I have a few TV spots for films that I’d like to edit together onto one reel. Would it be best to remove the leaders and tails on these, for a better viewing experience? Or would it be best to leave some, in the case that these short TV ads are ever separated again for some unforeseen reason?

Good question ... If you want to keep and enjoy, I’d remove the leades and tails, but must admit, I am very happy when I buy cartoon compilations and the leaders and tails are intakt, AS I want them on separate 200’ reels

I need just a few more to fill a 400’ reel. I think 8 to 10 minutes of short vintage trailers from the 1970s will be great fun!

Tim,

This is a great idea and one I have been wanting to do for a while myself! I attended a 16mm film show up here in Minnesota where a film collector did exactly what you are doing.
His compilation was over an hour or so! It was great fun and some of the trailers he had were from some REALLY bad drive-in type movies.

He also removed the tails and heads to improve the viewing, but he did leave in some random countdown segments here and there which I thought worked out. Otherwise, it went from one trailer to another...

Here is my post on that film event from this past January:
Backyard 16mm Trailer Explosion...

A big dilemma. I have kept mine with the leaders but it can be a bit annoying. For commercials I think I would be ok to drop the leaders. I never watch single commercials anyways. It is different with cartoons which I DO watch one and one at a time.

Thanks Greg! I’ll check it out!

The cost of compiling a reel such as this could get way up there, so it’s an ongoing project. :-)

Yep, the "ongoing" approach is more enjoyable anyway! I think an hour+ of trailers/spots is probably too much, although the film event I attended was fun. It may have been because none of us knew what trailer was coming next...

A reel of 400 ft. or so of trailers/spots would make a very nice starter to an evening of film watching....BTW, glad to see you back on the forum here!

I would suggest that all leaders and tails should be removed.
Put aside, and then join all the leaders and tails together and join at the end of the reel.
This way you can re-insert where necessary if you wish to sell one, or more.

Great idea Maurice!

I forgot to say that make sure the "bits" are marked so that the correct leaders and tails go back to their original films.
Some years ago I bought a 400ft Super 8 of the two Disney "The Rescuers" joined together. Also included were the two original 200ft boxes, each with a spool and the relevant leader and tail which had been removed.

I have a few reels of trailers, they are great fun. I try and keep the them to theme. We have two 400ft disney trailer reel and and couple of 200 scope trailer reels and another with a mix of action and mordern titles.
I always remove the leaders and tails.i ensure a few seconds between each trailer and keep the leaders and tails of each on there own reels and in there original boxes if it had one.

I have over 60 400ft reels of trailers and on some of the reels I've left the heads and tails on,normally as bought so if I do want to sell them I can put them back in the boxes. If I make up a trailer reel I remove both front and back leaders and join them together, better for the audience, Mark