singlereel

Singlereel is a term that can refer to a few different concepts, primarily related to film and audio technology. In the context of film, a singlereel refers to a single reel of film, typically representing a short film or a single segment of a longer work. Historically, feature films were often released in multiple reels, with intermissions between them. The concept of a "singlereel" therefore emphasized brevity and a self-contained narrative.

In some older audio recording technologies, particularly for early sound systems, "singlereel" might have described a device or format that used a single reel of magnetic tape or film to store and playback audio. This contrasts with systems that might have used multiple reels for extended playback or for different tracks.

More recently, the term has occasionally been used informally in digital media contexts to describe a single, continuous stream of content, such as a long-form video or an unbroken audio recording, delivered without breaks or separate file divisions. However, this usage is less standardized. The core idea behind singlereel remains consistent: a single, discrete unit of content on a reel or its digital equivalent.