Dennis Fukushima

Nice job getting through that shoot Adam. First day loading, especially on a new system, is never "relaxing." :lol: It's one of those things that often get overlooked when getting instruction on loading, but having the film cone out is a real pain in the neck. It can cause noise and debris from friction with the mag, and in bad cases like yours, I suppose it can even prevent the mag from closing. It's bad enough with new 400' loads, but it's even worse with 1000's and worse still with recans. You just gotta be really careful about keeping your grip tight on the roll to prevent/minimize it. If the roll comes out of the bag already messed up, then there's not much you can do. Note that trying to smash it back flat could (theoretically) cause scratches in the emulsion if dirt/debris is in there, but I think it's rare and if production gives you no other options, you gotta do it. Just clear it with your next higher-up in your department first. I think if a new roll is already warped, I can only guess it's probably due to rough handling of the flim when it was still in the can. I'm surprised that they had you loading on a big shoot so soon, but I guess it's sink or swim and you SWAM! Also, it's kind of weird that they had so few 1000' loads to begin with considering it was almost all super slo-mo, but maybe production got a better deal on the 400's. Anyway, I definitely can empathize with the pressure you felt. Anytime things don't go smoothly in the bag, it's a nightmare. Glad to hear they were understanding and you made it through. B)