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REEL DEALS

PUBLISHED BY – MIKE TRICKETT 245 CHURCH ST. HERNE HILL VIC 3218

As we approach the end of another year, with the Holiday Season not far
off, it might be worth spending a day or so taking a look at our collections.

In the past year, I have had to junk a number of films. Some that had
turned red and were of little entertainment value, others had developed
Vinegar Syndrome and in the case of one polyester based film had
cracked and fallen apart. Surprisingly, not one of my nitrate films has been
lost, despite some of them being close to 100 years old. The good old
nitrate seems to be the most stable of all film stocks.

So, the holiday task will be to check and assess as many films as I can. That
is important, especially the safety films, as Vinegar Syndrome is becoming
a major cause of film loss, and if they not detected early and separated
from other films, it can migrate.

I have convinced myself that storing films on metal reels and / or in metal
cans is at least partly responsible for vinegar syndrome taking hold.
Where possible, films will be transferred onto plastic reels or onto cores
and into plastic cans. Another part of the task will be to inspect any metal
reels for signs of rust, any rusty reels will be sent to for metal recycling.

At least, by being proactive, we can hopefully prolong the life of our most
valuable asset - our films!

So take it easy, watch a few films and above all ….

Have a Happy Christmas and Healthy New Year

from Mike & Barb

2 REEL DEALS December 2024