In an era dominated by digital cinema, many film festivals are rediscovering the magic of 35mm and 16mm analog film. Screening movies on celluloid offers an authentic, nostalgic experience – the flicker of the projector, the rich grain of film, and the heritage of cinema history. But embracing analog formats also brings unique challenges. Unlike plug-and-play digital files, physical film demands specialized skills, extra preparation, and meticulous care. Festivals from Los Angeles to London and Bologna have proven that with the right practices, it’s possible to keep it reel and delight audiences with genuine film projection.
To help modern festival producers navigate this rewarding endeavour, here are practical, festival-friendly practices for working with 35mm and 16mm film. These tips are gleaned from seasoned projection teams at festivals around the world – covering everything from hiring the right projectionists and handling prints safely, to budgeting time and celebrating celluloid with your audience. Following these guidelines will ensure that the romance of real film shines brightly at your event without turning into a logistical nightmare.
Hire Reel-Qualified Projectionists (and Allow Extra Build Time)
The first step in going analog is to secure reel-qualified projectionists – professionals experienced in handling 35mm and 16mm film reels. Operating a film projector is a craft requiring technical know-how and calm under pressure. The pool of skilled projectionists has shrunk in the digital age, so start your search early. Look for individuals with prior film festival or art-house cinema experience; many veteran projectionists take great pride in showing celluloid and will jump at the chance to be part of your event. For example, the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado and the TCM Classic Film Festival in Los Angeles both credit much of their success to veteran projection teams who ensure every reel change is flawless. Festival organisers in India and Singapore have similarly collaborated with national archives and older cinema halls to find operators who still know their way around analog equipment. Hiring a qualified projectionist not only guarantees a smoother show but also protects precious prints from damage by inexperienced hands.
Once you’ve got the right people, budget and schedule extra time for them to work their magic. Running film is labour-intensive compared to digital projection. Build time – the time to prepare and assemble film reels – is a crucial factor. A feature-length 35mm film typically arrives on several small reels that must be either spliced together onto large reels or mounted for seamless changeovers between two projectors. Experienced projectionists will need hours before the screening to inspect, repair, and ready each print (more on that below). Make sure your festival schedule accounts for this. For instance, if a screening is at 7 PM, your projectionist might need access to the venue by midday to set up, test the projector, and assemble reels. Never rush this process; allocate generous tech rehearsal windows for analog screenings. Some festivals even schedule a dummy screening or a partial run-through without an audience to catch any issues. By giving your team ample prep time, you prevent last-minute panics and ensure the projection will be picture-perfect when the audience arrives.
History has proven the value of this approach. For instance, during Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight 70mm roadshow, some venues experienced projector failures and even had to switch to digital mid-show due to inadequate setup (www.inverse.com). Those incidents underscore that no detail is too small when working with celluloid – the more time and expertise devoted to preparation, the better.
Inspect Prints, Confirm Aspect Ratios, and Align Changeover Cues
Film prints are often valuable and sometimes old, so treating them with care and thoroughness is non-negotiable. Inspect each print on arrival – unwind a few feet to check for any tears, warping, bad splices, or vinegar odor (a sign of acetate film decay). Projectionists should gently clean the film if needed and check that the reel order is correct. It’s wise to test-run the first few minutes of each reel in advance, with the lamp dimmed or using a bench tester if available, to ensure there are no surprises like upside-down segments or missing scenes. At the Il Cinema Ritrovato festival in Bologna, Italy – renowned for showing archival films on 35mm – projection crews routinely inspect every vintage print frame by frame to assess its condition. Catching a damaged perforation or a mis-labeled reel in advance can save your screening. If a print is fragile or rare, consider having a film archive specialist on standby or even present to advise on handling.
During inspection, also confirm the aspect ratio and format of each film and communicate these details to the technical team. Unlike digital files that auto-scale, analog projections require physical adjustments. A 35mm print might be in “Flat” (1.85:1) or “Scope” (2.39:1 anamorphic) format, or a 16mm film might have a particular frame ratio (often around 1.33:1 or 1.37:1 for older content). Using the wrong lens or aperture plate can result in an incorrectly cropped or stretched image on screen. To avoid this, verify the intended aspect ratio from the film can labels or the distributor’s documentation. Have the proper lenses, aperture masks, and screen masking ready for each format. For example, if you’re showing a CinemaScope 35mm print, you’ll need an anamorphic lens attachment and the screen drapes opened wider. Festivals like Lumière in Lyon and BFI’s Film on Film Festival in London meticulously coordinate with archives to confirm format details, ensuring classic films are projected in the correct dimensions as their creators intended.
