Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Uptown Theater ditches quality projectionists in search of a crappy presentation

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Film Handlers' Forum » Uptown Theater ditches quality projectionists in search of a crappy presentation (Page 10)

This topic comprises 18 pages: 1 2 3 ... 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ... 16 17 18

Author

Topic: Uptown Theater ditches quality projectionists in search of a crappy presentation

Carl Martin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1424
From: Oakland, CA, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-25-2005 05:18 AM

stephen, i imagine that's from the upper loop slapping against the 35mm side of the upper pad roller on a jj. the whole assembly turns 180 degrees depending on which gauge you're running.

carl

| IP: Logged

Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 02-25-2005 08:37 AM

quote: Mike Spaeth
find it a little hard to believe that they are up to 6 scratched prints in a single screen in how long? Dustin raised an excellent point ... who is ordering these prints. Sounds like it could be typical union tactics to me ...

Typical union tactics? I don't get that comment at all. What is the tactic? Put out a crappy show? It would hurt all shows, not just m/o. Furthermore, just to alieve any doubt. Since the new policy at the Uptown, the managers are the only ones that have keys to the booth (there are two locked doors one must pass through) and the union is only there on the weekends (Fri-Sun) unless there is a print change. There simply is no way it can be a union person doing the damage, they are not there.

The scratched print complaints are customer driven. The Uptown screen is very massive and deeply curved. Scratches take on a whole new meaning there...they are bigger and bent, unlike in a typical theatre. You can't just ignore them.

Only management can order a print so just put that stupid idea out of your head about "union tactics". This is "management tactics". They wanted to go M/O in a showplace and it just doesn't work.

I am on a leave of absence from the theatre though I did get to see the scraches on the first couple of prints. The heavy ones I would attribute to misthreads before the film ever entered the projector (penthouse)...based on debries found. Mind you, they have melted a fire-douser and warped out both projector's shutters (yes both machines remain and the platter may feed either).

The platter has not helped their cause since each misthread has now resulted in complete print damage rather than selected reels.

Ya know, I don't recall ever ordering even a single replacement print before and we would run them for up to several months.

Steve

| IP: Logged

Jeremy Fuentes
Mmmm, Dr. Pepper!

Posts: 1168
From: Corpus Christi, TX United States
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 02-25-2005 08:49 AM

Who trained these people again?

| IP: Logged

Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1129
From: Marietta, GA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 02-25-2005 10:15 AM

Since the union is not able to order the prints ... I stand corrected.

| IP: Logged

Jim Ziegler
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 753
From: West Hollywood, CA
Registered: Jul 99

posted 02-25-2005 04:09 PM

quote: Jeremy Fuentes
Who trained these people again?

That's what I was wondering... The last operator I trained was able to thread with zero errors after two days. How, exactly, did they warp a shutter?

| IP: Logged

Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 02-25-2005 04:49 PM

quote: Jim Ziegler
How, exactly, did they warp a shutter?

Probably by leaving the lamp on with the hand douser open when the machine was not running. It's not hard to do.

I agree with Brad. If the Uptown is no longer going to be an example of "film done right," then they should just put in [dlp]

rather than switching to "film done wrong."

| IP: Logged

Rick Raskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1100
From: Manassas Virginia
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 02-25-2005 05:03 PM

When all this started I contacted a local TV critic who was really high on the Uptown. The following is part of his response which presents another opinion on what's going on there:

"I got upset when Lowes opened the Georgetown Theater and started giving it better bookings than the Uptown.--they put Matrix 2 in Georgetown and some lame movie at the Uptown instead of the other way around. It seems pretty clear
Lowes wants to drive business to Georgetown."

He also let me know that he'd enjoyed reading this thread.

...Rick

| IP: Logged

Jim Ziegler
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 753
From: West Hollywood, CA
Registered: Jul 99

posted 02-25-2005 06:55 PM

quote: Scott Norwood
Probably by leaving the lamp on with the hand douser open when the machine was not running. It's not hard to do.

