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Topic: Uptown Theater ditches quality projectionists in search of a crappy presentation
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Leo Enticknap
Film God
Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 01-09-2005 04:51 PM
Mark & Steve: I wasn't accusing this theatre of bad presentation, only saying that 'platters won't necessarily hurt presentation quality'. If you thought that this translates into an attack on the presentation quality at this theatre, I'm sorry and that wasn't what I meant. I was merely trying to say that platters in themselves aren't bad news, but that if they're introduced by management for the sole reason of trying to save a buck/quid or two, then there's a danger that this will end up being the result.
Good film handling techniques will mean good presentation anywhere, using any equipment, whether with two projectors or one and a platter. My point was that if what a theatre does is to show the same film, four times a day, seven days a week, then a platter might be a better idea than changeovers, irrespective of the staff costs involved in constantly manning the booth. There's no point in plattering a print for a one-off show, as the build up, strip down and platter pass probably adds up to more risk to the print than bench examination and projection of 2k reels. But if you're showing the same programme repeatedly, is rewinding 2K reels REALLY any film-friendlier than a platter film path, however carefully it's done? Once again, I wasn't attacking this venue specifically, only raising the platter/changeover debate in general.
Just to reiterate: I wasn't and am not accusing any projectionists at this venue of poor presentation. I am sorry if anyone read my earlier post as doing so. I was simply trying to suggest, in response to Joe's post which started the thread, that platters in themselves aren't necessarily the kiss of death. Once again, I'm sorry if any projectionist who works there took this as a personal attack.
In answer to your question, no, I haven't seen a show at the Uptown, but if I ever get the chance to visit Washington DC I'll be sure to do so. The fact that Steve projects there and Mark describes the Uptown's presentation as 'as good as it gets' would make it bloody stupid for me not to see a show there if I got the chance! In the last theatre I worked at, which is now my local arthouse, they run from platters for the mainstream shows and changeovers for one-off screenings.
Hope this clears things up and sorry once again for any misunderstanding.
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Brad Miller
Administrator
Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99
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posted 01-09-2005 07:08 PM
Rick, you stated it as a fact, hence my opposition to your statement. That couldn't be farther from the truth. If film traveling through air for a matter of seconds (or even a minute) was such a bad thing, we would all be covered in dust just walking around the booth all night. It's a stupid and incorrect theory, and one I'm sick of hearing. Heck, I run delayed interlocks with a couple of THOUSAND feet flying around in the air repeatedly and yet the print is shipped back at the end of the run in lab pristine condition. Film flying through the air does not harm it.
Steve and the Uptown operators do all the things good changeover operators need to do to be able to run a show over and over and be able to compete with the presentation possible from a properly operated platter. They add extra head and tail leader, and human hands never touch even the lab leaders when threading. I only know of a couple of other reel to reel houses that do this, and even though I haven't seen the Uptown's presentation personally, knowing the procedures that are followed in that booth, I *know* without going there that their print condition is just about as flawless as it can get. It really is ashamed to see the managers come into the booth when the track record is so perfect over the years. I must agree though with Leo that platter or not, if they kept the projectionists that are currently there, they could put on every bit as good of a show with reels or platter. It's the people running the machines that will ultimately determine the presentation quality. Fortunately more people are starting to wake up from their comas and realize this.
Platter vs. reels is however not the point of this thread. The issue here is Loews knowingly and intentionally lowering their presentation standards just to save a couple of bucks.
For the record, there was a brief period of time when GCC had the managers at Northpark run the booth on the weekdays to try and save on payroll. This ultimately got thrown out because it was keeping the managers from doing their job on the floor and the real projectionists (Ron, Jim and myself) went back to running full time. However in that stretch of time, not one print was damaged in the slightest way. This was because even though we were union, we insisted on personally training the managers, rather than letting them operate the booth after going through the "GCC projectionist training program" offered at the Collin Creek, which did not even have the same kind of equipment. (In fact, we didn't even want them to attend that "training course" because we didn't want to have to UN-DO all of the bad habits that were taught there.) I doubt that will happen at the Uptown. The managers there will probably get stuck with some dipwad corporate trainer who will concentrate on "the basics" and not offer any specific training on the runnings of that particular booth. Then there will probably be tidy little "checklists" and "how to start a movie" guides posted around the booth as well as useless "troubleshooting guides". Since the Uptown is an older booth, they will probably also label everything with masking tape and a Sharpie marker in an attempt to idiot-proof the place. (They always do, yet it never works.) As a result, they will in all probability see film getting damaged every week and the theater will no longer be "the" place to see a film in that area. Sooner or later, that decline in presentation at the Uptown will be the death of it because people will be able to get a better presentation on video at home. Very sad. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
How do these bonehead corporate people actually get their jobs? How stupid do you have to be to not realize that people come to see the MOVIE, not the clean floors or smiling usher or purchase overpriced concession items! Nothing else in the building is as important as it's presentation.
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Scott Norwood
Film God
Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 01-09-2005 07:22 PM
Rick--were you the guy from DC who stopped by the booth when I was working in Williamsburg 6-7 years ago? If so, hi!
Yeah, GCC/AMC did the same sort of thing around here--they went from having operators full-time to 40 hours per week, then 32, 36, or 38 (usually Wednesday night, Thrusday night, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon, depending on the theatre), and then to zero. This worked better at some theatres than others. At one where I often filled in (a 5-plex), print damage from managers was common, and it was not unusual to find equipment in various states of disrepair. At two other theatres (a 10-plex and a 16-plex), it wasn't so bad, and prints generally stayed in decent shape, with occasional exceptions.
