Airport x-ray
- Thread starter Sanford
- Start date
Jim Brennan
VHS Member Old Skool
Re: Airport x-ray
Couple of things: First off I brought some audition footage on DV out to MN. I watched it before I left, and then again when I got out there with the director. The audio was ruined. I thought there was something wrong wih the camera, but no, it was the tapes. The director asked me if I had them hand-checked and I said no. He remarked that he had returned from LA a few weeks earlier where he was working as an AD on a documentary with another director who insisted the DV tapes be hand checked due to that same problem. Obviously it doesn't happen all the time because I've taken my home video camera on lots of trips with no problems on the tapes. And of course x-ray is not a magnetic medium, so none of it makes sense to me. But the fact is, they worked fine before the airport, and not after the airport.
Next thing: After my last shoot the director was bringing the footage back to MN to edit. He requested that the Guy hand check them, and the agent refused. After a heated debate, the director got out of line and mailed them to himself (after having the postal clerk stamp warnings all over the box). So I called a buddy of mine who is a supervisor for the TSA and he said that they have no latitude whatsoever. They are only allowed to hand check 35 MM film. Most of us have experienced otherwise of course, but that's what he told me.
BTW, the footage arrived fine.
Couple of things: First off I brought some audition footage on DV out to MN. I watched it before I left, and then again when I got out there with the director. The audio was ruined. I thought there was something wrong wih the camera, but no, it was the tapes. The director asked me if I had them hand-checked and I said no. He remarked that he had returned from LA a few weeks earlier where he was working as an AD on a documentary with another director who insisted the DV tapes be hand checked due to that same problem. Obviously it doesn't happen all the time because I've taken my home video camera on lots of trips with no problems on the tapes. And of course x-ray is not a magnetic medium, so none of it makes sense to me. But the fact is, they worked fine before the airport, and not after the airport.
Next thing: After my last shoot the director was bringing the footage back to MN to edit. He requested that the Guy hand check them, and the agent refused. After a heated debate, the director got out of line and mailed them to himself (after having the postal clerk stamp warnings all over the box). So I called a buddy of mine who is a supervisor for the TSA and he said that they have no latitude whatsoever. They are only allowed to hand check 35 MM film. Most of us have experienced otherwise of course, but that's what he told me.
BTW, the footage arrived fine.
XCheck
Veteran
Re: Airport x-ray
One explanation I'd have is that those X-Ray machines are very close to the metal detector frames everyone walks through. The metal detector uses a (low energy) electromagnetic pulse to detect any metal you may have on you, but that little magnetic field might be enough to affect a tape (I guess). ???
The other possibility is anything that moves inside the X-ray machine (electric motors produce magnetic field). Basically, anything electricaly charged that moves at variable speed does so, too.
As far as whether it should or should not be enough to ruin a tape, I don't know. Also, it would more likely affect video before audio, I think.
Did you buy anything that uses retail security device de-activation and accidentaly put your bag with the tapes on the counter?
BTW - don't know about other parts of the world outside of NA, but if you go to Eastern Europe, they won't even discuss hand-checking your film. Just put it (and tapes) in lead-lined bags before you go. They will probably wonder what's the dark plastique-looking thing in your baggage and hand-inspect it anyway ;D On the other hand, as Jerry Sainfeld says, the haridryer with the scope on it would probably pass. :
If you ever thought the the world we live in is not absurd, think again.
One explanation I'd have is that those X-Ray machines are very close to the metal detector frames everyone walks through. The metal detector uses a (low energy) electromagnetic pulse to detect any metal you may have on you, but that little magnetic field might be enough to affect a tape (I guess). ???
The other possibility is anything that moves inside the X-ray machine (electric motors produce magnetic field). Basically, anything electricaly charged that moves at variable speed does so, too.
As far as whether it should or should not be enough to ruin a tape, I don't know. Also, it would more likely affect video before audio, I think.
Did you buy anything that uses retail security device de-activation and accidentaly put your bag with the tapes on the counter?
BTW - don't know about other parts of the world outside of NA, but if you go to Eastern Europe, they won't even discuss hand-checking your film. Just put it (and tapes) in lead-lined bags before you go. They will probably wonder what's the dark plastique-looking thing in your baggage and hand-inspect it anyway ;D On the other hand, as Jerry Sainfeld says, the haridryer with the scope on it would probably pass. :
If you ever thought the the world we live in is not absurd, think again.
Jim Brennan
VHS Member Old Skool
Re: Airport x-ray
No, there was nothing in the bag but the tapes and some other carry on crap (books, snacks, a Glock).
As far as airport security goes, I'm all for inconvenience if it saves my life. At the same time, I thought one of the purposes of the TSA was to create a common set of security standards across the country. But I don't want to get off track.
No, there was nothing in the bag but the tapes and some other carry on crap (books, snacks, a Glock).
As far as airport security goes, I'm all for inconvenience if it saves my life. At the same time, I thought one of the purposes of the TSA was to create a common set of security standards across the country. But I don't want to get off track.