Lets deal with today's topics one at a time.
The good news is that Network, one of the greatest companies ever, has released a 4 CD set of music from 'The Saint' to compliment their fantastic range (http://www.networkdvd.net/product_info.php?products_id=1154) . The bad news is I haven't bought one single one yet because they're quite expensive and I'm quite poor. The really bad news is I really want a copy of that set but really can't afford the expense at the moment, particularly as I will soon be in need of what little spare cash I do have to pay for having this Super Vox motor rewound (see posts below). Meh! On a similar note that Tondo Junior CT80 I've got my eyes on is also way outside my price range right now. F**king rich people- "I say Cecil, I just bought a new set of nickel plated titanium golf clubs with with Texas leather covered handles and I spent £20,000 having my coat of arms embroidered into the leather on each of them in 18ct gold thread", rich people haven't got a f**king clue!
And now for something money really can't buy short of being able to purchase the rights. I haven't mentioned it on this here blog before but my friends know I get very frustrated at certain TV programmes/pieces of music etc. not having been officially released by the rights holders. For example the BBC has a 16mm telerecording neg of a 1958 production of' 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' directed by Rudolph Cartier himself sitting on a shelf somewhere in the BFI's vaults and it's never been released/repeated. Not even a 'grey market' copy, just nothing. And that's bloody Shakespeare! And boy would I like to see it! It is with deep frustration then if not surprise that I sit here lamenting the lack of a copy of Delia Derbyshire's 'IEE 100' despite an immensely tantalising snippet being played as part of a documentary about her that was transmitted last year. There has been a recent CD of some of her works yet 'IEE 100' is irritatingly absent. THESE THINGS ARE NO BLOODY GOOD SITTING ON A SHELF IN SOME VAULT, GET THEM OUT THERE FOR F**K SAKE!!! And preferably at a cheaper price than the average Network release please! A piano score of David Lee/Hal Shaper's 'Adam Adamant' theme wouldn't go amiss either!
Di-da-di-da-di-da.
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Computers and Glass Negatives
Yes I know, I'm a bad blogger, if one were as irregular in real life one would go and see the doctor. Still here I am and here's some stuff not being easy. Computers. I was having a crack at tracing the olde family tree back a bit yesterday. Couldn't get very far on the side I wanted to because I don't know my great grandfather's name but on the 'other' side I managed to trace back one relative's ancestry to about 1812! But I don't doubt I'd have done it a whole lot quicker if the family computer (pun intended!) wasn't playing silly f**kers! SO f**king slow! The only conclusion I can reach with that one is the network USB stick gets very hot and this is affecting performance. But even so how can it take quite so f**king long to load a simple webpage?! Even on my computer Firefox seems to take several years to load, it clicks and whirrs away, WHAT THE F**K IS IT DOING??!
So I get a message the other day at the archive, a lady has called and wants her collection of glass negatives digitised. With some trepidation I arranged to meet her today. The trepidation arises because the scanner we have at the archive that can handle glass materials can't handle anything larger than about 6"x4" ('standard' size). So I've been hoping and preying they're all 'standard' size. Now what do you suppose happened? That's right, there was a right mish-mash. About a third are standard, the other two thirds are larger and will have to be scanned in sections and stitched together. Now try as I might I cannot make the process work completely seamlessly, it is impossible to get the quadrants to line up pixel-for-pixel because it is impossible to line the negs up precisely straight every time by hand (which is what I have to do). Scanners capable of handling larger glass materials begin at around £500 so we can forget that! On the plus side. even though I have made it clear that the results will not be 100% on the larger negs, I am getting paid to digitise them. But this just means I have to work 110% to get them just as good as I possibly can, I guess that's the downside to having a sense of professional pride.
