Re: Movie changeovers

[P3D Marvin Jones <72657.3276@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> This kind of brings up something I've wondered about for some time - on
> multi-reel movies, how does/did the projectionist get a seamless 
> changeover from one reel to the other?

There are two "dots" in the upper right hand corner of the image at the end of
the reel. Each "dot" is four frames long (1/6 of a second) and they are 7
seconds apart. Each reel of film begins with a "count-down" pattern (which is
fairly familiar to everyone by now). These numbers used to indicate the number
of feet of film before the picture begins, although television has now given us
a different leader that indicates the number of seconds before the picture,
which is more meaningful to them. In either case, the projectionist knows where
on this leader he needs to begin in order for there to be seven seconds between
the time he begins rolling the projector, allows it to get up to speed, and
reaches the picture. Then it's a simple matter. He starts the projector on the
first "dot" and makes the changeover on the second. (There is a planned overlap
of a few frames to compensate for any sloppiness.)


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