Dryden Theatre Intermission: A Look at Film Inspection

While the Dryden Theatre is closed, we’re not just sitting around — we are busy doing things like inspecting films! Sheri Smith, film projectionist at the museum, shares what happens during a film inspection.

“In the journey of film preservation, the screening with an audience is the ultimate destination. At the Dryden Theatre each film we project is treated as if it was the last living print. To ensure the safety of each print as it travels perilously through the projector, a thorough film inspection is mandatory. The film inspection protects the film, the projector and aids the projectionist to provide the audience with the best possible show.

Inspection determines:

Type of sound: digital, analog, mono or stereo, or silent?

Aspect ratio: What size will the image be on the screen? This determines what lens we will need on the projector and how the screen will be masked.

Film stock: nitrate, acetate or polyester, and year the print was made.

Color: is it black white or color?

Language: does it have subtitles or intertitles?

Damage and deterioration: has existing damage been repaired correctly and/or is there any unrepaired damage requiring repair? Has the color faded and what is the level of scratches?

Timing: film countdowns and reel change cue marks correctly positioned

Once the inspection is completed and the film is cleared for projecting, it is wound onto metal projection reels, usually 5–8 reels per film title with approximately 2,000 feet of film per reel.”