Once again the solutions are so simple, a better computer/USB stick and a better scanner, these would make my life SO much easier (and I'd get paid the same without having to do 4x the work). Better still couldn't the glass negs have all been 'standard' size? No, of course they couldn't, because that would be easy and, as we know,
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
So I get a message the other day at the archive, a lady has called and wants her collection of glass negatives digitised. With some trepidation I arranged to meet her today. The trepidation arises because the scanner we have at the archive that can handle glass materials can't handle anything larger than about 6"x4" ('standard' size). So I've been hoping and preying they're all 'standard' size. Now what do you suppose happened? That's right, there was a right mish-mash. About a third are standard, the other two thirds are larger and will have to be scanned in sections and stitched together. Now try as I might I cannot make the process work completely seamlessly, it is impossible to get the quadrants to line up pixel-for-pixel because it is impossible to line the negs up precisely straight every time by hand (which is what I have to do). Scanners capable of handling larger glass materials begin at around £500 so we can forget that! On the plus side. even though I have made it clear that the results will not be 100% on the larger negs, I am getting paid to digitise them. But this just means I have to work 110% to get them just as good as I possibly can, I guess that's the downside to having a sense of professional pride.
Once again the solutions are so simple, a better computer/USB stick and a better scanner, these would make my life SO much easier (and I'd get paid the same without having to do 4x the work). Better still couldn't the glass negs have all been 'standard' size? No, of course they couldn't, because that would be easy and, as we know,
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
More Film Orientation Issues
Forgive me for dredging up this theme again but honestly...
Today I was trying to catalogue some films that were originally all from the same collection. It's proving incredibly difficult however because every so often the film will not just change horizontal orientation (so all the lettering is suddenly the wrong way round) but switches direction (so one moment it will be running 'forward' then the next scene will be in reverse). I cannot begin to tell you the sort of evil this makes one dream of visiting upon the moron who put the film together like that. If Vlad the Impaler's victims had consisted solely of these people then I, for one, would consider him one of history's greatest agents of justice! Joining film the correct way round and in the correct orientation isn't difficult it just REQUIRES A BRAIN! But no, instead it's taking me ages to sort out and is causing much frustration. And I've got about another six reels to do. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Today I was trying to catalogue some films that were originally all from the same collection. It's proving incredibly difficult however because every so often the film will not just change horizontal orientation (so all the lettering is suddenly the wrong way round) but switches direction (so one moment it will be running 'forward' then the next scene will be in reverse). I cannot begin to tell you the sort of evil this makes one dream of visiting upon the moron who put the film together like that. If Vlad the Impaler's victims had consisted solely of these people then I, for one, would consider him one of history's greatest agents of justice! Joining film the correct way round and in the correct orientation isn't difficult it just REQUIRES A BRAIN! But no, instead it's taking me ages to sort out and is causing much frustration. And I've got about another six reels to do. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Super Vox 2
I had an email last night from the wizard. He informed me that after many hours of tinkering sorting out a butchered baring and installing a spare Super Vox motor he had my machine was living once more and was ready for collection. I went up and we started to run a film through it to test everything. Then just as we were coming to the end the noise from the motor disappeared and the whole thing packed up! What this means is that I will have to get my original motor professionally re-wound (our little attempt at repair not having worked in the end). On the downside this will cost about £70 and I could do without the expenditure at present but there we are. The major plus is it should 'future proof' the motor for some years, all being well. Of course the easiest thing would have been if our repair or the alternative motor had worked but once again life has proved that:
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Friday, 16 July 2010
Super Vox
Well I took my Super Vox to my friendly local wizard today and we found out what had been causing the problem. Because it's 70 years old and has been over-oiled all the gunk has eaten away at the insulation (which, as it's that horrid old bootlace stuff, perishes over time anyway) and has caused a fault in one of the circuits. We (I say we...) cut back the wires beyond the fault (right up against where the wiring is very tightly packed- thankfully we didn't have to go any further back) and we (I say we...) have soldered on a new set. Then we added some 'gunk' (better gunk than what was on it before!) to help with the insulation and at that point I left since the gunk had to be left to set.
Best case scenario- we've (I say we've...) got it all right and the thing will work a treat, better than before in fact since we've (I say we've...) cured the rather worrying amount of 'play' in the main shaft with replacement washers which should cure that rather horrible and worrying metal-on-metal scraping sound it made when it was switched on.
