Page 25 - VMM_dec1951

Commercial Film Processing-Cant' d Observations.
Drum development is no longer used
Maintenance.
in main European commercial film world.
Mechanics make daily running tests. The drum is now only tc. be found in
Technicians test upon "duty hand-over"
'
t·he technical museums. <(
for l 5 minutes, and also one day each To publish this may be misleadin<J.
month the machine is stripped an:l
This is problematical . As I have no
clean;e:l thoroughly, all parts taken apart p:·o·;e-, information with regard to Aus-
~nd out together again, and all pipes
tralia, it may be so.
and tanks thoroughly checked. After
"Extras" in the commercial films are
this overhau l, the blank leader film must
are known as "crowd art'sts."
be threaded through the machine by
In the opening sequence of " Great
hand, o:nd it is then run for some tim"!
Expectations" the development appeared
with the blank film to ensure that all
is correct. unusually black, and we checked with
several control strips before we were
Breakages. satisfied that the development of the
Should ·a break occur~ an occurrence film was correct. Perfection being the
which generally happens once in a blue first consideration in the Rank Organisa-
moon, il is immediately indicated by the tion, no effort was spared in this direc-
red light above that sect1on . The film tion. This applies to all productions.
is immed iately linked over the section in Refoo;ring to my part in the process.
which the break occurs, and the machine ing of " Great Expectationc," I think the
is put on to a slower speed, so that the correct term would be to say I was
same amount of development will occur mniniy responsible for the processing, as
in two tanks in place of three (if the in a great organisation like Rank's, more
break ;s in the development section ) . than one technician is involved in all
Each tank is watertight and rubbe . departments, so that it would be unfai•
lined, CJnd the chemical is drained off to create the impression fhat I was
from the cabinet section where the break ;olely responsible. The credit also
has occurred, the broken section of the applied to all the processing staff for
film is gathered out into water, and this grand efforl.
development is completed by hand in NEW MEMBERS:
tanks. A leader is immediately place::J The following new member5 were
on instead of the next "live" film, and
welcomed to the cine fraternity of the
when the "live" film has been through
Victorian Amateur Cine Society at the
the development stages, the machine is
Committee Meeting of 7th November:
stopped, as it does not matter if th ~ Mr. H. Anthony, Elwood (8 mm.l .
film spends longer than usual in the Mr. H. Axel, South Oakleigh.
fixing baths. Mr. H. D. Glover, Middle Brighton.
The section where the break occurre:l Mr. and Mrs. W . J. Hamilton,
is then reloaded by hand, the space frorn Emerald ( 16 mm.) .
which the broken section of film has Mr. T. Selvarajah, Kew (8 mm.l.
been removed filled by leader; the ends Mr. B. Vosahlo, St. Kilda (8 rnm.) .
of the film are then clipped on, and the Mr. S. Walker, South Melbourne
machine is again set running at correct (9.5 mm.) .
speed. Mr. N. F. Wright, Burwood (8 mm.l.

24 DECEMBER, 1951. e VICTORIAN MOVIE MAKERS