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Film base: Difference between revisions
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→Why is it important to know what film base a print has?
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==Why is it important to know what film base a print has?== | ==Why is it important to know what film base a print has?== | ||
* '''For Projection:''' Only venues who are properly equipped to project nitrate film should do so. Many projectors require gate tension adjustments between prints that are polyester and acetate the latter is slightly thicker. | * '''For Projection:''' Only venues who are properly equipped to project nitrate film should do so. Many projectors require gate tension adjustments between prints that are polyester and acetate the latter is slightly thicker. This difference in thickness also means adjustments in focus must be made if acetate and polyester films are spliced together in a single reel (such as a trailer reel). | ||
* '''For Storage:'''Nitrate and acetate films have very specific needs with regard to long term storage. Improper storage can lead to deterioration of the film base. | * '''For Storage:'''Nitrate and acetate films have very specific needs with regard to long term storage. Improper storage can lead to deterioration of the film base. | ||
===Polyester=== | ===Polyester=== | ||
With rare exceptions, all 35mm release prints made since the late 1990s have been printed on '''polyester''' base. Many 16mm prints from the mid 80s onward are also printed on polyester | With rare exceptions, all 35mm release prints made since the late 1990s have been printed on '''polyester''' base. Many 16mm prints from the mid 80s onward are also printed on polyester. Nothing pre-1955 will be on polyester base. Unlike acetate or nitrate, polyester is essentially unbreakable and cannot be torn by human hands. It is also not susceptible to vinegar syndrome and does not warp or shrink (though it is not uncommon for the film to have a slight "bow"). Polyester base is easy to identify because it is slightly thinner than acetate or nitrate. Polyester film cannot be cement spliced - it must be tape spliced or ultrasonic spliced. | ||
* Polyester | * Polyester film is often referred to as "Estar base" which is the Kodak trade name for the polyester base that they manufacture. | ||
===Acetate=== | ===Acetate=== | ||