[78-L] film request for a silent 78 side

[Chris Zwarg]

At 14:01 12.10.2008, you wrote:
>Hi, writing to the groups if anyone can help,
>
>I've always wanted to provide a 78 for a film production, almost 
>achieved it some years ago (another story), but a request this week left 
>me stumped.
>
>Those of you in the UK may have a chance here, though it's not the music 
>they want..... and of course they haven't thought what the label should 
>be......
>
>Anyway please contact Gill in UK if you can help, that's a UK mobile 
>phone no. there:

I definitely wouldn't recommend using a silent-groove 78, although such beasts probably exist (for technical purposes of measuring background noise etc.) - even in an only moderately close-up shot, the modulation on any disc record is easily visible in the band of light reflected by the groove (you can even distinguish between areas of different loudness), so anyone a little bit familiar with records will find music being reproduced from a VISIBLY silent "record" pretty odd.

Also, such technical-test records will have either an unusual label-style or no label at all, both of which will also disturb those a bit knowledgable about the subject.

Better idea: Almost every 78 has a few revs of silence before the music starts. Just take one that's not especially valuable and that fits into the period you need by its visual appearance, and cut a small "scratch" across the first five grooves or so with a knife that will cause the needle to move outwards (an artificial "stuck groove"). You can put the needle on, and the gramophone will only reproduce very much the same noise a wholly silent record would produce - unless the close-up is really long (more than 10 seconds or so after the needle hits the groove) nobody will notice the soundbox is not moving inwards, while the natural aspect of a modulated record with a real label will be preserved.

And finally: Why not simply use a real record and actually PLAY IT? Movie sound departments are notoriously inept at imitating the sound of a wind-up gramophone, which indeed is difficult to synthesize using electronic EQs and effects because of the very complex resonant properties of a mechanical soundbox and horn.

Chris Zwarg


>In message Gill Farr <gillfarr2 at aol.com> writes,
>
>>Hi
>>
>>My name is Gill Farr, I am a Production Buyer on a film called '1939'.
>>The film has a number of scenes in which the characters are playing 78
>>records on a gramophone, with close ups of the needle going onto the record.
>>The music coming out will be a problem to the sound dept, and so I am trying
>>to track down a blank 78 record, one with grooves in, but no sound recorded
>>on it. Does such thing exist? And if so, do you know anyone who might have
>>one I can hire or buy?
>>
>>I look forward to hearing from you.
>>Many thanks for your help.
>>
>>Gill
>>07860 358266
>>gillfarr2 at aol.com
>>
>
>
>Regards,
>
>
>-- 
>John Wright
>
>
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