Re: Airport X-Rays

From: Bill Basquin (email suppressed)
Date: Tue Mar 31 2009 - 10:09:29 PDT

Hello all.

I was once told by an airport security person that the cabling that goes through the overhead bins in the airplane emits more radiation than the x-ray machines in the airport; he was very sympathetic to my request for a hand-check of my film, and recommended that I always keep the film in my luggage under the seat in front of me, rather than in the overhead bin.

I often have to be very patient and repeat that I would like my film to be inspected manually, even though it is of a slow ASA, and I have never been flat out refused; this is for travel within the U.S., between the U.S. and New Zealand, and between the U.S. and London. Oddly, when asking for a hand check, I have encountered the most resistance in Los Angeles.

--Bill Basquin
San Francisco, CA




-----Original Message-----
From: DOMINIC ANGERAME <(address suppressed)>
Sent: Mar 29, 2009 3:11 PM
To: (address suppressed)
Subject: Re: Airport X-Rays

My experiences flying to Korea, Mexico, Cuba, etc with unexposed and exposed 16mm film has not been a great experience....when I asked for a hand inspection it often took a lot of time to find someone who could understand English and better hope you are not trying to connect to another flight....you will miss it guaranteed......NYC is very paranoid and the situation really varies greatly from place to place and person to person.....(you can try and tell them in the US that the asa is 2000 they will probably never know........just do not pack your film in the checked luggage....it will be fogged gaurantee.....my .02 worth....


Dominic

--- On Sun, 3/29/09, Mark Toscano <(address suppressed)> wrote:
From: Mark Toscano <(address suppressed)>
Subject: Re: Airport X-Rays
To: (address suppressed)
Date: Sunday, March 29, 2009, 10:25 AM

Hi Ken,

Had no problems there myself recently.

Ever since someone here suggested it a while ago, I've been flying with my
film in a bag also containing a printout from the TSA website which says you
have the right to request a hand check of film.  Haven't had to brandish it
yet, but it seems a good bet to me.  And in general, when I've told security
folks it's motion picture film, they seem OK with the hand check.  One time,
the guy still persisted and asked me what ASA, but I just told him something
about motion picture film being differently sensitive or something
 like that,
and he was OK about it.

A week and a half ago I flew out of Burbank, and had the amusing experience of
a few of the security guys being all into 16mm and asking to see my Bolex.  One
of the guys even teaches part-time at the Art Center in Pasadena.  Only in LA,
I'm sure.

mark t


--- On Sat, 3/28/09, Ken Paul Rosenthal <(address suppressed)>
wrote:

> From: Ken Paul Rosenthal <(address suppressed)>
> Subject: [FRAMEWORKS] Airport X-Rays
> To: (address suppressed)
> Date: Saturday, March 28, 2009, 3:03 PM
> 
> 
> 
> #yiv724568344 .hmmessage P
> {
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> 
>  
> While the issue of taking film thru airport x-rays has been
> addressed extensively in this forum (I've contributed
> much
 of my own experience/knowledge), it's been some
> time since I've traveled with unexposed/exposed film.
> 
> As I'll be flying to New York City next week to shoot a
> number of abandoned mental asylums for my current doc
> project, I'd like to check in to see if anyone can share
> their recent experiences with JFK. In the past, I've
> found their checkers to be the most vigilant and
> uncompromising.
> 
> All my stock is super 8, and ranges from PX reversal b/w to
> 500T color negative. I'm cool with a hand check that
> involves opening up the boxes as well as the wrappers on
> each cartridge. But feel strongly about any of the stock,
> particularly the 500T color neg going thru the x-ray
> machine, despite what they say.
> 
> Additionally, am I right to presume that shipping with Fed
> Ex receives less x-rays than an airport scanner? Fed Ex
 has
> assured me in the past (last inquired a year ago) that they
> will not x-ray at all if they put a 'Exposed film. Do
> not x-ray' sticker on it. I mention this because one
> possibility is shipping my film from NYC back to SF, rather
> than flying with it.
> 
> 
> Advice? Recent experiences to share, particularly with
> JFK?
> 
> Thanks, Ken
> http://www.kenpaulrosenthal.com
> 
> http://www.crookedbeauty.com
> 
> 
> Express your personality in color! Preview and
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> 
> __________________________________________________________________
> For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at
> <(address suppressed)>.
> 
> 


      


__________________________________________________________________
For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at
 <(address suppressed)>.

__________________________________________________________________ For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <(address suppressed)>. 


Bill Basquin
Artist-in-Residence, San Francisco Recycling and Disposal
(c) 415.317.7611
http//www.sfrecycling.com/AIR
Next art show is Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 with Bill Basquin and Jane Kim .

__________________________________________________________________ For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <(address suppressed)>.