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Author Topic: Hey you, you suck! (AKA: Outing bad film handlers) Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 10-13-2004 09:37 AM                     Barry, I tore down that print of Before Sunset about four weeks ago, and I'm sorry to hear it's in such shape now. I think we were the second place to run that print. At least the leaders weren't wrapped around reels while they were in a box, I had that fun to deal with. But I viewed the last performance of that print, and it looked superb, even around the reel changes. I'd like to know who destroyed some of my work down the line too.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-14-2004 05:38 PM                        Too bad you didn't get the print of Before Sunset that I shipped out in mid-August. After a two-week run, it was mint--not a mark on it (literally) and run on small reels, so leaders were uncut. No FG, either.  |  IP: Logged Barry Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Newington, CT USA Registered: Jul 2002 posted 10-16-2004 12:08 AM                        Thanks guys, I have been trying to track down the origin of some of these prints especially since some have common characteristics I am convinced are coming from one booth (i.e. the four cue squares left in the middle of 4 frames) but the distributors and the delivery services (TES and ETS) say they have no way of knowing. Sorry to hear someone shat on your film done right Steve. I sent off my print of Shark Tale last night and wrote a little note on the back of Brad's breakdown tension note indicating I had removed my cue, spliced leaders on with one sided-clear, only removed one ID frame from head leader (none from tail as has been discussed), and taped down reels to keep them from spilling. Also left the site address and my number in case the theater it was going to didn't know why I did this. The special courier indicated it would be going to a theater in Manchester, VT but I haven't heard from them. Basically trying to form a little co-operative with the other *small* theaters in the area to see that if we share prints we are doing eachother favors. Then again, for all I know the sloppy prints I've been getting could be coming from some lousy run chain with Usher B's for film handlers on the other side of the country, but we'll see what happens. (forgot the print numbers again, will insert later)As for this week, my print of Wimbledon was in fair condition, Ladder 49 has 5 continuous scratches from beginning to end on the outer edges of the film and for some reason (and I've seen this a couple times recently) the tail was masking taped to the reel, but 4 or 5 frames up into the reel so that when they rewound they folded the film over. The creases were so bad and in the middle of the 3rd or 4th frame that I had to remove the frames. Strayed (Les Egares) on the other hand, makes me NEVER want a foreign film again. ALL reels were unwound and spilled over into eachother. Unfortunately I took spanish, not french in school so I had no idea what the French word for Head or Tail was. A lot of scratching apparent on build, but thankfully the print projects pretty much scratch free, except for the reel changes where obvious scuffing/scratching shows. Not to mention Wellspring didn't want to use Technicolor for this film, so I had to wait around for FedEx and when they didn't show I left them a note to leave it with the salon in our building (she often collects materials for us as we are rarely there during the day) instead they left it with the restaurant in the next building over. I sometimes wish there were log sheets of sorts in the can, signing off on it when you receive/ship the print. That way, I could open a can, see the last hands on the film were Scott Norwood's, breathe a deep sigh of relief and say: "Thank you film gods!"  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 10-16-2004 01:39 PM                     And I even ordered cans and black reels for that print, too. I didn't even afford Le Divorce that courtesy when I got that print in a brown box. I just wrote 'Le Box,' and 'Le Divorce Transport Device' on it.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-16-2004 05:33 PM                        Barry - from my training days: A quick way to figure out whether a reel is heads-up or tails-up is to look at the image. The top of the image is toward the head end of the reel. Easy to remember, because the "heads" of the people in the picture are aimed toward the "head" of the reel. Unless you're running porno, then it's anyone's guess.  |  IP: Logged David Favel Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 764 From: Ashburton, New Zealand Registered: Feb 2002 posted 10-16-2004 11:40 PM                     That method is not foolproof, while making uo Nemo, I think, I just looked at the pic on R4. The only problem was Nemo was floating upside down at the time. Now I double check.  |  IP: Logged Barry Martin Expert Film Handler Posts: 203 From: Newington, CT USA Registered: Jul 2002 posted 10-17-2004 12:09 AM                        Hey Mike, Thanks for the tip, that's how I figured it out. It was just such an inconvenience because I was in a hurry that night as I had a courier waiting to pick up my two prints being broken down which took till about midnight and knowing the condition of Strayed I wanted to make sure and screen it that night so I could call first thing Friday morning if I needed a replacement shipped. Figured if there was a problem with the print or individual reels I would have to call Wellspring first thing Friday morning hoping for a replacement before the 8pm showtime, as it was not delivered by ETS or TES. Fortunately, no replacement necessary. I don't always trust the leader anyways, as the first print I ever built on my own "Messenger: Joan of Arc" the manager screening it asked me if it's possible I made a mistake as the story seemed to be jumping around awkwardly. Well, upon checking with someone who watched our other print we found out the story was out of line. But when we opened the cans and compared the heads/tails on both prints they were different! As in the leader read "reel 3" but "reel 3" on the other print had a different frame. Mind you, these were new prints, never cut. And I was so embarrassed thinking I screwed up the first print was trusted with and they would never let me in the booth again.