85:"Film leader", used generically, refers to different types manufactured for many editorial and laboratory uses. For example, some types are used in negative cutting while making A and B rolls for printing. "Painted leader" is perforated film in overall colors, usually white, black, red, blue, or green. These are used for protective head and tail leaders to keep the body of the program material from being damaged. "Fill leader" (also called picture fill, or spacer, or slug film) is used to space out different sections of magnetic audio film stock so they are kept in synchronization with the picture. Typically, this is made from rejected or retired prints of previously released programs.
164:, rather than feet), with the numbers in the center of a target with two white circles and a rotating "clock arm" animation. At the beginning, before the countdown, it features "16 SOUND START" and then "35 SOUND START" in a circle target. Then "PICTURE START" appears and the countdown begins. The numbers appear right side up when projected on a screen, while the Academy countdown numbers would be upside down. During the four count, the letters "C C F F" would appear around the countdown, signifying the use of those frames as "control frames." At 2, a quick beep would be heard, sometimes known as the "
146:), counting down from 12 to 3. "NINE" and "SIX" are spelled out, to avoid confusion between 6 and 9 when viewed upside-down. The numbers are printed upside down relative to the visual program so as to be right side up when the projectionist is threading a projector. At 3, a quick beep is heard (but this beep is muted on 35mm theatrical release prints to prevent it from being accidentally played in the theater). The Academy leader is specified by SMPTE 301. The standard also specifies the position and placement of the
39:
216:, and given the designation ASA Z22.55-1947, "Specification for 35-Millimeter Sound Motion Picture Release Prints in Standard 2000-Foot Lengths." This standard was intended to be supplanted by the SMPTE Universal Leader, introduced in 1965–66. But once it was realized that theater projectionists were not going to accept the new format, the traditional Academy format was given a new code: SMPTE 301.
185:) occurs in synchronization with the last numbered frame ("3" on the Academy leader, "2" on the SMPTE Television leader). The length of the countdown section, including the "Picture Start" frame through to and including the "3" foot or "2" second frame, is 9 feet and 1 frame (145 frames) plus 47 frames of black (for a total of 12 feet even or 192 frames).
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were right side up. Furthermore, instead of there being just black film in between the numbers, Society leader had a crosshair pattern to help with television framing and focusing. This style of countdown leader did not receive a separate standard identification. It was completely replaced by the SMPTE Universal leader.
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Introduced in 1951 by SMPTE, it was a modification of the "Academy leader" in order to work better with the film chains most TV stations were then using. The numbers still counted down once every foot, from 11 to 3, but instead of being upside down relative to the main program visuals, the numbers
160:(SMPTE) replaced the Academy Leader with a new style, called the SMPTE Universal Leader, designed for both television and theatrical projection applications (though it did not gain widespread acceptance theatrically). It featured a continuous countdown from 8 to 2 (measured in
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The original SMPTE Universal leader had a middle gray density for the overall background and the 47 frames between the 2 frame and the first frame of picture. Subsequent revisions darkened this to black in order to encourage adoption of the leader by theatrical
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The
Academy leader was revised in April 1934. The revision shifted the changeover cue marks earlier by 6 frames. After the second world war, the 1934 format was accepted by American Standards Association, the precursor to
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In 2013, SMPTE introduced the D-Cinema
Digital Leader; a picture version of the countdown leader for use with Digital Cinema Distribution Master (DCDM) files. The DCDM is the penultimate step to the creation of the
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The latest overall length of both styles is the same: in 35mm, 16 feet and 4 frames or 260 frames. The countdown section begins with a single frame bearing the words "Picture Start." The sync beep (or
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Head leaders are marked with visual and audio information that may be used to ensure that the correct amount of time is allowed for the machine to run up to
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193:(DCP). Unlike the previous film standards, no provision is made for changeover cue marks because digital cinema files are continuous.
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at the end of the reel. Either by 1992 or 2000, the name of the leader was changed from "Universal Leader" to "Television Leader."
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SMPTE STANDARD for Motion
Picture Film: 35- and 16-mm Television Release Prints – Leaders and Cue Marks.
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ASA/SMPTE PH22.55-1966, "Leaders and Cue Marks for 35mm and 16mm Sound Motion-Picture
Release Prints,"
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SMPTE STANDARD for Motion-Picture Film: Theater
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and arrive at the beginning of the program or movie. They generally feature a countdown.
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Technical document on the
Universal Film Leader by the European Broadcasting Union (PDF)
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ACL Handbook—Recommended
Standards and Procedures for Motion Picture Laboratory Services
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345:. Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (smpteconnect). 8 February 2012.
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is a length of film attached to the head or tail of a film to assist in threading a
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58:. A leader attached to the beginning of a reel is sometimes known as a
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Society of Motion
Picture and Television Engineers. White Plains, NY.
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Society of Motion
Picture and Television Engineers. White Plains, NY.
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Two versions of the countdown leader are well-known:
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138:First introduced on November 1, 1930 by the
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42:Countdown on the head leader of a film reel
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168:". The Universal Leader is specified by
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94:theatrical motion picture exhibition
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96:applications. This includes the
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19:For films titled "Leader", see
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640:"Hello, World!" program
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156:In the mid-1960s, the
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16:Head or tail of a film
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33:Leader (2017 film)
29:Leader (2010 film)
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726:Utah teapot
711:Cornell box
492:Turing test
112:number and
72:foot leader
68:tail leader
60:head leader
48:film leader
929:Test items
913:Categories
769:Typography
242:References
144:35 mm film
888:Shakedown
503:test card
353:4 January
323:smpte.org
174:cue marks
148:cue marks
98:countdown
52:projector
813:3DBenchy
749:ImageNet
347:Archived
225:See also
56:telecine
601:PM 5644
597:PM 5544
593:PM 5540
589:PM 5538
454:Pangram
343:YouTube
162:seconds
319:"Home"
31:, and
863:Lenna
853:GTUBE
817:Acid
806:Other
645:Quine
580:ETP-1
183:2-pop
166:2-pop
121:speed
114:color
759:List
731:List
622:UEIT
355:2021
214:ANSI
170:ANSI
110:reel
80:foot
76:tail
64:head
106:mix
78:or
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