Printer Masks and Gates

The relative position of the sound track and picture varies according to whether the film is head or tail out.

When printing from an original negative it is usual to print the sound separately from the picture, often on the same printing pass through the printer but on a different gate and from a separate sound track negative. Although it is printed through a sound head normally, sometimes it is necessary to print only the sound area, or only the picture, through the picture gate of the printing machine.

Duplicate negatives are sometimes "combined negatives" in which the image and sound track are both present on the one film and only one pass through a printer gate is needed to print both.

For these reasons most printing machines have some form of adjustable gate or have masks that can be changed. The usual options are to enable the following to be possible:

Silent frame, sometimes called a full mask, used for silent images and for combined duplicate negatives

Academy mask with picture forwards,

Academy mask with picture backwards

Academy mask, picture backwards, sound forwards

Academy mask, picture forwards, sound backwards.

Sound heads also have a forwards and backwards alternative position.

Many of these alternatives were and are achieved by removable and/or relocating Academy masks, which could be lifted out and turned round to alter the track positions.

There are a number of reasons why printing both forwards and backwards is useful [apart from the fact that the printing of multiple prints is possible without rewinding]†. - One edge of the film might be damaged and printing in a particular direction can avoid problems, - also if the film has Bell and Howell notches on one edge and Debrie notches on the other, for example, and it is decided to use the Debrie notches the film can be printed using the Debrie notches on a specific side.