Worst case scenario- it doesn't work for whatever reason and the motor windings have to be professionally re-wound. This will cost about £70.
I wonder which it will be, will it be the simple solution or the awkward solution? The cheap one or the expensive one? One thing you can be sure of it won't be the easy one because, as we know:
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Best case scenario- we've (I say we've...) got it all right and the thing will work a treat, better than before in fact since we've (I say we've...) cured the rather worrying amount of 'play' in the main shaft with replacement washers which should cure that rather horrible and worrying metal-on-metal scraping sound it made when it was switched on.
Worst case scenario- it doesn't work for whatever reason and the motor windings have to be professionally re-wound. This will cost about £70.
I wonder which it will be, will it be the simple solution or the awkward solution? The cheap one or the expensive one? One thing you can be sure of it won't be the easy one because, as we know:
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
F**king Projectors, Sodding Platters and 4 Hours Sleep
Was it really nearly a week ago I made my last post, how one gets distracted by the crud of existence. To start with I am now the proud owner of a Pathe Super Vox which means I have joined that rare breed within a rare breed of being not only a 9.5er but a sound 9.5er! At least I was until yesterday when I was giving a demonstration to the family and the thing packed up about a third of the way through the reel. Now when I try to start it the motor won't turn and it trips the electrics. Luckily I know a friendly wizard who's going to have a look at it on Friday so hopefully...
So last night I had four hours sleep because I dozed off in the evening, this is the one thing I try and avoid at all costs because it always means I sleep badly and it really screws me up. Nevertheless I had to be at the Trust and I consoled myself with the thought that my work was just checking through film prints so it wouldn't involve much in the way of physical exertion. I spent the day shifting boxes and screens and crawling around on the floor try to fit allen screws into a sodding film platter!
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
So last night I had four hours sleep because I dozed off in the evening, this is the one thing I try and avoid at all costs because it always means I sleep badly and it really screws me up. Nevertheless I had to be at the Trust and I consoled myself with the thought that my work was just checking through film prints so it wouldn't involve much in the way of physical exertion. I spent the day shifting boxes and screens and crawling around on the floor try to fit allen screws into a sodding film platter!
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Friday, 9 July 2010
Sleep
So I go to bed at 3:00 knowing full well I don't have to be up the next day. 8:30 in the morning there's a knock at the door. One of our rabbits has managed to get into next doors garden. A few minutes, some rabbit biscuits and after lunging forward quicker than I ever have in my life I manage to catch the rabbit and lift it back into our garden. I then block up the hole where she got through (tree root had shiften a paving slab creating a sufficient gap) and try and get back to sleep. Unfortunately I'm one of those people who, when they wake up, tend not to be able to get back to sleep again. So that was me awake.
Cut to about 20:00 and I'm totally exhausted. It's too early for bed but, despite the best efforts of my desk fan I doze off in my chair. Then I wake up about 00:00. Now I have the same problem I faced this morning, once I'm awake... this is why I hate dozing off in the evenings because it takes me forever to get back to sleep! So I'm sitting here typing this and wishing I was feeling as tired as I probably will in three hour's time. Luckily I don't have to be up particularly early again but if someone knocks on the door in the morning...
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Cut to about 20:00 and I'm totally exhausted. It's too early for bed but, despite the best efforts of my desk fan I doze off in my chair. Then I wake up about 00:00. Now I have the same problem I faced this morning, once I'm awake... this is why I hate dozing off in the evenings because it takes me forever to get back to sleep! So I'm sitting here typing this and wishing I was feeling as tired as I probably will in three hour's time. Luckily I don't have to be up particularly early again but if someone knocks on the door in the morning...
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Websites Down, Ignorance & Information
ARGH! Why is it the one day I need to send someone a link to a website that website is down?
