I wanted to loop the projector film but because the old projectors are not designed to play a looped film, there is always a risk that it could damage either the motor of the projector or the claw that pulls the film through.
Research on the internet brought up an article on the Loop Box where the film is looped and as it goes round it drops down into an 8mm wide slot, folds in on itself and then comes back up the other end.
I consulted with a fellow student Jamie on how it might be possible to make one and we decided on a putting a dividing piece of wood in a plinth and then cutting an 8mm wide slot in the top for the film to drop into. We cut holes into the plinth on two sides so that the viewer could follow where the film went after it left the projector and entered the Loop Box. This meant that I had to also paint the inside of the box.
Originally I thought it might be possible to put reels underneath that the film could go through as it dropped down into the loop box but when I tried this, the reels did not flow freely enough causing too much drag so I decided against this as it would have put too much strain on the projector motor and claw meaning a high risk of breakages and burnout.
The film can be seen as it folds its way into the loop box through a hole in the plinth and through the Perspex side. I was fascinated by the different shapes the film makes as it folds in on itself and then unfolds to return to the projector.
