Negative Cutting: Checkerboard
When films are printed on a single roll of edited original, a small white flash can sometimes be noticed where emulsion has beert removed at joins. With checkerboard assemblies this flash can be eliminated. By using black leader between the shots and by overlapping the join in the direction of the leader which parallels the following shot on the opposite roll the white flash can be lost altogether, in the checkerboard system original and black spacing are assembled alternately on alternate rolls.
Starting a checkerboard assembly
If you have to neg cut original film and want to use the checkerboard system this is what you should do:
1. Wind through the cutting copy and log each shot, noting the edge numbers.
2. Extract the same edge numbered shots from the rolls of camera original. Hang them in a scrupulously clean trims bin or coil in individual rolls. You should wear white linen gloves before handling original material.
3. Ensure that the editing bench is clean and place a synchroniser free of magnetic sound attachments in the centre of the bench. Position a film horse on the left hand side and free unbent split spools on a rewind arm on the right.
4. Rewind the cutting copy and place it in the first track of the film horse and the first track of the synchroniser (the one nearest you) taking up the end of the first of the split spools.
5. Take two new leaders and place them in the second and third tracks of the synchroniser, level with the leader on the cutting copy. If the camera original is negative, use a negative leader. If it is reversal, use a suitable positive leader.
6. Scribe the name of the film on each leader, using a sharp pointed metal scribing pen. On one of the new leaders scribe “roll A” on the second scribe “roll B”.
7. Join at least ten feet of white spacing on the start of both the new leaders. You can then take up the spacing on the second and third of the split spools and wind all three leaders down until you come to the first frame of picture on the cutting copy.
Moving from roll to roll
The scenes in the cutting copy (C) are assembled in two separate rolls (A & B). Scene 1 goes on roll (A), scene 2 on (B) and so on. Use black leader between the shots and overlap the join in the direction of the leader which parallels the following shot to avoid the join flash. Do not forget the overlaps for opticals and wipes. Scene 9 dissolves to scene 10.