There are actually two blobs
The first one is the attention signal
Tells the operator to get ready
The second one is the signal to cut over

And if you watched one of the collumbo episodes
Some operators also have a coin between the film somewhere at the end
of the spool so it wakes them up when it hits the floor

Peter van Hoof

--- Harold Hallikainen <harold@hallikainen.org> wrote:

> 
> >
> > For years I wondered what the brown oval blob that occasionally
> showed up
> > on
> > cinema screens during the movie was (usually top right corner).  A
> couple
> > of
> > years ago I discovered it was an anti-piracy thing.  Not sure how
> it was
> > supposed to work, apparently it upset cameras somehow.  It was also
> > supposed
> > to be invisible to people.  Right.  Annoys me more now that I know
> what it
> > is.
> 
> I think the top right corner blob is just a signal to the
> projectionist to
> start the next reel. It is something like 10 seconds before the next
> reel
> starts. If you watch the movie, there's typically a scene change 10
> seconds (or whatever it is) after the blob. Theatres now splice all
> the
> reels together for playback, so the blob is pretty meaningless
> (unless
> some still play the show reel by reel).
> 
> Harold
> 
> 
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