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This topic comprises 5 pages: 1 2 3 4 5
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Author
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Topic: Doesn't this just suck?
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Malcolm Gerard
Film Handler
Posts: 7
From: Hampton, London, UK
Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 07-30-2000 12:18 PM
You North Americans don't know you're born when it comes to screen advertising! Here in the UK, Carlton (They don't use the name Tecnicolor here except for the labs), distribute up to 20 minutes (yes, twenty!) of adverts for all but lower profile family matinee movies. Some theatres, like mine, limit it to a maximum of 15, but more is suffered by struggling exhibitors when it is offered. To be fair, the reels average more like ten but you're talking around three! There is another provider (Pearl & Dean) who service around 10% of British sites but their reels are much the same apart from their opening and closing titles.
Furthermore, the contract states that they must not start before the advertised programme time. When Rank, from whom Carlton bought the business, were in charge they even tried to insist the ads were shown after the trailers! Odeon (their circuit then) did this for a long time.
The ads here have all been shown (or are released concurrently) on terrestrial television. The reels are changed weekly to start on Fridays to coincide with new movie releases, but are in fact alternated reels, with some changes each fortnight. The same ads reappear for months at a time - turning up every other week. Since this situation, has existed (more or less unchanged) for 50 years or more, it's accepted as part of price of the ticket - which would undoubtedly be higher otherwise. People can always come in late - though surpringly most do not.
Some art houses don't run adverts but most now do, financial necessity has seen to that.
The pictorial quality, however. is high for most of the adverts, and many are classy and entertaining productions (at least for the first couple of times you see them!) Those made with concern principally for their television outings are usually printed 4:3 inside 1.85 with black margins for the cinema, so there is no cropping. A few of those shot on video are poor visually, but they are very much the exception.
It was bound to come to you sooner or later, with such an irrisistible additional revenue for exhibitors. The only mystery is why it has taken so long - especially in countries which have always been used to television saturated with commercials integrated into the programmes in a way we have never had to tolerate here, and the BBC always running movies (just as up to date as their commercial rivals - one of which is the ubiquitous Carlton) uninterrupted - until, at least, the now routine and very annoying habit of voiceovering the closing credits with 'next programme' information!
So, whatever the promises, you know what to expect. Three minutes will become four and so on.
I'm only sorry to hear that Carlton have decided to degrade the once sacred name Technicolor by using it so infamously and variously in the States. It must sadden all those who have grown up with it only as the premier brand of film colour.
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Pat Moore
Master Film Handler
Posts: 363
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 09-11-2000 12:47 PM
I think audience perception is kind of a critical thing here. I get the feeling that as long as it is "Intermission" with the lights at a walk-in level, current advertising is really not too much of a bother unless the accompanying sound is too loud or otherwise intrusive.I think once the lights go down and a "moving image" hits the screen, then people want the movie or things associated with the movies -- coming attractions, etc. Heck, even a snack bar ad would probably be okay for most people, but even that has it's limits. When the lights go down and the moving image becomes advertising in the theatre, I think that's when the public will react. If Cal Worthington and his dog Spot (no offense, Cal) rides onto the big screen touting '88 Chevy's, that's going to far. Then again, why would you want to use your $200,000 digital projector to do the same thing you've already got with slides?
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