Walt Disney Productions

Iwerks Entertainmnet

Donald W Iwerks

David S Inglish

Robert H Gurr

Lee R Richardson

Robert R Otto

R David Snyder

The reversing film projection system employs film having images printed substantially side-by-side to allow presentation of one set of images in a forward direction and the adjacent images in rearward direction by moving the projection head and associated aperture plate and film guide laterally with respect to the lens and lamp house for display of the film images. In a first forward drive position, the projector motor drives the film in a forward direction with a first aperture of the aperture plate and associated first set of film images aligned with the optical train. Upon completion of the image presentation in the forward direction, the projection head is displaced laterally aligning a second aperture in the aperture plate and the associated second set of film images with the optical train, with the projection motor engaged in a reversed direction. Actuators for motion of the projection head, dowser controls and film transport drive are microprocessor controlled employing absolute frame count for various film presentations.

Reversing film projection system

An automated camera control drives a video or motion picture camera along multiple independent axes of movement to position the camera for recording an image of a field of view, typically focused upon a model or artwork in special effects motion picture photography. Key position coordinates are manually defined for specific frames of film in a film transport. The automated system generates axial coordinates at each intermediate frame and drives the camera to the intermediate positions thereby defined, as well as the several key positions defined manually. The camera is mounted upon a carriage and a model can also be mounted in relation to the camera and moved in coordinated fashion along a multiplicity of axes. The system accepts manual additions of specified key positions and position data, and the key position information can be edited or deleted. The camera can be driven through the same course of movement with exact repeatability once the specified key positions and corresponding positional data have been manually defined. A model stand and motion picture process projector can be driven in synchronism with the motion picture camera, and an operator monitors and controls all functions from a console positioned independent of the camera.

Automatic camera control for creating special effects in motion picture

Growing community of inventors

Burbank, CA, United States of America

Donald W Iwerks