Need 35mm film sample

[Greg Smith]

I teach a media production class at a specialized high school for gifted students. The course is roughly half about production and aesthetics, and half about the technology itself (being as it's offered through the Computer Science department here). When reviewing the history of image making, I show them samples of cameras, film, tapes, audio recorders and such of different formats and vintages. We pass stuff around in class and, if possible, partially disassemble the equipment to see how it works.

I have lots of 8mm and 16mm cameras and film to show them from earlier in my career, but presently, no 35mm film samples. This is a significant gap because in this day and age, 35mm is likely the only film format they've actually seen projected on a screen in their movie going experience.

I'd like to get a short sample of a 35mm release print -- ideally with optical sound -- that we could pass around and talk about in class. The content doesn't matter much as long as it's not obscene, but should include some real pictorial material, not just leaders and titles. A relatively short piece -- maybe 100' -- would be fine and is actually easier to store and handle than a big reel. "Flat" is probably better than anamorphic because it's easier to appreciate the image when viewing the film directly.

I have no budget for this but would gladly pay for shipping if you have some old outtakes or otherwise unused/unwanted film lying around you could donate.

Thanks for your consideration. PM me if you can help out.

- Greg

 

[celestion]

I think your best bet would be to buy a 35mm trailer that are readily available on ebay. They are pretty cheap.

 

[combatentropy]

Cool idea.

ideally with optical sound

Any recent 35mm release print should have many formats of optical sound:

"Flat" is probably better than anamorphic

Another cool thing about Flat 35 is that you will see more of the frame than the theatrical audience did. The whole Academy frame was exposed. It was just cropped to 1.85 by a gate on the projector. Actually for this reason the home video sometimes had more of the picture. Some movies were framed so that they worked both ways. They would use more of the top and bottom of the frame for home video, to make it 4:3 without lopping off the sides.

 

[Noiz2]

You may also be able to get some 35mm "slug". Sound post, back when we still recorded on to MAG, used a lot of slug to fill blank sections in the SFX reels, also for heads and tails on reels. Slug is mostly 35mm release prints that are no longer needed. They generally have a scratch running down the middle but that shouldn't be a big issue for your needs. Actually if you call any outfit that used to do sound post on 35mm they probably have a box or two of slug collecting dust they would give you.


If you get film that has no optical track on it, it wasn't a release print and is probably extra copies of the print that the film was mixed to.

And while you are at it ask if they have some "stripe" and MAG they can get you. MAG is also called full coat and is 35mm film that has a full coating of magnetic recording material and is what was used to record 6 tracks of sound (ie 5.1) too for your master recordings, STEMS. Stripe is also 35mm but has a 1/4" stripe of recording material on one side of the frame and a thing "balance" stripe on the other (so it will wind evenly). It was used for sound elements so your dialog edit was generally on stripe and the SFX were all cut on stripe. The 1/4" stripe could record up to 3 tracks depending on what head was installed on the dubber.

If you only need a couple of pieces I have some everything but the MAG.