Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF) *Template Added*

IxMAGICx1

Well-Known Member
So about a month ago I bought some 35mm BTTF film cells. I wanted to frame them but I knew if I wanted to be able to actually see them, they'd need to be backlit. I thought of a few different ideas: LED Lights, glass front/back frame, etc...then it hit me, a digital frame! A white area of a digital frame would have to light up a film cell. Plus that would leave me with plenty of room to display an enlargement of the cell as well as whatever else I wanted to display. So I ordered a frame from Walmart for $29.00 Available Here

Here's how it looks out of the box
deb8fc2fbd0cb1e3f35b562e0ad4b767.JPG


First off I knew I had make my own matte and I also wanted a black frame instead if the deep maroon/brown that it came with.

Flipping the frame over it seemed like it was going to be simple to disassemble.

9df4f42734a562d31346d543da33ef06.jpg


Four easy screws removed and I was ready to rock and roll.

First I sanded down the frame and painted it black

d4cd613397e30461321cd1edc8b81567.JPG


While that was drying I made the matte that was going to go between the digital screen and the glass out of black poster board
12406adae4901b8455852e760b9a654c.jpg


I electrical taped the cells to the back of the matte and I was done!
ecb812614f613c752a208867efae0027.jpg


90f0fd388694ac8e378824016803a78f.JPG


The picture below shows how this was accomplished

1c935286886bac1b58015a8fce5a68c1.jpg


The white area was used to light up the film cells and the top area was used to display whatever I wanted. The Back to the Future logo is a digital file, the pictures below it are the backlit cells.

I decided it would also be cool to display each cell with a screenshot of that frame one at a time so I blacked out the others while each frame was highlighted individually.

dbba75c8be6586cb03d19377783655fb.jpg



CLICK HERE to see a quick video I shot of it to give you the idea..

Because I already had an SD card this total project ended costing me $30. Not too shabby!

Here's is the template you can use if you'd like to make your own.

ae01773740866e46d9947bcc33a624fa.jpg


Download the 300 dpi pdf below.

Thanks for looking!
 
Last edited:
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

wicked idea but you have to do the various fading pics on the frame too
 
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

This looks great. I'll have to save this in my memory for future reference. Good job.
 
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

Interesting idea, I wouldn't mind giving that a go.
 
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

Dude, that is sweet! what a great idea, nice work!
 
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

This is great, awesome idea. Now I need to find some cheap digital frames!.
 
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

Thanks for the kind words, guys. It looks way better in person and the sky is the limit on pictures to display.
 
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

Great idea. I have a frame like this from an old black Friday sale and had no real use for it, but I may have to try this eventually!
 
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

So about a month ago I bought some 35mm BTTF film cells. I wanted to frame them but I knew if I wanted to be able to actually see them, they'd need to be backlit. I thought of a few different ideas: LED Lights, glass front/back frame, etc...then it hit me, a digital frame! A white area of a digital frame would have to light up a film cell. Plus that would leave me with plenty of room to display an enlargement of the cell as well as whatever else I wanted to display. So I ordered a frame from Walmart for $29.00 Available Here

Here's how it looks out of the box
deb8fc2fbd0cb1e3f35b562e0ad4b767.JPG


First off I knew I had make my own matte and I also wanted a black frame instead if the deep maroon/brown that it came with.

Flipping the frame over it seemed like it was going to be simple to disassemble.

9df4f42734a562d31346d543da33ef06.jpg


Four easy screws removed and I was ready to rock and roll.

First I sanded down the frame and painted it black

d4cd613397e30461321cd1edc8b81567.JPG


While that was drying I made the matte that was going to go between the digital screen and the glass out of black poster board
12406adae4901b8455852e760b9a654c.jpg


I electrical taped the cells to the back of the matte and I was done!
ecb812614f613c752a208867efae0027.jpg


90f0fd388694ac8e378824016803a78f.JPG


The picture below shows how this was accomplished

1c935286886bac1b58015a8fce5a68c1.jpg


The white area was used to light up the film cells and the top area was used to display whatever I wanted. The Back to the Future logo is a digital file, the pictures below it are the backlit cells.

I decided it would also be cool to display each cell with a screenshot of that frame one at a time so I blacked out the others while each frame was highlighted individually.

dbba75c8be6586cb03d19377783655fb.jpg



CLICK HERE to see a quick video I shot of it to give you the idea..

Because I already had an SD card this total project ended costing me $30. Not too shabby!

Thanks for looking!

how did you do the blocking out of the other pictures in the film cells?

in your video they are all showing, then when those pictures that are in the film cells are shown in bigger format, they only show that picture at the bottom row.

did you program that electronically? how does that work? i thought you stuck on the film cells? so how are you making each one highlight by itself ?
 
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

how did you do the blocking out of the other pictures in the film cells?

in your video they are all showing, then when those pictures that are in the film cells are shown in bigger format, they only show that picture at the bottom row.

did you program that electronically? how does that work? i thought you stuck on the film cells? so how are you making each one highlight by itself ?

he uses the image below and puts black in the areas he doesnt want lit then white where he does.

1c935286886bac1b58015a8fce5a68c1.jpg
 
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

great idea, very creative with a low budget ! :thumbsup
 
Re: Cheap and Easy Film Cell Backlit Display (mine is BTTF)

how did you do the blocking out of the other pictures in the film cells?

in your video they are all showing, then when those pictures that are in the film cells are shown in bigger format, they only show that picture at the bottom row.

did you program that electronically? how does that work? i thought you stuck on the film cells? so how are you making each one highlight by itself ?


Pobbrett was right. Just fill in black for whatever cells you want hidden during that time.

for instance:

36eb35c9ebc43c415948072654c30079.JPG


This is the digital file for that shot

ec64e3dcf81fef2b3d975fbc098f42cf.jpg
 
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