A film stretcher utilizes a spring bias to clamp the film. The film stretcher may include a stretch head having one or more clamps positioned about the film in locations necessary to clamp the film for stretching in one or more axes. The clamp may utilize a spring to provide the clamping force. The stretch head may include structures that operate to counter the spring bias to move the clamp to one state and then to allow the spring bias to move the clamp to another state. Thus, the stretch head may effectively clamp and unclamp the film.