Our Media: This Stuff is Delicate!
Think about it. All of the media we use in the Department are very
delicate. Film is a thin flexible transparent strip of celluloid, easily
scratched, smudged, crimped, torn, or heat-distorted. Magnetic media such
as those we use in audio and video are even thinner strips (of mylar) that
are likewise easily scratched, smudged, crimped, broken, heat-distorted,
and even magnetically altered. Our other magnetic media like computer diskettes,
hard drives, etc., though somewhat more protected, are vulnerable to the
same kinds of degradations. Even optical or magneto-optical media can be
corrupted by various kinds of mechanical and chemical insults. Yet we expect
these delicate media to run flawlessly, often at very high speeds over
very precise pathways, and record or playback (write/read) just as they
are designed to do with no problems.
It is on You!
Well, most of the time our media do perform as expected. When they
do not we can often trace the problem back to something we (or someone
who used the equipment before us) did. The bottom line? Take care of the
media you use and the media will perform to specifications for a long time.
What follows is a compiled list of guidelines to help you do what is necessary
to keep things running smoothly in the production facilities in Swain Hall
and any place else you happen to be working. Treat this document as a work
in progress; a work to which you can contribute. As you see other things
that ought to be included, add them your own copy and pass them along to
others. This is one document that cannot have too many authors. You may
send comments and suggestions tojimlee@email.unc.edu.
The Villains (other than ourselves) and Their Sources:
The main enemies of media and their machines are abrasion, adhesion,
corrosion, collision, coercion, condensation, heat,
and magnetism. Here is a closer look. If you see yourself
somewhere in here, change your ways.
Abrasion:
This is what sandpaper does to wood. Tiny bits of grit moving over
the surface eventually wear it down and change the surface. Sandpaper is
not usually a problem in our facilities but grit certainly is. Do your
part to eliminate any sources of grit. Do not bring dusty items to the
studios. If you have been working in a gritty environment, change clothes
and wash your hands before using the equipment. It only takes a single
grain of an abrasive substance to absolutely ruin a piece of film or permanently
scratch a special lens coating. An expensive rotating head can
be severely compromised, even ruined, by the action of some abrasive substance
introduced to the tape path and not removed. Remember, a particle does
not have to be extremely hard to be abrasive to film or to some of the
softer metals used in tape transport pathways. Abrasion can also occur
when the lubricants that should be present have been diluted or washed
away by the careless spilling of some solvent (or soda) in the wrong place.
Even if you wipe away the evidence, some damage may occur later. Finally,
although it is not abrasion as such, tiny particles can interfere with
sliding or rotating electrical contacts and introduce unwanted audio or
video artifacts.
Adhesion:
This is when things stick to each other. Sometimes that is exactly
what we want to happen as when we are splicing tape or film. Adhesion becomes
a problem when we do not want things to stick together (like when one layer
of tape or film sticks to another layer on the reel or when the capstan
pressure roller "grabs" your tape during a playback). One source of the
bad kind of adhesion is the careless transfer of adhesives from things
like tape and glues to places we didn't want them to be. Be careful where
you place unrolled pieces of duct or splicing tape and solvent-soaked bits
of film. The main villain here, though, is probably your hands and the
sugar residues from that cookie you brought into the editing room with
you. That is the reason food is absolutely forbidden in production
areas. Oh, one more thing. Even if you manage to unstick something
that has been accidentally adhered to something else (even lightly), you
risk the actual removal of some of your medium like the emulsion or metal
oxide coating. That cookie is just not worth it.
Corrosion:
At its worst, this is what happened inside that flashlight you forgot
you had packed away somewhere. The batteries leaked and the chemicals that
were inside them went to work, totally ruining your flashlight. It was
even damaged in places the chemicals could not possibly have reached directly.
Well, the fumes did the rest of the damage. Leaving batteries (even "leak
proof" ones) stored in a flashlight is one thing. Leaving them in an expensive
piece of production gear is another. If you are not constantly using and
inspecting your gear take the batteries out when you put the gear away.
This is especially important if you use disposable batteries. Unfortunately,
a leaking battery is not the only source of corrosion. Acids and salts
are very corrosive substances that just happen to be present in what? You
got it. Foods. Another reason to keep foods out of the production areas.
Drops and spills are one source of contamination. Another is the transfer
of salts and acids from your fingers to sensitive surfaces in the studio
like the tape heads. Nothing like a good salt bath to keep things running
well. Salts can also degrade the metallic oxide surfaces on magnetic media.
Did I mention sodas? They are an excellent source of both corrosive and
adhesive substances.
Collision:
This obviously refers to problems caused by impact. Careless handling
includes not just dropping a piece of equipment but bumping it against
other objects while carrying it. Don't think that just because the item
is "protected" by a carrying case (or even a shipping case) that it is
exempt from collision damage. Often the equipment does not have to actually
hit something directly to be damaged. Just the impact that results from
the case being bumped or buffeted could cause some problems. Some crucial
component could be jarred loose, or more likely, some alignment problems
could be generated. Such problems may not be obvious to the eye but their
impact on performance can be substantial. The filaments in most of the
special lights used in video, film, and production are very delicate. Rough
handling of lights, especially while they are hot or cooling down, can
put a unit out of commission. So here is the deal. Just do not permit any
kind of impact to the equipment. Handle it gently at all times.