They have automation, don't they? Why would they be turning the lamp on by hand?

| IP: Logged

Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 02-25-2005 07:20 PM

I have no idea if they installed automation along with the platter.

I was just offering one possibility as to how a shutter (or fire shutter or changeover blade) could become warped by an untrained or uncaring operator. Perhaps Steve or someone else familiar with the situation can tell us what actually happened.

In any case, it's obvious that the manager/operator situation at the Uptown isn't working. Hopefully, Loews will figure this out sooner rather than later and do something to improve the situation.

| IP: Logged

Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 02-25-2005 07:49 PM

No I can't clone myself wish I could because that is a real shame what they have done to an obviouse perfect operation that they had.

| IP: Logged

Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 02-27-2005 03:50 AM

I can see why with the warped shutter blade, and as big as they are with Centurys: Throw light from a 4k bulb, concentrate that light inside a 4 inch circle, and it wouldn't take long to twist the metal

Prob, why of the 'no automation' factor is, that LCE wanted a "quick and easy" install - put a platter in and leave the booth intact as such. I've seen big circuits do this to older, single screen houses - do an quick and easy install, just to get by until it's time to shut the place down.

Steve has to fill us in on the booth layout for us "outsiders" who are not acquainted with the Uptown.

quote: Rick Raskin
I got upset when Lowes opened the Georgetown Theater and started giving it better bookings than the Uptown.--they put Matrix 2 in Georgetown and some lame movie at the Uptown instead of the other way around. It seems pretty clear
Lowes wants to drive business to Georgetown

A possible reason, for that LCE wants to drive the business to the Georgetown - possibly just to eventually shut the Uptown down and call it a tax writeoff of sorts.

-Monte

| IP: Logged

Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 02-27-2005 11:04 AM

There is an automation of sorts...each machine has an old Kelmar automation that does nothing more than shut the film down in case of a film break....the lamphouses are tied in but all manual controls are still there. I suspect it happened during their "training" more than anything.

The lamps are 5KW and could stand to go to 6KW. The shutters are the old steal type that don't warp easily.

As to the money of the Uptown...any of you that has access to the EDS information might find it curious to look at that theatre compared to say the LCE Georgetown. The Uptown doesn't just stand toe-to-toe, at the moment, it dominates.

Steve

| IP: Logged

George Roher
Master Film Handler

Posts: 266
From: Washington DC
Registered: Jul 99

posted 07-17-2005 12:27 PM

I am bumping up this thread for an update.

The Uptown went back to having full time projection for the first couple weeks of Star Wars but has now cut the projectionists back to 40 hours a week again.

There are two prints, a manager's print and a projectionist's print. When the managers thread, they use the manager's print (which is considered expendable and is currently trashed). And when the projectionists run a show, they use the projectionist's print (which is in decent condition and has been filmguarded).

So at least the projectionists get to run a print that hasn't been ruined. And the customers, depending on when they go to the theatre, have a chance of seeing a good print. So I guess it could be worse. [Roll Eyes]

| IP: Logged

Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 07-17-2005 01:49 PM

quote: George Roher
There are two prints, a manager's print and a projectionist's print. When the managers thread, they use the manager's print (which is considered expendable and is currently trashed). And when the projectionists run a show, they use the projectionist's print (which is in decent condition and has been filmguarded).

Wow, now THAT's an excellent idea! I wonder if that just happened for this one movie because the theater received a backup print, or if it was done intentionally. If so, someone at Loews really needs to get their stupid butt down there and compare the two prints.

I must ask though, why is the projectionist's print only in "decent" condition???

| IP: Logged

Mike Babb
Master Film Handler

Posts: 250
From: Norwich UK
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 07-17-2005 01:52 PM

The need for a managers print and a projectionists print is both unbelievable and proof positive (if anyone wants or needs proof at this point) that a mistake was made in this operation.

I wonder what would happen if the customers got wind of this?

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 18 pages: 1 2 3 ... 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ... 16 17 18

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.