Page 7 - pm_1952_02

Your Laboratory Manager says

Film mutilation, or film damage, is a potent cause of anxiety in all aspects of
the Film Industry today. This factor alone governs the life of a film. One of
the biggest headaches of the librarian in charge of a film library service is the
damage caused by renters to the films on hire. ,
Too frequently silent and sound films, and customers own r~versal films, are
returned to us with a plea to diagnose the cause of the trouble, or with a request
for us to "replace the film". On examination we find that the torn perforations
or very heavy scratches-which incidentally interfere with the track of any sound
film-are caused by gross mishandling. This mutilation can be stopped, once
and for all, if everyone takes care when handling, storing or projecting films.
A roll of film, on despatch from the Laboratory, has been extra hardened
during processing and is still fragile material and very susceptible to rough
handling or changes in temperature and humidity. Careful and thoughtful pro-
jecting and handling prolongs the life of any film and prevents that frustrated
feeling on possessing a damaged and, what is more important, irreplaceable
cine memory.
My views on this subject, and they are only commonsense, are es follows :-
1. HANDLING . A pair of thin linen or cotton gloves are ideal for handling, or
when cutting and splicing films, but bare hands alone are quite adequate
provided that only the edges of the film are touched. For hands that are
normally clammy I advise gloves every time, just in case the emulsion is
accidentally held and a large fingerprint is imprinted, because this may not
be able to be eradicated.
When winding or examining, ensure that the film does not at any time come
in contact with any object, particularly the edge of the spool. Scratches
and abrasions are so quickly made.
2. STO RAGE. Store your films under normal atmospheric conditions in dust
proof, but not hermetically sealed, containers. Excessive heat and lack of
moisture can rapidly 'dry' a film, which considerably shortens its life by
making it brittle. Both film emulsion and base should contain minute part-
icles of moisture which are partially removed every time the film is subjected
to a projector lamp. Normal moist atmospheric conditions will prevent this
state, but the ideal way is by means of humidor tins.
Always keep your films free from oil as the combined effect of oil and
heat has a derogatory result on the film. The presence of sulphur gases, e.g.
coal gas, does slightly effect a photographic emulsion causing partial image
loss, therefore do not store near a gas meter or similar apparatus.
3. PRO J ECTION. Before a show is given it is naturally advisable to check your
films, making sure that they are front out and that there are no damaged
portions, which should be removed, as they only cause further trouble. These
damaged sections should have been spotted whilst being projected previously.
Any unusual noise should be investigated immediately and the projector
switched off and the cause ascertained.
The projector itself is the owner's or operator's responsibility-he should
check that the gate and presser pad are free from emulsion 'build-ups' and
that he is satisfied that his gate, and for that matter any part of the machine
will accept a film without scratching it.
In summarising, remember, a film can be scratched and damaged, so
when you borrow or purchase a film your boast must be that it will not be
damaged in YOUR HANDS.
Page Seven