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Reels

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Revision as of 20:44, 13 May 2020 by JesseCrooks (talk | contribs) (→‎Reels & film damage: Replaced "warping" with "base curl")
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Reels and cores are the primary tools used to hold lengths of film. Because they are so fundamental, there are many types. They may hold as little as 50 feet of film (for example, for 16mm trailers or a Super 8 home movie) or as much as 18,000 feet (for use with a 35mm long-play tower system in a multiplex setting).

Shipping reels are used to when shipping 35mm and 70mm film between depots, archives, and venues. They can be made of steel or plastic, though plastic shipping reels are more common. Shipping reels are designed for shipping, and are not recommended for projection.

Show reels, also called house reels are used for projection. In 35mm & 70mm settings today, a typical show reel is a 2000 foot metal reel. In small gauge settings, a show reel may simply be the sturdiest, most true reel of appropriate capacity the projectionist can locate.

Split reels are used when working with film on cores — for example, to transfer film from a core to a reel for exhibition. Split reels are not recommended for projection, but you should have one on your bench. They exist for all film gauges.

Reels & film damage

Unmaintained reels can be a source of film damage.

  • Inspect all reels regularly to make sure they are true and don't have any sharp burrs that might snag or rub on film.
  • Reels with center hubs smaller than 4 inches are not recommended for projection (they can cause too much tension to be placed on the film) or for long term film storage (they can cause base curl).

See also