Considering buying a lower end 16mm camera just to practice shooting 16mm film. Of course, to be able to start shooting film, I have to know how to load it into the camera. So since I'm a huge idiot on the subject as of now, maybe someone who has done it can tell me how? I realize that there are many cameras out there, so the method may not always be the same.

It varies from camera to camera. Usually the cameras will have a threading guide inside where the film goes. A couple of pointers: Make sure your loop is big enough but not too big.

Take an old piece of film and practice, practice practice before trying to load your expensive raw stock.

You'll need a light-proof loading bag in order to load your unexposed film into your magazine and to unload the exposed footage back into your can.

If you're using a Bolex, you can usually get away with loading in a darkened room, as short rolls have metal spool that does a good job of keeping light out.

And use nose grease on the pressure plate :)

IT, that sounds like a newbie hazing thing...is that real? I just need a left handed air hook to hold the kaniffling pin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nose_grease
and
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.marriottcameras.co.uk/instructions/elmo_c300_back/illustrations/elmo_7.2&imgrefurl=http://www.marriottcameras.co.uk/instructions/elmo_c300_back/with_pictures.htm&h=234&w=239&sz=10&hl=en&start=11&um=1&tbnid=eZ3CY_tJ_TO8hM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=109&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522pressure%2Bplate%2522%2B16mm%26s vnum%3D100%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26newwindow%3D1%26sa fe%3Doff%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN

No it's real. Run the pressure plate down your nose to add just the right amount of lubrication.

Yep, I've heard the nose grease term before. :)

yeah, I found the references...but you have to admit, it sounds hokey :) I love low tech solutions like that.

A lot of film terms sound a bit hokey. Most of them stem from the old days, when well.. lets face it, people were hokey. :D