Travelling with negative film

Aapo Lettinen · July 5, 2016

like I mentioned earlier, if making a serious project with larger budget one can just order the raw stock via courier directly to the location and send the exposed stock to the lab also with courier. no need to fly with film and worry about it especially in connecting flights where there may be multiple security checks during the journey.

they may even x-ray your luggage when you go OUT of the airport building in some parts of the world, like they did in Tangier (there you can't even get inside the airport terminal without x-ray at the building door and of course the real security check is afterwards, so one x-ray when getting out of the airport and at least 2 when departing... )

Edited July 5, 2016 by aapo lettinen

Will Montgomery · July 5, 2016

I've traveled quite a bit with all types of motion picture film. I have a special plastic box that I put all the film in and have them hand inspect it. All the signs say only necessary for speeds over 1000 but that doesn't hold true on motion picture stock in my experience.

Operators definitely "turn up" the x-ray machine when confronted with something like Super 8 film in the metal sealed package. I've had many rolls "nuked" by x-ray machines...most notably on several Ektachrome 160 rolls about 10 years ago.

The best thing to do is FedEx it to your destination. Have Kodak FedEx directly to a hotel...they have super cheap rates with FedEx. That just relieves all the stress of trying to remember to have them hand inspect. Too much too worry about these days when flying to have to remember your film.

Don't forget that cautionary tale of the "LOST" crew having their film x-rayed by mistake...I'm sure that stock was Vision 2 or 3 500T.

http://old.seattletimes.com/html/television/2003564825_weblostfilm09.html

Doug Palmer · July 6, 2016

Thing is what choice do we have ?

I know nothing about the technicalities, but I was just wondering if something such as ultrasound could be used as an alternative. Or does this just work with bodies ?

Aapo Lettinen · July 6, 2016

I know nothing about the technicalities, but I was just wondering if something such as ultrasound could be used as an alternative. Or does this just work with bodies ?

ultrasound image is not nearly as detailed as a X-ray image but it might still have some uses. it is also disturbed by air gaps so it would not be ideal for film cans unless the rolls are removed from the cans for inspection.

something like infrared could also be an option if choosing a wavelength which the film is not sensitive of.

the other thing is that even if your local airport had the system installed, you'd still have to deal with all the other airports in the world and there would always be the one which just has the 80's x-ray machine and nothing else :ph34r:

Will Montgomery · July 6, 2016

Hand inspection of film canisters has NEVER been a problem for me in the U.S. As long as you don't forget and leave it in a bag, it's a non-issue. Just stay calm and smile if you hear something otherwise, they are required to offer hand inspections.

Jesse Andrewartha · July 14, 2016

I have also traveled extensively with film in all formats, from a bag of S8 carts to 2400ft of 35mm film (which was probably a bit cheeky)... They are required to offer hand inspection, but the wording of the law is vague and it is at their discretion whether they can require X-Ray screening. The security in the US is very accommodating and I've never had a problem with hand inspection; they just swab it and you're good to go.... Canada on the other hand are very strict, and when you combine that with almost no knowledge of what film is, that can cause issues. I had a Canadian security agent insisting on opening each 400ft can so he could look inside. When I repeatedly refused, saying that if he does that, he'll destroy $1200 worth of film, he honestly did not understand, saying "but I open the canisters of (35mm) film and there's no issue... I need to be able to see the film".

So here's the protocol I use:

For S8 and 16mm on daylight spools, I print out new stickers and mark them as ASA 6400... no one knows film anymore and I never get questioned, they just hand inspect. For film on cores or 35mm I don't mess around anymore: I purchase the film and get it sent ahead of my flight via FedEx to my destination, once exposed I send it to the lab via FedEx before I leave that destination.