a flash of a wobbly
white line across the centre of the image - Tight winding of polyester film for
several times this happened, but the film shipping is fine, but for storage it is a
kept running, finally a full white screen - recipe for disaster.
the film had broken. Inspection showed
the reason - the print was full of what Winding tension is something most
looked like fungus, but it wasn’t, and the collectors CAN control, whereas they may
film had actually broken along the edges not have an option for a different
of the ‘fungal’ growth. temperature or humidity level in their
storage room.
Never haven’t seen this type of film issue
before, I reached out to good friend David So now we have another problem to
Kilderry to see if he had seen this contend with. As one of our earlier
problem. David kindly contacted a friend politicians once said “Like is not meant to
in the US and back came the news I was be easy” - well is certainly isn’t for film
hoping I would not hear… collectors!
This happens when polyester film is:
*Tightly wound
*Stored in a warm environment
*Humidity above 60% Below: Example of the effect - from my now
junked print of Mamma Mia.
Any one of those three will eventually
cause blocking, but if you combine two of Note the tear along the edge of the lifting
those (or even worse, all three) then you emulsion in the left example.
get polyester blocking.

The base is literally fusing itself to the
emulsion, and it gets bad enough when it
is unrolled that it causes the film to
literally tear and break (despite being
“unbreakable” polyester).

This will happen to all polyester film
sooner or later. Despite what people
claim, polyester is not forever. Sure it
“can’t get VS”, but who cares when the
film can’t be unrolled?
Polyester film should be wound for
storage such that if you were to squeeze it
side to side between your finger and

REEL DEALS March 2024 13