16mm Film Looping Systems Last Updated 2012 and intended as a document of my interest in film loopers. I am unable to continually manage the links below regarding organizations offering access to loopers and this is not an current exhaustive list on the subject.

I went on a looper hunt and found my favorite at L’Abominable.

My search for film looping systems lead me to L’Abominable just outside of Paris to where Pip Chodorov introduced me to Christophe Goulard and the superb looper he developed there. Christophe has manufactured them in batches of six. If I had the money, I would buy a half dozen myself. Here are a few reasons why and what motivated their design.

1. The looper attaches to the projector’s take-up arm, which allows for:

• compatibility with most 16mm projectors. In contrast many loopers attach to the body of the projector in place of the handles requiring models with removable handles.
• film to run in a vertical position reducing the amount of wear on the film. Horizontally positioned loopers make the film pull on itself instead of sliding off of itself.
• a quick projector change. This looper is secured to the take-up arm with removable hardware making addition tools unnecessary.
• easy repositioning of the projector and looper at the same time. Some loopers require a separate support system, which makes repositioning difficult when the projector is running.

1. The looper’s large diameter results in:

• easy handling of 20 minutes of film. Many loopers can only hold 3 to 10 minutes.
• greater momentum when it turns. This reduces the tension on the film and the amount of work the projector has to do.

1. The circular cutouts in the looper’s design function to:

• maintain the same weight of a take-up reel.
• absorb the vibrations of the projector, which reduces impact on both the looper and the film.

Contact Christophe Goulard (French)

L’Abominable rents Christophe’s featured looper in areas where they can setup the projector and looper themselves. At this time they are facilitating locations in France, but they may be in a position to expand in the future. Email L’Abominable for inquiries. They are very helpful!”

Contact Christophe Goulard (French) for inquires regarding the featured looper.

Pip Chodorov

About My Film Looper Obsession

Film and video are two very different mediums and when I make a film I want to show it as a film. I also want to show films in galleries and museums. This means I need reliable and affordable film looping systems that support the continuous projection of film within space.

The starting point of my looper hunt was the Film Looper Directory on the 40 Frames website.

My interest in film loopers began Spring of 2011. Here are some examples of film loopers based on a patter system as opposed the the system described above.

Other people and organizations that supply loopers and my interactions with them.

Loopers For Sale

NCS Products in New York Cityare manufacturing two slightly different loopers that support a maximum of either 100′ or 400′. I have not used one but it’s great having a resource for independent filmmakers and artists in the United States (that’s where I live). Their site is full of videos and stills of their loopers. If you don’t have a projector, you can purchase one through them as well. It’s a one-stop film installation shop!

no.w.here in London regularly manufactures an affordable looper. This is a non for profit artist run organization that supports experimental cinema. They have a web page showing how to use the system and a staff that is excellent at communication. They are currently working on developing a looper that does not need a projector with a removable handle. If you can’t get the model from L’Abominable, this is a really good alternative.

ASA90 Der Fotoladen in Berlin manufactures a looper but I’m not sure how regularly they produce them. They were very quick when responding to my email and their looper looks like it is built well. You can see an image of thier looper online.

Focusfilm 16 in Berlin manufactures a film looper that holds 12 minutes of film. The Film Gallery in Paris rents this looper and they tell me that it’s very reliable. Was very quick and detailed in his reply to my inquiry. For more info contact Frank Bode: bode(at)focusfilm16.de.

Robert Film Services in Quebec manufactures expensive free-standing loopers that hold 45 minutes of film or more. They would not return any of my emails or phone calls. They seem to work with organizations and institutions more than individual artists.

Loopers For Rent (possibly in 2011)

L’Abominable rents Christophe’s featured looper in areas where they can setup the projector and looper themselves. At this time they are facilitating locations in France, but they may be in a position to expand in the future. Email L’Abominable for inquiries. They are very helpful!”

The Film Gallery in Paris is dedicated to supporting the visibility of film. They rent several different loopers that can hold 10 to 45 minutes of film and make loopers and lenses available to North America, China, and Europe. Not only did they quickly responded to my inquiries but they allowed me to spend an afternoon photographing the loopers they had on site for my research. Their website has images of the loopers as well as technical details and a list of other services they provide.

Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto is an artist-run organization committed to providing affordable equipment to independent filmmakers and artists. They have two loopers for rent and were very quick to reply to my inquiry.

Studio 2M in Amsterdam produces a looper that I’ve been told performs marvelously. They only rent them as part of an agreement with the artist who designed it. You can see images of the loopers on their website which look pretty amazing. I had the pleasure of speaking with Ruud Molleman Filmtechniek at Studio 2M who was very helpful and gave me some North American looper leads to follow.

David Leister is located in Berlin and he manufactures loopers that you can rent through him directly. He was very quick when responding to my inquiry and included a picture of his looper in the response.