Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is!

gaastra
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Posts: 63

Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 6, 2024 21:43:15 GMT

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Post by gaastra on Oct 6, 2024 21:43:15 GMT

Don't know what forum to post this one. If this is the wrong topic, please move it to the right one.

So, a family member found something at a thrift store. A box with an old film reel. The reel has no name on it at all. It's a small reel and about the size as a tv episode or cartoon short from looking at online photos. The reel has a Vinegar smell and I don't think that's a good thing. Again, no clue what is on this and no clue what to do with it.

What should I do with this film reel? Any ideas?

Last Edit: Oct 6, 2024 21:44:44 GMT by gaastra

ModWalletGuy Lost Media Veteran Oh, egads! My roast is ruined! Posts: 3,205	Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 6, 2024 22:34:04 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by ModWalletGuy on Oct 6, 2024 22:34:04 GMT Maybe you could see if any places near you scan film reels?
	"Weird Al" Yankovic - Polkamania! www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0ZoX4dBvwk

co Global Moderator Posts: 1,567	Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 7, 2024 13:32:54 GMT via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by co on Oct 7, 2024 13:32:54 GMT So a film reel will have what's called a head and a tail. If it was re-wound after last use, the head should be out. Check to see if any paper tape is along the strip with a name.

gaastra Lost Media Casual Posts: 63	Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 7, 2024 19:06:45 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by gaastra on Oct 7, 2024 19:06:45 GMT No name. The case has "plio magic" on it, however. Looked it up and they sold movies and cartoons and home reels so this could be an old cartoon or a movie or someone's birthday party.

co
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Posts: 1,567

Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 7, 2024 20:24:36 GMT via mobile forlornjackalope and ziggycashmere like this

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Post by co on Oct 7, 2024 20:24:36 GMT

You could hold the film up to a light and see what images are on it, it has already been processed so no need to worry about exposure.

Otherwise, hit up a college with a film program and see if they have a projector you can watch it off of. There might be local film archivists as well.

If all else fails, you can always send it my way and I can take a look. I do have a digitizing set-up at my job, but that's for 16mm. Which I can't tell if that's 16mm from the photos alone.

Edit:
Home movies were usually shot on 8mm, but I don't think that reel is an 8mm.

Last Edit: Oct 7, 2024 20:31:50 GMT by co

greatwhite Lost Media Enthusiast Posts: 517	Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 7, 2024 22:28:36 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by greatwhite on Oct 7, 2024 22:28:36 GMT Walmart can digitize film reels for you if that's something you want to try: www.dvdwalmart.com/services-and-pricing/movie-film-transfer Legacy Box might also be able to do that for you.

ModWalletGuy
Lost Media Veteran

Oh, egads! My roast is ruined!

Posts: 3,205

Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 7, 2024 23:11:33 GMT

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Post by ModWalletGuy on Oct 7, 2024 23:11:33 GMT

Oct 7, 2024 22:28:36 GMT greatwhite said:

Walmart can digitize film reels for you if that's something you want to try: www.dvdwalmart.com/services-and-pricing/movie-film-transfer

Legacy Box might also be able to do that for you.

I don't think they scan copyrighted materials, but I could be wrong.

"Weird Al" Yankovic - Polkamania!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0ZoX4dBvwk

co
Global Moderator

Posts: 1,567

Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 7, 2024 23:54:54 GMT via mobile ModWalletGuy likes this

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Post by co on Oct 7, 2024 23:54:54 GMT

Oct 7, 2024 23:11:33 GMT ModWalletGuy said:

Oct 7, 2024 22:28:36 GMT greatwhite said:

Walmart can digitize film reels for you if that's something you want to try: www.dvdwalmart.com/services-and-pricing/movie-film-transfer

Legacy Box might also be able to do that for you.

I don't think they scan copyrighted materials, but I could be wrong.

Not to mention Walmart photo kinda sucks (I'm bitter they lost my disposal camera photos lol).

Before OP sends it off anywhere, they should try and see what's on it first. That's why my first suggestion is to try a college with a film department. Some film departments still teach 16mm film classes, so they might be able to help you in viewing the film. I digitized for local news channels because they coordinated it with our film department, of course they had to pay for my time in doing that.

But I would hold off on digitizing just because it's more than likely already archived. I have a reel called "The Haunted Mouth," which I guess was a PSA done by dentists.The original owner of the reel was like "oh man, I wish we could have seen it." Turns out she could have. It's right on YouTube.

Last Edit: Oct 8, 2024 0:05:52 GMT by co

rowler
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Posts: 767

Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 8, 2024 22:53:01 GMT

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Post by rowler on Oct 8, 2024 22:53:01 GMT

Oct 7, 2024 19:06:45 GMT gaastra said:

No name. The case has "plio magic" on it, however. Looked it up and they sold movies and cartoons and home reels so this could be an old cartoon or a movie or someone's birthday party.

So this looks like a mass produced 8mm film.

Edit: I guess it hard to gauge the size from the photo but it could also be a 16mm sound film

If you have good eyes, I would recommend unwinding the beginning and a title card should pop up. Most of these are usually not lost media because they are short and silent versions of films, shorts, or cartoons.

The vinegar smell is due to the full being old and the chemicals sort of breaking down. I would recommending keeping it in a zip-lock plastic bag so that you can't breathing it in.

There are places that do transfer 8mm and 16mm reels, however I would not recommend doing that to mass produced films. They are already not the best transfers, and it's sort of costly for something you could find a better quality just seeking out the original.

Last Edit: Oct 8, 2024 23:05:41 GMT by rowler

gaastra Lost Media Casual Posts: 63	Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 9, 2024 19:11:49 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by gaastra on Oct 9, 2024 19:11:49 GMT Here is the size with a dvd case.

rowler Lost Media Enthusiast Posts: 767	Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is! Oct 9, 2024 20:30:43 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by rowler on Oct 9, 2024 20:30:43 GMT Oct 9, 2024 19:11:49 GMT gaastra said: Here is the size with a dvd case. I mean, measure the size of the film itself. An 8mm and 16mm are called that because the film is 8 millimeters and 16 millimeters wide.
	Last Edit: Oct 9, 2024 20:59:44 GMT by rowler

Found a film reel with no name. No clue what it is!

Post by gaastra on Oct 6, 2024 21:43:15 GMT

Post by ModWalletGuy on Oct 6, 2024 22:34:04 GMT

Post by co on Oct 7, 2024 13:32:54 GMT

Post by gaastra on Oct 7, 2024 19:06:45 GMT

Post by co on Oct 7, 2024 20:24:36 GMT

Post by greatwhite on Oct 7, 2024 22:28:36 GMT

Post by ModWalletGuy on Oct 7, 2024 23:11:33 GMT

Post by co on Oct 7, 2024 23:54:54 GMT

Post by rowler on Oct 8, 2024 22:53:01 GMT

Post by gaastra on Oct 9, 2024 19:11:49 GMT

Post by rowler on Oct 9, 2024 20:30:43 GMT

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