Curtain falls on film

Curtain falls on film

20 March 2013

MOVIE fans will notice little difference, but a momentous event is about to occur at Downpatrick’s cinema . The huge reels of film, so synonymous with cinemas the world over, are about to be phased out at the Eclipse cinema complex in favour of new high-tech digital projectors.

With everything happening in the projectionist’s hallowed sanctuary, movie-goers will notice little except perhaps for an end to the odd little imperfections in the picture and random sound distortions.

The last film using the old 35mm reels will be screened at Eclipse on Tuesday night before the complex becomes an all-digital cinema

For Daniel Barrett, Director of Eclipse Cinemas, the change is a momentous one but a logical step in the march of technology.

“The Eclipse will continue to show great films, but there will be no more reels of film as new hi-tech digital projectors use hard drives,” explained Daniel.

“With the new digital equipment the picture will be much brighter and crisper and it will not have the frustrating yet loved characteristics of the old film reels,” he said.

Not only will the viewing experience be different for the paying public, but now the projectionist’s job is set to change dramatically.

Traditionally, from the first black and white silent movie shown in 1894, the projectionist’s job was highly skilled and he needed to show a keen understanding of mechanical matters to get the film on the screen.

It was also important for them to be able to keep calm under pressure as a 35mm film could cause havoc by wrapping around itself. It could also get scratched, ripped, fall apart and on one occasion in an American cinema a film is said to have actually burst into flames.

At present a 35mm film arrives at the cinema in a big box and the process of putting it on screen can take a projectionist several hours.

Christen Le Bloas, Eclipse Cinemas chief projectionist, said the projectionist has to glue it together using special tape. Then ads and trailers also have to be added.

“Once the film is put together it needs to be laced through a series of rollers, gates, cogs, sound wheels and more rollers. Checks have to be made to ensure that everything is straight and that there is not too much tension on the film.

“Once the film starts, the projectionist has to adjust the picture on the screen,” he said.

Christen said that on occasions he had to resort to using a hammer and screw driver to fix a projector, but in the new all-digital process he will be able to do the same job with a standard computer mouse.

Bringing an era to an end the final 35mm films to run in Downpatrick will be the comedies Identity Thief and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.

The final 35mm show will be on Tuesday night at 9.15pm and to mark the occasion customers will be presented with a sample of 35mm film. And before the big change, movie buffs will have the chance to visit a projection room before it finally changes forever.