I don't think the plastic film would make the lights flash... I found this on another forum....
"I recently had problems with my Epson printer, the red and green light began flashing and a window popped up, saying, take it to your services center because some parts have reached the end of their life. Instead I did a bit of reading and I was successful. You see printer companies set a �protection counter� on all printers , it�s an internal counter measuring the amount of ink wasted by head cleaning. I needed to reset the "protection counter" as well as clean the �waste ink pad overflow�. Following is the procedure that I used:
1. Unplug the power and USB cables from the printer. I pried open my printer, careful not to break anything. I use a flat blade screwdriver to pry it apart; there are two-three tabs at the back and two at the front. Gently push them in, and then using a bit of force pry apart the cover.
2. Next I removed the two (2) waste ink pads. They are located at the back on the left hand side. I used the flat blade screwdriver to lift up the ink pads (they were soaked). Please use rubber gloves as it gets very messy.
3. Next I took the pads to the kitchen skin and washed them with just plain hot water until they were white again. I just let the hot water run on them (the pads are about three inches long).
4. Once washed I dried them using a hair drier. (you could place it the sun for a few hours or on top of your heater or maybe in a heated oven; (make sure you do not set it on fire with too much heat).
5. Once dried I placed the pads back in the ink waste bin at the back of the printer.
6. I closed the printer cover and put back all the pieces and plugged in the USB & power cable and turned it on. (Yes the lights are still flashing).
7. Go to this link and download this software:
http://www.ssclg.com/epsone.shtml