Aaton A-Minima spooling

[Boris Kalaidjiev]

Hi everyone, 

I know this question has been asked a lot and has been talked a lot about but I still dont quite understand it 100%.

I have an upcoming feature on the A-minima and the rental house and lab have unfortunately very few spools, maybe 10-15. That means that during our production we would probably have to spool film on to the spools on our own, shoot and unspool onto normal 16mm cores so that we can re-use the A-minima spools again. I know that what we get is normally B wounded film  and the A-minima needs A wound film (emulsion out). But how do you get from B to A?

I have a very primitive drawing that I will attach hopefully its not wrong. 

 

Thanks a lot!!

Edited March 15 by Boris Kalaidjiev

[Mark Dunn]

1) Wind onto spool with a twist.

2)Rewind onto another spool.

Or 2 then 1- it doesn't matter.

Just tried it on the Steenbeck.

[Boris Kalaidjiev]

@Mark Dunn What do you mean by a twist? You mean like an 180 degree twist?
I can’t figure out how you could do it without also doing the middle part that I have in my funny drawing. 
Are you saying that if we’re looking at my drawing you can skip the second step (the middle one) by somehow twisting the film? 

Thanks. 

Edited March 15 by Boris Kalaidjiev

[Mark Dunn]

I see what you mean, you've rewound EO.

Then just rewind, still EO, and you change from B to A wind.

Your method will work but I don't know how you're going to do your rewinding- the twist through 180 degrees (you still have to rewind) works on a flatbed like the Steenbeck.

 

Edited March 15 by Mark Dunn

[Boris Kalaidjiev]

What do you mean by EO? 

I would be using normal film winders that you attach onto a table or something. 

I will try and see if I can find a flatbed but I think they're probably all not in a good shape and probably don't work. But you're saying that on a flatbed it would a lot easier than using hand cranked film winders?

[Mark Dunn]

Emulsion Out.

All I said was that I personally use a Steenbeck. I find a flatbed more convenient than rewinds, but I don't see why they shouldn't work, with care.

If you are going to rewind onto cores for the lab you will need split spools as well.

https://www.sprocketschool.org/wiki/Split_reel

 

Edited March 15 by Mark Dunn

[Boris Kalaidjiev]

Thanks for pointing out that I would also need split spools!

When you're using a Steenbeck do you just skip all the rollers and go straight from the Feed with a twit to the Take Up side? Sorry for asking all this, its just all very new to me and I have never even seen a Steenbeck in real life haha. 

 

Thank you!

 

[Mark Dunn]

Yes, straight across.

The Steenbeck isn't intended to work this way so there isn't always enough tension to achieve a tight wind. I just did it as an experiment. Hand rewinds will probably work better.

[Martin Parsekian]

One thing I'd quickly add is that the spools can get a little deformed when reused many times, allowing for light leaks. I've gotten in the habit of loading/downloading Minima mags in the dark bag to avoid disaster. Hoping to 3D print new ones one day as it seems kinda ridiculous what they sell for / how fragile they are.  

Also if you are doing sync I've noticed some reels can make more of a racket in the mags than others.. havent figured out why 

 

Edited March 23 by Martin Parsekian