MOVIECAM MAGS

[alex volkov]

Hello All...

 

I'm ACing on a shoot with MOVIECAM COMPACT.

There were couple of problems with mags. The film on the take up side keeps

rolling up uneven. Sometimes in the middle of the mag, film starts rubbing the door,

making it hard for sound when we shoot in tight spaces. And of course when unloading

it slides down, and i heard that sometimes the emulsion can get scratched, if trying to push it

back in place. I had the same problem with some 16mm cameras like Aaton, but it was fine.

 

Is it due to the fact that the mag is not kept in upright position? I mean if I put it on the door, can the film shift a little, thus rolling up unevenly?

 

This is just for laughs:

One of them jammed. When we opened the door the perfs were ripped and a ball of green fluff was inside the camera. We had to vacuum, the insides. But the best part was that it wasn't in the gate. I'm still puzzled because it never happened to me before. My DP and I couldn't figure it out. It's like something got shredded inside. My guess since we were outside some bug or a small leaf got inside even though I doubt it. We're also using re-cans, so I thought maybe it was a bad wind of film...

 

Anyway,

Thank you for your replies!!

 

Alex Volkov

[Allen Achterberg]

the magazine should always be kept up-right, never laid in a way that the film could cone out due to gravity. Thats one posibility. where are you doing prep at? The mags may need servicing.

[Patrick Neary]

Hi- The last feature I did we used a compact and had constant problems with mag noise- my 1st would give it a hard betch slap on both sides and that solved it pronto, and made my right ear ring for about an hour if I happened to be operating at the time. I've never experienced so many mag problems (of that variety) with any other camera.

[Chris Keth]

Hi- The last feature I did we used a compact and had constant problems with mag noise- my 1st would give it a hard betch slap on both sides and that solved it pronto, and made my right ear ring for about an hour if I happened to be operating at the time. I've never experienced so many mag problems (of that variety) with any other camera.

 

That's pretty much the standard fix for that problem, though most people will warn the operator before they slap away ;)

[Patrick Neary]

Well to be fair that did only happen once, and well into a very long day, so even at the time it was pretty funny... :)

[Chris Keth]

Well to be fair that did only happen once, and well into a very long day, so even at the time it was pretty funny... :)

 

Once is funny. More than that would get very old very fast.

[Matt Irwin]

The heavy weight (older) Moviecam mags will sometimes have issues with rubbing and/or sound. I can't attest to the lighter plastic mags. I never saw emulsion scratches though.

 

As a 2nd, I would always give the mag a good whack in the center before handing it to the 1st during a mag change. This kept the problem almost non-existent.

[alex volkov]

Thank you, everybody.

 

The camera body and the mags are going back to the rental house, before we start again on Friday.

In addition to lightweights we are getting two steadicam mags, so we'll see how that goes.

 

I have another weekend with this camera. So I'll probably be slapping away...

 

Alex Volkov