Reel
From Freepedia
- A reel may also refer to a type of dance and its accompanying music. See reel (dance).
A reel is an object around which lengths of another material (usually long and flexible) are wound for storage. Generally a reel has a cylindrical core and walls on the sides to retain the material wound around the core. In some cases the core is hollow, although other items may be mounted on it, and grips may exist for mechanically turning the reel.
The size of the core is dependent on several factors. A smaller core will obviously allow more material to be stored in a given space. However there is a limit to how tightly the stored material can be wound without damaging it and this limits how small the core can be. Also sometimes the core may be made larger to allow for stuff to be mounted on it, as in the case of an extension reel for example.
With material such as photographic film that is flat and long but is relatively wide, the material generally is stored in successive single layers. In cases where the material is more uniform in cross-section (for example, a cable), the material may be safely wound around a reel that is wider than its width. In this case, several windings are needed to create a layer on the reel.
Uses
- A reel is used on a fishing rod to wind the fishing line up.
- Most rope and cable is supplied on reels
Motion Picture Terminology
It is traditional to discuss the length of theatrical motion pictures in terms of "reels." The standard length of a 35mm motion picture reel is 1000 feet. This length runs approximately 12 minutes at sound speed and slightly longer at silent movie speed (which may vary from approximately 16 to 18 frames per second).
A so-called "two-reeler" would have run about 20-24 minutes since the actual short film shipped to a movie theater for exhibition may have had slightly less (but rarely more) than 1000 feet on it.
The "reel" was established as a standard measurement because of considerations in printing motion picture film at a film laboratory, for shipping (especially the film case sizes) and for the size of the physical film magazine attached to the motion picture projector. Had it not been standardized (at 1000 feet of 35mm film) there would have been many difficulties in the manufacture of the related equipment. A 16mm "reel" is 400 feet. It runs, at sound speed, approximately the same amount of time (11-12 minutes) as a 1000 foot 35mm reel.
A Split Reel is a motion picture film reel in two halves that, when assembled, hold a specific length of motion picture film that has been wound on a plastic core. Using a split reel allows film to be shipped or handled in a lighter and smaller form than film would on a "fixed" reel.
