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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Hey you, you suck! (AKA: Outing bad film handlers) (Page 11)

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Author Topic: Hey you, you suck! (AKA: Outing bad film handlers) Jacob Huber Expert Film Handler Posts: 172 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-06-2003 02:12 AM                     I don't know whether or not it's the fault of the Kerasotes Stadium 16 in our town or the people they probably get their prints circuited from, but every movie I've seen over there over the past 2 years has been in deplorable condition. FYI, I only see the movies that have lower number prints struck that we don't get at any of our theatres, e.g., Enigman, The Pianist, 25th Hour, and Evelyn. Kerasotes has booked these films long after they were released to their main market, so chances are it's the fault of the people before them. Anyway, everyone of those prints have had at least some form of scratching, Evelyn being the best condition of the recent batch, having only a slight vertical black in the center of the picture and occasionally on the far right side. The print dropped out into SR at least 4 times and was VERY loud when it did, usually at reel changes. The worst print was 25th Hour that had about a dozen or so vertical blacks running down left center, about 1/4 screen width over from the side. All of the prints have some sort of randomised green slashing throughout, most notably in The Pianist. They all also have dark blotching occasionaly, which looks like some sort of paint or something that somehow got on the print and never cleaned off. I thought this might be masking tape residue, but it was for about a minute or so at times and in the centers of the reels. I've yet to see a first-run print there, so after I do, I will be able to tell if it's their fault or the fault of whomever had it before them.  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-06-2003 07:53 AM                     It does not seem to be a very good use of this thread to say, "this theatre might suck because they have shown some bad prints." I thought this thread was for, "I received and personally handled a print that came directly from this theatre, and it was new beforehand, or I had it before it went to them, and look what they did to it!" Trashing theatres who may not be doing anything wrong is not Film Done Right (from the audience perspective). Have you tried asking them what's up with the condition of their prints (remember, be constructive!)? Have you tried going on openning night? Or purchasing a ticket to one of their first-run feature? In any case, it seems to me to not be about this thread. Not that I'm an authority by any means... --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Jacob Huber Expert Film Handler Posts: 172 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-06-2003 08:57 PM                     quote: Kerasotes has booked these films long after they were released to their main market, so chances are it's the fault of the people before them. quote: I've yet to see a first-run print there, so after I do, I will be able to tell if it's their fault or the fault of whomever had it before them. I'm not saying whether it is or isn't their fault. I'm just saying that being from a first-run theatre, I have virtually no experience with the bottom of the barrel of prints, but from going to a place that runs prints that have already been circuited on a regular basis, I can get an idea of how bad it must be for you guys who do deal with these kinds of prints on a regular basis. However, blame is due somewhere along the line of theatres that have handled said prints regardless of who is running it currently. I did not specifically trash this theatre, I just stated a fact that this theatres plays prints that have been damaged, either by them or somebody else.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-07-2003 12:17 AM                        Hey, you--for anyone who handled print #11 of "Russian Ark"--you probably suck! Received the print today directly from the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, TX. It was apparently plattered (or run on large reels) somewhere else and then run reel-to-reel there; leaders were attached with 3-4 layers of tape: one white, one yellow, random bits of masking tape, and one clear. This points to careless platter/large reel breakdown at (at least) two previous theatres and careless makeup for showing on small reels at the museum in Houston (though I'm inclined to blame previous theatres more than the museum...at least they taped down and labelled the film ends properly). Also, whoever first cut the leaders on this print decided that he needed to leave anywhere from two to four reference frames attached to the leaders. Never mind that this entire film is supposed to be one continuous shot and therefore one shouldn't leave _any_ reference frames and certainly not 2, 3, or 4 of them. Finally, this print was missing a substantial number of frames at the reel changes; on most reels, there were only one or two frames left after the second set of cue marks (in addition to the 2-4 reference frames on the leader).  