Where to find 35mm films (movies) to use for training?

May 14, 2008 9:24 AM

Where to find 35mm films (movies) to use for training?

We have a 35mm projector at my work, and our film program has been declining. This means it is hard to keep trained projectionists, since nowadays we only do one or two 35mm films a month.

I need to find at least one 35mm film to train staff with. It doesn't have to be anything in particular, heck, even a copy of Death to Smoochy would work, but we do need to find something that we can use for practice and training of our new projectionists. Our system requires changeovers, so it needs to be long enough to split onto two projectors.

Where would I go about finding 35mm prints to purchase? Due to work policy, Ebay is not an option, it needs to be through an actual company. We would need to own it outright, since the training would most likely end up destroying the print within a few years.

posted by markblasco to media & arts (6 comments total)

You could probably arrange to buy a used theatrical print from one of the major theatrical distributors (the ones listed on this page as rental organizations also sell prints, to collectors). Describe your equipment and needs, as most 35mm theatrical prints are now made up for exhibition on 6000 foot tables. For your setup, you want unspliced reels with headers.
posted by paulsc at 10:15 AM on May 14

You can find them on Ebay for cheap
posted by JJ86 at 12:16 PM on May 14

You might try asking local theaters for old trailers. I don't know about multiplexes, but the small cinema I'm involved with tends to just let them accumulate until there are too many and they have to be got rid of. If you're just training, a trailer (or two spliced together, if you want a little more time between reels to practice loading the other projector while the first one's already running or someting) should be fine for changeover training.

You can make changeover marks on anything (be sure to read up on Academy vs. SMPTE leader and whatnot before you do, though) - so if you get enough filmstock together it shouldn't be hard to make a good pair of practice reels.
posted by bubukaba at 1:33 PM on May 14

Ebay is not an option, since we are a state institution, and ebay is not allowed.

Ideally we would get full films, and not just trailers. We need to practice every aspect of it, including breaking down the films and reattaching the headers, building the films, etc.

Any other suggestions?
posted by markblasco at 3:22 PM on May 14

Try the 35mm Film Collector Forum, or, as mentioned above, splice together 3 or 4 consecutive trailers for each projector. Had we not converted to digital-only trailers, I gladly would've sent you a box of old 35mm previews.
posted by bjork24 at 3:24 PM on May 14

Well, if you're on a changeover system you shouldn't need to be removing or reattaching heads/tails or building/breaking them down - but even so, the basic skills for doing all of those things - basically, splicing and unsplicing - would be learned just as well on trailers (especially if you had to attach a whole bunch of them). They've got heads and tails too!

But if you're set on full reels, you might also try asking local theaters if they've got training reels or any other old prints lying around. Most theaters I've worked at have had 'em. One of the places where I currently project actually trains people on show prints, with very careful supervision - so that might be an option for you too.
posted by bubukaba at 10:21 PM on May 17