This is an object and film arrangement for the direct beam reflection hologram. Note the film is in front of the object to be photographed. The film must be very rigidly mounted for this type of hologram.
The object should be very close to the film - the closer, the brighter the holographic image. (5cm max, try for 1 cm).
To make use of all the film, the beam should be adjusted to so that the central 2/3 of the beam covers the film. (The gaussian distribution of beam intensity puts most of the energy there.)