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 10-17-2004 09:24 AM                        quote: Barry Martin And I was so embarrassed thinking I screwed up the first print was trusted with and they would never let me in the booth again. Not to worry Barry -- considering who they let have at the booth nowadays, they are lucky they can get an image on the screen at all; having a conscientious worker like you who wants to learn how to best treat prints and give patrons quality presentation, hey....they should kiss the ground you walk on. The very sad fact is, that it is common to regularly get ruined prints that have only played one or two engagements and only for a few months or even weeks, "Barry, I tore down that print of Before Sunset about four weeks ago, and I'm sorry to hear it's in such shape now. I think we were the second place to run that print." Now mind you, when I was much younger I used to think that you would never hear me say, "When I was your age..." but that was before I had any past to reference; now I can confidently say, at least when it comes to print handling, it was MUCH better then than it is now. When I started in this business, we used to get prints that had been in circulation literally for years and had played multiple engagements, yet for the most part, we got them in decent runable shape, rarely with the litany of ills that have been documented in this thread (running 52 pages!). This thread is irrefutable proof of exhibition's spiraling decent into mediocrity and technical incompetence. And distribution is not blameless in this debacle either. The blind eye with which they view the way theatre chains treat prints is a major part of the problem. Without the imposition of substantial punitive financial consequences on exhibition for damaging prints, we will continue to see print life shorten to that of a teetsee fly. A curse on both their houses.  |  IP: Logged Cory Isemann Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: White Plains, MD, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 10-21-2004 12:37 AM                        I never thought it would come to this. I arrived at work, as per usual, at 6. As I came in the booth, I noticed one of my co-workers was building one of the "Surviving Christmas" prints. I think nothing of it, and go on my way threading up for the evening set. A few minutes later, as I walked by the rewind bench, I noticed a few frames chopped off lying by the splicer. I asked him why he had chopped off perfectly good frames. His response: "when I joined them, they would have left a gap in the splice, so I cut it so they would go flush." (meaning the tail of one reel and the head of another) I said to him "why not just be careful when you cut it to begin with?" "I TRY to!!". Then I noticed something else. He leaves 2 reference frames. He said that that's the way he has always done it. I pointed out to him that he could be ruining 3 or 4 frames at a time and that would fuck it up for the next guy that gets the print. His response made me want to cry. "So??" I tried to tell him it was best to leave one reference frame only and to use care when cutting. It kind of made me uncomfortable him working there for some 6 years to my 1 and his (Regal Cinemas) Level 4 to my Level 3, and I'm trying to tell him the right way to do something. It could have become a shouting match. Here are my questions: - Did I do the right thing? - How can I help him do it right without sounding like a know-it-all asshole? - I'm not an asshole, am I? BTW, I go for Level 4 tomorrow.  |  IP: Logged Dick Twentyman Film Handler Posts: 21 From: Highton, Victoria, Australia, Registered: Oct 2004 posted 10-21-2004 01:34 AM                  Cory, in my humble opinion you did not do wrong. There is always something that everyone can learn in the bio (sorry, booth in the USA?) no matter how old. If your co-worker cannot accept that, he should not be in the job. His response of "So?" is truly indicative of someone who has no pride in his work, as you obviously do. I'm interested to know what your reference to "Level 3" and "Level 4" means. In Australia, we don't have anything like that,. although I believe in some European countries, there is a category of "Master Projectionist".  |  IP: Logged Cory Isemann Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: White Plains, MD, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 10-21-2004 06:05 AM                        At Regal Cinemas (now Regal Entertainment Group) theaters, projectionist training levels go from 1-4. Level 1 is basic threading and a knowledge of the equipment. Level 2 is building/breaking down, etc. Level 3 is belt changing, oil changing, maintenence, etc. Level 4 is stuff like changing xenons. You would think that a person's level would be an indicator of booth proficiency...  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 10-21-2004 08:19 AM                    As a stockholder (I own 0.000000695%! Woo!) I say you did the right thing. Today's outing: AMC South Barrington, IL 30 "Polar Express" Select Print 8001 Leaders hung on with paper tape. On the plus side they use decent splice tape and actual white artists tape not masking tape.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 10-21-2004 11:20 AM                     Steve I'll raise you two. Clearview Cinema's Chelsea 8 with print of "Eulogy". Loews State Theatre with a print of "Assassination of Richard Nixon" Both used masking tape to attach leaders back on to the print.  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 10-21-2004 12:10 PM                     "You would think that a person's level would be an indicator of booth proficiency..." Nope, not at Regal!  |  IP: Logged Emma Tomiak Expert Film Handler Posts: 238 From: Carrollton, TX, USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 10-21-2004 04:53 PM                        Cory, I think you did the right thing. And I'm glad you didn't end up in a shouting match. It would suck to have to work with someone every day that you have argued with. As for the booth certification, I really don't think these certification levels (1-4) have anything to do with "booth rank" or any BS like that. Just because this guy's at a higher level than you doesn't mean he knows more than you. These tests confirm that you know (or at least have some idea) of how to do basic booth stuff. Heck, I've been in the booth about 1 1/2 years, and am on Level 2. But I know how to everything in all the levels up through 4, and probably more. It's just necessary to know those things to do my job correctly. Anyways, if you see the guy doing something dumb like that again, talk to your GM, and explain your concerns. I'm sure he/she could help you out.  |  IP: Logged

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