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The first cue mark, which is displayed on the first image, means that there are about 8 seconds until the end of the reel.
The second cue mark, displayed on the second image, means that there is about 1 second until the end of the reel.A cue mark, also known as a cue dot, a cue blip, a changeover cue[1] or simply a cue, is a visual indicator used with motion picture film prints, usually placed in the upper right corner of a film frame.[2] Cue dots are also used as a visual form of signalling on television broadcasts.
A pair of cue marks is used to signal the projectionist that a particular reel of a movie is ending, as most movies presented on film come to theaters on several reels of film lasting about 14 to 20 minutes each (the positive print rolls themselves are either 1,000 feet or, more commonly, 2,000 feet, nominally 11.11 or 22.22 minutes, absolute maximum, with more commonly an editorial maximum of 9 to 10 or 18 to 20 minutes). The marks appear in the last seconds of each reel; the first mark, known as the motor cue, is placed about 8 seconds before the end of the picture section of the reel. The second mark, known as the changeover cue, is placed about 1 second before the end. Each mark lasts for precisely 4 frames (0.17 seconds).
Coded anti-piracy is a different kind of mark, used for watermarking to detect and prevent copyright infringement.
- ^ The term "changeover cue" can refer to any cue mark, or it can also refer to the second cue in a pair (the one that actually signals the changeover).
- ^ SMPTE 301M-1999. SMPTE STANDARD for Motion-Picture Film: Theater Projection Leader, Trailer and Cue Marks. Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. White Plains, NY.