Reel Film Day: A Celebration of 35mm Film

Netflix and Redbox logo/photo from google.com

In recent years movies have become more accessible than ever, particularly due to online streaming services.

What many do not know is when you take a trip to your local theater to watch the movie you have been dying to see, you are watching it on a digital projector.

Digital projectors make playing movies an ease, but it has not always been that way. According to Wyatt Phillips, assistant professor of Film and Media Studies, 35mm film was the basis of film from the 1920’s to around 2008. Shortly after, digital film became the industry standard and 35mm film became obsolete.

Although the outlet through which we watch movies has changed, the history and importance plays a major role in the way we watch movies today.

History of Film

35 mm film/ photo from google.com

The name 35mm film refers to the width of the film. 35mm film was the standard for all movies until the digital revolution. Prior to this revolution, if a movie was shot on a format other than 35mm it was not taken seriously. Actors were even reluctant to work on non 35mm shoots.

Film used to consist of  a nitrate material and silver oxide which was extremely flammable. Around the 1950s, the prior chemical make-up was replaced with cellulose acetate because it was far less flammable and cheaper to produce.

Although 35mm film is still the standard by which all video formats are judged, high quality digital cameras have taken over the industry. The motive behind the digital shift is the ease that came with it. According to Assistant Professor Wyatt Phillips, of Film and Media Studies,before digital, films were played with reels. One reel is about 12 inches thick and one feature length film is made up of about 5 to 7 reels.

“Digital allows mobility and ease when shooting in production. Every evolution comes with at least one obstacle. The biggest obstacle that came with the digital revolution, is every theater had to replace their current 35 mm projector with a digital projector,” Phillips said.

Phillips explained that while digital projectors are all around easier to manage and easier to duplicate, there is one thing they lack; stability. The chemical base that is made up of 35 mm films deteriorate over time, but the time of deterioration is quite long. 35 mm films do not get corrupted and we are able to preserve them for a very long time. However, that is not the case for digital films. Every 18-24 months digital films must be checked for deterioration.”

“All the history we have preserved is the result of 35 mm stability,” Phillips said.

EMC student and lead projectionist at Alamo Drafthouse of Lubbock, Weston Davis explained that 35 mm film will always be a very important part of the history of film. But, the advancement of digital technology is only going to keep growing.

“Digital is here to stay, it is the next step,” Davis said.

We respect the advancements made with 35mm film and will continue to use those improvements as the foundation of the digital age and the advancements that are yet to come.

“Reel Film Day” 

“Reel Film Day”/ photo provided by Alamo Drafthouse

On March 5  Alamo Drafthouse and Kodak will come together to present the first ever “Reel Film Day.” The beauty of 35mm film will be displayed through celebratory screenings at Alamo Drafthouse and Independent theaters across the U.S.

The Alamo Drafthouse (Lubbock location) is the only theater in West Texas that has the ability to run film. Alamo Drafthouse takes pride in the resources they have and their ability to display timeless films such as the ones made with 35mm projectors.

Classics such as Powell and Pressburger’s The Red Shoes and Orson Welles’ A Touch of Evil will be played, along will many others.

Lubbock’s Location has not released what film it will be playing yet.

“Finally, to fully realize the day’s efforts to keep 35mm alive, $3.50 from tickets to all of the 35mm screenings at Alamo Drafthouse locations and select partner venues, as well as a portion of the proceeds from Mondo’s sales, will be donated to the prestigious Film Foundation to help fund an upcoming important film preservation effort,” according to its website.

About Karson Scharold

Karson is the Entertainment Reporter for The Hub@TTU. She loves traveling, obsessing over her dog Chloe, and binge watching Netflix. She will graduate with a degree in Electronic Media in December 2017 and hopes to find her place in an exciting new city!