Coercion:
"Force is never the answer." That is one of three maxims
used to illustrate a wide range of points in the Introduction to Media
Production course. Consider this: Mechanisms on all production gear are
designed to be easily operated by mere mortals with ordinary, not superhuman,
strength. Furthermore they are designed and tested to be operated thousands
if not millions of times. If a knob, switch, button, latch, door, lever,
key, drive bay, zipper, or anything else associated with some gear you
are using doesn't operate easily, STOP! The mechanism is not operating
within specifications. It is time to tell a technician. It is NOT time
to use force. Most of the seriously damaged equipment (that was not dropped)
we see is equipment damaged by the operator trying to force something.
In most cases the resultant damage is much greater than the original damage
that caused the problem in the first place. Mechanisms get seriously misaligned,
bent, or broken through the use of force. The "No Force" directive
applies to every mechanical operation you do ranging from plugging
and unplugging cables to removing cassettes from audio and video recorders.
Condensation:
It is obvious that water or other fluids spilled on electronic or mechanical
equipment can do great harm. What is not so obvious is the kind of damage
that less spectacular exposure to moisture can do. You have certainly seen
how water just drips off the sides of a beverage container you have just
removed from the refrigerator. Moisture from the relatively warm air in
the room (or outdoors in summer) condenses into little droplets of water
that grow and eventually run down the side of the bottle or can. The very
same thing can happen inside electronic or mechanical equipment. When you
bring cold equipment inside to a heated space, droplets of moisture condense
on all hard surfaces that are exposed to warm, moist air. The same thing
can happen in summer when gear that has been stored in an air conditioned
space is taken outside on hot, humid days. Metallic parts are the most
vulnerable. Moisture inside delicate equipment can cause all sorts of problems
including rust, corrosion, electrical shorts, and mechanical
malfunction resulting in improper or inaccurate operation. Avoid the problems
by allowing equipment time to warm up to the ambient temperature before
operating it. Don't leave gear in unheated spaces like the car trunk for
long periods of time. Some cameras, and audio recorders have moisture indicators
or fail-safe devices that prevent operation when condensation is present.
If you know you are going to moving from in and out of high and low humidity
environments, consider placing your device in a plastic bag. When you move
from a cool dry environment into warm moist one, leave the device in the
bag until it has had time to warm to room temperature.
Heat:
In simplest terms, automobiles parked in the summer sun are "ovens
on wheels." The temperatures inside parked cars can easily reach F 110
or more, enough to warp plastic and cause problems with some electronic
components. Audio and video cassettes are especially vulnerable to heat
damage. Always protect your gear from excessive heat. As a rule, the cheaper
the gear, the more plastic in its outer shell, and the more vulnerable
it is to heat damage. Keep items off the rear deck and dashboard where
they get direct sunlight. Follow that rule even in winter time. Do not
insert (force) warped cassettes into cameras, vcrs, tape decks, etc. Doing
so can cause tape jams and worse. In some cases, warped cassette cases
can bend guides and cause the machine to have trouble playing standard
cassettes. Heat shows up as a problem in another way. Video/Film lights
get very hot. Needless to say, touching a hot bulb or a piece of metal
that is heated by the bulb can be a painful experience. There is another
problem, however, that affects the lamps themselves. Hot filaments (in
the bulbs) are very delicate and easy to break. Sudden jarring or vibration
can kill a bulb or severely shorten its life. Here is what to do. After
turning on lighting equipment, move and adjust it very gently. At
the end of your shoot, turn off the lights and let them cool while you
pack up cameras, cables, audio gear, etc. After all that is done
and the lighting instruments are cool to the touch, then and only
then gently pack up your lighting equipment.
Magnetism:
" This wonderful force is everywhere in our business. It makes the
motors go around in our cameras, recorders and projectors. It records and
erases information on audio and video tape, computer diskettes, hard drives
and other media. It drives our microphones and speakers, and even directs
the beams in our video displays. In short, no magnetism, no media. Unfortunately,
there is a down side. Magnetism giveth and magnetism taketh away. In the
same way the force can write information to a medium such as an audio cassette
or a computer diskette, it can degrade or completely destroy information
stored on the same medium. Magnetic fields like those found in some electrical
motors or loudspeakers are strong enough to actually remove or alter some
of the information stored on tape. Exercise caution around magnetic fields.
Keep your media away from motors, speakers or any other magnetic substances
or devices. If you are using a tape degausser, use it away from other tapes.
One more thing. Sometimes small pieces of metal like razor blades, or paper
clips can become magnetic and cause small magnetic glitches on tape. Just
be careful. OK, just one more thing. Do you know what magnetic fields can
do to the little black strip on your credit cards?
