[LargeFormat] Film loading

[Les Newcomer]

One of those dreaded experiences with Murphy's law came about as an assistant.

The photog show me a faster way of loading film. so I tried it.ONE Sheet
out of 25 film holders got loaded with one edge in the darkslide slot.
That edge HAPPENED to be the top edge when she put it in the camera.

She opened the darkslide and it FELL OUT INTO the camera! Did it lay
flat?! NOOOOOOOO! It sort of hung up in there and blocked most of the
image on the rest of the film for that shot (thankfully this wasn't the
first holder for that shot, closer to the last) and she didn't notice it
until she set up for the next shot (on location naturally). The set had
already been struck , but we didn't know WHEN it happened. We decided to
hope for the best and we ended up having enough film shot to save the day.

After that she didn't comment on my slower but more accurate way of
loading holders.

I always run my finger along that leading edge to see if I can feel the
film rails or a slight rise and softness to the film.


Les

Gregor33@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Tony,
> 
> Also remember to make sure that the film is in the right groves on
> both sides of the holders.  I still sometimes when I'm in a hurry end
> up with the film in the grove that the dark slide is in on one side
> then try and close the holder and ruin a sheet.  Or worse, somehow
> don't relize that i've done it use the film on camera.  Then there is
> no way the film is flat and it's out of focus.  Don't ask me how it's
> possible to do this but I've done it. You'd think the slide would
> never work with film there.
> 
> Greg