How to Make Film Strip Projector? A Guide For Beginners

Are you wondering how to make film strip projector? Then you are in the right place!

First, do you know what is a film strip projector? The first filmstrip projector was released in 1925. The 35mm film used by the projector contains still images in each of its individual frames.

Prior to the development of more advanced technology, the filmstrip projector was regarded as “a happy medium between still and motion forms.”

Here is a complete guide on film strip projector, including its history, pros & cons and how to make it work. Let’s start!

What Is Filmstrip On A Projector?

One of the projective audiovisuals that have a fixed sequence that is still related to a roll of 35 mm film is a filmstrip. If it is more convenient for the teaching situation, the filmstrip can be projected on the reverse of the map. Instead of horizontally, as in a slide projector, an inserted filmstrip was positioned vertically down in front of the projector’s aperture to mimic the appearance of 16mm film.

Filmstrips cover a wide range of topics. For his instructional purpose, the teacher only needs to tap the appropriate kind of strip. Filmstrips are continuous strips of 35 mm, 16 mm, or 8 mm film made up of discrete frames or images that are organized in sequence, frequently with exploratory titles. 

A 35 mm wide filmstrip is made up of a number of still images in either color or black and white. The edges of the film are perforated to allow for movement through the projector. A frame is a single image contained within a filmstrip. The number of frames that make up a commercially produced filmstrip can range from ten to more than 70.

A set of individually mounted 35 mm slides with an equivalent number of images is more expensive than the filmstrip format. Printing a collection of images on a strip of film is significantly less expensive than printing, cutting, and mounting the same images on a set of slides.

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Who Invented Filmstrip Projector?

According to 3M’s account of the history of the overhead projector, Roger Appeldorn invented a device that projected the image of writing on transparent film in the early 1960s.

To promote the product, Appeldorn specifically contacted businesses and educators. 

How to Make Film Strip Projector Work?

Now that you are familiar with the construction and applications of a film strip projector, it is time to learn how it functions. Here are the six simple steps you must follow to get your film strip projector working.

Step 1: Locate the Front Reel Mount

Find the front reel mount first. Check the projector’s base to make this determination. On the side, there will be a small knob. It is the reel mount in front. The projection lens is typically located just above the front support, with the front reel mount being slightly higher than that.

Please take note that the front reel mount needs to be big enough to hold the film reel.

Step 2: Locate the Rear Wheel Mount

Finding the rear wheel mount comes after locating the front reel mount. It will be facing the rear of the projector. Put the empty take-up reel onto the wheel mount once you’ve found it.

Step 3: Feed the Film

Invert the glass sandwich and feed the film through it. When you glance at the video while weaving, you’ll see that the words are written backward. Make sure the film perforations are properly engaged by the transport mechanism.

You’ll notice a tiny sprocket near the base of the glass sandwich when it starts the film. Additionally, check to see if the video is stable.

Step 4: Adjust the Focus

To correctly frame this picture, raise or lower the framing lever. By rotating the lens, you can focus more precisely. Frame by frame progress can be made by turning the film advance knob. Set up trustworthy signals to move one frame at the appropriate time and then move to the next frame if you are projecting from someone else who is speaking.

Rewind the movie so that it starts outside after each showing. Put it in its proper box or cane after neatly wrapping it.

Step 5: Roller Arm Button

Find the roller arm button and press it after you’ve configured the projector. This button is typically located near the top front of the projector. By pressing this button, the interior of the projector is opened, exposing the roller arm. The machine is fed film from the reel by this tiny device.

Look through the tiny hole on the projector’s front, just above the lens, to find the image. The front reel mount should first be inserted into the slot. You must place the reel so that the sprocket holes are closest to the machine if the film has holes for them on one side. When inserting the film, give the strip enough room to remain loose.

Step 6: Connect the Projector

The projector needs to be connected to a wall outlet before you can move on. After that, turn the necessary switch to the “on” position to start the motor. The projector bulb should be turned on once the engine has started so you can start watching your movie.

On the front or side of the projector body, the majority of devices have power switches with labels. To achieve a clear and sharp focus, rotate the focus ring around the projection lens. These older electronics don’t have cooling systems, so you might think about using a cooling fan in this situation.

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Advantages Of Filmstrip Projector

Because of its many benefits, the filmstrip is a popular teaching tool. 