Compounding the Problem:
This part can be short. Just consider the fact that our equipment is
used by dozens (even hundreds) of students. If each one were guilty of
only the smallest abuse, the cumulative effect could be significant. Here
is a case when you should refuse to contribute your fair share.
Food:
Most of the foods we find smuggled into the studio are excellent choices
for the nutritionally challenged. They usually contain adequate amounts
of one or more of the three basic food groups (salts, fats, and sugars)
and are often accompanied by a caffeinated beverage of some sort. OK, it's
junk food. Unfortunately, these ingredients are potentially deadly to equipment
and media in a production environment. Foods contain enough corrosives,
adhesives, abrasives and general contaminants to do serious damage. Small
amounts of salt, grease, or sugar transferred from your fingers to sensitive
surfaces can cause problems for you and the people who come behind you.
This is to say nothing of the absolute catastrophe that might result from
drops and spills involving relatively large amounts of the offending substances,
especially liquids. Damage done by spilled liquids can be both mechanical
and electrical. The bottom line? Just Do It! Keep all foods and beverages
out of the production rooms. Period!
Handles and Feet:
If equipment has these, use them. If not, be very careful about how
you hold on to something and how you put it down. Always make sure equipment
is properly placed on a stable surface. If a machine has no feet on top,
it is not meant to be placed upside down. A microphone is not the handle
for a camcorder. In the case of a cable, the plug itself is the handle,
not the wire. In fact, that holds for anything you are unplugging. Use
the plug, not the wire.
Batteries:
Rechargeable batteries can save us tons of money unless, of course,
we have to replace them. They should last a long time except under three
circumstances; 1) they were faulty to begin with, 2) they have been exposed
to damaging heat, or 3) they have been improperly discharged and recharged.
You do not have much to do with the first of those but the next two are
on you. The heat part should be clear. Charging? Here is the deal. Some
batteries that are not fully discharged before recharging tend
to develop a memory for a short charge cycle. That is, they tend not to
hold a charge as long as batteries that have been deep discharged. So if
you absolutely must recharge batteries in the field, follow the instructions
and make sure they are fully discharged before you begin the recharge cycle.
If you don't need them any more, just bring them back without recharging.
Disposable batteries should be removed from equipment after use. We are
gradually replacing the older batteries with newer ones that are more tolerant
of short charge cycles. In the meantime, just assume the batteries you
have are of the older type and treat them accordingly.
General Cleaning:
Thorough cleaning of audio, video and film gear should be left to people
who really know what they are doing. If you are not among them, pass the
task along to an expert. There will be some occasions when some routine
cleaning is called for. In such cases there are a few points to remember.
Never rub a lens hard, and never wipe one (even gently) with anything other
than an approved lens cloth or lens brush. Your shirt tail is not approved.
Stationary audio tape heads can be cleaned with a cotton swab and a mild
head cleaner solution. Video and RDAT heads should be cleaned only by the
technical staff. Do not use harsh solvents for cleaning anything in the
field. Water is not acceptable for cleaning anything except the plastic
casings on some gear. Dry grit and dust (from your video shoot at the beach)
should be gently vacuumed away rather than brushed into the mechanism.
In general, clean gently and responsibly. If in doubt, bring it back or
call a technician.
Digital Workstations (Computers)
The exterior surfaces of digital workstations deserve some attention.
The most obvious one is the display screen. Avoid touching the screen.
While fingerprints on the glass do not cause malfunctions, they do affect
image quality. They also affect the general quality of the experience of
working at the computer. Nobody likes to look at a "nasty" screen. If a
screen is dirty, do not attempt to wipe it clean with a dry cloth or paper
towel. That may scratch the anti-glare coating and create an even more
unpleasant experience. Use a soft lens cloth or tissue and an non abrasive
cleaning solution (not soap, leaves streaks). Clean hands make clean keyboards
(enough said). Use the mouse pads for all mouse operations. Rolling the
mouse around on other surfaces is not only less accurate but it results
in more trash accumulation on the moving parts. If the mouse is not tracking
smoothly, ask one to the technicians to disassemble and clean it.
Do not attempt to reconfigure either the hardware or the software at
the workstations. If you have a problem consult one of the technicians
or your instructor. This goes for the studios and analog editing stations
as well.
Before You Leave, Reset to Zero:
When you finish working on your own projects, take a few moments to
reset
the general space in which you are working to the zero state. That
means at least the following:
A Tiny Lie:
Remember the part about coercion?. Well, perhaps there is one
time when force is the answer. If you are guilty
of some of the things discussed in this document, you may
be subject to a bit of coercion. Punishment in the form of loss of
access to the facility is an increasingly likely outcome if abuses of equipment
and process continue.
A Big Truth:
Everyone who works here loves nothing better than to see the highly
motivated students we have in Comm Studies engaged in their own creative
work. We love to see the process and we love to see the outcomes. We
are committed to your success and committed to enabling you to carry your
vision as far as your energy and this facility will allow. In exchange
we expect respectful and professional treatment for the equipment, the
larger facility, and all the faculty and staff who keep it going. Deal?