If you’re using two projectors for reel-to-reel changeovers, take time to align and practise those changeovers. This old-school technique involves switching from one projector to another without the audience noticing, typically every 20 minutes when one reel ends and the next begins. Look for the cue marks (also known as “changeover cues” or the tiny oval/circle flashes) usually at the top-right corner of the frame near the end of a reel. The first cue mark warns to start the motor on the second projector; the second cue mark signals the projectionist to execute the switch. Ensure these cue marks are visible and not accidentally cut off or obscured by masking. If the print’s cues are faint or missing (perhaps lost during a previous trim), an experienced projectionist can apply new cue marks with a specialty pen or adhesive tabs in the leader. Aligning the reels also means making sure the incoming reel is threaded and framed exactly at the start of a scene so that when the changeover happens, it’s seamless. Practise this timing – even do a trial run with both projectors running simultaneously during rehearsal. Audiences at events like the Nitrate Picture Show in Rochester (which screens delicate old nitrate film prints) often applaud the projection skill when changeovers are so smooth that the only giveaway is the small cue dot on screen. That level of precision comes from diligent preparation. By inspecting prints thoroughly, double-checking formats, and perfecting your changeovers, you set the stage for an impeccable analog presentation.
Store and Handle Film with Care (Humidity Control & Safety)
Proper film handling and storage conditions are essential to keep prints in good shape throughout your festival. Film is a sensitive, physical medium – extremes of heat or moisture can damage it, and poor handling can leave scratches or worse. Always handle film reels with clean hands or archival gloves and avoid touching the film’s surface (emulsion) except at the edges. When transporting reels around your venue, keep them in their canisters or on secure reel arms; never leave a reel loosely dangling or lying in direct sunlight. During the screening, ensure the projector’s film path is clean and the gate pressure is correct to prevent scratching. It’s good practice to have a small kit on site with splicing tape, film cement, spare leader, and rewinders to perform any quick repairs or respooling as needed.
One often overlooked aspect is storage environment. If you’re holding prints for multiple days or receiving them early, plan a storage area that has cool, stable temperature and humidity. High humidity can lead to warping or mold on film, while very low humidity can make film brittle. Aim to store film in a climate-controlled room – roughly in the range of 10–21°C (50–70°F) and about 50% relative humidity or a bit lower. Avoid any damp basements or hot closets; an air-conditioned office often works well in a pinch. In tropical climates like parts of Mexico, India, or Southeast Asia, using a dehumidifier in the storage space can be a lifesaver to keep moisture at bay. Always keep film in vented cans or archival plastic bags when not in use to protect it from dust and sudden environmental changes. For example, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia advises that acclimatizing film is important – if a print comes from a very cold vault, let it sit in its can at room temperature for a few hours before opening, to prevent moisture condensation on the film. Similarly, after an outdoor screening, don’t immediately seal a possibly damp reel in a plastic bin; let it dry in a clean, cool area first. By controlling storage conditions and handling prints gently, festivals such as Il Cinema Ritrovato and Japan’s Cinema Heritage screenings have been able to reuse rare prints for years without incident. Show the same care, and the film materials you borrow will remain in pristine condition for future audiences as well.
Safety is also a factor – not just for the film, but for your venue and team. 35mm film printed on acetate (common from mid-20th century) is flammable but far less so than old nitrate film, which is extremely flammable and now only handled by specialists under strict conditions. If your festival ever deals with nitrate prints (mostly only major archives do), be aware of local fire codes and have a fire marshal or appropriate safety protocols in place. For standard 35mm or 16mm, ensure your projection booth has a working fire extinguisher rated for electrical/film fires, just in case. Also, projectionists should be mindful of the projector lamp’s heat – a stalled frame in front of a powerful lamp can burn the film frame (that iconic image of a film burning on screen). Modern projectors have safety dowsers to cut the beam if film stops moving, but older ones may not. Thus, never leave a running projector unattended and always monitor for any film feed issues. The bottom line is, treat the film format with the same respect you’d give a valuable museum artifact: with cleanliness, the right environment, and constant attention to detail.