• Give your presentation a logical, well-thought-out order.
• There is a consistent order to the pictures. Each filmstrip has undergone thorough planning before it is produced.
• Present a concept or method that doesn’t involve movement.
• Recordings or captions could be added as supplements.
• Depending on which tells the story better, information can be presented either through photographs or art.
• It is simple for both individual and group study because each picture can be kept on the screen for as long as desired for discussion.
• Graphical or pictorial materials can be used separately or in combination.
• Filmstrip storage and handling are made simple by their small size.
• The recording is guaranteed to have the appropriate voice and dialect thanks to sound filmstrips. The recording controls the projection speed to suit the objective and intended audience.
• Filmstrip equipment is reasonably priced, portable, lightweight, and simple to use.
• For projection, the room does not need to be completely dark.

Limitations Of Filmstrip Projector

• The rigid order makes it difficult to be flexible.
• Filmstrips do not have the captivating qualities that students are more accustomed to in motion pictures and television.
• Filmstrips can be made locally, but because they’re not very easy, the options are limited to items produced elsewhere.

How To Operate Film Strip Projector?

To prevent the film from scorching, the majority of filmstrip and slide projectors are fitted with a blower fan. Be careful not to leave the film in the aperture gate for an excessively long time if yours does not have a cooling fan like this.

Before each use, clean your projector. Use a soft camel hair brush or a soft, lint-free cloth that has been dampened with a mixture of halogenated carbon tetrachloride, acetone, or alcohol and fresh water. Clean the lenses and the two glass plates that the filmstrip passes through. The film will be scratched by dirt specks and fragments of film emulsion on the glass plates.

Always hold the film by the edges only. In a projection, fingerprints will appear horribly. If your film gets dirty, you can clean it by wiping it down with a soft cloth dampened with acetone or carbon tetrachloride.

35 mm filmstrip projects are normally equipped with a 5 focal length lens. They ought to be set back from your screen a little bit more than your 16 mm movie projector. Since slide film is larger when using a projector for slides, your projector should be positioned closer to the screen. The details are as follows:

1. A piece of film that is upside down between two pieces of glass. While threading, watch the movie to make sure the words are reversed. Ensure that the transport mechanism has properly engaged the film perforations.
2. By raising or lowering the framing handle, you can properly frame this image. Turn the lens to achieve a sharp focus.
3. By turning the film advance knob, move the strip one frame at a time. In order to advance each frame at the appropriate time when you are projecting from someone else who is speaking, set up reliable signals.
4. After each show, turn the movie around so the beginning is outside. Put it in its proper storage box or cane after carefully wrapping.
5. Remove the filmstrip head, insert the slide head, and tighten the thumb nut to switch from the filmstrip head to the slide head.
6. To avoid white glare on the screen, keep two slides in your carrier at all times. While the final slide is being processed, switch off the projector. Have a colleague turn on the room lights simultaneously.

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How to Feed a Filmstrip Through a Projector?

1. On the projector’s side, find the front reel mount. On most machines, the front reel mount is positioned slightly higher than the projection lens, typically just above the front mount.
2. The front reel mount should be able to accommodate the entire film reel. Find the rear wheel mount, which should be facing the projector’s back, and slide the empty take-up reel onto it.
3. Find and press the roller arm button located near the projector’s top front. The roller arm is visible when this button is pressed, which opens the projector’s interior. The film from the reel is fed to the machine by this tiny device.
4. Look for the tiny opening on the projector’s front, just above the lens for the image. Start the movie by inserting the front reel mount into the slot. Position the reel so that the holes are closest to the machine if your film only has sprocket holes on one side. Make sure to leave enough room as you feed the film into the slot for the strip to stay loose.
5. The film should be forced into the slot and down the projector’s path. On the majority of machines, this path directs the film in front of the projection lamp and lens, through the bottom of the projector, and out the back toward the empty take-up reel.
6. Your movie’s opening should be taped to the take-up reel. Simply place the start of the film into a slit on your take-up reel’s slotted center column for a safe attachment. To keep the film in the projector, close the roller arm.
7. Connect the projector to the wall outlet, then flip the necessary switch to turn on the motor. To start watching your movie, turn on the projector lamp once the motor has started. On the front or side of the projector body, most devices have power switches with labels.
8. To achieve sharp, clear focus, turn the focus ring around the projection lens.

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