[Frameworks] 16fps 16mm projectors?

[Steve Polta]

In 2001 San Francisco Cinematheque projected Andy Warhol's *Sleep*, which
is six hours (360 minutes) at 16fps. We started the show at midnight,
expected it to end at 6am. We ran it at 18fps and the show got out at
5:30am (and in fact I just did the math and I think the difference over
that time is closer to 45 minutes somehow). So that's a good cumulative
difference but probably "minimal" (to quote David Sherman quoting David
Gerstein) difference moment-to-moment in viewing.

18 (or 16)fps vs 24 fps is obviously a very big difference and there is
always the (possibly apocryphal) story of Stan Brakhage viewing *Sleep *at
24fps and declaring it a farse, then at 16fps and declaring it a
masterpiece. Not that Brakhage's word is unquestionable but this would make
a huge difference in many of these films. As I'm sure most of us know...

Steve Polta




On Mon, Aug 3, 2015 at 5:26 PM, Scott Dorsey <kludge at panix.com> wrote:

> The B&H filmosound in a box projectors (the 300 series) have universal
> motors with mechanical governors, which can be adjusted for a variety of
> speeds.  If set according to the manual the silent speed is 16 fps, but
> if no maintenance has been done it could be anything.  They are truly
> among the best projectors made, aside from the narrow barrel which severely
> limits your lens selection.
>
> That said, I doubt the difference between 16 and 18 fps would be that
> dramatic on screen.
> --scott
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