8MM FORUM WORLDWIDE :: View topic - 16mm Magnetic Sound Tracks

I do want to add that some people who post on here saying they have mag equiptment or films other than the Scopitone prints usually disappear after the first email in my experience.

My main argument is for people who think modern prints were printed in magnetic 16mm. People just entering the market seem to think that they are going to pick up later films like Titanic in magnetic 16mm which just isn't the case.

Obviously you don't know much Mike. There were several people on here months ago who claimed to have magnetic surround sound prints of 16mm features that weren't even printed. I know you've been in this for a loooong time but apperantly you don't know what your are talking about. You mentioned that people are lying when they say they have mag striped films other than scopitones. Show them. Prove it. Show me a magnetic striped 16mm film in stereo. The mag prints on the market right now are for multipal languge soundtracks those have mostly been destroyed. The extreme few on the market you'll never find.

Author:	Jeff Missinne [ Mon Oct 14, 2013 11:35 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 16mm Magnetic Sound Tracks
Here's a link to a very useful and jargon-free page on identifying various types of film stocks AND sound tracks... http://www.paulivester.com/films/filmstock/guide.htm The "unilateral" track shown near the bottom is the original RCA Photophone type of track, and the dual-unilateral track below it is also an RCA system from the 1940's, very typically found on Soundies.

Author:	Jeff Missinne [ Tue Oct 15, 2013 10:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 16mm Magnetic Sound Tracks
A little more about Scopitones... Back when I was a kid first getting into this hobby, around 1970 or so, I seem to recall the old Gaines 16mm Company offering used Scopitone films regularly on their sale lists. They were, as I recall, quite cheap; only a couple dollars each, but still were not fast sellers as relatively few collectors could play the magnetic track prints. Soundies and Telescriptions were cheap then too (about a buck a piece from Blackhawk!) and now are highly prized (and priced) as well. In the late 70's, Thunderbird Films offered a reel titled "Musical Memories" or something similar, which were probably dupes of Scopitones by Dion (DiMucci) and other 60's pop stars; the sound on the dupes was of course optical. Wonder how many prints were sold? Many of the Scopitone machines, like the Mills-Panoram Soundies units before them, wound up being converted into porno peepshow viewers. There are a number of collectors today who have rebuilt and restored Scopitone and Soundies machines; these hobbyists may be more closely allied with juke box and record collecting than the rest of the film hobby, but I'm sure you are as glad as I am that they are out there. Most of the US Scopitone films were produced in Las Vegas by a company headed by Debbie Reynolds. There were also of course a number of European acts filmed by the French parent company. And some were even made in Kansas City, where Robert Altman did some early directing on them. His Scopitones were every bit as quirky and distinctive as his features. Google and You Tube searches on Scopitone will turn up some interesting stories and video clips. Have fun!

Author:	Erik Schoolcraft [ Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:13 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 16mm Magnetic Sound Tracks
Jeff, I have no argument with you on the Scopitone prints. My main argument is for people who think modern prints were printed in magnetic 16mm. People just entering the market seem to think that they are going to pick up later films like Titanic in magnetic 16mm which just isn't the case. It was tried and very succesful but the projectors and films just aren't that easily available. Most if not all 16mm films available have an optical soundtrack of some sort either single or multiple stripe optical track. (That's in lue of older multi-track, variable density or other optical soundtracks. I do want to add that some people who post on here saying they have mag equiptment or films other than the Scopitone prints usually disappear after the first email in my experience.

Author:	Jeff Missinne [ Thu Oct 17, 2013 11:23 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 16mm Magnetic Sound Tracks
Not arguing with anyone; just adding a little background data on Scopitones as they are probably the most commonly found 16mm magnetic prints out there. Just started a new job where there's a younger guy who fixes the electrical stuff; I was explaining to him how optical sound works and he replied, "Oh man, that must be ancient technology...what's that from, like, the sixties?"

Author:	Erik Schoolcraft [ Sun Oct 20, 2013 1:06 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 16mm Magnetic Sound Tracks
Hahaha. Jeff. That raises a few problems. I have a 35mm print of Hunger Games that I show now and then in house which has an optical track. All my 16mm are optical sound, how can someone be part of this business or collector market without knowing what an optical soundtrack is? Our local theater still uses 35mm with optical Dolby 5.1 soundtracks in very dark blue to make up for the red exciter lamps. How does someone not know that optical soundtracks are still used. Not a 60's thing, they have been used since the middle 30's. Apparently he doesn't work with film prints and has his knowlege from the web. Uneducated kids.

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Author:	Jeff Missinne [ Sun Oct 20, 2013 11:28 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 16mm Magnetic Sound Tracks
You're right; actually they've been used since the 1920's, and they're still used today (at least where film itself is still used.) Of course, where I work has nothing to do with film, and this guy is young enough to have never seen anything but digital media so I don't blame him too much. On my last job I worked with a charming young Thai-American woman who was easily half the age of almost anyone else in my department; she'd never seen anything but digital or online either and wondered what I and some of the other old timers were talking about remembering things like 8-track tape. So just for laughs, I made up and gave her an "obsolete media box" containing a VHS tape, a Norelco cassette, an 8-track (bought at Goodwill, even I don't use those any more,) a 45rpm vinyl record, and a scrap piece of 16mm film. She got a huge kick out of it, and maybe learned a little about relatively recent history too. (Another time, she'd been talking with an older lady in my row of cubicles while I went out for coffee, and when I returned she asked "Jeff...Who's Jack Benny?" Did I feel like a fossil! Anyway, I loaned her some DVDS of him and other comedians and cartoons. She didn't much care for Jack after all, but just loved Red Skelton, Laurel & Hardy, Benny Hill (surprisingly) and Chilly Willy cartoons!)

Author:	Mike O'Regan [ Sun Oct 20, 2013 1:52 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 16mm Magnetic Sound Tracks
Erik Schoolcraft wrote: I do want to add that some people who post on here saying they have mag equiptment or films other than the Scopitone prints usually disappear after the first email in my experience. You think they're lying?

Author:	Mike O'Regan [ Sun Oct 20, 2013 1:58 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 16mm Magnetic Sound Tracks
Erik Schoolcraft wrote: My main argument is for people who think modern prints were printed in magnetic 16mm. People just entering the market seem to think that they are going to pick up later films like Titanic in magnetic 16mm which just isn't the case. Do you know such people? Why would anyone think that they can pick up any particular "later" film in magnetic sound? Is there some reason why they would expect this? I've been collecting 16mm a long time and I've never come across one such person. Usually, newcomers don't know the difference between mag and optical, so why would they "seem to think" they will find magnetic prints. Doesn't really make sense to me. But, what do I know??

Author:	Mike O'Regan [ Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:29 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 16mm Magnetic Sound Tracks
Erik Schoolcraft wrote: Obviously you don't know much Mike. There were several people on here months ago who claimed to have magnetic surround sound prints of 16mm features that weren't even printed. I know you've been in this for a loooong time but apperantly you don't know what your are talking about. You mentioned that people are lying when they say they have mag striped films other than scopitones. Show them. Prove it. Show me a magnetic striped 16mm film in stereo. The mag prints on the market right now are for multipal languge soundtracks those have mostly been destroyed. The extreme few on the market you'll never find. Oh, dear, dear Erik, can you show me where I "mentioned that people are lying"?

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