2016 Black Maria Film Festival Program

three almost prototype Simplex XL 35/ 70 machines along
with two vintage Simplex XL 35 mm only units. We knew a bit
about how electronic projector interlock worked as we were
using revitalized 3D interlock technology with our work doing
film dailies for on location movie shoots around the country.
We knew that hooking up three projectors would work; early
3D film shows, like House of Wax used such a system as those
required two film projectors and a sound playback device. For
our part, we had never done such a hook up. We pulled three
projectors out of our inventory and set them up in our shop.
Larry set about to put together the mechanical and electrical
system as a complete working “kit” in preparation for this
show.
Unlike the bicycle chain method used by Gance, our system
used three “selsyn” motors to keep the projectors in frame to
frame step. “Selsyn” stands for “self- synchronous”; the technology
had been around for many years as a replacement for
other mechanical methods. The term “selsyn” was devised by
General Electric for their particular motor systems. Although
we did not know it at the time, this was the same technology
used previously by Chris Reyna for the PFA shows, and Krantz’
Telluride Film Festival lash up.
Larry also wired up a multi-conductor switch box arrangement
that would allow all three projectors to start simultaneously.
He went to New York, assembled the system, worked out the
bugs and made everything show ready. This included installing
different lenses, with Bob filing new aperture plates for the
silent frames of the triple images. Together, they realigned the
projectors and fitted the pictures seamlessly on screen in spite
of the extreme 26 degree downward keystone angle from the
projection booth. He and Bob set up the left, right and center
projectors for the triptych, and used the two in- between projectors
for the bulk of the single image film. For the continuing
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