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 03-08-2003 07:33 PM                     Here's a little update from comments I made in this thread last October (on page 3). Well, the Wallace Theaters Cache 8 sign is now completely screwed up. I guess it is something to mark the special occaision for a theater sign which has been in disrepair for nearly 2 years now. The last two sections of the sign face blew out this last Tuesday when a strong cold front blew through town. As temperatures dropped from the low 70's down into the upper 30's in about 1 hour's time, the winds really picked up and slowly rotated from the southwest to the northeast. For the short period of time when the wind was blasting straight out of the west, that was all it took to finish off this theater's marquee. When the sign face sections blew out, they propelled across Cache Road, striking one vehicle and nearly causing a crash. The theater will have to pay for paint and body damage done to a lady's car. I suspect the theater will try to file an insurance claim to cover replacement of all the sign face sections (assuming they even have any insurance to cover such damage). Frankly, I hope they leave this sign just as it is. It might do more to get the dump closed down finally and give the much better Carmike theater just down the road a more fair shake on film bookings.  |  IP: Logged Chad Calpito Film Handler Posts: 23 From: San Diego, CA, USA Registered: Jan 2003 posted 03-08-2003 09:10 PM                     While I think it is inappropriate to blame a single theater due to scratches without first consulting the theater Staff (meaning, projectionist), it's always a good idea to bring it to their attention. Sure, I may have never been to a Kerasotes, but, it is most likely that they got bad prints from previous theaters. I've been in that situation before, getting used prints and I would have to fill out a Film Damage Report after doing a screening of a used print and try to get a better replacement. Chad  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-08-2003 09:49 PM                     Chad, what most people here are complaining about is obvious incompetence on the last person's fault who handled the print. For example, anyone who uses masking tape to break down a new film release that has been abused in all probability is the one who did the damage...especially when the film is so new that it couldn't have played anywhere else. Most theaters do not know how to properly handle film. As a direct result of that, many are fooled into thinking things like "digital is better". Yeah right. Only when comparing to "film done wrong"!  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-08-2003 09:57 PM                        Until the word "CINEMA" is gone from that sign, it's still performing its primary function. I say they will leave it as-is.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-09-2003 12:01 AM                     Someone should get pictures for the pic warehouse from the Cache 8. =TMP=  |  IP: Logged Mike Williams Master Film Handler Posts: 255 From: Knoxville, TN Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-09-2003 11:26 AM                     I agree.. the sign should stay the same. It still says CINEMA and now the wind will pass right thru it... and they can now cut their payroll back because there is now no sign to change every Thursday night.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-09-2003 11:54 AM                     Could someone explain to me why it's such a huge crime to re-attach leaders with masking tape? I've done it and I assure you I don't suck.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 03-09-2003 12:21 PM                    It can bleed goo all over the place causing film to stick together if you do not get it off. I prefer to put one side of splicing tape on to reattach the reels. Unfortunatly the next person that get's the print will most likely cut the frame out but anyone who cares will peel the tape off and retain the original cut.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 03-09-2003 03:20 PM                     Manny, All professionals make either a single sided or double sided splice when reattaching leaders. The film must be returned in "playable" condition, and part of that requires that it be able to be placed on a projector (not platter) and ran straight off of the shipping reel. It is the proper way to do a breakdown...and yes, I assure you that you DO suck if you use masking tape. It leaves nasty residue once it has been sitting for a few days (or months) and frequently causes more film damage upon buildup at the next theater, including forcing the chopping of more frames. Please stop sucking. Use real splicing tape. Don't be a cheap ass!  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 03-09-2003 03:31 PM                     Brad, if you do use a single sided splice when returning a print, which side is better to tape?  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 03-09-2003 04:03 PM                        The base side. If the print hasn't been rinsed and dried properly (or, in the case of an older triacetate print, if there is subbing layer decomposition), this eliminates the risk of tape on the emulsion side lifting the emulsion off. Even if there's no damage, my experience is that a less than perfect tape is less likely to leave a residue on the base than on the emulsion.  |  IP: Logged

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