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June 2000, Week 2

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Subject:
From:
Jeremy Butler <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 11 Jun 2000 12:48:45 -0500
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>----------------- Original message (ID=CE0C7CC1) (31 lines)
>-------------------
>From: [log in to unmask]
>Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2000 23:03:36 -0400
>
>scott writes:
>
> 2.35 and 2.55 films are stretched by the lens, but the
> film is the same. . . . . the reel change is more elliptical
> than circular when this process is used, and it's not because
> the have an elliptical hole punch.
>
>
> could scott, or someone else, explain what this means . . . it
> doesn't seem to correspond to any aspect of my own film
> going experience . . . what is a circular reel change??

Mike,

Scott is referring to the changeover cues that are printed at the top right
corner of the frame.

This is a holdover from the old days when a film would be shown using two
projectors, with the projectionist changing between the two of them every
20 minutes or so. To cue him/her when to make the change, a small circle
appears in the corner a few seconds before the change will happen. Then a
second circle appears to cue the projectionist to actually make the change.

Nowadays just about every theater uses one projector and a platter system
where the entire film is spliced together onto one large platter, but the
changeover cues persist in case of a dual-projector system.

Now, as to the elliptical cues Scott mentions:

The physical mark on the film print is round, but when projected through an
anamorphic lens it becomes elliptical--cuz that's what anamorphic lenses do
(stretch the image).

So, if you see an elliptical changeover cue in the upper right corner of
the image, you'll know you're watching an anamorphic widescreen film.

Yers in better film viewin',


----
Jeremy Butler
[log in to unmask]
ScreenSite http://www.tcf.ua.edu/ScreenSite
Telecommunication & Film/University of Alabama/Tuscaloosa

----
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