DALE HAWES

Nitrate to Celluloid to Digital

​

   When George Eastman first developed his film in the 1880's, the chemical makeup was very high in nitrate. Nitrate is highly flammable, so much so that it's what they use to make flash paper. Gear-heads sometimes use nitrous oxide mixed into fuel to make cars go really fast. In the early days of the cinema being a projectionist was a very dangerous job because if the film jammed in the projector the heat from the arch lamp could easily ignite the film. If any part of the film ignited, the whole reel would burst into flames in milliseconds and could fill the whole projection booth with fire. If that happened while other film reels were also being stored in the booth, they would combust as well producing an uncontrollable fire. Back then, most film projectors had fire proof housings around the supply and take up reels to smother the flames should the film ignite. However there were still times when projectionist forgot to close the door or left it ajar with fatal consequences. Another problem with nitrate film is that it becomes brittle and turns dark amber with age. Also, as it gets older it becomes toxic and even more combustible. Soon film manufacturers started mixing in polyurethane to replace the nitrate to make the film safer. We know the new film stock as celluloid. Now, if the film jams in the projector it simply melts the few frames in and around the film gate, instead of burning down the whole balcony. By the 1950's they stopped making nitrate film completely and all film stock was celluloid. And celluloid was king until Gorge Lucas releases, Star Wars Episode Two: Attack of the Clones, in 2002 when he premiered it in Hollywood on a digital projector with no actual film needed. By 2010 pretty much all cinemas in America were playing movies on a digital format. Today movies are ingested into a projector's computer via an oversized thumbnail drive and celluloid is concerned obsolete. 

​

   There is a film called "Cinema Paradiso" from Italy made in 1988 that explore this subject. Nitrate film is also discussed in the film "Inglourious Basterds" from USA made in 2009.

​

D. Hawes