Spooling 400ft on 200ft core

[Giorgio Taricco]

Hello guys,

finally I have received my new Arri II Techniscope camera and I want to use it as soon as possible to check it, sorry for the stupid question but I've only experience in 16mm format so...

I have a lot of 400ft film but I would like to try the smaller and lighter 200ft Arri magazine, as I have not 35mm rewinders and split reels, what's the best method to spool down 200ft from a 400ft core to use the magazine? I was thinking to use a 400ft Arri magazines as a rewinder, loading the 400 ft core on the feed side and spooling half the core on the take up side, but as you know you can't put a core on take up side of the the 400ft magazine, so I will end with a 200ft on feed side, good and ready to film and a 200ft on the take up side that I need to release from the magazine without a core, if I put a core it would be too large to use as it is, so.. can't find an easy way to do it, any advice?

Here a pic of my new Arri 2 perf Techniscope camera, totally rebuilt and ready to shoot.

Edited November 13, 2020 by Giorgio Taricco

[Aapo Lettinen]

if you have a 16mm rewinder and some core adapters (for example the type of core adapters used in Arri and CP magazines) you can attach cores to it and if being very careful it is possible to wind 35mm film with this type of setup too even without any split reels or platters. I personally use 16mm winder this way for both 16mm and 35mm because I don't have split reels or 35 winder...   the film may cone very easily so you have to be careful if winding film with this method. And using the wide 35mm rolls on the narrower adapters may let them fall off relatively easily. But the point is that you can manage without a 35mm winder and split reels if you have to. It is just more challenging and there is some additional risks to the film

[Giorgio Taricco]

Thanks Aapo, I was thinking so but seeing the risk to damage the film and the cost of developing and scan I would pass on this method, it's too risky to me, try to find something more secure.

[Aapo Lettinen]

2 hours ago, Giorgio Taricco said:

Thanks Aapo, I was thinking so but seeing the risk to damage the film and the cost of developing and scan I would pass on this method, it's too risky to me, try to find something more secure.

I rarely have any problems with the method but the coning may be a serious problem if one only uses cores and no platters/split reel or any other side guide for the film. I am using this method for "real shoots" as well though and have avoided extra scratches etc. so far :)

Are you going to shoot a real project as a camera test or just shooting test footage which might be used for insert type of stuff later? if it is more of a camera test I would not worry too much about the rewinding process. Just be careful not to cause static electricity when winding and try to keep the original roll as intact as possible. You can btw spool down less than 200ft if it is just a test. I like to use 150ft rolls because they fit to the Konvas 60m magazines which have normal 2" core adapters installed. I suggest taking first a 100ft load to test the camera and then more when confirmed that it works :)

If wanting to make things easy, how about shooting half of the 400ft roll with the 400ft mag and then cutting the film when you have 200ft left and shoot the rest with the 200ft mag with that 200ft short end?

[Giorgio Taricco]

Your second way would be good and safe ?