And why have I got emails from people making stupid comments in ignorance about things which aren't an issue! I've said it before and I'll say it again ignorance is the number one worst thing in the world, so many of the world's problems and so much that makes nothing in life ever f**king easy is down to ignorance.
And why the hell has someone from a foreign archive emailed me for information on film date codes and identifiers! ME?! I'm just an unwaged ex-student with a master's degree in film archiving, I don't work for an international media archive who should f**king know these things anyway, if they're employing people who don't know what I know then why the f**k are they doing that? Particularly since this particular set of information is on the Internet for everyone to see, haven't they ever heard of Google?! Maybe this is where I'm going wrong, maybe I need to go and work for a foreign archive 'cause I sure as hell can't get a f**king paid job in my own country!
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
And why have I got emails from people making stupid comments in ignorance about things which aren't an issue! I've said it before and I'll say it again ignorance is the number one worst thing in the world, so many of the world's problems and so much that makes nothing in life ever f**king easy is down to ignorance.
And why the hell has someone from a foreign archive emailed me for information on film date codes and identifiers! ME?! I'm just an unwaged ex-student with a master's degree in film archiving, I don't work for an international media archive who should f**king know these things anyway, if they're employing people who don't know what I know then why the f**k are they doing that? Particularly since this particular set of information is on the Internet for everyone to see, haven't they ever heard of Google?! Maybe this is where I'm going wrong, maybe I need to go and work for a foreign archive 'cause I sure as hell can't get a f**king paid job in my own country!
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Kodacolor
Another absence I'm afraid- been cataloguing like mad.
I tried to make a Kodacolor filter today. I had a 2" round of perspex and coloured gels cut to at least roughly the right specifications. Unfortunately when I tested it I met with abject failure (as I predicted in my post below!) I'm guessing it's a question of scale- clearly the projector the system was designed to work with had a smaller lens diameter and this is quite critical. I now need to find out exactly which projector is required (a Kodascope of some kind I believe, but is it the A or the B?! - Fortunately I know who to ask) and try again. Luckily I have access to both models but whether they work or not... Probably not because:
Nothing's ever f**king easy
I tried to make a Kodacolor filter today. I had a 2" round of perspex and coloured gels cut to at least roughly the right specifications. Unfortunately when I tested it I met with abject failure (as I predicted in my post below!) I'm guessing it's a question of scale- clearly the projector the system was designed to work with had a smaller lens diameter and this is quite critical. I now need to find out exactly which projector is required (a Kodascope of some kind I believe, but is it the A or the B?! - Fortunately I know who to ask) and try again. Luckily I have access to both models but whether they work or not... Probably not because:
Nothing's ever f**king easy
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Where Have I Been?
My apologies, loyal readers, for not posting these last few days. Where have I been? Well Thursday I was at the archive and ended up swearing at an A3 scanner for not being able to handle book with 'rifts and dips'. Then Friday I just couldn't really get started with anything but I did convert a couple of LPs to CD (not literally!) Then yesterday I went to the Trust's 'outpost' at Duxford (and, because life's a b*tch I forgot my camera, luckily another member of the party didn't!) Then today I have been back at the Trust's homeboy turf doing some more cataloguing. I finished a batch of 35mm film I was working on an had a couple of cans of 16mm I wanted to do so I pulled out the 16mm projector I left ready for the purpose. Of course since Christmas when it was last used entropy has stuck it's smelly claw in with the result that the bulb wouldn't light when I fired it up. Thankfully I have... more than one of my own that do have working bulbs so more home cataloguing for me! In fact that's what I'll be spending most of this week doing since I've taken all days bar Wednesday off work for the purpose as various members of my family are at work/on holiday and the house should be pretty quiet so I can get on with it.
Of course on Wednesday I will be trying to make a Kodacolor filter using coloured gels and clear perspex and if there's one thing I'm anticipating is that it won't be f**king easy because:
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
Of course on Wednesday I will be trying to make a Kodacolor filter using coloured gels and clear perspex and if there's one thing I'm anticipating is that it won't be f**king easy because:
Nothing's ever f**king easy!
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