A Detailed Breakdown of the Mechanics of a Film Projector

Engineer Guy Bill Hammack provides a detailed breakdown of the mechanics of a film projector. Hammack covers how a projector syncs audio and video, how the shutter create the illusion of smooth motion, and more.

Bill tears apart a film projector to reveal the amazing mechanisms used in the pre-digital age to trick the mind into seeing a moving image. He uses high speed photography and animations to show how the projector moves the film intermittently, how a shutter strategically blocks light as the film moves, and how the photo sensor reads the sound. He explains how all these mechanisms are synced.

submitted via Laughing Squid Tips