Celebrate the Celluloid Experience with Your Audience
One of the joys of showcasing real film at a festival is the opportunity to share that excitement and educate audiences. In your programming and marketing, celebrate the fact that you are showing 35mm or 16mm prints. Many cinephiles will go out of their way to attend a screening if they know it’s on authentic film stock. Highlight this in the event listings with a label like “Presented on 35mm” next to the title. In your festival brochure or website, include program notes that discuss the film print, its source, or any restoration story behind it. For example, you might mention that a particular screening is a “new 35mm print struck from the original camera negative, courtesy of XYZ Archive” – details like that thrill enthusiasts and show industry partners that you value preservation. When the British Film Institute (BFI) ran its Film on Film Festival in 2023, it provided pamphlets explaining the film gauges and even had the projectors visible in the lobby for attendees to marvel at (whatson.bfi.org.uk). Similarly, the Alamo Drafthouse cinema in Austin, known for its 35mm special series, often lets the audience know about the rarity or condition of the print they’re about to see, turning the screening into a mini history lesson.
Consider hosting a brief introduction or Q&A for notable film presentations. Inviting a filmmaker, archivist, or the projectionist to speak for a few minutes about the film can enrich the experience. For instance, at the Toronto International Film Festival, director Christopher Nolan once introduced a 70mm film screening and shared why the format matters – a memorable moment that underscored the festival’s commitment to cinema history. Even on a smaller scale, a festival in New Zealand or Indonesia might invite a local film historian to say a few words about the 16mm projector being used for a retrospective screening. This kind of engagement gives the audience context: they realize they’re witnessing something special and a bit rare in today’s world.
Also, be prepared to handle audience expectations with analog formats. Some younger viewers might not know to expect subtle scratches or a reel changeover blip on screen. Use signage or an announcement to set the stage: for example, “You are about to watch this film in its original 35mm format — a few scratches or flickers are normal, and part of the vintage charm!” By framing any minor imperfections as part of the authenticity, you turn potential complaints into fascination. Most people will appreciate the honesty and grow more excited to participate in this “living museum” aspect of your festival.
Finally, demonstrate care and transparency. If a film print has a known issue (say a missing scene or colour fading in parts), let the audience know either in the notes or pre-show announcement, and assure them that you’ve made the choice to screen it because it’s the best or only way to experience that film. Audiences are generally very understanding when they feel included in the journey. Many festivals have reported overwhelmingly positive feedback when they promote their celluloid screenings, often seeing a sense of community form among attendees who relish the rarity of the event. By openly celebrating celluloid and showing the audience that these screenings are handled with passion and care, you create an unforgettable festival atmosphere. It’s not just a movie showing; it becomes a cultural event that honours the art of filmmaking itself.
Key Takeaways
- Hire experienced film projectionists who know reel-to-reel mechanics – their expertise is vital for smooth 35mm/16mm screenings.
- Allocate extra preparation time in your schedule for film setup, print inspection, and projector testing. Never rush analog screenings.
- Thoroughly inspect film prints on arrival. Check for damage, verify reel order, and confirm each film’s aspect ratio and format. Adjust your projector lenses and masking accordingly.
- Practise changeovers (if using multiple reels/projectors) to ensure seamless transitions. Align cue marks and rehearse switches so the audience never notices a changeover.
- Handle and store film prints carefully. Keep them in cool, dry conditions (avoid high humidity/heat), use proper cans, and have repair supplies ready. Good handling preserves the print and prevents mishaps.
- Promote and contextualize your celluloid screenings. Let audiences know they’ll see a genuine film print, and provide notes or intros that celebrate the history and uniqueness of the format.
- Have backup plans and patience. Despite best efforts, technical issues can occur – keep a backup (like a DCP or Blu-ray) ready if possible, and communicate with your audience. Audiences often appreciate the effort and will remember the authentic experience, hiccups and all.
- Foster appreciation for analog projection. By treating 35mm/16mm shows as special events and executing them professionally, you not only put on a great festival screening – you also help keep the art of film projection alive for future generations.
25th August 2025