>Ground Glass Modifications For LTRs

Hello out there...

I am looking for anyone who knows someone who can modify the ground glass in an LTR 54 that’s been converted to super-16... the only markings are 1.66 and we need something more like 1.78 or 1.76 for broadcast. We head to China shortly and are now in Toronto... Anyone in NYC, Montreal, or Toronto??? We are possibly interested in renting if the modification is tricky. I have talked to some techs who will not modify fibre optic ground glasses but I am unsure what Aaton used for their LTR's.

Thanks,

John Price, IA 667 focus.

Pierre Careau at Cineasst, in Toronto. 416-975-2565.

Jeff Kreines

Scotch tape is excellent for this.

Steven Gladstone
CML East Coast List Administrator
Gladstone Films
www.gladstonefilms.com

Thanks for the advice...

I have been in touch with Cineasst and it seemed like Pierre wasn't really itching to perform the tape job... He says he can do it, but it's not one of his favourites! Is there a specific type of tape that one uses to perform this operation? And how does one go about extrapolating a 1.78 (1.76) area from the 1.66 that exists on the GG. Steady hands I imagine... I've seen Hans at Clairmont Toronto take a pencil to a Moviecam GG to create super 2.35 for the 3 perf Arricam movement that they had somehow chiselled in there... I am curious what the modification will look like and how much of a deal it will be to have it cleaned up after the show.

Thanks again,

John Price IA 667 focus

>Is there a specific type of tape that one uses to perform this operation?

The ground glass has to be removed from the camera (MUCH easier to do on a Arri SR!) and mounted on a shadowgraph (profile projector).

This shows a magnified image of the ground glass and allows very accurate measurement and indexing to enable the tape to be applied in the correct place. The format is calculated from the 1:1.66 and would normally be letterboxed to retain the full width, two layers of tape (horizontal and vertical)look hideous!!!!!

We use two types of tape, clear editing tape and semi opaque "magic tape". The problem is to find a "clean" edge on the roll.

As I stated before, this is an easy job on the SR, a LOT more fiddly on the LTR which will need setting up again. (XTR+ & Prods can't be taped because of the extra glass layer used by the glow. This makes the taped line fuzzy and out of focus)

Andy Taylor
Camera Engineer
Arri Media
UK

I have and LTR and had the tape job done on my ground glass (1:78).

It was done at Duall camera in NYC a few years by George Gall. 212 643 1042. I cannot remember how much it cost, either $100 or $300.

George has since retired so I do not know if they have someone there now who could do it.

Anyway, they did a nice job.

Rick Lopez
www.lopezfilm.com

Thanks again...

Looks like Cineasst will do the job and hopefully the adhesive on the tape will not become too much of a mess. I know that clear editing tape can get feisty upon removal so I will go with the magic tape.

John Price
IA 667 focus