[Frameworks] 35mm film will be dead by 2015 and News Corp

[Steven Gladstone]

On 11/18/11 2:38 PM, Aaron F. Ross wrote:
> The rotating shutter was
> developed precisely because of the eyestrain of flicker, and it's
> only a partial solution.

Actually, the rotating shutter was invented in camera to cover the film 
as it was transported, thus not having a smeary image. It has noting to 
do with eyestrain.

Flicker at 24fps can be quite disturbing, which is why (film) projectors 
have a two or three bladed shutter, the higher the flicker rate the less 
noticeable to the conscious mind, the less distracting. The less 
distracting, the more likely to allow the audience to slip into "Cinema" 
watching (my interpretation of the process)

This is not an endorsement for higher and higher frame rates of 
projection or capture.

Some cameras have a black stripe that bisects the mirror shutter of the 
camera which increase the flicker rate to the cameraperson's eye while 
shooting. Thus providing a less jarring image to the cameraperson.

The first motion picture cameras had what was known as a focal plane 
shutter, and you viewed the image by focusing through the base of the 
film. So I've been told. With 3 strip technicolor cameras this seems 
highly impossible to create, with the single strip color film an 
anti-reflective backing was added to the film, making it impossible to 
focus on the image through the back of the film anyway.

Viewing was achieved by means of a Parallax viewfinder system. For 
reflex viewing a beam splitter arrangement, was used. Both of these 
systems provide a flicker free image to the camera operator. Arriflex 
invented the mirror reflex shutter, using the mirror to both divert the 
image to the viewing system while the film is being transported. Pretty 
much all film cameras and projectors have a rotating shutter for when 
the film is transported I think Imax may use some other system to 
transport the film. The Eclair ACL did have a reciprocating mirrored 
shutter - but that was only for viewing, the actual shutter for exposing 
the film was a rotating focal plane shutter.

I hope this clears up the confusion about the origins of the rotating 
shutter.


-- 
Steven Gladstone
New York Based Cinematographer
Gladstone films
Blog - http://indiekicker.reelgrok.com/
http://www.blakehousemovie.com
http://www.gladstonefilms.com
917-886-5858