I know of exactly one theatre (a 6-plex) where the combination part-time projectionist/part-time manager-operator scheme actually works really well, and that's because the theatre has a manager who has been there since the place opened in 1998 and who cares about film and proper presentation. Sadly, this situation is not common.
Is Loews switching to manager-operator in all of its theatres? I just saw a pretty crappy presentation at the Boston Common theatre, which I thought was a full-time union house (at least it was when it opened in 2001). Is this no longer the case?
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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!
Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 01-09-2005 08:46 PM
Leo
I still take great offense to your statements.
quote: Leo Enticknap
Mark & Steve: I wasn't accusing this theatre of bad presentation, only saying that 'platters won't necessarily hurt presentation quality'.
Whereas we have the best presentation of any house in the area, including all plattered ones, what are you hoping to prove, a platter can do it as good? This system works as well as any in operation. This theatre depends on its presentation for its survival. The intent of the platter in this situation is not for any sort of improvement but for the ability to run the booth unmanned. They have already scratched a reel of film...what are you hoping for? The whole film?
The focus on the screen is critical. It is a deep-curve Cinerama screen (16-feet deep). There is but one sweet spot...do you expect a 5KW-7KW lamp on that lens to hold focus for the entire show? Neither Schneider nor ISCO will back you on that (running ISCO 1.85 lenses and Schneider scopes).
quote: Leo Enticknap
Good film handling techniques will mean good presentation anywhere, using any equipment, whether with two projectors or one and a platter.
Agreed. However...platter theatres tend to attract the more lazy types than the reel-to-reel. That is how the Uptown, in this area, tended to attract the better operators. Those that worked there, WANTED to work there...it wasn't just another job. In fact, 2 out of 3 of us do it for fun. I have a full-time job, as does Dr. Gonzolez.
quote: Leo Enticknap
My point was that if what a theatre does is to show the same film, four times a day, seven days a week, then a platter might be a better idea than changeovers
I have NEVER found that to be the case and where as you are pissing in my backyard now, where I have nearly 2-decades in this same theatre without having worn out a print and having received calls to verify we ran a print since it looked lab-fresh. Some of these films having run 4 months or more in both 35 and 70mm. Shoot, we ran The Return of the King for 15-weeks and returned a flawless print.
quote: Leo Enticknap
But if you're showing the same programme repeatedly, is rewinding 2K reels REALLY any film-friendlier than a platter film path, however carefully it's done?
In my experience, absolutely. And I will extend that to 4K and 6K reels. I have never seen a misthread of a Kelmar rewinder, though we have our film cleaner in the rewind path so there is a trick there, I guess, I have seen MANY mistreads on platter take ups. It is a longer path with more rollers/keepers. Different makes have different obsticles. A human nature problem with any repetitive task is to keep one's thoughts on what they are actually doing rather than working on auto-pilot. My experience with running a regional chain, operating and now on the service and installation end...once theoretics are taken out and also nixing the best and worst operators...the middle crux of them will have fewer problems on the reel-to-reel theatres. The process just seems to encourage a better job and leaves the least amount of opportunity for error. Probably the biggest offense I see on people that run on reels are the lack of protective leaders, and jack-rabbit starts on the rewinder. Neither are issues at the Uptown (the real subject here).
quote: Leo Enticknap
I was simply trying to suggest, in response to Joe's post which started the thread, that platters in themselves aren't necessarily the kiss of death.
I don't know about in your area, but around here, when a presentation house gets one of those...it is the first step to the decline of the theatre if for no other reason than why it is typically installed in a showplace.
quote: Brad Miller
If film traveling through air for a matter of seconds (or even a minute) was such a bad thing, we would all be covered in dust just walking around the booth all night.
Actually Brad, you are indeed collecting dust and dirt just by walking through the booth all night...more likely your clothing is a bit more. The film like everything else will attract the dirt. There are many factors involved too...how clean is the environment, humidity, HVAC and duct locations...etc. In older booths, I've found keeping up with dirt to be a bit tougher than in newer ones. Since the Uptown was built in the Nitrate days, we have both building HVAC and direct, non-filtered outside "fresh air" The idea being that in the event of a fire, the booth would seal up and vent directly to the outside and be fed directly from the outside. It is a cement bunker with metal fire doors (at least two to any customer area, including under the balcony).
For those that know the booth, placing the platter anywhere but in the booth would compromise the fire rating on the booth and expose those in the balcony directly, only plaster to the lobby to a booth fire. While the Nitrate issue could certainly be challenged existing fire code still requires that the booth, which contains flammible products and equipment to seal up...compromising the booth wall (which is probably load bearing for the balcony) or door would violate that.
Now as to this platter vs reel debate...Brad and I have hashed it to death so those that have their opinions please search out and read them, neither of us are going to bend on this. I also don't intend to get into a pissing match with Leo here...if you want to discuss the merits further...take it to another thread or email
This is about the Uptown, what LCE is doing has nothing to do with improving anything...they have even acknowleged that they will be lowering the quality (in a bargaining meeting). The Uptown is just 1 screen on a spreadsheet to them and it wasn't conforming to their multiplex plan. They want it to perform like any other screen within a 20-plex. Nevermind that we did over 600 on just the 8:00 show of Aviator this Saturday.
Steve
[ 01-10-2005, 11:32 AM: Message edited by: Steve Guttag ]
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