Kodak film codes

Patrick Toussaint <ptoussai<-a t->ulb< . >ac< . >be> writes

>Irela Nunez de Lucioni <mlucioni<-a t->aloe< . >ulima< . >edu< . >pe> writes
>
>>I'd like to know the meaning of those symbols (triangles, circles,
>>and other marks) that can be found in movies made with Kodak picture
>>film from the thirties to the fifties. These are on the side of the
>>film strip, and I believe they are year codes, useful to know at
>>last the year of the stock.
>
>If the marks are on the pictures and in the corners, then they maybe
>aimed for the projection people

Those nifty little triangles, squares, and circles are indeed Film
Edge Codes, and were (and are) put onto the stock by the
manufacturer to identify year of manufacture.

And the *best* way of decoding them is to buy a  Sweat Shirt from
Northeast Historic Film which is a non-profit film archive in
Bucksport Maine 800-639-1636) which has the codes and the years on
the shirt--very nice idea!  But if this is just a little big for
daily use, call Kodak and they should be happy to provide you with
the key (I looked on their web site and could not find it in a quick
search).

The reel change marks described above are another matter entirely,
and are indeed there so that the projectionist knows when to start
the other projector in a reel switch (the first set of marks), and
when to close the shutter on one projector and open it on the other
(the second set of marks)--crude--but it works just fine! They can
be seen in the upper right corner in most film prints.  Most movie
theatres these days have the prints on large reels that have the
entire film in one piece so that the projectionists do *not* have to
do reel changes any more (and this is how the multiplex can get away
with so few projectionists for so many theatres), and so they should
*not* need these marks any more.  But even with this, most
films--even some of the new ones--have those distracting little reel
change marks.

Jim Lindner
VidiPax
The Magnetic Media Restoration Company
vidipax<-a t->panix< . >com
450 West 31 Street - 4th Floor
New York, N.Y.  10001
212-563-1999
Fax: 212-563-1994

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:43
                Distributed: Thursday, November 6, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-43-003
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